Black Poppies (open)

[Azure]

Braelyn Adiar

I throw my boots on and step outside my door, my feet immediately sinking into the mud. With a sigh I move on, headed for the flower fields. Mum is sick, and there's nothing I can do to save her. No medicines, no herbal remedies, no cure. They can't figure out what's wrong with her, and that troubles me the most. I know it will only be a matter of time until she too, will slip away. A mixed flower petal tea will clear her lungs, but all too soon, the disease will return. But I do what I can to make her last days here on the earth as bearable as possible.

I glance up at the sky, the clouds were dark, almost as if they were weeping. I don't know what I'll do when my mother is gone, perhaps they will send me to community home. I don't care though, couldn't be much worse as it is now.

I remember the day I first knew something was wrong with mum. I had come home from the fields, my bag packed with poached game. Excited, I ran to mother's room and lifted a small hare from my sack. But mum didn't notice. What I saw then I will never forget. She was sitting on the bed looking at the floor. Upon further inspection I noticed blood on her hands, so much blood. "Momma?" I cried. I didn't get a response. Mum started crying, and I along with her.

It hasn't been quite the same since that day. Even on good days all mum can manage to do is stand for mere seconds. The weight of taking care of the house clearly shows on my face. With many sleepless nights, I'm begining to develop dark, sagging circles. I'm not a pretty sight.

As I reach the edge of the flower field I pause. Someone is already here. I can't make who it is in the dim lighting. Not taking any risks however, I stay where I'm standing. [/color]

[Shanerz]

I am in the streets of district 11. I am not out much, but enough for people to know who I am. [Orange]Hello, how are you today.[/Orange] I say to almost everyone I pass, but only getting a smile in response. I see the only path in district 11 I have not been down. I don't know why, but there is a first time for everything.

I take my first step on the path and regret shivers through my body. I still continue to walk. I eventually make it to a field. [Orange] Is this it.[/Orange] I whisper this to myself. No there must be more. There has to be I must continue to walk. I think. So I do.

Eventually I come to a flower field. and nothing else that I am allowed to be on. I decide to pick some flowers although I can tell from the patches some have been recently picked. I pull my head up and see two figures silently staring at each other.

[plantix]

The figure stares at me, and I stare back, getting good look at this other person. I realize that it's a girl, she has white skin and brown hair, but the most noticeable thing about her is that she's mostly skin and bone. She looks quite underfed over all, and by the looks of the dark rings under her eyes, she's also deprived of sleep.

The surprise and awkwardness of meeting another person here get's to me quickly, but I still do mind that today is the day of my sibling's death. Not only that, but I still need to collect a few more flowers for them to fill this bundle up properly. It simply feels like I'm missing something with this bouquet. But now, I have to deal with this other girl first.

"W-Who are you?..." I ask the stranger a little less confident then I'd like. I talk like this because my siblings kind of 'blocked' anyone who tried to be friends with me. Sadly, it's made a total wreck when I try to talk to people. Maybe I should give some more information, or talk about something."I um... Well... Why are you here?" I ask the second question of the cliche pair, clutching my flowers in deference. Right now, it's as if it's my shield. I wait and listen for any answer that may come out of her.

I turn my head away into a different direction, and to my surprise I see another figure staring at me... or her, or possible both of us. All the sudden, I feel disturbed. The flower field was like my own special place where I could be alone with the flowers. Now these two people where here... Now I really want to know why they're here.

[/size]

[Azure]

The shadowy figure turns out to be a boy. I see that he as an abundance of flowers in his hand, why? I wondered.

"W-who are you?" the boy questions. I've never seen him before, but then again, I don't get out much. With Mum sick I normally stay at home, taking care of her. He's a few inches taller than me, but the proportions of his body and his large eyes tell me that he's a couple years younger.

"I'm Braelyn, Braelyn Adair." I say.

"I um... Well... Why are you here?" He questions yet again. This inquiry tugs at the strings of my heart. I've never talked to anyone about my mother's condition. Most know of it, but I've never opened up to someone about it. It's too sensitive of a subject for me.

"My mother... she needs these." I say as I pull a few flowers up from the ground. I gaze at the single poppy in his bouqet. That was the most important ingredient in the tea's recipe. My eyes linger on it for a while, it's highly doubtful that there will be another one. But I don't dare ask him for it. "You?" I ask in reply.

But the boy has turned his head his focus on something else. I quickly realize what he's staring at. Someone off in the distance is watching us. This makes me uneasy. Just how many people were out here?

OOC: Shanerz- Could you please put a name, a link to a bio, or a picture up so we know who you are? Haha [/color]

[Shanerz]

OOC: I dont wanna put a link because I am lazy today but if you wanna find him his name is Raymond Friend I named him after my fav teacher ever.

I see a boy and a girl. I hear the girl say her name. I am just to far to make it out. did she say Bryson. No it can't be who would name a girl Bryson. I decide to save them from curiosity and tell them my name ahead of time. [Orange]"I am Raymond... Raymond friend."[/Orange] I say as if they care.

I make out a figure of a suspicious plant in the boy's hand. A black poppy. I am allergic to this Plant. I have half the mind to run up and destroy the flower, but I use the all my might to restrain myself. I move my hand to my back pocket to reassure myself I have my inhaler.

[Orange]"Am I not welcome here, because if so I will leave."[/Orange] I say this trying to nicley excuse myself without making them think I don't like them. I don't hate them. I just don't like meeting strangewrs unless I have to.

[plantix]

The girl I see, her name is Braelyn Adair. I don't remember seeing her at all around here. She's also stated her reason for being here; collecting flowers for here mom. No, she said that he mom needs them. Why? Coincidentally, the flowers that where not far from her feet where the ones she needed. The flowers she picked, I recognize them, and remember that the medicinal properties are for reliving pain... From that, I can safely guess that her mom is in pain. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

Just as I'm about to speak and ask her a question, the guy I saw in the distance walks up to the two of us and starts talking. "I am Raymond... Raymond friend. Am I not welcome here, because if so I will leave." Well, to be honest, everyone in this field of flowers is welcome to be here, but I'm not used to seeing anyone else here.

I don't want to be rude, actually, I don't like rudeness at all. So I tell him with a gentler face "Uh... Everyone is... welcomed here... by the flowers.... not any person..." I say shyly, hiding in my flowers. They're almost pressed up in my face; the're so pressed up, I can smell they honey-like sent from them. I swallow on nothing and turn again to the girl to point out my observation to her. "Those flowers... They're used in painkillers..."

[/color] I don't say more then that because I lack the courage to ask.

[/blockquote][/size]

[Azure]

"Hello Raymond." I look at the boy. By the way that he spoke and conducted himself, I could clearly see that he was nervous. But then again, we all acted slightly unsettled. The thunder roared above us, and I knew it was going to rain soon.

"Those flowers... They're used in painkillers..." the boy in front of me brought out.

"Yeah, they are." I whisper. "Do you know where I could find a poppy like yours?" I nod, pointing to the plant. I was highly doubtful that the boy would give me his flower, but maybe he knew where some more where. I really needed to get back to Mum, but I didn't want this whole trip to be in vain. I look at the two boys, then to the sky, knowing it only be a matter of time before it started pouring.

OOC: 1. Sorry about the length, i'm really tired. 2. Shanerz, your character reminds me of Doctor Evil in Austin Powers...Sorry, I just had to. [/color]

[Shanerz]

Pain killers. The flowers are pain killers. I need those flowers. I know if I lunge for them like I want to it will result in something horrible. This was the bad feeling I got when I stepped onto the ally. I must go for the flowers before they do. My father needs them. Bryson...er whatever says something to me, but my eyes are fixed on the flowers so I don't hear her.

I feel a drip of water on my bald head. Then another, then two more. Now they are coming down by the thousands. It has been raining for about 20 seconds now and I'm soaked. I tackle the ground and pick the flowers. I even retrieve the roots. When I stand up flowers in hand I can't see, but I know there are no more. I can not see anything farther then 3 inches in front of my face.

All vision I had of the two are gone. They don't know I took the flowers, how could they. I am dizzy now. I want to run home, but my sence of direction is gone I can not remember which way to leave the field. [Orange]"Help, I need to get home, Help!"[/Orange] I yell at them, but I recieve no response. Did they leave me out here alone, to be scared and cold. It was hot when I left so I am in a short sleeve shirt and shorts. Do they know which way to leave. [Orange]"Help!"[/Orange] I scream once more.

Still no response.

[plantix]

"Do you know where I could find a poppy like yours?" this stranger, Braelyn, asks me pointing to the black poppy. I hold on to it, as if I'm holding a little girl, but then I think for a moment about her situation. Poppy flowers and poppy seeds are used to make morphine.

Now that I think about it, she probably needs this flower, while I simply want it. Another thing is that is is one of the flowers that bloomed late this year, and even it's sister plants have developed and dispersed their seed pod. I suppose that this bouquet can do without this center-piece blossom. Just as I'm about to offer the black flower to the girl, the sky sheds it's first tear. A second later, the rain comes down harder with more drops.

Quickly, I hold the flowers in my arms tighter and arch my back over the blossoms, just before the rain comes down, soaking my back and body. I regret not bring my backpack to put these flowers in, and not bringing some sort of protection from this rain.

I close my eyes and hold my flowers close, but then I hear that boy scream."Help, I need to get home, Help!" I open my eyes and try to locate where the voice was coming from, only to realize that it's raining so hard, my field of vision is limited. I open my mouth to say something, but some marble-sized rain drops pelted me, and I'm not able to udder a word."Help!" he screams one more time.

I want to help him, really I do, but I can hardly do anything in this weather. I decide to try and look for the boy with my eyes, and not to far I see his shape, disfigured by the rain coming down. It was almost like trying to look at someone behind a set of water falls.

"I'm... coming." I manage to say softly. Really, only Braelyn would be able to hear me. I'm not sure if she'll come to follow me in helping this stranger, but I can't just leave him. I have to try and help anyways.

[/size]

[Azure]

The boy clutches the flowers tightly, reluctant to let go of the poppy. I knew he wouldn't let me have it, I thought to myself. But then the boy's expression lightens, and he glanced at the flowers once more. Before he could do anything however, the rain starts pouring and all my sight is lost. I start panicking. What am I going to do now?

I hear a plea for help from the boy I only met moments ago. He mentioned something about needing to get home. Well we all needed to get back to our houses really, but I didn't know who these boys were in the first place, so I couldn't help lead them back to where they lived. I stumble in the direction I heard the cry for help to but my shoes sunk deep into the mud, causing me to fall. My whole body was now caked in the stuff, great. When finally I was able to stand back up, I make my way towards the boy again. Soon enough, I bump into him. I was standing right in front of him now, and I could barely make out the figure of the boy with the flowers. I knew they wouldn't make it home for a while. But it wasn't safe to stay out here in the open till the rain stopped, we could easily get struck by lightening. "My house isn't too far from here!" I yell. "We could go there until the rain stops!"

I don't wait for a reply from the two, I grab their arms and drag them down the barely visible path back to my home. Before long, I could make out a silhouette of what was my house. Still pulling the boys I open my front door and shove them in. I'm breathing heavy now, that short trip was exasperating. After I catch my breath I head over to the fireplace and stoke the fire, the heat was welcoming to my wet skin. In the other room I could hear my mother's deep breathing, she was asleep. Poor Mum, I thought to myself. I look over at the boys who were still standing by the door, then scoot over so there would be more room for them by the hearth, an invitation in it's own right.


OOC: Sorry for jumping ahead so much, but this was the only thing I could think of. [/color]