Panem. A country enslaving its own people to enrich the lives of the already wealthy. The outside world has chosen to ignore the country in an agreement of mutual isolation. Felicity Dearborne, a citizen of District 9, has to fight for her life duri...
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𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙋𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘿𝘼𝙔. A treacherous day where twenty-four citizens from each district of her country, Panem, are chosen to fight in the death for sport. For the sick pleasure of the Capitol. In little under a weeks time, all of the reaped children but one lucky soul will die in the arena, only coming back home in a poorly memorialized casket. Maybe it was better for the deceased victims of the Games. They escaped into the heavens, free from the tortures of the Capitol. Free from starvation and labour. Free from never knowing true, unmistakeable happiness.
Felicity Dearborne looked into a dusty, cracked mirror in her wooden house. A sullen tone had been painted on her face, staring back at her.
Her family resided in one of the poorest districts of Panem: District 9. Her father worked all day, every day harvesting grain to feed the Capitol, supply wine grains, and more. Any food that a starving citizen has comes from another starving citizen's hand. The labour was hardly worth the little food they could take home as surplus from the Capitol's grain supply. An empty stomach, weakness, and fatigue were common feelings for the citizens of 9.
Her mother was the housewife, taking care of their two children and keeping what little they had safe & sound. She had even, on occasion, spent weekends traveling to the opposite end of District 9 to attend cleaning to the Primary Farmhouse, receiving money for their work, not scraps. Felicity absolutely adored her mother, Violet. Violet had always shown so much warmth and wisdom with her over the years. She made sacrifices.
And then, her 19-year-old brother Rhydian. Possibly her most favorite person to walk the soil of the planet. Rhydian & her were the closest sibling pair you could find. There was never one without the other. The protector and the little sister. He once punched a boy in the nose for making fun of her fiercely auburn hair inherited from their mother. He simply wasn't having it.
"We haven't much time before we're meant to be in the Square, Felicity." A voice carries sound from the living room up above to the dusty loft that hung above the kitchen that overlooked the area that the voice emerged from. Two pair of scuffling boots emerged from the south of the household, indicating the family is now complete & accounted for.
"Coming, Mother. Just one second." Felicity tore her face from the dusty mirror and softly placed a silver band ring over her bony left pointer finger. 4 black enscripted butterfly shapes circled around the band. Monarch Butterflies were basically a symbol of the Dearborne family. It was the nicest thing the women of the family had ever owned. Passed through generations, it's a reminder of how migration and situation has no effect on the love of a family. Felicity pushed it down her finger and stood up, adjusted her white & tan dress and hurried down the stairs. Her family waiting for her.
Faces exchanged between the four of them before a synchronized nod occurred. Together, they exited their house and joined the dirt road trek to catch up to the small group of neighbors leading the way to the Square. Felicity took a look to her family next to her as they walked.
