Clever and brave: The story of Foxface

Clever and brave: The story of Foxface part 1

Chapter 1:

I wake up from a deep sleep & a pleasant dream. I think of the dream I just had. It was about my family and I living in a happy district where we have food & everything we need. But, a district like that does not exist so I decide to stop thinking about it. Another reason I decide to stop thinking about it is because today is the reaping. My name is Lillian Summers. I am often known as Foxface by my family. I am 15 years old. I am from district 5 where I still live today. I have never traveled a day in my life. I have 2 younger sisters named Kaylan & Naomi. Naomi is only 12. It's her first year attending the reaping. I have attended it 3 times. Kaylan has attended it once. She is 13. I decide to crawl out of bed & bring myself to get ready. I crawl out of bed & start to walk out of my room I share with my 2 sisters & my mother then, realize no one is in the room but me. I look over at the small table with 1 drawer that holds all our clothing & see someone (most likely my mother) has laid out a dress & boots for me. I realize I mustve not bothered to put on my nightshirt last night because I am nude except for my undergarments. I slip on the yellow, button-down dress & put my brown boots on & lace them up. I let my hair fall down my back. I walk through the small walk way that seperates the 3 rooms in our house. We have a large rectangular room that our whole family shares. We have 4 family members. My mother, Kaylan, Naomi, & myself. We only own 2 mattresses. My family lets me, as the eldest child have my own mattress & my sisters are so tiny, they can fit on the mattress with my mother. We have a small room that has 2 wash tubs in it & a bucket to use the bathroom in. We bathe in 1 washtub & clean our clothes in the other. We then have a small room with barely anything in it. It has a stool & a photograph of my father in it. I walk outside to my family and find them beautiful. Kaylan is clothed in a blue dress that reaches her knees, her brown hair pulled into ponytails on the sides of her head. I see Naomi in a white button down blouse and a gray skirt that sweeps the floor. Then there's my mother. My beautiful mother. She is in a pink dress, sheer on the shoulders, sweeping the dusty ground, her hazel hair pulled up on the back of her head, braided in front. Everything compliments her beautiful bright green eyes. Kaylan resembles her so much, whereas Naomi and I are like twins,with our red-orange colored hair and hazel eyes. Our family is blended but beautiful. My attention is quickly guided back to my mothers soothing tone of voice. "Lillian, your prayers."I walk towards my family and we all join hands as we do every day of the reaping, and pray to God for help.

Chapter 2:

We venture through our district until we reach the town square. Then, my mother kisses our fore-heads & walks to the back of the crowd. I look through the crowd, trying to find my age division. I then find both of my sisters still have their hands locked in mine. I bend down next to them and kiss their cheeks. "It's ok. The woman's gonna prick your finger to take a little blood. It won't hurt, I promise." I then kiss their cheeks again to reassure them. "Why do they have to take our blood?" asks a shaking Naomi. "To see who you are. When they prick your finger, they have you put your finger on a piece of paper, printing the blood on it. Then, they scan the blood to see who you are. They find that name on a list & check it off. It's to make sure everyone attends." I reply. "Don't worry. I wouldn't let anyone ever hurt you. Ever." I walk to the back of the line of the 12 year olds clutching the hands of loved ones. "Naomi, it's ok." I kiss her cheek once more & turn around to take Kaylan's hand. We find the line of 13 year olds. She looks up at me & says "Will you let them hurt me?" I bend down next to her. "Oh Kaylan, no. You & Naomi are everything to me. If something happened to you- well I don't know what I'd do. I love you." She wraps her arms tightly around me. "I love you, Foxface." This makes me smile because no one every calls me this anymore. I kiss her cheek & find my age division. I am at the front of the line after some waiting. "Next." says the lady at the table. She pricks my finger, has me print it on the paper, & scans the blood. Lillian Summers shows up on the scanner as she says "Go ahead." I take my spot in the crowd as silent tears stream down my face.