Sentimental Heart

Pasture upon pasture stretches out before me. Cows bite slowly at the grass, not any more phased by their daily routine than they were yesterday. I look out into the the distance as far as I can until the sun fixates itself in my vision and causes me to break my gaze. With a soft sigh I wipe my forehead clean of sweat, pick up my bucket and keep walking. I have a long days work ahead of me, if I want to finish in time for the reaping tomorrow. District Ten has possibly hundreds of thousands of farms and pastures, each equipped with livestock -whether that be chickens, pigs, or in my case, cows- of their own. And every day, the citizens of our District must do their duties, meaning women collect chicken eggs for shipment to the Capitol and men work on prepping their livestock, feeding and such, until one day they're ready for harvest.

Today is milking day and over a farm of hundred acres, I have nearly three hundred or more cows to tend to. Most days I'm just grateful that I was permitted to have a job on a large farm so I can make enough money to support my family, but days like today where I have a large amount of work to meet on a deadline, I couldn't be any more depressed. With my boots stomping, I walk out into the pastures and herd the cows into the barn. I milk them in sets of three and keep my pace steady. By lunch time, I have nearly hundred or more cows milked and I'm quite satisfied by that.

I finish up a set of cows before alerting old Mr. Millan, the man who I work for, that I'll be headed home for lunch. He smiles and nods, allowing me to leave. I have always liked Grane Millan, even since I was young. About three years ago he hired me as his cattle hand, to help take the work load off of him. He's getting older and his wife is sick, so he can't work too much any more. He's a bit blunt to most people, but he means well.

Once I'm out of the farmlands and back onto the gravel roads that connect to the town, I drop my smile a bit. District Ten isn't as large as District Eleven but just about and we have just as many Peacekeepers to keep us all in line. White uniforms plague the town, black guns in their holsters. I'm not sure whether or not they're loaded, there hasn't been any reason for them to be, but I wouldn't put it past them. They're struggling to look fierce today- marching instead of walking, straighening out their posture, and keeping their eyes quick but calculating. They have to look professional for the Reaping tomorrow.

I turn down the street my fiance and child, and her parents live on. About a two years ago, Eden and I were celebrating a solid two years of being in love. We had loved eachother, had been faithful to eachother, and we were happy just to have the other. Then, one night, we consummated our love and in turn, we were blessed with Eden's pregnancy. Things were hard for awhile. People stared and gossiped. Our parents weren't too thrilled right away, but soon the idea of it sank in and it was finally -if a bit grudingly- accepted. Teen pregnencies don't happen often here in District Ten, and to my knowledge, they don't happen much anywhere in Panem.

When I enter the small, cabin-like house I see Eden sitting at the table with Tyson on her knees, bouncing him. His smile is wide and his giggles are the cutestest thing I've ever heard. I grin at him, feeling that fatherly love well up inside me. Tyson's eyes catch me in the door way and he calls out for me in an excited giggle. "Daddy!" I blush and pick the little guy off my fiance's lap and put him on my hip. He makes a grumpy face and pleads for me to put him on my shoulders. I'm just about to when I see the look in Eden's eyes.

Eden is tall and slender with dirty blond hair. Today it's been hastily pulled back, several unkempt strands of hair fall out of place and into her shocking green eyes. Her eyes that are always filled with sunshine and optimism, but today the light is gone from her eyes. They're just a cold, meaningless green. "What's wrong?" I ask as I press Tyson closer to me.

"Tomorrow... The Reaping."

"Eden, we've talked about this- neither of us are going to be chosen. I promise. And Tyson's years away from when he has to worry about it too. Until that time comes, we can be a happy family, all right?"

"No, not all right. There's a very good chance one, if not both of us, could have our names drawn. We both took tresseraes the last two years. Sure, we needed it to help with Tyson, but what if it's our downfall?"

It's true, our names are in there multiple times, a few more so than the other kids in the District. But, Eden and I are both 18 now. Our last year of being eligible for the reaping and by the time it rolls around next year, we won't even have to worry about it. I calmly sigh and kiss Tyson's forehead. "It's our last year. Neither of us will be picked, let alone both of us."

"But if we do-"

"If one of us gets reaped, then whoever it is will have to fight to come home. I know both of us would have the determination and reason for fighting." Her eyes brighten a little. She knows my words are true. I finally take a seat at the table and sit Tyson on my lap. Eden hops up and fixes me a nice sandwhich and juice for lunch and we talk a little more as I eat. Tyson interjects often with a shrill sound or some of his favorite words. They don't make sense, but I love the effort.

When I'm finished eating and have washed my plate, I kiss my lover on the forehead. "Our wedding is in less than a month, just stay focused on that. The Reaping will go fine, I promise. We'll have to say goodbye to a friend, maybe, but it won't be one of us. Stay optimistic, okay?"

She nods, the light back in her green eyes. I smile bright. She sets our son down and comes over to the door and kisses me softly. "Will we see you tonight?"

I shake my head. "I still a lot of cows to milk and then have to put 'em back in the pastures. I may even have to feed some of the pigs at old Liffis's place. I have a lot of things to do before the Reaping, I'm sorry."

"Then another one, to fill the loneliness," she laughs and kisses me again. On the lips, then the cheek and then she stands on her tip-toes to kiss my forehead. I grin and pull her to me, placing another loving kiss on her mouth. "I love you Evander."

"I love you too," I say before disappearing into the streets. As I make my way back to the farm, I smile, knowing that I did fully reassure my beloved of any doubts about tomorrow. However, there was no way I could have possibly known that every word I told her was about to mean nothing. Neither of us will be chosen.

I could not have been more wrong.