Under the Willow

Chapter One

Today makes three months.

Three months since I seen my brother's face. Three months since my family heard a tune on his guitar. Three months a since my father stood beside him in the bakery.

Three months...since I turned him away.
I closed my eyes and leaned the back of my head against the trunk.

I listened the rustling leaves in the trees and the sweet sound of the mockingjays.
I must be look peaceful...but inside there's a storm.

I looked back on the day it happened.
He and I got into a fight, I don't even remember what for.

Whatever the reason it was, it ended up in screaming and threatening.

My parents weren't even home. They had some business to do in the Capitol. I was in charge since I was the oldest.

When it happened I should have been the mature one and let it be.

Instead I found my self stomping out the door and into the woods.

I left my 13 year old brother alone...and I didn't care. All I cared about was getting away from him.

I stayed in the shelter of the trees until the sun went down.

I soon realized that my parents would've been home by now. I had to go back before Rye started telling them a false story.

When I found my way to the victors village I saw that our door was wide open. I could here loud sobbing all the way down the street.

I was very familiar with that scream. It woke me up most nights from my parents room...it was my mother.

I ran to my home as fast as I could. When I got inside I found my mother with her face buried in my father's shoulder. She quickly snapped her head up. She looked into my eyes and her expression quickly turned from despair to relief.

"Willow!" She cried. She ran to embrace me while she sobbed into my hair. "I thought I lost you." I heard her whisper.

"What?" I gasped.

She suddenly pulled away and looked at me in the eyes. "Where's Rye?" She asked.

My eyes widened. He wasn't here? Is that what all this about? He's....gone?

My mother waited for me to reply but I said nothing. Her expression darkened.

Suddenly I was terrified.

"Willow where is your, brother!" She almost yelled. I felt her hands tighten around my arms.

"He-" I stumbled. "He was here when I left."

For a split second she looked shocked then suddenly, she was furious. "You left him her alone! You said you would watch over him!" She screamed while shaking me.

"Katniss!" My father said trying to pry her away.

"I'm-I'm sorry! I-" I tried to say. But my mother silenced me with a hard slap against my face. I tasted the blood in mouth, and tears began to roll down my reddened cheek.

Dad reacted immediately. He finally pulled her away with his arms wrapped around her. My mother squirmed and fought but my father kept his hold on her. He dragged her all the way to their bedroom. I could still here my mother's screams.

I dropped to my knees and sobbed. What have done? Rye is lost. Gone. And I let it happened.

I snapped my eyes open trying to forget the awful memory. But I couldn't. It has been haunting my dreams since the day it happened.

I let out a sigh and and decided to walk home. Or what use to be my home, now it's just a place of painful memories.