From Dusk Till Dawn (A hunger games fanfic)

The Reaping Pt.2

 The rustling sound the wheat made, was the only thing keeping me from giving into insanity. That came with the silence from the lack of active generator noise. District 9 was mostly open field, the few foothills that masked the electric fence from direct view, provided no shelter from the violent winds.

I scuffed the toe of my boot against the dirt road, kicking a rock down the path that bounced and clattered against the rest of the stones. Another gust of wind tore across the land, stinging my cheeks. But the chill faded quickly, and a lighter breeze played with my hair. Teasing dirty blonde strands so that it stuck up in a hedgehog like fashion.

Even though I spent 10 minutes this morning trying to get it to lay flat. It was hit or miss, I guess today my efforts were just in vain. No matter, it's not like anyone at the market would bother to notice today, they were trying to handle their own grief.

And just as I thought, when I arrived people were avoiding eye contact and the usual small talk chatter was reduced to a few hastily exchanged words. Basil was by my side, the oldest of my younger sisters, her solemn expression was a common one she wore even on regular days.

Shoppers pushed past, trading wheat, barley, flour and the rare eggs, milk, beef and pork. In a place like this where grain is the main priority and even then the majority of it went to the capitol and higher districts. So every resource was valuable here.

My gaze drifted to the basket Basie was holding, our own chicken eggs nestled gently in rags to protect the delicate shells. Rectangular barley straw bales filled my own arms, resting on both my shoulders so that I didn't strain my back any more. The twine ties digging into my skin, but they cut my flesh enough before, that my skin on aches mildly now,

My mind drifts, tuning out the rushing strangers, while we push through the crowd. The sun doesn't reach under the canopies on the shop stalls. Leaving my eyes not being able to pick up the details of peoples faces and lines being blurred together. I don't mention it a lot, but my eyesight is considered poor on normal standards. But glasses are too expensive to ship from another district, so I have to make do.

Aster would help me around the district during later hours when I was younger, but since he... well, left. Basie helps enough now.

There's a soft tug on my coat sleeve.

""Head out of the clouds Sora, you almost hit Mr. Haberkorn with the bale." Basie scolded, pulling me closer. She was always more motherly than me.

"Oh damn, did I?" packed dirt crunched under my work boots, my dad's old shoes were the only ones that fit me at the moment. even if the soles were worn flat and most had patches to cover the holes in the toes.

"Don't sass me." She tried to copy mums 'disappointed in you face'. It was nowhere near as effective, I pulled a lock of her hair to tease her and she swatted me away.

"I wasn't sassing, i'm being serious." I huffed, pushing the bales up my shoulders again as they started to slip down.

We finally pulled to a stop in front of a shabby stall that sold good vegetables and oat bags. An older woman stepped forward. Fen Garner, our neighboring farm's owner.

"Ah, the Barlow girls." There was a distressed tone in Ms. Garner's voice, but out of all the people today. I feel the worst for her. The poor woman was well into her 50s and was forced to walk with a cane since her accident.

A young girl with thick waves of black hair pulled another bag of oats into the stall.

This was Ms. Garner's only daughter, Fern. and the main reason I was so worried for them.

"Afternoon, Ms. Garner." Basil placed the basket of eggs on the table. "Anything I could get for a dozen eggs?"

'Oof' I dropped one of the barley bales behind the counter, a courtesy I did for them. I always made an extra myself just for the two. Fern tried to pull the bale closer to the back, but the small girl didn't even reach my elbow. She had just turned twelve and her name had been put once into the Reaping

Fern was something District 9 called a miracle baby, a live child born to an older couple. My brother Bay just borders the status of miracle baby.

Sighing, I put the rest down. With a tight grip on one of the bale ties I helped her drag it to the back. After dusting off my hands I ruffled her hair, she let out a soundless squeak and huffed in annoyance. That was one of the risks of miracle babies, birth defects and Fern's was mutism and a slow growth rate.

Baise and Ms.Garner were looking over the supply and I knew I had at least ten minutes to myself.

Me and Fern stood there for about a minute, when I tapped her on the shoulder. She looked over a me.

"You got something behind your ear." Fern touch her ear instinctively, raising an eyebrow. I stealthily grabbed a coin from my change pouch and ran my hand behind her ear pretending to pull it from behind her ear.

"Here you go kid." And dropped it in her hand. She grinned ear to ear and watched the shiny metal catch the ray of sun.

We weren't exactly friends, but she's known me her entire life. And has always been like another sister to me. But after Aster... left. I had made a promise to her that I would protect her, because I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me again.

I'd do anything.