District 7 Pre-Reapings

TW: This chapter contains mentions of abuse, self-harm, suicide, attempts at suicide, angst, assault and depression

OMEGA CENTHERS (16)

DISTRICT SEVEN FEMALE

Run to the woods, you'll be safe there.

It was something her best friend Amanda had instructed her to do.

Run out of that hellhole you call home and into the woods where you'll be safe with us.

A simple, straightforward instruction, but one that meant the world for a young, terrified Omega, who just wanted some peace and tranquillity away from the chaotic nutcase of a home that she lived in.

Was it even a home, though?

Wasn't a home a place where you felt loved, a place of creature comforts and personal joy, a place that brought back warm, cosy memories of a fond past?

Well, in that case, the Centhers family house wasn't her home.

She glanced up from underneath her bed, her fingers trembling like a leaf as she tucked herself into a ball, making herself as small as possible, careful to maintain the deafening silence present in the room, a furious, ferocious silence that screeched in her ears, disrupted only by the soft billows of her torn, tattered curtains swaying gently like white flags of surrender in the gentle breeze, as in the distance, she could just make out a soft chirp, one made by a bird in the thick forests with their tall, welcoming trees that she knew was a mere sprint away from this house, a place where the flora and fauna she knew and loved being around so dearly took refuge, basking in the safety of those tall, imposing trees and dark pillars of stone that sat like security guards in the middle of glades and clearings.

Anywhere away from this place was good, to be honest.

Despite years of trying, she had never exactly been able to will herself to permanently flee from this house, because, well, where else was there to go? The woods were a fine place to be, but she knew that her parents could not possibly last very long without her making those pre-cooked meals and buying medicine from the apothecary for them.

Her present was simply balanced on that thin, futile hope that someday they would gradually recover and revert to their old ways.

Footsteps thumped against the hard wooden floorboards, causing Omega's heart to quicken its pace, its rapid procession of beats loud as drums, so much so that Omega feared her parents could hear her heartbeat. She pulled the thin blanket over her face, sucking in a gulp of air, in anticipation for the inevitable moments of terror that awaited her.

Any moment now.

She could smell it, that putrid stench of mouldy beer, that sharp whiff of fresh blood, that foul odour of rotting waste, all slowly approaching her, forming a toxic concoction that threatened to knock her out.

But the bearer of these stenches was the real danger here, the main threat to her at the present moment, the monster who could rip a chunk of soul and flesh out of her.

No, monsters with an 's', she corrected herself.

Because these beasts from the dark were none other than her very own parents, brandishing thick, heavy blades dripping with the blood of slain animals and robbed civilians, their breaths foul with the alcohol and drugs they had been chugging down their fat throats recently, their clothing splattered with blood, dirt and grime, streaked with gaping holes, their entire beings swarmed by a medley of flies seeking to get closer to these dirty folk.

"Come out little girl," her father leered, his footsteps, heavy with their own distinctive pattern according to her friend Ashley, whose family had once been victims of violent crimes at the hands of the Centhers, allowing her to gain a good knowledge about them.

The 'thump! thump!' sounds with the slight crunch due to the newly stuck piece of wrapping in his shoes echoed across the house was without a shadow of a doubt her father's.

Omega bit her lip, trying hard not to scream, as she heard the door creak open, the soft, screeching noise gripping further wounds into her skin.

"Come out and play," her mother taunted, her voice a toying sort of sweet, tainted with drips and pools of malevolence, a wicked witch lurking behind the mask of a woman who at first glance seemed like a fairly normal person.

Omega squeezed her eyes shut, praying for them to leave, hoping that they would not notice her. She could hear the sound of the blades swishing through the air, and almost winced as the deep gashes along the side of her waist and on her upper bicep seemed to sting in alarm at the thought of being on the receiving end of yet another abusive session. The tiny lump of red on her head, caused by the smashing of bottles against her head, came alive once more in a blazing ball of traumatic pain and horrid memories. Her head spun, and Omega had to desperately cling on to whatever remnants of self-restraint were left in her, as she willed herself to refrain from screaming out loud.

The footsteps drew closer, and as Omega took a daring peek from out of her blanket, she barely managed to hold back a gasp of shock at the sight of her parents slowly bending down to inspect the underside of the bed, their feet wrapped in layers of dust and cobwebs slowly adjusting to accommodate for their slow, steady actions.

Oh gosh, I'm screwed, Omega thought, her heart pounding like one of those gorilla mutts she had encountered and shot down in the woods. There was no use hoping right now, they were certainly going to find her, her fate was written in the stars.

Her wounds and cuts began to sting and cry, but she paid them no attention, and simply awaited the arrival of a fresh batch of wounds and injuries to 'decorate her body', as her parents often tried to tell her, in an attempt to justify their horrific actions.

But of course, there was no justifying the robbery of her childhood.

Omega glanced around her, desperately trying to scour the bug-infested piles of dirt around her for an item to defend herself with.

They'll forget about this after they sober up anyway.

Her eyes drifted towards a small piece of rotting wood with a slightly jagged tip, lying bored and unused about a metre away from her. Quietly, her hand slipped towards it, her fingers clasping rightly around the old wood. She gritted her teeth as she got ready, a nervous look blaring in her brown eyes, the colour of the regal pines, a normally steadfast pair of eyes that were succumbing to the fear of getting hurt once more.

Just a good, strong hit, then I'll get the hell out of here.

She hated hiding, hated the thought of having to keep everything within her and remain silent, hated being in this cramped bit of space.

She wanted to be free, and to get away from here.

And now was her chance to accomplish just that.

Omega knew that it was do or die, if she couldn't strike her parents well enough, well, there would be severe consequences, to say the least. Inhaling sharply, she raised her wooden board just as the thin, murderous faces of her parents poked into her hiding spot, their big bloodshot eyes bulging with a sickly delight at the sight of her, only a mere second before Omega thrust her makeshift weapon forward, slicing a clean wound into the forehead of her father and knocking out her mother with a nice, clean blow. She didn't stop or hesitate to look back, no that would be a massive waste of a few precious seconds that she couldn't possibly afford to lose. Grabbing the fallen kitchen knife of her unconscious mother on the way out, she charged forward, almost knocking aside an old, monochrome vase that sat dully in the living room, having been patched and glued back together way too many times. From way behind her, she could hear the low, intoxicated bellows and screams of her father, followed in quick succession by the sound of glass shattering and a large metal rod soaring through the hallway, crashing just inches away from her head. Omega froze for a second, momentarily stunned as she gaped at this projectile that had so nearly crushed her skull. Her eyes sprung wide open, and she could feel her heart continuing to beat with inhumane speed.

Keep focused, run straight to the woods, she told herself, biting her lip as she burst through the rickety, shambolic doors of the Centhers family house, her pitifully short legs scampering across the patches of grassy fields that stood between her and the ancient woodland ahead of her.

The Forest of Wolves, the people of Seven called it, due to the packs of wolves and hunting dogs that sought refuge underneath the sprawling canopy and the thick branches that stretched like protective arms over the critters below. These wolves and dogs shared a special kinship with the people who lived here, the lumberjacks and lumberjills who resided near the White River and often hunted along with the local folk, in exchange for a companionship that proved stronger than the one between the Capitol and any of the Districts.

They were the overlords of Omega's safe haven, and for that, she was eternally grateful.

Her old boots thundered against the ashen earth as she pushed past the barrier of thick vines that guarded the entrance to the Forest of Wolves, a thick form of natural protection that had been created by the chieftains of the former tribes of District Seven, before the annexation by the Capitol.

The sweet air of freedom, the feeling of being out of hiding, it was sublime.

Her feet kept on racing through the woods, as Mount Rainier loomed in the distance. The Lovers' Tree, nicknamed as such due to the cryptic hearts and loving messages of bygone lovers that were etched onto its bark, was not too far away, she could tell. She knew this forest like the back of her hand, having the ability to recognise the unique features of nearly every tree around here and to navigate her way around using the most discreet of features and landmarks. Spotting an owl sleeping on a particular tree with a slight hunch in its trunk, she could tell that the Lovers' Tree was just a left turn and a few dozen feet ahead. She swerved to her left, and with one, final sprint, she dashed towards the tall, imposing tree, a guardian of nature, a protector of the birds and critters, a site where lovers shared fine memories that would soon fade into the twilight.

Ashley and Amanda were already waiting for her.

They were pacing around with anxiety scribbled all across their faces like the beautiful poetry her father had once been capable of writing. Oh, how she missed those sweet words and that cheery smile of his. Both had quickly evaporated into a cloud of nothingness once she reached the age of two, but yet a small part of her had a vague hope that it could return.

But right now, she wanted to be in the company of caring friends.

Ashley's eyes lit up at the sight of Omega, almost dropping the makeshift bow in her hands.

Their wooden bow.

The sight of it filled Omega's heart with a glowing feeling, and her panicked demeanour quickly vanished, as that delightful second side of her barged into her heart, demanding access to the chamber of controls in her mind. Fond memories of the day the trio had first began construction of their bow and quiver of arrows using bark from trees washed over her, bathing her with golden nostalgia. A smile curled across her lips. "Hey guys, how's it going?"

Amanda rushed over and jabbed her side. "Bitch, we were worried about you, don't scare us like that!"

Omega shrugged. "Eh I got held up by a couple of knife-wielding banshees but it's fine, we're here to hunt, not talk about my problems like the Capit- Oh wait, the Capitol doesn't give a damn, silly me."

Amanda's look of uncertainty was replaced with her usual smirk as she chuckled at Omega's little remark. "Good one, Omega. Anyway, the wolves are probably waiting, let's go, maybe we'll shoot down a mutt today!"

She took a big step forward and stumbled over a twig, but Omega's arm prevented her from falling. A small rolled up piece of paper tumbled out of the girl's pocket, unravelling as it landed on a knobbly boulder, lying down upon its mossy pillow. Before Omega could even read a word out of it though, Amanda had quickly snatched it up and stuffed it into her pocket, a flushed look on her face. Omega raised an eyebrow, an amused look etched onto her face.

"A love note from a special someone?" she teased.

Amanda's face turned even redder but not even she could resist a faint smile. "Oh shut it, Omega," she murmured, letting out an embarrassed giggle. "You know nothing about love." Just then, the slip of paper floated out of her pocket again, and this time, Omega caught it midair. Amanda yelped, her eyes widening in alarm. "Don't-"

Omega didn't even hesitate. She immediately handed the paper back to Amanda, declining to even read it. She wouldn't infiltrate her friend's privacy like that.

Amanda flashed a relieved grin. "Thanks, Omega."

Omega returned the grin. "No problem, Mandy."

An annoyed look fired up within the pupils of Amanda's eyes as she gave Omega a light push. "Do not call me Mandy."

Omega chuckled, sticking her tongue out as from the corner of her eye, she spotted a lone grey wolf trotting up towards them, an eager, playful look in its eye. "Yeah, whatever."

She put an arm around Amanda, and another around the shyer, more reserved Ashley, who was fiddling around with the bow, having never quite been confident with her archery skills, no matter how much Omega tried to convince her that she was indeed a top-notch archer.

These friendships in the woods, these were what allowed her to reveal her true self, the one that loved to interact with others and joke around, the one that her abusive family would never get the chance to see, and these same friendships were what spurred Omega to keep on running the marathon of life.

And she wouldn't stop running, not when the wolves were running by her side like loyal companions.

KIERAN ACHLYS (18)

DISTRICT SEVEN MALE

The forest was where Kieran belonged.

The enchanted Forest of the Wolves constantly beckoned him into its pulsing heart. The deep, haunting ballad of its ancient song played on a timeless violin called out to him. As old as time immoral, the forest was still steeped in plushness and opulence. The glory of the forest was revealed in the birthstone-bright light that cascaded in from the canopy above, where a fusillade of trilling and warbling detonated all around him as the primordial forest came alive with the troubadours of the trees. Almond-brown trees stood serenely, awash with a tender glow, old sages guarding the packs of howling wolves and herds of black-tailed deer that danced on the green citadel of nature below.

In comparison to his damning realities, this forest felt like a paradise.

Giving the crumbling old ruins of the Peacekeeper bunker behind him one final glance, he set off into these woods, carrying the celestial silver backpack that Nathaniel had given to him on his eighteenth birthday.

Nathaniel.

The name was like sweet honey, as beautiful as the angelic butterflies and songbirds that pirouetted in the misty air of the woods.

A rare hint of a smile tugged at Kieran's lips as he felt the warm, loving hand of his boyfriend, his saving grace, lace into his, soothing the knots and bumps that were ever-present in Kieran's heart.

The pair passed by the dark grey slab of rock that slumbered soundly, lulled to sleep by the thick network of vines that patrolled the entrance to the forest, a place that Peacekeepers had never exactly bothered to encroach, and good riddance too, they would've shot down the wolves and obliterated the natural landscape.

Just like how the evil mastermind behind his life had obliterated his spirit.

That slab of rock might seem like nothing more than an innocent boulder, but those tiny spots of sanguine red sprinkled across its top surface, they stowed away dark memories of Kieran's troubled past.

Nathaniel noticed the slight wince on Kieran's face, the harrowed look on Kieran's eyes, one a dark, inky blue and the other a light shade of grey. He squeezed Kieran's hand, giving him an encouraging smile as he moved to block Kieran's view of that rock that brought back such pained memories.

But Kieran could never forget what happened there.

It was the place where his father's body had been found, lying slumped against the then-moss covered rock, one of his newest arrows having been plunged into his chest, a suicide note stuffed deep into his pocket.

It had shattered Kieran's heart beyond repair.

He could never forget the long hours they spent in this regal forest, shooting at paper targets amidst the chirping songbirds, racing together alongside young wolf pups, exchanging ridiculously bad puns and jokes.

Activities that would eventually lead to that fateful day, when Kieran had broken his arm whilst attempting to retrieve his father's wayward arrow that was stuck in the trees.

Kieran stumbled, having almost tripped on something on the ground. Glancing down, he grimaced at the sight of the old, smashed wooden bow, the first one that Kieran's father had made for him, before it had been broken, forcing Kieran to use the spare, which he still had with him.

Why on earth is that thing still here? He wondered, quickening his pace as he sought to get away from the bow that had fired that wayward arrow, the one that had caused him to get hurt, an injury that would, in turn, injure his father's heart beyond the point of return.

Just a day after dragging Kieran to the infirmary, he committed suicide.

Kieran shook his head, trying to shake all those horrible, aching thoughts out of his head, trying to force himself to retreat into the corners of his mind to seek shelter from the almighty tormentor known as PTSD.

It was no use, the memories just kept coming and coming, and Kieran could do nothing to stop them.

Kieran froze in his tracks, still trying to fight back as the voice of his father filled his head, nagging at him.

"You're a disappointment, look at what you did to your hand!"

Kieran's eyes swept towards his right hand, and his head drooped like a wilted plant, the sheer cry of brokenness loud as ceremonial trumpets within his soul.

That right hand of his, plagued by constant bad tremors as a result of a ruthless moment of self-harm when he was seven, it was arguably the biggest show of his patheticness, the way he had intentionally smashed it in a fit of frustration.

After all, he had to be punished for his parents' death in some way, right?

Just a few steps away from where the pair stood, in a disturbingly pleasant silence, stood the Lovers' Tree, the place where his parents first met, and where his mother was buried, six feet underneath the earth, a gentle, loving soul who was born to run, condemned to the Grim Reaper while giving birth to Kieran.

If Kieran had never been born, she would still be alive today, and his father would be by her side, without the burning pain and grief he had endured in his final days.

Thoughts like those were what made Kieran wish he could just die. The world would be a much better place without him anyway, the quiet, brooding boy who was a blight of this world, a cursed child doomed to ruin the lives of everyone he encountered.

He deserved death more than anyone else.

He should have died in his father's place, could have done more to prevent his father's suicide, could have just been more careful on that tree.

Death was the only atonement he could think of for being such a disgrace of a son.

Which was why he had attempted to join his parents, tried to go down the same beaten path that his father had already trodden upon.

Because the blood on that rock wasn't just his father's, some of it was his too.

A few of those drops were from an attack by that maniac couple, Mr and Mrs Centhers, who had brutally assaulted him, destroyed his inner humanity, and still more were from an attack by some winged snake mutts that had once roamed the premises before they were hunted down by the locals and wolves.

But the icing on the bloody cake was the blood spilt after his failed suicide attempt, having slit his wrists only for Nathaniel to haul him to safety.

And it was Nathaniel's stubborn desire to keep him alive, despite Kieran's constant insistence that he was better off dead, now that truly saved Kieran, allowing him to have a little more fight and will to live.

And their first kiss in the company of the hunting dog pack, as luminous petals of silver stars freckled the night sky above them, it was arguably the most magical moment of his life, the defining moment that made him realise that maybe, just maybe, life was worth living.

Kieran Achlys was alive, perhaps against the desires of the world around him, but so what? Nathaniel had given him a reason to live, amidst a million reasons to perish, and for that Kieran's crumbling remains of a heart was filled with unconditional love and infinite gratitude.

Nathaniel gave him a concerned look. "Is everything alright, Kier?"

Kieran blinked, snapping back to reality. His head turned sharply towards Nathaniel, having almost forgotten that they were in the woods at that present moment. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine, anyway, let's continue walking, Shadow Lake isn't too far ahead," Kieran murmured, his voice quiet and uncontrollably cold as usual.

Nathaniel's eyes clouded with a slight uncertainty, but Kieran stubbornly tugged his hand, beckoning him forward, and Nathaniel simply obliged, as the pair continued on their way to visit the lake they often camped in, where they could have the luxury of being out alone in the wilderness, underneath the lucid silver stars, as the ice-cool waters of the lake splashed against the shore a mere distance away.

It was where they could be together, away from the sticks and stones that everyone hurled at them.

As Kieran passed a sleeping snowshoe hare, he suddenly stopped in his tracks once again. Nathaniel stopped too, and glanced at the surroundings, one eyebrow raised as he turned about anxiously.

The rhythmical sounds of music flowing like a river through the trees, the graceful, airy sound of a flute playing in the distance,

It would've been a great combination with Kieran's violin serenades and Nathaniel's harp melodies.

Alas, neither of them were in search of human companionship, and so a flautist in the area was more than undesired.

Kieran motioned for them to move in the opposite direction, away from the sound of the flute music, to avoid any sort of interaction with other people. Nathaniel nodded swiftly, and like quiet ghosts, the pair slunk away from the scene, heading for a longer route around the Violin Glade, where Kieran often practised playing his violin. As they trudged up a slight incline, they spotted the blonde head of a young girl in the distance. Her hair was done in the same way as Olive Sanchez's, District Seven's most beloved flautist and Victor of the Twenty-Sixth Hunger Games, and she was holding a flute to her mouth as she whistled out a beautiful song that Kieran had once heard his father play for him on his own flute, one that Kieran had been told to give to someone else since he couldn't even play the flute in the first place, only for his selfish desires to kick in and refuse the begs of those young, impoverished kids yearning for a chance to play music, just a week before it had been stolen and burnt by the Centhers.

The memories started flooding back again.

Nathaniel knew it too, and he was well aware of its significance to Kieran. Hurriedly, he pressed his hands against Kieran's ears in an attempt to dilute the music that blared into his eardrums, striking old wounds and causing the troubled grief to bleed right through.

Why hadn't Kieran ever told his father how much he loved his music?

That lingering regret had always stuck by him, filling him with a pang of crushing guilt that could never go away.

Which was why he vowed to cherish Nathaniel, selfishly holding on to his love until the end of time.

Soon, the sound of the flautist's melodies faded away, and the pair continued on their way, the divinely warm sun setting in the horizon right beside the grandeur of Mount Rainier, its glaciers gleaming and shimmering as they battled the blazing heat of the summer sun.

Nightfall was approaching, they had to pick up the pace.

His ears pricked up on a vague sound that resembled a scream of a girl in the distance, but he shrugged it off, choosing to ignore her and continue on his way. Nathaniel glanced worriedly in the direction of the scream, but Kieran prodded him along, giving him a look that read Come on, just move on.

Nathaniel had always been able to read Kieran like an open book, and he quickly got the message, although Kieran could sense a lingering discomfort in his eyes.

That discomfort wouldn't go away anytime soon, as not long after, the voice of the girl in question grew louder and louder, indicating that they were getting closer by the minute. Kieran glanced backwards, a panicked look in his heterochromatic eyes, as the sound of boots stampeding across the glade filled his ears.

"Oh gosh," he murmured, cursing underneath his breath as three young girls came into view, racing through the trees some distance away from Kieran and Nathaniel, laughing as a lone wolf dashed by their side. One of them, a short girl with curly brown hair and golden skin, carried a makeshift bow, not quite as exquisite as the one made by Kieran's father, who had been a carpenter by profession, but surely still effective nonetheless. She had scars and bruises all over her body, and Kieran could only grimace as he stared down at his own set of bloody cuts that tarnished his skin. Had she been self-harming too? Kieran wasn't sure he wanted to know, and besides, he didn't care to be honest. He ducked behind a tall tree, in a desperate bid to stay out of sight until the girls had all passed by.

"Omega, over there!" one of the girls hissed, her voice rather quiet, a meek whisper that was almost lost in the gusts of wind.

The girl holding the bow skidded to a halt and Kieran watched on as she nocked an arrow into her bow and aimed it at the trees. Kieran's mouth hung wide open at the sudden realisation of what she was about to do.

No…

The arrow shot straight upward, a speedy projectile of death, and Kieran winced at the sound of a pigeon letting out a painful squawk before a dark, indistinguishable item fell to the ground with a soft thud! The girls marched over and picked up the item, which, as Kieran peered closer, seemed to be the pigeon's corpse, and carefully examined it.

"That's our third pigeon of the day, this should make for a nice little dinner, don't you think?" the girl who had shot the poor little bird asked her friends, a wide grin on her face.

"Yeah, totally!" one of the other girls, the tallest of the group, agreed, bobbing her head up and down excitedly.

Kieran couldn't stand this anymore. He nudged Nathaniel, gesturing towards a small spring nearby, hidden behind a row of thick bushes.

"We skirt around those, you know, to avoid those girls," he whispered.

Nathaniel nodded, more than happy to oblige to Kieran's request. He knew how Kieran felt towards meat and the killing of animals, knew the pain and discomfort Kieran showed at the mere thought of eating a part of the body of a dead animal. It was a stupid little thing, but Kieran had never been able to get over the killing of the creatures that roamed the forest, no matter how small or common they may be.

The thought of eating the meat from those animals was even more sickening.

This was why despite his archery skills, he had never gone hunting before and merely stuck to paper targets.

It was best not to hurt any animals and be reminded of all the suffering his existence caused.

The forest was where Kieran wanted to be free of internal pain, after all.

Check-in: Who is your favourite tribute so far and who's your least favourite?

A/N: What did you think of Omega and Kieran? How far can they go? What are your placing predictions for the tributes so far? Let me know your thoughts in the reviews, I love reading them and every one of them makes my day xd. So, we're almost done with the Reapings, yay lol, and I thought I'd do a check-in just to get a good gauge of how many people are still reading. Anyway, sorry this chapter took really long but thank you to rawlimad000 and Rune Whisperer for Omega and Kieran respectively, they're wonderful kids and I know these POVs might not be the best I could do with them, but I hope you still liked them. And that's all for today folks, hope you enjoyed this chapter, stay tuned, stay safe, and I'll see ya'll next time for either D5 or D2 (pending which female tribute is sent in first). Cheers :)