"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲?" Snow asked as curiosity coursed through his veins. In the past three months, he had seen her around the Capitol often and wanted to know more as the days passed.
The girl hesitated for a moment before speaking. "𝗖𝗮...
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┌─── ∘°❉°∘ ───┐
Christy and her little brother Lucas, were playing in a big area, looking like an old and dead yard where their ancestors used to enjoy the sunny days of the summer and the amount of snow that covered the whole area and you could easily dive in, freely and safely as there was no possibility of getting hurt. During the difficult days and nights of winter, Calista threw a huge blanket over the two kids and brought them to that area, letting them feel the cold of the melting snow in their hands.
The tiny, messy black curls hung smoothly on Luca's forehead, blocking his vision as he leaned down to grab the rainbow— but dirty — ball, and throw it to his sister. His small legs permitted him to crouch easily as his baby hands reached the ground immediately. Under other conditions, Lucas could feel the cool and sweet scent of the wet grass, inhale the perfect perfume of the flowers, and let himself feel the uniqueness of nature.
His eyes were green like the spring he never had a chance to experience as it was supposed to be. Everything there was dead. Instead of green grass, there was brown dirt with rotten craniums rooted in the ground, where flowers were supposed to be. Poor little boy, trapped in a place with no exit that led to a magical place if he passed through it. The only entrance and exit was the huge, marble cage of his district surrounded by peacekeepers.
He never had a mother or father either. Calista had raised both of them like they were her own children. He was only three years old and he could barely speak. For his age though was really clever and learned faster than an adult boy in those days. Lucas heard new words every day and it was actually funny how hard he tried to pronounce them, and after many times he managed to. He never attended school— how could he? — but truth be told for the three years, and all the next years that would find him alive, he had gained the knowledge school would have never given him.
"Catch Christy!" The dark-haired boy exclaimed as he threw the ball in the air and landed in Christy's hands. It was the only toy they had and possibly the last one. It wasn't easy to find toys around as they weren't something district people chose to spend their time with. Besides, most of the kids had died two or three days after they were born or they were killed by their own parents, trying to help them not live such a depressing life.
Calista had found that ball in a district, two years ago when she first decided to explore other districts as well. It was held by a dead girl, who probably had died in an awful way. That image was internally carved in her memory making her eyes tear every single time like she was seeing it for the first time again and again. There are millions of rumors of how life in Hell is; you are chased by your regrets and worst fears experiencing them again and again, like a permanent torture. The same torment Calista lived every time she recalled that girl's face.
However, it was the moment Calista convinced herself that she had to get used to things like that as it was really common to see them again. She was tripped over dead bodies multiple times— at twelve and all around — but it was even more painful facing the body of a girl who was hardly eight years old. But it was what it was. Because this was her life, not by choice though. It just happened to be born at the right place at the wrong time.
