Thorn Willows, District 11, Male, Age 16
I stood patiently behind the counter, waiting for someone to walk in and relieve my boredom potentially fort a good minute or so. For, what I would say, a few hours, I had been waiting desperately for something to happen. Sure, customers came in, but all they really did was browse,, choose, buy, then leave. Just peachy. I knew I shouldn't complain. What did I have to complain about?
For someone from District 11, I was living it. District 11 was strict, harsh, and unforgiving. I expected nothing less, given how we acted in the rebellion. The Capitol has good reasons for keeping us under such tight wraps, but that doesn't mean I like it. At all. I craved freedom, something our District could never provide. But again, I should consider myself lucky. I was the grocer's son, I wasn't that hated Loyalist, everyone in the District booed at while they passed. Nor, was I the executed rebel, murdered by the Capitol for treason. I was the grocer's son, living the easy life, with food, family.
But that didn't mean I Don't wished for freedom, something different. And that thought made me extremely guilty. Everyday I saw starving families, knowing I would come home to a house full of food, we couldn't eat everything, what would be left to sell? But we definitely had enough to last us a good three years at the least. It made you feel bad, but could you really control your emotions? I'd seen some try, but they never seemed to succeed for more than a few days.
I boredly flicked at a loose strand of curly hair, which had fallen in front of my eye. It sounded like Heaven when I heard the familiar ring of the bell resound through the shop. Excitedly I straightened up, brushing off dust from my burgundy shirt. There wasn't any of course, just a force of habit I guess.
Looking up, I took in the appeRence of the new customer. Well, customers, there was a boy, with a little girl tucked under his arm. He was tall, perhaps about 6"2', with trimmed brown, practically black hair falling in front of brown eyes. The girl looked very similar, I assumed they were siblings. She had brown eyes, as well as light brown skin. She was looking up at the boy expectantly, her arms were at her side, and she looked around six. The boy was probably my age, maybe older. He started looking around, the girl doing the same. He took his arm off her as He walked forward, him and the girl stuck together though, as she seemed to trail him like a lost puppy.
The store was dead silent, beside the slight noise of the wind, and footsteps and conversations of the pair of siblings currently browsing the stands. I could hear them, if I strained my ears slightly.
I saw the boy sigh, at something the girl had said. I didn't quite catch it as it seemed she spoke on barely a whisper, soft and quiet. But when he spoke his voice was firm and loud. "Elissy, stop, we just have enough money to buy for the week, no extra. And no, we aren't going to the sweet shop, I worked for this money we can't spend it all on things we don't need." His tone was light, but it seemed like it would've been more of an affective sentence said with a harsher tone. I assumed he had a soft spot for his sister, or he was really a big softy under all the muscle.
I heard the girl, Elissy, sigh, before nodding her head. "Can we at least go to the bakery to get some cake?" The boy shook his head, chuckling slightly at the end. I kept watching them, only did I realize that it may have been a little creepy was when the boy looked over his shoulder and caught my eye.
He had made a face at me, cleary giving me a 'WTF' expression. I smiled sheepishly before speaking. "Sorry, am bored." I saw Elissy giggle before tugging on her brother sleeve. Who had just recently rolled his eyes at my revelation.
He had picked out a few things, just vegetables and some fruits mostly. When he approached the counter he shouted for Elissy to come and she quickly scrambled away from her position from behind a stand of corn.
He dropped them down onto the counter, gave me a once over before whispering something to Elissy. I managed to catch Corn, and maybe Fields, something about a Nurse too. I quickly checked everything, "So, my name's Thorn. You?" I managed with small smile. He eyes me warily before cracking a grin.
"Ulysses, and this is Elissy." He gestured to his little sister, who gave a giant toothy grin. He then leaned over the counter, whispering something to me. "And dude, people watching is a frigging creepy habit." I laughed, "But a quite entertaining one wouldn't you agree?" I saw him roll his eyes. "Hi, I'm Elissy. I like your hair." The little girl seemed to want to join the conversation, by introducing herself while sticking out her hand for a handshake. Leaning over the counter to do so, I shook it with a smile. "Thorn Willows, at your service." I told him the price.
And without any second objections he pulled out the money and handed it to me. I took a bag from the counter to put his stash in, he stuffed them in as I wished him a good day. He smiled, before starting out towards the door. Elissy strayed behind only by a little "Bye!" Shouted the six year old as her brother guided her out the door. I heard the ring of the Bell once more, and soon succumbed to boredom again.
At least this was better than yesterday. Which had been the monthly inspection. Instead of being bored that day, you were constantly on edge. Even a trace of something rebel and you were as good as dead. I remember that my family had been extremely on nervous, they had tidied up the place. Making sure it looked great for when the peacekeeper came. You would get shut down, not only of any trace of rebel were around, but also if it was unsanitary, you weren't making enough money, your brother di something offensive. Anything, I had helped clean up the counter, making sure the dust was gone and it was left spotless.
I was glad to be honest, instead of having the constant feeling of being covered in dirt, I was instead inside a completely clean and organized area. Still didn't make it any less tiresome. But it was certainly better than nothing. I tried playing a sort of game with my fingers while I waited, it wasn't much fun though.
Monutes later my head was rested on the counter with my face watching the seconds tick by on a clock. My blue orbs darting back and forth as the seconds hand moved constantly. When I heard the best resound throughout the grocer's store I practically leaped from my former dead position. The man who had just entered was dark skinned and very skinny as well. I reconized him as a boy from school.
I did attend, just some days I had to skip in order to keep our store running. When my brother, Till, was too busy with his job, he worked in the fields. Or when my was too busy with taking care of my mother. Who was sick, ill with a disease. We didn't exactly know, we couldn't afford a doctor. That was in fact what we were saving up for, with Till's job, and our store. But her condition did make it impossible for her to work.
The boy approached the counter, not even bothering to look around. Whent, I think his name was. I waved in greeting to him and he shyly smiled back. "Hey, what do you need?" It sounded slightly rude as I spoke the words in a slightly harsher tone, but he didn't seem to take notice of it. "Um.. where's the beef?" I pointed in a direction, the far right corner of the shop. He smiled in thanks before rushing off to the meat section. I strained my neck to see what he was doing, even though I knew it was futile. No people watching in that corner of the store.
As I waited for Whent to finish up, I snapped my head in the direction of the door when another strolled in. The girl was short with tan skin and brown hair. She smiled in greetings to me, before turning over to where we kept the vegetables. I watched for a bit, but it wasn't as entertaining as it had been with the pair of siblings who had entered earlier. They had people to talk to and we're making conversation as they went.
Damn, I sound like such I creep. I'm just gonna stop, Ok.
Whent's black hair appeared in myself of vision, as I turned towards him again. Under his arm he held some meat, he seemed to struggle slightly as it fell forwards and almost out of his grasp, before he secured it once more. I saw his brown eyes flickered to the girl, before darting back to meet my own. "Heya, here." He grunted as he deposited the meat onto the counter.
It was a big piece, but I had heard from passing students that he had eight siblings. Being the second oldest he too, care of them the most, his older brother was studying in the Capitol, his mother was dead and father was ill.
I took a bag out from under the counter, I assumed he didn't want to be lugging around a giant piece of protein around the District. I already knew how much it cost, I told him the price while I was struggling to find the right sized bag. I heard the shuffle of coins going around in his pocket before I heard the loud clunk of metal on the counter.
Bag in hand I stuffed the meat into it, as I counted the coins on the faded green surface of the counter. "Here you go." I stated as I handed him the bag. He took it, and with a wave as he parted, I heard the bell once more. I looked over to see where the girl was, she seemed to have moved on from the vegetables to the fruits. I saw her grab an apple before stalking back towards the counter.
"Hi, I'm Thorn." I said as I checked the prices on all of her chosen foods. "Sonya, Sonya Evergreen." She replied flatly. I saw her twirl a lock of brown as she gazed at the clock, an expression of boredom plastered across her face. I told her the price, she passed over the coins, which had been in the front pocket of her cardigan. Then without a second word she prepared exited the shop, she opened the door, the bell rang. She kept the door open with her foot, though. Sonya turned around halfway, so that only her head was in my direction, a sheepish smile on her face. "Bye." She said, with a little wave to accompany it. "Bye, Sonya." I gave a one last smile before the door closed behind her.
And I was bored again, I wish something cool would happen for once. Something exciting. Something that had never happened before.
And we have grocery boy. So updates may become a little less frequent now, since school is starting again. Also, Liamll2000, recognize anyone?