I do not own the song Blackbird by The Beatles. I'm so sorry many of the amazing tributes I've gotten must die. I am still accepting tributes! Females can be from 1, 5, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Males can be from 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, or 12. Message me if you want a spot!
*PENNY'S POV*
I'm sitting on the highest branch of my favorite tree. My boss is probably looking for me right now, and maybe Mom, too. But I don't even care. I stand up on that branch and I jump. I'm falling towards the ground until I lift into the air, flying among the mocking jays. They sing my favorite song with me, and we fly all over District 6. I turn to one and smile at it. It stares back at me with it's beady eyes, squawks, and speaks. "PENNY! HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO SLEEP?" Huh? That's weird… The mocking jay sounds just like my mother… and then I'm falling again.
My eyes open quickly-too quickly, might I add-and sun is shining through the window. "ACK! TOO BRIGHT!" I yelp, and close the curtains, taking my first look at the clock on my wall. 10:30. If that's right, I have about one hour and 30 minutes to get ready for the reaping. …Shit. I jump out of my bed and almost fall down the stairs. "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP SOONER?" I scream, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "I tried to, Penny. Many times." My mother replies, without turning away from a customer's laundry. I grumble and plop down at the table, where my mom has a plate of blueberry muffins and two cold glasses of milk set out. Yummy. I chow down on three and chug my milk, then burp a bit too loudly. "Disgusting." I hear her say as I run upstairs, going to bathe.
Let me explain a little something to you: My family consists of two people: My mother-Veruca-and me. We don't ask questions. If my mom came home covered in vomit, screaming about wild pigs, I wouldn't care. I would clean her up, and sing her to sleep. If I came home covered in blood, asking her to hide me, she would. We are Hoovers. You may be wondering about Father dear. Well, I don't know what happened, and neither does mom. We stick to our motto: Don't ask questions. That's the way it's always been.
As I get out of the shower and walk into my room, I find that Mother has laid my favorite orange sundress out for me. I squeal, and get my outfit situated. I slip on my white sandals, and skip (kind of) down the stairs. "How do I look, Mommy?" I ask, and twirl around in a circle. My mother smiles at me and I see her dark blue eyes sparkle. "Radiant, darling. Absolutely radiant. Give me a second and I'll do your hair, okay?" I nod, and patiently go up to my room to wait. After a while, she come up and brushes my hair, singing our song. The song we always sing every reaping day. It's an old song, and it makes me feel happy inside. The song goes like this:
'Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise…'
As we finish the song, there's a knock. My mother runs down to get it, and I stare at myself in the mirror. I am so ugly. Everyone I know in District 6 says I am absolutely beautiful, but I don't think so… Is it my long, curly auburn hair? Maybe. My naturally purple eyes? Possibly. Maybe it's something else… I'll never know.
It turned out to be Doris Mint at the door. Doris is a 12 year old who comes to our house to get her laundry done. I usually don't see her, considering how I'm at work almost all the time. Did I forget to mention that I have (err… had) a job? I'm a porter. No, I don't work on a ship. I carry people's luggage when they get on train 12. Usually, I can steal something and get away with it. But just a couple days ago, I got fired for stealing a toy train out of a woman's bag, then refusing to give it back. I still haven't told Mom. But anyway, back to Doris. She looks up at me, and smiles. "Hello, Penny… You look pretty today." I smile back, and reply, "You do too, Doris. I really like your dress." It's a really bright green colored dress with no straps, and she's wearing black flats with it. Doris blushes and looks at my mom. "Is it okay if I pay you later, Ms. Hoover? I'm short on money right now…" Mom waves her hand, dismissing the thought. "I don't need the money. You're okay." I giggle slightly at how big Doris' eyes get, and hug her small form. "Don't worry, honey. You come anytime you need clean laundry. No charge." Tears well up in her dark brown eyes, and she wraps her frail arms around me. "O-Okay… I-I guess I'll s-see you at the reaping, Penny…" She pulls away from the hug, gives me a wave, and runs out our door. My mother chuckles behind me and mumbles ever so softly, "That little girl is too damn cute…" For once, I agree with her.