nepenthe (n.) - an ancient Greek word, defined as a medicine for sorrow. it is a place, a person or thing, which can aid in forgetting your pain and suffering.
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Leora always knew her stealing would get her into trouble one day. That's okay, she lov...
MULTIPLE GUNSHOTS pierce through the tranquility of the night in District Five.
Leora tightens the scarf covering the bottom half of her face and scales the nearest wall. They’re firing at her, again, and once she’s on top of the wall, she immediately drops herself off and onto the ground below. After the recent rain, the streets in District Five are still covered in mud and puddles, making an escape even harder.
But she knows these streets, knows its hiding spots better than everyone else. There’s not a single corner, not a single crevice she doesn’t have in the back of her mind as a potential safe spot. The Peacekeepers might be armed but Leora is definitely far from helpless. The bag on her back is weighing her down, however, and it takes her a moment longer than usual to get up.
“Where did she go?!” One of the men yells. She can’t see the face he’s making but if she had to guess, she’d imagine his eyes frantically scanning the area. Perhaps he even thinks she’d be stupid enough to climb a utility pole again like she did a few weeks ago.
But she has learned her lesson. After all these years, she knows exactly which places to avoid. And the one she’s in right now only offers one escape route so she’s aware she’s in a pinch.
Her hand reaches for the knife sheathed into her belt and once she’s back on her feet, she takes a moment just to catch her breath. The smells of rain and damp earth linger in the air along with faint traces of smog. In this area, the air hasn’t been clean in ages and it comes with a price — much like in Twelve, people are at a high risk of developing several kinds of lung diseases before they reach old age.
She considers herself lucky enough she’s not one of them.
With quick and calculated steps, Leora grips the knife tightly in her right hand, reaching for the spare one at the back of her belt just in case. She hears them, their footsteps, and knows at least one of them isn’t far from closing in on her.
But in the end, District Five’s biggest perk — its never ending energy supply — is their biggest enemy. With her back pressed against the wall, she slowly slides towards the only escape route. The lanterns illuminate the streets and there’s little ground untouched by the light they shed upon what’s beneath them.
