Jaila Lumerwell POV District 8
"Jaila, get up NOW!" my father roared. I rolled over and pulled the blankets up. He was downstairs in the kitchen drinking his alcohol. After a minute or two, I heard him grunt and I immediately knew he was coming. I jumped up and ran out of my room running in to him. He pushed me to the ground and lifted his foot as if he were to kick me (at least that's what I assumed). This was normal in my house; he abused my mother and me. He is the reason I'm blind.
When I was nine I came home from school and found my dad banging the bathroom door. He hit my mom and she locked herself in the bathroom, scared for her life. He turned his anger on me and threw me to the ground and kicked me rapidly. Then he threw his empty bottle of beer at me, it shattered and a few shards got in my eyes and blinded me. Then, when he left to get a new bottle mom opened the door and dragged me inside the bathroom. We spent the next two days pulling out shards of glass and doing everything to regain my sight but in the end it didn't change anything. Only two good things came out of this incident; Mom and me became closer and my other senses has enhanced dramatically. I could hear someone breathing from more than twenty feet away (although it is rather quiet).
I lifted my arm to protect my face, he grunted and grabbed it. He yanked me to my feet only to shove me back down to my hands and knees. "When I say get up, get up!" he roared. I nodded and crawled to the bathroom. I opened the drawer and felt around for the brush. I brushed my short hair and then immediately thought of mom. I get my hair and eye colors (both light brown) from her. She is rarely home since she is the one that pays for everything.
Since I'm not eighteen he still has custidy and here in district eight the mayor is a sexist and the men always when the cases so she couldn't lose Dad without possibly losing me ( he reminds her that he can take me away so often). I listened for my father to see if it was safe to leave the bathroom. He was in the kitchen getting a new beer bottle. I quickly ran to my room to get changed.
I wore my mom's old red knee length skirt with a black top. She laid them out for me last night before she left for work. I her walking up the porch steps and opened the curtains and waved her in (I always did this so she would know whether it was safe or not). I heard my father order her to make breakfast for him.
"I brought home bread and chicken," she replied we always had bread and chicken on reaping days. They're was a huge crash and my mother gasped.
"I want a home made breakfast once in a while!" he shrieked. I heard her jog to the fridge and pull out a few items. After a minute or two she came to my room.
"We'll have bread and chicken," she said. I assumed it was hidden since she was quiet to set it down. We ate and then she said it was almost time to go.
"Oh! I still need my token," I said n a hushed voice.
"Here, take my necklace," she said placing it into my hand. I tried to object but she refused. It was a diamond necklace Dad gave to her when they were still dating. She keeps it to remind her of the love that was once there.
She put it on my neck and fastened it.
"You're the only one I have now." She said. We hugged because we both knew if I was reaped this may be the last time we ever did.
…
I stood in the seventeen-year-old section listening to the mayor's words.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen let's welcome our escort, Basical Green!" I heard the escort approach the mike and say a few words. Then he went to the left and pulled out a name that made my mother squeak.
"Jaila Lumerwell!" I stumbled to towards the front hoping that my father we'll let Mom see me one last time. I was ushered inside the City Hall into a room with velvet pillows.
In the end they never showed.