***Max's POV***
“A deer, a deer!” Mabyn exclaims, her blue eyes targeting the young buck, watching his every move. “Kill it Max!” My eyes lock on him and I send my knife into the beast’s flesh. Seeing the blood spill out, Mabyn screeches and runs over to him. She grabs a stick and begins jabbing the carcass. “Is it dead?” she asks. I nod. She’s good at this hunting stuff, much better than I was at even twice her age. Hunting’s in her blood. She must have her father’s blood.
I remember my first hunting trip. Maggie and I went together. We’d seen numerous hunters, but those couldn’t prepare us for our first encounter. From the moment we climbed over the wall, we felt different. I felt powerful, but Maggie was instantly terrified. Neither of us had EVER hunted before. I’d brought an array of knives from dad’s chest, and as we walked I lined the inside of my jacket with them. Maggie began fabricating a bow, as she was a huge “Hawkeye” fan. I’m not even sure where she picked that up…all that’s ever shown on the television are One Direction updates and broadcasts from the Dome, including the Games. She’d asked me to make a couple arrows for her, so I went to break off some branches. I had just sat down to sharpen them, that’s when I heard her scream. I turned around and saw her being thrown into the air by a huge black bear. I grabbed a knife and threw it at him, aiming for his eye. I guess I aimed a little low because it sliced his neck clean open, still a good kill. He slumped to the ground, dead. I looked around me, searching for Maggie. Where was she?
“Max!” she called. I looked in her general direction, up. I saw her face as it collided into mine. She fell on top of me. Thankfully, no one was hurt. We examined each other’s bodies, and then our own. I'd just gone to retrieve the arrows when Maggie spoke. “What do we do with it?” She asked, motioning to the lifeless bear. I looked at her and shrugged.
Later that day, we heaved him over the fence and dragged it to the market. Instantly, there was a huge crowd gathered around us. I told Maggie to go home; she was still shaken from the incident, and demanded everyone to get in an orderly line. After at least an hour of negotiations and bidding wars, I’d gotten rid of the bear. Then a middle aged man approached me.
“Where’s the head?” he growled. I gestured to the general direction of where we came. He dragged me by the ear to the wall. “Climb,” he ordered. I got over the wall, and came back with the head. I handed him the head and his eyes lit up. He threw some buttons at me and ran. Neat, I thought. I picked up the buttons and raced to the cloth shop to buy some dressmaking fabric.
Maggie spent the next few days making dresses. They all looked really nice, especially on Macy, with her blue eyes and perfect blonde hair, she was a sight. If we weren’t related, I’d date her. It’s no wonder she’s practically got a line around the block of followers.
“Max,” she screams, snapping me back to reality. I must’ve been day dreaming again. Mabyn’s eyes look concerned, and she gestures towards my hand. I look down, it's soaked in blood. I must’ve cut it while I was skinning the deer. Great, I thought. Getting cut inside the district is one thing, but out here, there are so many more variables.
“I’m fine, Mabyn.” I assure her. I gut the animal and hide the innards under some rocks before taking the deer to Erma at the meatmarket. She takes the animal off my hands for a great price, my sisters are always good at suckering people in, and I stuff the money in my pocket. We scurry back to the community home and are greeted by eight smiling faces. My sisters. Mattie spots my hand, I guess I should’ve wrapped it up better, and drags me to her bed. Yes, my ten year old sister has an infirmary in her wooden chest. She disinfects it, wraps it and tells me to be careful. Whatever.
Mabyn tells the girls how we shot a deer, especially how she spotted it. I pat her head and leave to the boys’ corridor. Once there, I grab my pillow and carelessly toss it across the room. There, in a very crinkled envelope, is all the money I've been saving. Fourteen dollars and ten cents. I add the money from Erma and count it again. Sixteen dollars, fifteen cents. I never said we weren’t poor, practically everyone is here. I could do much better, have more money. But I don't always trade for cash. Someone hits the back of my head with my pillow. I turn and see my twin sister, Maggie, smiling.
