peeta mellark ༄

1. something bad is about to happen to me

lyrics, dark red by steve lacy

the teenager sat in the bath, wringing out their hair and making sure to scrub underneath their dirties fingernails extra today. patches of skin on their body were raw and red from the consistent soaking and cleaning. the teenager was preparing for this year's reaping.

because of the war 74 years ago, the proud country of panem would give up 2 young tributes from all 13 districts, and make them fight to the death, with one winner. symbolizing the historic victory of panem. today marks the reaping of the annual 74th hunger games.

you put on your best clothes, still sad and bland compared to the flash of the capitol and considering the impoverished state of your district. you studied your face and your body. eye bags dark and skin pale, highlighting the annual terror of the reapings. your handswere rough and scratched, knees and elbows bruised. 

sighing, you bent down to tie your laces and brung everything together. looping the strings together, you looked up and dusted your clothes off once more.

the door creaked, your older brother slipping inside from the corner of your eye. you made eye contact with him in the mirror. his expression was dark and worried. you turned to face him.  he was taller, but not unusually tall. he was frail for a boy, but most young men in district 12 were thinner due to the poor conditions. he had the same sad paleness to his skin, dark eyes and hair greased and flattened to his head.

"are you almost ready?" he asked you quietly. you nodded, swallowing and looking him over. you didn't look much better than him. his face seemed to match yours. anxious. "are you?"

he stared for a moment, as if to think. ready to leave, or ready to have two of my friends and my neighbors plucked from a bowl and sent to their death? no, neither of them were ready.

"i'm ready," he answered however.

you took his hand as he outstretched it, dodging a floorboard that had broken two years ago when your father and you had an argument. he ended up stomping too hard as he fled your room and never ended up fixing it. last year he was caught by the fence carrying a bag of carcasses to feed the family. he was shot dead and you and your brother were left in the care of your aunt.

speaking of your aunt, she was waiting in the kitchen as you and your brother emerged. she stood up from her chair at the dining table, her eyes soft and a bitter smile on her face. "you two look great," she murmured to you.

you gave an awkward, close lipped smile. she took you both by the shoulders and ushered you through the door, making your way towards the crowd of people.

you recognized some, looking to your older brother before running off to speak to your friends. when you turned your head, he was gone, but you spotted his gelled back hair grabbing another boy's shoulder. you recognized him as gale, your brother's friend. he used to come over when your dad was around and hang out with your brother. you remember him helping you chop wood, you being younger and unable to hold the axe properly. it was nice to see he and your brother were still friends.

turning away one again, you weaves through men, women and children. seeing the familiar head of blonde hair, you tapped her back. she turned, meeting your eye and gave you a smile. "hey there."

"hi," you replied. "whats up with you?" you asked innocently.

she sighed dramatically. "could be a lot better!"

you both giggled amongst yourselves. that was what you liked about alice. she made you smile, in times like these.

"how many do you have?" you questioned, anxious for her reply. you scratched the cuticle of your nail with your other nail, feeling the pinch.