Dependence - Book Two (Wattys 2013 Finalist)

Reapings: District Seven

Min Yan’s POV:

I hold my breath, staying as still as I can and making no noise – making sure I don’t scare of my prey. I grip my long silvery sword with both hands and take a deep breath. As I do, I notice the ears of the small brown rabbit in front of me twitch back slightly.

Before it has a chance to scatter out of sight, I lunge forwards and in one swift motion I behead the small woodland critter. My little sister would never forgive me if she knew what I did to help us get by, but of course, she never has to know.

I pick up the corpse of the rabbit and toss it into my sack – already overflowing with the lifeless bodies of rabbits, squirrels and for the first time in months, a fox. I then clean the small splatters of blood from the sword and place it back in its sheath.

‘’ This should be enough.’’ I mutter to myself as I turn around and head back the way I came from – back towards District Seven.

I move swiftly yet silently through the towering trees surrounding District Seven, keeping an eye out for the Peacekeepers that are surely patrolling the woods to make sure nobody tries to escape the Reapings. It was an enormous risk to come out here but it was necessary – otherwise I’d have had no money to pay for food for the rest of the week.

I come to the clump of old rotting trees that have a thick layer of moist green moss growing in a sheet over them and stow away my sheathed sword safely under it – completely out of view.

After I hide my weapon away, I approach the electric fence that surrounds District Seven. However I hear the gates begin to crank open so I dive for shelter in a clump of grass as tail as my waist. I watch as a group of about fifteen Peacekeepers exit through the entrance gate and disappear into the woods. I wait for ten minutes, allowing enough time for the Peacekeepers to get deep into the forest before I risk moving again.

I sprint along the edge of the tree line, moving through the trees that run parallel to the District Seven border and come the a large tree I am very familiar with. I wait a second, making sure nobody is near the fence within the District and then I scale the tree in a matter of seconds – and then I move stealthily across the thickest branch which stretches across the fence and into District Seven.

Again I wait to make sure the ghost is clear and then I drop from the branch into a clump of bushes which cushion my fall. I then move as quickly as I can through alleys and reach the front door to my house. It opens as I reach it and I see the face of my father looking at me.

‘’ God I was worried. What took you so long?’’ He questions.

‘’ The woods were crawling with Peacekeepers looking for runaways. I had to go further out to avoid them.’’ I explain and his worry vanishes as I place my bag of the mornings catch out onto the table.

‘’ Wow. I’m impressed Minnie.’’ He smiles. ‘’ But you better hide all that before your sister gets up, she’ll throw a fit if she sees those rabbits.’’

‘’ I know, I know.’’ I say. ‘’ But the butchers boy will be here soon enough.’’

As if on cue, there is a knock on the door.

‘’ Coming!’’ I call.

‘’ What are you doing?’’ Asks my father as I begin routing through the bag.

‘’ I want to keep some for us, I caught a lot of squirrels this morning so I will put by two of them.’’ I explain and wrap two of the bloody corpses up in brown paper and place them in the press.

The door knocks again, less patiently this time.

‘’ Oh for heaven sakes, I’m coming!’’ I repeat angrily and make my way towards the door.