Burning Embers
the cost of happiness is so high
EARLIER THAT DAY
I never fully understood why Reaping Day was almost like a celebration in Panem. The Capitol clearly had its fun, but they weren't the ones who had to send their own children off to die. I suppose the best explanation was that there was so little reasons to get fancied up and not feel horrible for eating more food than you had, we just needed one day a year to cope with the other 364... shame the cost of happiness is so high.
My mother pulled herself out of bed and was preparing for the day ahead of us. I was picking out the nicest clothes our family owned and helping my younger siblings get ready. It was such a relief that Callie and Dahlia were still three years away from being eligible for the Games. Dressing them up was almost enjoyable since there was no real risk just yet.
After I was finished pinning up Callie's hair and brushing the bangs out of Dahlia's face, I went to get myself ready. I had to admit that I did enjoy cleaning the layer of grime from my skin and washing my hair so it felt light and feathery instead of greasy and knotted. Once I finished freshening up, I retreated to the small room I shared with my sisters.
There was a trunk at the foot of the bed that held all of our clothes. At the bottom was the nicest piece of clothing I owned. The blouse wasn't very special, just an off white button up. The pleated skirt, though, was made of the softest fabric and flowed just above my knees. My mother gave it to me years ago, and I was just now beginning to outgrow it. This year would likely be the last time I could wear it. No matter, it would be passed down to Dahlia.
I was in the process of trying to get the little round button to go through its hole when the door opened, and Reed walked in. Examining the scene, he laughed. "Getting too big for that dress, little sister. Maybe you should drop a few pounds." He murmured teasingly. Clearly, I was sickly thin like many other residents in District 12.
Only Reed would turn a joke out of our starving community, and only him saying it could it sound humorous and not heartless. Honestly, his humor was sometimes off colored, but never went unappreciated. I didn't like playing favorites, but he was the sibling I was closest to. It was his optimism and strength that I admired so dearly. Clay was the more practical of the two, and he was brilliant with managing money and rationing our food, but Reed was the one that kept laughter in our home.
"It'll fit," I sighed, still fumbling with the button. "It has to. I have nothing else to wear."
Reed strolled further into the room and bent down to reach beneath my bed. I raised my eyebrow and watched as he pulled out a rectangular box with a flower resting on the top. "Fauna wanted you to have it. Since she just turned nineteen, she said she really doesn't have the need to get fancied up anymore." Reed gently set the box in my hands and smiled. Despite his upturned lips, I could see the worry in his eyes. "Happy Hunger Games, little Leena."
Fauna was Reed's girlfriend. They were going to get married as soon as he felt he could support two families. She was quiet, but kind with big and bright brown eyes. Perfect for him. I only hoped that they would both get the happiness they so greatly deserved.
I attempted to smile back as I took the box and set it down on the bed. After carefully moving the flower aside, I lifted the lid and and inside was the most beautiful dress… It was simple, but so lovely. It was an off white color with lacy sleeves and a lavender ribbon around the waist. Far too elegant for a girl like me to wear.
"Reed, I couldn't possibly—"
He rolled his eyes and pulled the fabric out of the box. "If you don't want it, she said to chuck it." Reed insisted and thrusted it into my hands. "You'll look lovely in it, Leena. Not that you haven't already earned the affections of two of the most favorable young men in all of District 12."
A shade of red brighter than my hair burned in my cheeks, and I looked at the dusty floor. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." I grumbled.
"You have the baker and the butcher's boys infatuated with you. And don't pretend to not realize this, Leena. Pronze Mellark follows you around like a lost puppy in the school yard, and the youngest Whitlock boy drops off meat every other day." Reed smirked that smug little smile of his.
"That doesn't mean anything. They're just being—"
"Leena!" A voice from another room called. Seconds later, Callie was in the doorway grinning like mad. "Pronze Mellark is here and wants to see you."
A sheepish look spread on my face, and Reed was still beaming like a fool. I shot him a glare and sighed. "Thanks, Callie. Uh… just tell him I'll be out in a minute." I answered, and she nodded before running off. I glanced back at Reed and mumbled, "Tell Fauna thank you for the dress. Now let me change."
Reed snickered and closed the door behind him. I hurried to slip on the dress, noting that it was lovely and I must have looked so out of place in its soft layers. Nevertheless, I ran my fingers through my hair and let the wavy red locks cascade down my back.
When I walked out of my room, I saw Pronze was waiting for me by the front door. As I emerged into view, his eyes widened and he brushed some of his golden hair from his face.
"Oh… You look… beautiful, Emelina." He murmured dazedly. His hands were full. One hand held a small bouquet of wild flowers, the other had several loaves of bread in them. I smiled awkwardly as he continued to gape. After a moment, he seemed to snap out of his trance. "Erm, right… these are for you."
He extended both of his arms full of flowers and bread towards me. "Pronze, you really didn't have to do this." I reminded him thoughtfully. It was no mystery that the Mellark family was fed to satisfaction since they owned the town's bakery, but that didn't mean they had enough to be handing out food to everyone. Not to mention that his mother wasn't the kindest person in the world, so I couldn't imagine her being happy her son was giving a family of eight free bread…
"It's nothing, really. They're a few days old and my mom was going to toss them out." He insisted.
But when he transferred the loaves from his hands to mine, I knew he was lying. The bread was still warm like it had just come from the oven. "Well, thank you. Really." I told him sincerely. "My brothers… they do everything to keep us fed, but you've helped us so much. I could never thank you enough."
"It's my pleasure." He replied with a smile as warm as the bread in my hands. "I'll see you at the Reaping."
"Right… Goodbye Pronze. Tell Porton and Peeta I said hello." I murmured as I waved him off.
Pronze was the oldest Mellark child, followed by Porton, followed by Peeta. Pronze was Reed and Clay's age, his middle brother my age, and Peeta a year younger than myself. Pronze and Peeta were more reserved, but Porton wasn't afraid to talk someone's ear off. I met him in school, and we became friends. Pronze already knew Reed and Clay. As much as I appreciated their friendship and all they had done for us, I could never make myself return Pronze's affections. My heart belonged elsewhere.
I never fully understood why Reaping Day was almost like a celebration in Panem. The Capitol clearly had its fun, but they weren't the ones who had to send their own children off to die. I suppose the best explanation was that there was so little reasons to get fancied up and not feel horrible for eating more food than you had, we just needed one day a year to cope with the other 364... shame the cost of happiness is so high.
My mother pulled herself out of bed and was preparing for the day ahead of us. I was picking out the nicest clothes our family owned and helping my younger siblings get ready. It was such a relief that Callie and Dahlia were still three years away from being eligible for the Games. Dressing them up was almost enjoyable since there was no real risk just yet.
After I was finished pinning up Callie's hair and brushing the bangs out of Dahlia's face, I went to get myself ready. I had to admit that I did enjoy cleaning the layer of grime from my skin and washing my hair so it felt light and feathery instead of greasy and knotted. Once I finished freshening up, I retreated to the small room I shared with my sisters.
There was a trunk at the foot of the bed that held all of our clothes. At the bottom was the nicest piece of clothing I owned. The blouse wasn't very special, just an off white button up. The pleated skirt, though, was made of the softest fabric and flowed just above my knees. My mother gave it to me years ago, and I was just now beginning to outgrow it. This year would likely be the last time I could wear it. No matter, it would be passed down to Dahlia.
I was in the process of trying to get the little round button to go through its hole when the door opened, and Reed walked in. Examining the scene, he laughed. "Getting too big for that dress, little sister. Maybe you should drop a few pounds." He murmured teasingly. Clearly, I was sickly thin like many other residents in District 12.
Only Reed would turn a joke out of our starving community, and only him saying it could it sound humorous and not heartless. Honestly, his humor was sometimes off colored, but never went unappreciated. I didn't like playing favorites, but he was the sibling I was closest to. It was his optimism and strength that I admired so dearly. Clay was the more practical of the two, and he was brilliant with managing money and rationing our food, but Reed was the one that kept laughter in our home.
"It'll fit," I sighed, still fumbling with the button. "It has to. I have nothing else to wear."
Reed strolled further into the room and bent down to reach beneath my bed. I raised my eyebrow and watched as he pulled out a rectangular box with a flower resting on the top. "Fauna wanted you to have it. Since she just turned nineteen, she said she really doesn't have the need to get fancied up anymore." Reed gently set the box in my hands and smiled. Despite his upturned lips, I could see the worry in his eyes. "Happy Hunger Games, little Leena."
Fauna was Reed's girlfriend. They were going to get married as soon as he felt he could support two families. She was quiet, but kind with big and bright brown eyes. Perfect for him. I only hoped that they would both get the happiness they so greatly deserved.
I attempted to smile back as I took the box and set it down on the bed. After carefully moving the flower aside, I lifted the lid and and inside was the most beautiful dress… It was simple, but so lovely. It was an off white color with lacy sleeves and a lavender ribbon around the waist. Far too elegant for a girl like me to wear.
"Reed, I couldn't possibly—"
He rolled his eyes and pulled the fabric out of the box. "If you don't want it, she said to chuck it." Reed insisted and thrusted it into my hands. "You'll look lovely in it, Leena. Not that you haven't already earned the affections of two of the most favorable young men in all of District 12."
A shade of red brighter than my hair burned in my cheeks, and I looked at the dusty floor. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." I grumbled.
"You have the baker and the butcher's boys infatuated with you. And don't pretend to not realize this, Leena. Pronze Mellark follows you around like a lost puppy in the school yard, and the youngest Whitlock boy drops off meat every other day." Reed smirked that smug little smile of his.
"That doesn't mean anything. They're just being—"
"Leena!" A voice from another room called. Seconds later, Callie was in the doorway grinning like mad. "Pronze Mellark is here and wants to see you."
A sheepish look spread on my face, and Reed was still beaming like a fool. I shot him a glare and sighed. "Thanks, Callie. Uh… just tell him I'll be out in a minute." I answered, and she nodded before running off. I glanced back at Reed and mumbled, "Tell Fauna thank you for the dress. Now let me change."
Reed snickered and closed the door behind him. I hurried to slip on the dress, noting that it was lovely and I must have looked so out of place in its soft layers. Nevertheless, I ran my fingers through my hair and let the wavy red locks cascade down my back.
When I walked out of my room, I saw Pronze was waiting for me by the front door. As I emerged into view, his eyes widened and he brushed some of his golden hair from his face.
"Oh… You look… beautiful, Emelina." He murmured dazedly. His hands were full. One hand held a small bouquet of wild flowers, the other had several loaves of bread in them. I smiled awkwardly as he continued to gape. After a moment, he seemed to snap out of his trance. "Erm, right… these are for you."
He extended both of his arms full of flowers and bread towards me. "Pronze, you really didn't have to do this." I reminded him thoughtfully. It was no mystery that the Mellark family was fed to satisfaction since they owned the town's bakery, but that didn't mean they had enough to be handing out food to everyone. Not to mention that his mother wasn't the kindest person in the world, so I couldn't imagine her being happy her son was giving a family of eight free bread…
"It's nothing, really. They're a few days old and my mom was going to toss them out." He insisted.
But when he transferred the loaves from his hands to mine, I knew he was lying. The bread was still warm like it had just come from the oven. "Well, thank you. Really." I told him sincerely. "My brothers… they do everything to keep us fed, but you've helped us so much. I could never thank you enough."
"It's my pleasure." He replied with a smile as warm as the bread in my hands. "I'll see you at the Reaping."
"Right… Goodbye Pronze. Tell Porton and Peeta I said hello." I murmured as I waved him off.
Pronze was the oldest Mellark child, followed by Porton, followed by Peeta. Pronze was Reed and Clay's age, his middle brother my age, and Peeta a year younger than myself. Pronze and Peeta were more reserved, but Porton wasn't afraid to talk someone's ear off. I met him in school, and we became friends. Pronze already knew Reed and Clay. As much as I appreciated their friendship and all they had done for us, I could never make myself return Pronze's affections. My heart belonged elsewhere.