Before the Ember

Tears of truth

~~~~~~~authors note~~~~~~~
I'm SOOOO sorry I haven't updated in awhile I've just been busy and drained of ideas. I also was hoping if I could get more reads and a lot more votes. If I get more votes the more likely I am to update sooner. So here's the story : )
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I'm running through the woods. I'm being chased. It's the woman. The woman I saw in the bakery. She's running after me with her sharpened knife that's dripping with blood. I run faster and faster trying as hard as I can to get away. I then trip over a log and collapse to the muddy soil. I panic. The woman stops in front of me and smirks, just before she stabs me with her cold, metal knife.

I scream at the top of my lungs. I sit up in Dawn's bed and gasp for breathe.
"What's wrong?" Dawn asks anxiously. I close my eyes tightly and try to regain my breathe.
"I-I had a nightmare." I say quietly while gasping once e more. Dawn hands me a glass of water and puts his palm on my forehead.
"We better get you home before your parents worry." Dawn states.
"Oh, to late for that." I add. Dawn chuckles and helps me to my feet. We walk out of Dawn's house and onto the dirt path, receiving many different looks. Some were of pity, some were of disgust, and others were much to confusing to understand.

I knock on the door and my parents come rushing out. They embrace me in a tight hug and cry in their arms.
"Oh baby." my moms says with a mixture of pity and sorrow in her tone.
"Let's get you something to eat." my father says while squeezing my shoulders.
"No thank you. I'm not hungry.... I-I... I just need some space." I say, my voice quivering. My father stares at me shocked . I look to my feet and push through my parents, walking towards my room.
"Hey, don't worry about her. She saw her first murder. I wouldn't want to eat either." I hear Gale tell my parents.

I bolt up the stairs and slam the door shut. My knees weaken underneath me and I fall onto my bed. I burst into tears and lay there limply. It felt as if time stopped but hours must have passed. I hear footsteps coming towards my bedroom door and I grown." go away. I'm not in the mood for talking." The door knob turns and my eyes are met with ocean blue ones.
"Oh Coal, I can't get last nights image out of my mind." I say while tears flow like rivers down my face. Coal hushes me while he walks over and lays next to me. I cry into his chest and he runs his fingers through my tangled hair.
"It's all going to be alright." he whispers.
I sit up and slap on his chest," not for that girl! That young girl is dead Coal, she's dead. She's not coming back and I wouldn't call that alright!" I scream. Coal looks at me and frowns.
"I know Ember, I know but right now we need to get fuel into your body."
"I'm not hungry."
"Em ..... c'mon you-"
"I'm. Not. Hungry." I growl. Coal puts his hands in the air as if surrendering then exits my room.

I lay there lifelessly on my bed not daring to move a muscle. I blink ever so slowly and take long deep breaths. I stare at my ceiling and watch as my fan moves around and around. Goosebumps run up my arms and down my legs in a pattern. After hours of nothing I turn to my clock and it reads 12:17. I push my feet to the edge of my bed and walk out.

I walk down the stairs and into the living room.
"Your up." Coal states.
"Why are you awake?" I ask.
"Couldn't sleep. I was worried about you." I look to the floor not knowing what to say.
"You need to eat now." Coal hands me a bowl of soup. I push it back to him shake my head 'no.'
"Ember! You must eat!" Coal yells, anger raging in his tone.
"I'm not hungry!" I yell back.
"Ember, this obviously is about something else because when starving people are hungry, they eat.... but that's not the case with you. What's wrong?"
I gulp and close my eyes tightly," I'm anorexic ok! Happy?!" Coal stands there stunned.
"It's very rare around here because everyone's hungry and no one cares about being skinny. The girl, the one who died, she and I were the only ones who struggled with this disorder in District 12. We were like.... closer than sisters. We helped each other when each other needed it and we talked each other out of suicide." I say weakly while a tear rolls down my cheek.
"You said you didn't know her."
"I tell everyone that, so they don't find out about my anorexia. She was the only one who knew.... or so I thought. My parents didn't even know yet somehow someone else found out and knew this would break me. So this is the truth." I weep I run into the bathroom and lock the door. I place my back to the door and slide down to the ground and cry into my knees.