Love & Greed

Chapter One

     "I'm tired of this, grandpa," I groaned, why must I be up this friggin early every single day.

    "Well that's too damn bad! And stop calling me grandpa! I'm not that much older than you!" Jasyn barked, tossing dirt at me. "At least you're not digging holes!"

    "At least you're not digging holes," I mocked him under my breath. I'd rather dig holes it would only take me a second to do so, just a small stomp and voilà a perfect hole. But no, I'm having to stay out for hours working up fresh ground and making the seeds sprout properly and making fruit trees grow, knocking old trees down. It's not so bad in the summer but prepping for the winter causes fall to be my least time of the year. I'm over worked and no one gives a shit unless they don't have the amount of resources to survive the winter, fully.

    "I'm worked to the bone, constantly, what about me?" I mutter to myself. I'm having to work extra long because if I over do it even the tiniest bit, we become a target from the Capitol. Honestly, that would be more exciting. I look around to see the people who is out, and their all standing around talking amongst themselves, they look so carefree, stressless.

Makes me sick.

    They owe it all to me yet, I'm the one worked to the bone, from night til day.

"Rhiannon, my flowers seem to be dying."

"Rhiannon, knock this tree down."

"Rhiannon this, Rhiannon that, Rhiannon everything but thank you or I appreciate you. We wouldn't be prosperous without you, Rhiannon."

    I glared at the ground with heavy tears in my eyes, when I notice the grass beginning to wilt. I take a deep breath and shake my emotions back down and dust myself off and get back to work. The sun was coming up finally and soon I'll be able to sleep. I'll be fine skipping breakfast and lunch again, my stomach began to argue. Ignoring it, I quickly finish and slip away without anyone noticing, as they never do.

    I crawl into my bed already half asleep and doze off before hitting the pillow, my hunger completely forgotten. I usually have nightmares right off but this time was a little different.

* * *

    I was in a field is a slim cream colored gown, all around me was beautiful green grass as far as the eye could see. It was completely relaxing, I lean down to touch the ground and closed my eyes, I concentrated all of my relaxation into my palm and opened my eyes to a field of beautiful wild flowers in every color, it was surreal. I did that! I giggled and frolicked through the field without a care in the world until, the sky went dark and it began to rain.

    "The gifted one, we meet at last." A deep voice calls from behind me. I whip around to find no one there but I still heard the voice. I tried to call out but I had no sound. I grab my throat and try to scream but not even a squeak came through. The ground began to muddy around my feet and I was sinking into the ground.

    I can't swim! Wait, I can't swim! I fall under the surface of the mud yet I could see clearly. I was floating under when images came through, it was my village, an earthquake was causing a lot of damage and I could see people under rumble even some lifeless. No, this can't be. I made sure there was never another earthquake, why is this happening?

Am I doing this? Why am I doing this?

    I try to kick my arms and legs to get closer but the more I moved the deeper I began, my throat began to tighten, I was loosing oxygen.

    But I thought this was a dream? I frantically throw my limbs around trying to go upward but I just kept getting deeper. Loud voices were all around me, screaming at me, blaming me. This is all my fault.