Not Just A Game

Chapter 2

It was four years ago. Griffin and I sitting together in the meadow. We were just talking, and laughing and joking, facing the electric fence that surrounds District 12.

A harsh hand grips my shoulder. I whip my head around and see Griffin's father staring down at us. He motions for us to follow. He leads us down to my home where he opens up the battered screen door and leaves.

Griffin and I walk in to my cottage and see my father sitting on our bed. As tough and carefree as he usually is, he's been crying. His eyes are red and his face is blotchy. He tries to hide it but he's still trembling. My father pats the bed, signaling for us to sit down.

He doesn't mind Griffin being here. Griffin has always been like my brother, and my dad treats him as a son.

"Y-you should know th-th-that your

m-m-mother l-loves you very m-much." he begins. My heart sinks. I know this was coming. My mom has been sick for so long, not being able to even get out of bed. She would cough up phlegm and mucus. Vomiting and hacking all day.

I bow my head and nod, tears swelling in my hazel eyes. She's gone. I don't have to be strong for anyone. In my moment of weakness streams of tears pour down my flushed cheeks. All is silent and even Griffin is quietly crying. Maybelle is sleeping innocently on our hard, wood bed that we share. Dad has fresh tears staining his face.

Willow sits in the corner, watching us with sad eyes. My older sister has probably talked about my mother's death before I was brought here. They were especially close. Willow being her first born. Mom's death must have been devastating to her.

We mourn my mothers death for weeks. But we eventually move on. We go back to our daily lives, but still visit her grave every day, planting new flowers from the meadow every few week. Dad went back to the coal mines and Willow back to the bakery, where she had a job that provided a little food and water. Although she was only fifteen, she insisted on doing as much as she could to help the family. The bakery owner was my mothers friend and probably gave Willow a job only as a favor to my mother. When I would go to visit Sadie, the bakery owner, and Willow, they would give me scraps of bread.

I always loved the bakery. The ways it constantly smells like warm bread and the way I'm greeted by Sadie every time with a slice of warm bread just gives the shop a warm homely feeling.

Maybelle would tag along with me to the bakery. Sadie would call, "Hello Ms. Bella Levella and greet us with a slice of warm bread as always. She was always so sweet to our family. She was so understanding. So patient when she realized we were having a bad day.This went for about a month.

But too soon we were mourning again.

"Belle, stay close." I say frantically to my panicking sister. The smoke in the air is threatening to choke me. Peacekeepers stand guard around the perimeter of the bakery. One grabs me from behind as I try to run and find Willow and Sadie.

Families are crying and hugging, scared for the others. Sadie scrambles out of the bakery and almost loses it when she's spots is among the crowd. She shoves her way toward us so fast you would have thought she was on fire.

"What's happened?" I ask quickly. She avoids the question but explains how the fire started.

" A fire started in the oven and spread throughout the entire shop. By the time peacekeepers arrived the fire was too big to save anything." Sadie explains.

"Where's Willow, didn't out see her exit?" I ask, suddenly worried.

Sadie frowns.

"I'm so sorry..." she whispers, barely audible over the noise of the crowd. "I just can't take it all in. First Maysie, then Willow..."

My heart lurches and the world starts to spin. Its all too overwhelming. I can't accept that Willows gone. She's been like a mother to me since my own mother died. But I have to stay strong. For Maybelle. I have to accept it.

Willow's dead.

END OF FLASHBACK:::

As I carry my warm loaf of bread in my arms, the nervousness of reaping day starts to settle in. I grow anxious when I reach Griffin's house in the outskirts of the seam. I knock twice on the thin wood door and a few seconds later it is answered by Griffin's mother.

She gives me a warm hug, and motions for me to follow her inside. Inside their small home is a living room with a dirty battered couch and a small table littered with mud.

On the coal stove I see water bubbling and boiling in a small metal pot. A short hallway branches off into the two bedrooms.

Griffin and his brother and sister share a room. Mr and Mrs. Donner, Griffin's parents share the other room.

There are only about two hours until the reaping, so I decide to make my visit quick.

"I brought you something." I say to Mrs. Donner. I hold out the loaf of bread in my arms. We bring it to the table in the kitchen and slice off about half of it. When I set down the dull knife, she embraces me once more.

"I have to go." I say, and walk out the wood door. I walk about a quarter mile to my family's cottage and step through the battered screen door. My father has brought out our wash tub. I haven't taken a bath in about seven weeks. A bar of soap and a towel is laid next to it. Belle is already in her white cotton shirt and her brown skirt. Her hair is damp from washing.

I drag the wash tub into my bedroom for more privacy. I fill the tub with buckets of water from outside.

I undress and slip into the tub. The cool water feels refreshing on my skin. I allow myself to soak for a few minutes then begin washing my grimy hair.

After my hair is rinsed out, I grab the bar of soap. I stand up and wash my body.

After my body is washed and I let the suds float off in the water, I step out of the tub and dry myself off with the towel then wrap it around my slim body.

On the couch, my father has laid out my reaping dress. It's muted blue has white flats to go with it. I slip it on. I lift my right hand over my shoulder to fasten the zipper. I can't get it above the middle of my back. Belle sees me struggling and zips it the rest of the way." Thanks." I say.

I twist my damp hair into a braid down my back like I did this morning.

Only a few minutes until we have to make our way to the District Square. Out of my peripherals, I see my dad. He has in his hand, the locket that was my mother's. I wear it to every reaping, as my token incase I'm picked. I embrace my father and take the locket in his outstretched hand.

Inside it has a picture of my father and mother on one side, and a photo of my sisters Willow and Belle, and myself.

A siren blares throughout the district and me father, sister and I shut the screen door behind us and make our way to the square.