The 71st Hunger Games: Purity

Chapter Two - Johanna

You know, district seven used to have more money.

I mean there are only so many trees in Panem, and a solid chunk of them are in district seven.

We used to have a lot of money. Until that fire ravaged through the woods like a rampant disease, taking our trees, our livelihood, and my parents. Four years ago, I lost my mother and father, my house, my only way to make money. So yeah, I could say I've had it hard ever since the fire.

I sigh as I open the front door, the wooden frame swinging on its hinges as it opens into the main room. "I brought meat!" I shout, calling my younger sister, Maria, out of our bedroom. She walks out with a large smile on her face, her feet bouncing in excitement. Her dark hair was braided in two dutch braids down her back, and she was wearing the same ratty tee-shirt she wore yesterday, which is the same tee-shirt she wore the day before, and the day before that. We were strapped rather tight for money, especially because Maria was only thirteen, and doesn't fit the minimum age requirement to work out in the lumber fields. Emilia and I both worked there, and didn't make too much money:  basically, meat was a rarity in our house. Hell, food of substance at all is a rarity.

"What is it? A duck? Pork? What?" Her greasy hands grip on to the table as she peers into my bag, trying to get a look at the meat.

"Kiddo, today's your day to take a shower. You better get on that," I point out, looking at her greasy hands. We didn't really have that much money, but what we did have was a running water system. We could only really afford one shower a day, so we rotate, taking turns on who gets to shower which day. Not only does this help save money, but it also keeps us on a schedule, helps us know what day of the week it is.

"Well, what is it?"

"A pigeon. Someone took down the nest in the field, and no one wanted to take it, no one likes bird meat. But hey, I think it's pretty good."

Maria nods excitedly, and hurries off to the bathroom, where I presume she'll be showering.

I turned on our oven, taking out the prized pigeon from the bag from the field. After quickly skinning it, I grab a small pinch of salt, a clove of garlic, and some pepper and sprinkle it on the bird. As I'm preparing dinner, my older sister Emilia walks in, her head hanging low.

"Hey," she mumbles, her hands in her hair, subconsciously untangling it in the process.

"Hi," I respond, my voice soft. I knew that Emilia overextends herself for this family, and that she ended up tired most of the days. Emilia was one of the sweetest people to ever walk this earth, but the stress of caring for your two younger sisters, being abused, and trying to pay for food really got to her. I could almost see strands of grey streaking through her dark brown hair.

"You got dinner tonight?" I nod in response, my hands deep in the meat.

"Duh," I roll my eyes, then look over my shoulder at her. "Go take a nap, Em. I know you have a hell of a day tomorrow after the reaping. I'll come get you when the pigeon is done cooking."

She thanks me with a small kiss on my cheek as she walks off to her room—my parents old room. After the fire, we kept my parents house, and so far the Mayor has allowed us to stay in it so long as we keep up the small, monthly payments on it, called a mortgage or whatever. I don't know. All I know is that we have two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen a main room, and dirt all over the place. Although I love my sisters, and I love my house, I would be happy to have a separate room from Maria, so I didn't have to hear her snores at night.

As the smell of cooked meat floats through the house, Maria comes out of the bathroom shivering slightly, her hair damp and pooling on her shirt.

"Water went cold?" I ask, glancing at her shivering body. She quickly nods, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.