Chapter Two
"Aunt Seeder!" Rue was calling as soon as we stepped foot in my huge, insanely nice home.
"Rue," I whispered. "I've changed my mind. I think it'd be a better idea if they don't see. Maybe you and Keon could just take care of it and—"
"Take care of what?"
I groaned inwardly at my father's voice as I watched him appear from upstairs. "Nothing, Dad," I lied. He tended to overreact over little things like this.
He froze in mid-step when he saw us. "What the hell?" he all but yelled, and turned on his heels and ran back up the stairs. This was a perfect example of my earlier statement.
Rue and Keon led me to one of the back rooms that we had set up as a sickroom, like a mini doctor's office. When we could without getting ourselves or anyone else into too much trouble, we'd take others in and care for them if their condition was pretty bad.
They helped me over to the bed with a deep green comforter and equally deep green sheets. I gingerly lay down on my belly with my head on the soft pillows and waited for what I knew was to come next.
As soon as that thought crossed my mind my dad came barging through the door, and seconds later, my mom entered, calm and controlled as ever. She and my dad were opposites in that way.
"Who did this? What happened? Why would they do this? They have no right—" Dad started to ramble, furious.
"Ryker, honey, calm down," my mom said. "There's no need to get all worked up." She was already rummaging through cupboards to find what she needed.
"'No need'?" Dad demanded. "Seeder, there's every need in the world! Look what they did!"
"Dad," I said, my voice ringing through the room. "I'm not dead or anything. Only a bit battered and bruised."
"What happened?" Mom asked before Dad could explode. I decided to let Rue and Keon take over, because I didn't really feel like talking, let alone breathing that much.
"She did it for me," Keon said in a small voice. "They set me up. I'd be in her place if she hadn't filled my pack with her hard work." I heard her footsteps near and soon saw her kind, loving face looking down at me, her dark eyes reflecting the dimming sunlight that shone through the window.
"How many?"
"Thirty-five," Keon said, a hint of anger in his voice.
"For her first offence?" Dad demanded.
"Lower your voice," Mom told him, not seeming surprised. "We knew that they would receive the short end of the stick when it came to these things, remember?" Dad grunted, crossing his muscular arms over his broad chest, seething, his green eyes overfilled with fury. I closed my own eyes that were much like his, only a brighter, more intense shade, so I didn't have to watch him watch me.
To take my mind off of everything around me, I focused my thoughts on my dad and his deceased family. They all had stuck out like a sore thumb; their skin was a lighter shade than all of ours, despite it being darkened by the sun from long, hard days outside, slaving away. They all had green eyes, the shades varying from each one. All of their hair had been a light brown, and my dad's was really curly, which he had gotten from his mom, and I, in turn, took from him.
All of Dad's side of the family had died in their own "accidents", his youngest brother, who'd only been a couple months older than me, being the last one to go. Everyone knew that it was the Capitol, but no one knew exactly why. We figured that it was to get to my dad, which in turn would get to my mom. Since Oakley's death had been about five months ago, both Mom and Dad were on high alert. We weren't sure if they were done, or if they weren't going to stop until Mom was the only one left. The future was an uncertain thing, especially in District 11, where everyone was treated as a worthless slave.
"Lorcan!" I heard my dad snap, and I once again focused on the present situation.
"Hmm?"
Mom shot Dad a look before she said, "Keon and Rue say that you didn't receive all thirty-five."
"No…" I said slowly. "I didn't."
"Why?" She furrowed her brow. "That doesn't seem right, as much as I'd like it to be, honey."
"Well thirty-five were given out," I corrected myself. "Just not all on me." Both my parents stared at me, probably waiting for me to continue.
"This man spoke out against it," Keon said.
"What?" both Mom and Dad said at the same time.
"Who?" Dad asked, his jaw clenching slightly.
I tried not to roll my eyes at him. "I don't know. I've never really noticed him before."
Mom didn't seem as wound up as Dad about the whole ordeal. "What happened to him?"
"He got the rest of the lashes, helped me off the post, and walked off," I said, trying to shrug but deciding against it once Mom hit me on the head so I wouldn't tear open the freshly closed skin. "He didn't seem all too friendly."
"Yet he helped you."
"Yeah…that he did."
"And you didn't offer—?"
"Of course I offered!" I said impatiently, cutting her off. "He just refused. Said he didn't 'accept charity' or some crud like that."
"I see…" Mom said, trailing off with a faraway look in her eyes. She didn't say it aloud, because really, she didn't have to. We all knew that there was no way that man was going to get off easy with what he'd done. It was just a matter of time before another example was made out of him.
"Am I good, now?" I asked after a long silence followed. "I'll go walk Rue home."
"I'm not sure that's a good—"
"It already feels good as new," I interrupted her. She knew it, too, because she had some of the Capitol's better medicines. "And you know I don't like making her go alone."
"I'll be fine," Rue said in her quiet, soft voice. "Your mom's right; you really should take it easier for the night."
"I can take her," Dad said with an air of finality.
"Please?" I begged. "They're going to be worried."
"I think I can handle it."
"Ryker… She'll be fine. Let her go," Mom said, patting my arm and offering me a hand to help me up. "You can go along with her, if you want." He gazed at her, then at me, before turning around and walking out the door.
"I'm going to go start dinner," he muttered over his shoulder.
"He's just upset," Mom said, watching his retreating back. "He's always worried about you."
"I know," I said, steadying myself on my feet. "But at some point he's going to have to trust me."
"It's not that he doesn't," she said quickly. "He just doesn't trust them with you." My thoughts went back to his family, and I decided not to further argue the issue. I really could see from his point of view, and I felt for him.
"C'mon Rue," I said. "Let's get you home."
"Can I come?" Keon asked, looking at me, then Mom.
Mom sighed, running a hand through her dark hair that was slowly starting to grey. "I suppose. But you mind your sister."
"He usually does," I said, giving her a hug before we headed downstairs where I quickly filled a tan colored sack with various foods before we left the house.
"Your dad was right, Lora," Rue said as we made our way through the shadowed area of the streets. "It may not be the smartest idea for you to be wandering right now. It's like your rubbing it in their noses that they can't hurt you."
"They can't," I agreed, rushing them along past people's shut off glances. She shook her head, but didn't say anything. Rue may have been young, having just turned twelve, but she's had to grow up fast, and it didn't help any that her name would be entered, several times, might I add, in the Reaping this year. As the oldest of six kids, she tended to fall into a second mother role to help take care of the little ones. Her life was not only complicated by that, her family also lived in constant poverty. It didn't matter that we had more than enough money; they wouldn't accept any of it, even if it would make their lives easier. That fact frustrated me to no end. We were family, and the least we could do was help out.
And help out was what I did. When I finally accepted the fact that they wouldn't accept money, food, or anything like that, I made a point of showing up to help keep the household sane, because it was tough enough on Rue and her parents by themselves. At least with this, I'd told them, they couldn't deny me unless they didn't want me around.
"Lora, honey!" Rue's mom said as soon as we came through the door. She threw her arms around me and held me tight for a moment before pulling back to look me over. I'd spent so much time with them, I was practically another one of her children. "You okay? You don't look bad. Just tired."
I shrugged. "It'll be fine. We got that fancy-smancy medicine at home, so I'm in good hands, thanks." I smiled at her worried face, before my attention was ripped away by my other six little cousins, all talking and grabbing a hold of me at the same time.
"Alright give the girl some room," Rue's dad said, leaning against the old, moldy wall. "She needs to breathe every now and then."
"Strange as it may be," I agreed, smiling at each and every one of them, before I lifted the sack in my hand up. "Now, who wants some food?" Each of my little cousins jumped up and down in excitement while my aunt and uncle exchanged resigned glances.
"How are you, Keon?" our uncle asked, instead of chastising me for my so-called "charity". They were used to it by now and knew that, once in awhile, I did what I wanted, whether they liked it or not.
"Okay," Keon said. "Rough day, but okay."
"Hey! That rhymed!" one of Rue's youngest sister, who was six years old, exclaimed, giggling. I laughed along with her, shaking my head. At least I wasn't the only one who was easily amused. Granted she had an excuse because of her age… But I still found it funny.
"Are you gonna to stay tonight?" one of the little boys asked eagerly, wrapping his arms around my leg. "I like your bedtime stories!" His bright little smile had a big influence on me, and it almost broke my heart that I couldn't give him exactly what he wanted.
I picked him up and gave him a big hug as I sighed and said sadly, "Not tonight. My momma wants me to come straight home." There were groans coming from every single one of them, which made me smile, both on the outside and inside. "But don't worry. You'll get your bedtime story soon. And I'm makin' it a really good one this time. One of the best you've ever heard."
Listening to their cheers and excited voices, I set the little one down and took Keon's hand, heading for the door. "We'll see you guys later. Have a nice night!"
"You too, Lorcan," my uncle said. "Take care of yourself."
I cast a wink over my shoulder as I said, "I try."
A/N: First off, I want to say I'm SOO sorry! I know this is REALLY overdue…but I've been super busy it's crazy. Also I've had an insane lack of inspiration for writing at all. Horrible, I know, and I'm not sure when I'll finally get back into the swing of things, or if that'll only come back in the summer, like it usually does. :-/ So please be patient and bear with me. Especially 'cause I know this chapter was complete and absolute crap. :( You guys are absolutely wonderful though!
So, my thank-you's!
Guest: Thank you so much! You were my first review! :) Haha but I am trying to continue, I promise. It's just taking me a lot longer than it should. I'm really happy you like it so far!
MoonlitSorrows: Thank you! Haha when I first came up with the idea, mine was the only Thresh/OC one out there. I'm not sure if it is anymore or not though. I've been AWOL for awhile. I hope you will find this interesting as it continues too!
Misstyfoot: Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! :)
Also I wanted to thank all of the four people who have favorited and the six who are following this already. That means the world to me, even if you didn't review. ;)
Alrighty! So I know this chapter sucked, and it's not worthy of anything, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd stick around for awhile longer. I've got some ideas, but I've just gotta get my inspiration back to get there. I hope it'll be worth it in the end. So, R&R guys! It makes my day, whether good or bad! :)
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