Ashes in the Snow

Four

I felt my stomach drop. There was something that felt safe being on the train. Like I was in this limbo where I wasn't in district 12, but I also wasn't in the capitol. It was the most free I had felt. Just existing on the train, staring out the window into the fields that have wheat that shine golden in the light. And in the distance is the tree line, filled with many forestry plants and animals. And above the trees, is the sun rising for another beautiful morning. Today it's a pink sky, my favorite to watch. Watching the sun rise and fall is my favorite thing to do. It makes me feel human, knowing there are greater beauties out there. I'll miss this; watching the sunrises. I'll miss being alive.

Daniel and I were escorted by the peacekeepers out of the train. We had absolutely nothing but the clothes on our back. It is a chilly morning, I feel the goosebumps on my arms and legs. I am in nothing but a dress and nice shoes. Is this what I will have to fight in? To die in...

I see a tall boy with blonde curls. He is wearing a red suit, it looks like a school uniform of some sort. He walks over to me and asks, "Ashe Barrette?"

I look up at him and notice he's tall. Not as tall as Daniel, but maybe a couple inches shorter. "That's me."

He brought his arm out from behind his back and handed me a single, white rose. "This is for you." I look him up and down and notice how proper he looks; nervous too. But he also seems to be confident and possibly forthright.

I hesitantly grab it from his hand. "Thank you," I say skeptically. Nobody has ever given a flower before just because they wanted to. The first and only time I had received flowers before this was for my fathers funeral. He was loved by many people and it was a great sadness in the town when he had passed away. I remember people giving me white geraniums. They weren't a singular flower either, they were given to me in bushes. So many were given to me, it reminded me of a bridal bouquet by the end of the service. And now here this boy is, giving me a flower for what seems like my funeral. Even though I don't think he meant it that way.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Coriolanus Snow. I'm your mentor." He replied confidently.

"What does a mentor do?" I ask.

"My job is to keep you alive," he replies.

I look up at him sadly, "I hope you don't fail your job."

The peacekeepers take both Daniel and I by the arms and drag us down the street where people are screaming at us. There are lots of peacekeepers here, mostly blocking the citizens of panem from us. All I hear are screams and see other tributes ahead of us bring thrown at. I see tomatoes and other kinds of food being thrown at them. I panic and worries sets in and I look around to see the angry mob. Daniel grand my hand and squeezes it tightly. I feel the worry through his hand. I feel something hit me and I look and see people throwing tomatoes and avocados at Daniel, who only slightly flinches. Then the next thing I feel is something really hard hit my head, which causes me to fall down, letting go of Daniel's hand. Suddenly, I hear nothing but a ring in my ear and I look around and everyone is blurry. The peacekeepers are trying to hold the people back. I see one of the peacekeepers who escorted us, holding on Daniel who is trying to reach to me. I touch my right temple and look at my hand and it's covered in blood. I look straight ahead of me on the road and see a rock, the size of someone's palm, just sitting in the road with some of my blood on it.

I look down and see the white rose I dropped. And on it, some of my blood that dripped on it.