βяιαя
I grunted slightly, extending my arm upward to grip the next branch. The bark was strong, yet smooth to the touch. The branches were able to hold my weight plus more, which came in handy when you spent the whole day climbing trees. I shot my head up, looking above me to see how many more levels I would have to climb. Sadly, there were only three left. I sighed, pulling myself up.
Soon, I was at the top of the tree, or as far as I could get without tipping it over. Looking down, I was at about fifty feet, in the tallest tree in our orchard. I looked over to the right at the nearest branch, holding two darkfruit on the edge. Darkfruit was our best seller here, being a poisonous fruit that we kept hidden from the outside world, or for the most part. We sold to peacekeepers (much to my despair) for torture purposes. The poison kills slowly, over hours- sometimes days, by shutting down body systems one by one. My parents forced this on our orchard, considering the fact that my great grandfather created the seeds.
The fruits were black, long with a somewhat pear shaped body. Carefully, I slipped on a pair of thick leather gloves, my working gloves, and gently plucked the fruit, placing them into a basket. I was careful enought o avoid the poison this time. I continued my way down the tree until reaching the halfway point. I did this every day, so that I could claim the same tree the next morning.
With the basket thrown into my elbow, I climbed down the tree, collecting blisters along the way. I slid my gloves off and tossed them into the wastebasket as ordered. I then rolled the fruits from the basket into the large metal collecting bins. After this, ym work for the day was done.
I crept into my house, two-storied and large. My mother stared at me, with no words escpaing her lips, as usual. My father was working the storage area of the orchard. However, if he were here, he'd ignore me too. My parents had a habit of completely avoiding me. It all started about four years ago... after what happened to Shae. Losing a child to the Hunger Games is never an easy task. It wasn't easy for me to lose a sister either, they just chose to overlook that part. In fact, they chose to overlook me completely. The only thing they paid attention to was whether or not I was meeting my darkfruit quotas.
I walked up the stairs, no fear of being noticed. I quickly looked under my bed, gripping the green longbow that laid there. I strung it effortlessly and gripped the handle tightly, as usual. I then tiptoed over to my closet, where I slipped out a slightly piece of the wall. It wasn't much, just a few square inches along the surface. Afterwards, I pulled out my quiver, containing twelve silver-tipped arrows. I slung the quiver over my shoulder quickly.
After placing the wall back, I looked above me. My mother was too depressed to lay out an outfit for me, so for the Reaping, I laid out a pale blue dress, poofy sleeved and thick collared with a hideously tight belt. It was ugly, but the only 'dressy' thing I owned. I sighed, laying it out on my bed. My typical outfit consisted of a black top that hugged my rib cage and stopped at the top of it, dark green cargo pants, and boots.
Anyway, I then opened my window, exposing the roof of the second floor that was linked to a darkfruit tree. I slid out thw window and onto the roof. The branch connecting the roof and tree was strong, yet thin. I was forced to grip a somewhat strong branch above it in order to keep my balance when walking on it. One I made it to the trunk of the tree, I would climb down as usual. This would lead me to the back of the house, which most people don't know we have.
I quickly took off, running out the back gate of our house, which also seemed hidden. It lead into a garden. A flower garden in which I was forced to hide from the world. If the peacekeepers knew, they would force its destruction in order to add another section to the orchard. I walked to the back of the small garden-my garden, where a hay bail rested, three stacked on top of each other. In the center was a can, and empty can of seeds. I hung it carefully with a nail. I loaded and arrow cautiously, drawing back slowly. The draw weight on my bow was more intense than most peoples, yet manageable. I was forced to let go quickly, but had previously obtained the skill of aiming near-perfectly while drawing back. I released it, allowing the arrow to jet through the air until I heard the ting that I adored so much. It meant I hit metal. I hit the can.
My aim was as perfect as I had hoped, but better than most. I reppeated this process serveral times, reusuing my arrows as needed. Since Shae's death, I've been planning my volunteering into the Games. I want to win. Win for her. I had been training in strength, speed, agility, and ost importantly, archery for the past four years. This year, today, I was ready. If not reaped, I would volunteer and enter the Games.
Soon, it was time for the Reaping. I made my way back the way I came, up the tree, across the roof, throuygh the window, and so on. I hid my bow and arrows appropriately. I quickly slipped into my dress and creapt out the door. I was ignored by my parents once again. Maybe seeing another child in the Games would reawaken their feelings... emotion. I don't know.
Eventually, I was at the Justice Building. The escourt came out, talking in her ridiculous Capitol accent. I hated her already. She's insane... or that's what I think. willing sending kids off, being nice to them before killing them... I hated her. I was so lost in my hatred for her, that I only caught the words "Quarter Quell" and "vote on tributes." Now I knew I was going into the Arena. I voted for myself and Ridge White. He was an orchard hand whom of which I did not like. He was always in my buisness.
Anyway, soon the escourt began smiling. "Ladies first." she said. "Our female tribute is, Briar Chamberlain!" she yelled. I smilined slightly. A agressive, twisted half-smile as I made my way up there. I was reaped, and didn't even have to volunteer. I was going to win the Games no matter what.
[ Don't havce time to post a good as I wanted... or for ridge. Just say he was randomly reaped or something. ]
I grunted slightly, extending my arm upward to grip the next branch. The bark was strong, yet smooth to the touch. The branches were able to hold my weight plus more, which came in handy when you spent the whole day climbing trees. I shot my head up, looking above me to see how many more levels I would have to climb. Sadly, there were only three left. I sighed, pulling myself up.
Soon, I was at the top of the tree, or as far as I could get without tipping it over. Looking down, I was at about fifty feet, in the tallest tree in our orchard. I looked over to the right at the nearest branch, holding two darkfruit on the edge. Darkfruit was our best seller here, being a poisonous fruit that we kept hidden from the outside world, or for the most part. We sold to peacekeepers (much to my despair) for torture purposes. The poison kills slowly, over hours- sometimes days, by shutting down body systems one by one. My parents forced this on our orchard, considering the fact that my great grandfather created the seeds.
The fruits were black, long with a somewhat pear shaped body. Carefully, I slipped on a pair of thick leather gloves, my working gloves, and gently plucked the fruit, placing them into a basket. I was careful enought o avoid the poison this time. I continued my way down the tree until reaching the halfway point. I did this every day, so that I could claim the same tree the next morning.
With the basket thrown into my elbow, I climbed down the tree, collecting blisters along the way. I slid my gloves off and tossed them into the wastebasket as ordered. I then rolled the fruits from the basket into the large metal collecting bins. After this, ym work for the day was done.
I crept into my house, two-storied and large. My mother stared at me, with no words escpaing her lips, as usual. My father was working the storage area of the orchard. However, if he were here, he'd ignore me too. My parents had a habit of completely avoiding me. It all started about four years ago... after what happened to Shae. Losing a child to the Hunger Games is never an easy task. It wasn't easy for me to lose a sister either, they just chose to overlook that part. In fact, they chose to overlook me completely. The only thing they paid attention to was whether or not I was meeting my darkfruit quotas.
I walked up the stairs, no fear of being noticed. I quickly looked under my bed, gripping the green longbow that laid there. I strung it effortlessly and gripped the handle tightly, as usual. I then tiptoed over to my closet, where I slipped out a slightly piece of the wall. It wasn't much, just a few square inches along the surface. Afterwards, I pulled out my quiver, containing twelve silver-tipped arrows. I slung the quiver over my shoulder quickly.
After placing the wall back, I looked above me. My mother was too depressed to lay out an outfit for me, so for the Reaping, I laid out a pale blue dress, poofy sleeved and thick collared with a hideously tight belt. It was ugly, but the only 'dressy' thing I owned. I sighed, laying it out on my bed. My typical outfit consisted of a black top that hugged my rib cage and stopped at the top of it, dark green cargo pants, and boots.
Anyway, I then opened my window, exposing the roof of the second floor that was linked to a darkfruit tree. I slid out thw window and onto the roof. The branch connecting the roof and tree was strong, yet thin. I was forced to grip a somewhat strong branch above it in order to keep my balance when walking on it. One I made it to the trunk of the tree, I would climb down as usual. This would lead me to the back of the house, which most people don't know we have.
I quickly took off, running out the back gate of our house, which also seemed hidden. It lead into a garden. A flower garden in which I was forced to hide from the world. If the peacekeepers knew, they would force its destruction in order to add another section to the orchard. I walked to the back of the small garden-my garden, where a hay bail rested, three stacked on top of each other. In the center was a can, and empty can of seeds. I hung it carefully with a nail. I loaded and arrow cautiously, drawing back slowly. The draw weight on my bow was more intense than most peoples, yet manageable. I was forced to let go quickly, but had previously obtained the skill of aiming near-perfectly while drawing back. I released it, allowing the arrow to jet through the air until I heard the ting that I adored so much. It meant I hit metal. I hit the can.
My aim was as perfect as I had hoped, but better than most. I reppeated this process serveral times, reusuing my arrows as needed. Since Shae's death, I've been planning my volunteering into the Games. I want to win. Win for her. I had been training in strength, speed, agility, and ost importantly, archery for the past four years. This year, today, I was ready. If not reaped, I would volunteer and enter the Games.
Soon, it was time for the Reaping. I made my way back the way I came, up the tree, across the roof, throuygh the window, and so on. I hid my bow and arrows appropriately. I quickly slipped into my dress and creapt out the door. I was ignored by my parents once again. Maybe seeing another child in the Games would reawaken their feelings... emotion. I don't know.
Eventually, I was at the Justice Building. The escourt came out, talking in her ridiculous Capitol accent. I hated her already. She's insane... or that's what I think. willing sending kids off, being nice to them before killing them... I hated her. I was so lost in my hatred for her, that I only caught the words "Quarter Quell" and "vote on tributes." Now I knew I was going into the Arena. I voted for myself and Ridge White. He was an orchard hand whom of which I did not like. He was always in my buisness.
Anyway, soon the escourt began smiling. "Ladies first." she said. "Our female tribute is, Briar Chamberlain!" she yelled. I smilined slightly. A agressive, twisted half-smile as I made my way up there. I was reaped, and didn't even have to volunteer. I was going to win the Games no matter what.
[ Don't havce time to post a good as I wanted... or for ridge. Just say he was randomly reaped or something. ]
of work for history.... Oh well, I'm dedicated. XD ))
))