Timber

Chapter Fourteen: A New Morning

Hazel awoke to the feeling of snow melting into her skin. It was an odd sensation, and for a moment, she remained disoriented, her thoughts still tangled in the web of dreams that clung to her consciousness. Still chilled from the lingering remnants of her dreamworld, she instinctively pulled the blankets up to her nose, seeking comfort in their familiar embrace. The air in the room carried an unfamiliar scent, one that momentarily confused her senses. It wasn't the usual piney aroma of her home, the forest and the earth she knew so well.

Instead, it was a cleaner scent, reminiscent of freshly laundered linens.

Her mind, still groggy from slumber, struggled to make sense of it all. She felt like a puzzle with missing pieces, her memory flickering like a fading candle. In that fleeting moment, a whirlwind of emotions coursed through her, a kaleidoscope of fear, disbelief, and determination. She couldn't ignore the fact that her world had been irrevocably altered in the past day, that the life she once knew had been replaced by this eerie semblance of normalcy in the Capitol's extravagant prison.

As her disoriented thoughts began to settle, Hazel gingerly pushed back the blankets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The room was bathed in the gentle, early morning glow of the sun's rays, casting warm hues across the ornate furnishings. Slowly, she rose to her feet, her bare toes meeting the plush carpet underfoot.

Approaching the window, she pulled back the heavy curtains, revealing a breathtaking view. Beyond the confines of their luxurious prison, a vast garden and manicured lawn stretched out before her. In the center of it all, a grand circular fountain stood, its waters dancing in the golden light.

The scene beyond the yard was equally surreal. A towering brick wall demarcated the boundaries of the estate, beyond which the world unfolded in a series of rolling green hills. The sunrise on the horizon painted the sky with hues of pink and gold.

Hazel stood there; her gaze transfixed on the horizon as she drank in the surreal beauty of the Capitol's landscape. The rolling green hills seemed to stretch on indefinitely, basking in the warm embrace of the early morning sun.

Then, she heard movement, and a subtle change in Silus's breathing drew her attention. Turning, she witnessed her brother slowly opening his eyes. She noticed the disappointment etched on his face as he, too, took in their unfamiliar surroundings.

"Morning, sunshine," she greeted him, "Pretty sure this is the first time I've ever gotten up before you."

Silus sat up, his hand moving to rub away the lingering traces of sleep from his face. "It would take a life-and-death experience for you to finally be able to get up on time."

"Touche," she conceded. "How did you sleep?"

Silus, while stretching his stiff muscles, couldn't help but respond with a playful exaggeration,

"Like the dead." They both paused as the words hung in the air.

"You really need to stop saying that," Hazel gently teased.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." He glanced at Hazel, his eyes betraying the anxiety that still lingered beneath the surface. "How did you sleep?"

Hazel sighed, "Like hell."

Before Silus could respond, a sudden knock on the door echoed through the room, followed by the unmistakable click of a lock disengaging. Hazel's eyes darted to the door.

The familiar faces of Indira Lovegood and their peacekeeper peeked through the door at them. Indira's long, lustrous hair cascaded in intricate braids, shimmering under the soft room lighting. Her caramel-toned arms were adorned with an array of bracelets that jingled softly as she moved. She donned a deep magenta dress that matched the vibrant shade of lipstick she wore, her signature diamond-encrusted heels reflecting the artificial brilliance of Capitol fashion.