Elemental Games

One

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the drab grey ceiling of our little one-room house. It looks as if it's about to cave in any second, the stone being so old. I turned to my side on the cold bed, hoping to find some warmth from my older brother. But his side of the bed is empty and cold. Aragog must've gone out, I thought miserably, getting up. I immediately regret getting up, as the sharp air stung my slightly dark skin, piercing to the bone. I looked around the house and saw my mother sleeping in the other bed, curled up tightly not to get cold. Then I looked away.

I slipped my cold feet into my boots. The leather was worn out, but it was the only pair of shoes I had so I made with what I have. With so little money, we could only save it for emergencies. But at least it was warm. Then I put on a shirt, the sleeves cut short to mid-arm, and my old jacket. There was a small hole in the side and the collar of the jacket was cut, ending in jagged ruffles, being old as it was. I hastily grabbed my dark hair, tying it with a piece of string on the table, wrapped a scarf around the lower part of my face, making sure it covered my nose, slipped my glasses on, and grabbed a burlap sack from the floor next to my feet. Then, shoving my hands in my pockets, I walked out of the house.

The street was eerily silent, though it was late morning. Since the sickness struck our District, everyone had kept to their houses, except when they needed to get food, but no one would come out to even sell food. They didn't want to die, and if they did come out, they always wore something to cover their lower face to their nose. People have been infected and they lay on their deathbed, since not even my family could help them, and food was so scarce, so many people starved. The government didn't even bother to help us, not even when the sickness slowly started spreading to the other four Districts.

I found Aragog coming out of the bakery in the center of our town, nicknamed the Square, and hurried up to him. He was holding a rumpled scarf to cover his nose and his head was dipped down slightly. "Aragog!"

His head snapped up, and saw me. He hurried over to me.

"Hollis!" Aragog skidded to a halt in front of me as I looked at him.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked, feeling a bit of anger rising. "Food," he mumbled, "We need food if we're going to survive." Trying to change the subject, he held up the bag he was carrying. "I got a loaf of bread from the baker for some berries though!" Everyone in town knew the bakery was the safest place to get food since the baker was the only shopkeeper in our District town who kept order real good. That made me smile a bit, what Aragog said. Any food was welcome now, even if it was a bit stale. I take the bag and reach my hand in, pulling out the loaf. I uncovered a small part of the lower part of my face and held the loaf up to my nose, inhaling the fresh, warm scent and wheaty fragrance. Then I looked up at Aragog, who was looking at me, and asked, "What did you get it for?" "Some berries I found in a bush near the small part of the woods. Holly berries." I allow a small smile on my face. "Holly," I repeated quietly to myself. "Let's get home," Aragog said, holding the bag up. I let the bread slip from my hands into the bag.

"Is this all? Only the bread we'll have?" I asked. Aragog sighed wearily. "What else? You know food is so scarce. We'll be lucky at all to have this bread. Even if the sickness hadn't struck, food would've been scarce and now, barely any can be scavenged." I only looked at him, taking in his tired features and hollow cheekbones, adding bitterly, "And the government does nothing to help." Aragog said nothing. He made a point of turning toward home and I could do nothing but follow. "Make sure to cover your nose," he said without looking back. I pushed the front of the scarf up and shoved my hands back in my pocket, dragging my feet after my brother.