Night and Day will meet at Dusk

[*~Ink~*]

Basil Edwards

The leaves rattle by on the hard cracked concrete, dancing in the wind as I shiver from it. Pulling my fawn-colored jacket closer to my body, I look up into the smoky grey sky at a flock of geese flying south for the rapidly approaching winter. Why can’t I be free like them?, I think as I sit down on a small boulder, overgrown with moss and vines, and I look out past the tall electric fence that surrounds the district. Only once had I ever been past those charged barbs, and I vowed never to do it again. I could’ve had the same brutal punishment as my friend Hanna, who was the one who bribed me to go in the first place. I pull my hood up to protect me from the wind that was rapidly gaining speed and strength, blowing all of the leaves in one direction until my side of the concrete path is clear.
I sigh louder than I mean to, and look behind me to make sure no one was there to hear. Alone, just the way I like it. I lightly swing my legs against the rock, which is slippery from the recent rain, and I gradually slide down so that my back is resting on the opposite side. Believe it or not, I do this every day after work. For me, I guess it is just an opportunity to be alone, a rarity for my life. I’m not a loner, it’s just that sometimes I need my own space, to get away from everything. But, away is really just what I think it is. I always have the fence there to remind me that I am a prisoner. My life, my thoughts, my labor, my everything is owned by the Capitol. I have seen the rebels, even some I know personally. I would side with them, I really would, but between my family and freedom, I don’t really have a choice. If being owned means making just enough money to survive, then so be it.
I can’t afford to even think about the impossible thoughts I face myself with, so I stand up and brush off my pants from the slippery moss. Once again, I look up into the cloudy grey sky, and I see a stray goose flapping as hard as it can to catch up with its flock, which must be more than 5 miles away by now. “Good luck,” I whisper to it aloud, and I turn around to go back home.

[Nerdy Ninja]

"I have to go... I got to get away from him," I whisper to no one in particular. As I grab my backpack, I slam the door behind me. Does he seriously think she's coming back!? As I'm walking in a fast pace, his words are coming back to me... "Don't worry Saskia... everything will be fine. One day, she'll come back with your sister, and everything will go back to the way they were..." I want to scream. I have to worry about school AND Soren... now my dad going crazy? I mean, doesn't he remember the reason why she left?



Abruptly, I stop walking... " I can't just walk away like this. He needs me..." Guilt and pain rush through my body and I just want to give up already. I shut my eyes tightly and I shake my head, " I ca- ... I can't do this." I continue the walk to my destination, my only escape... To the tree that is only a few blocks from my house. The only place where I can be alone... where I can spill my heart out on the pages of my notebook... The only place where no one can find me (Except Soren).



I try to concentrate on how lovely it is out here... the chilly winds... and the beautiful orange and yellow leaves. They all mark my favorite season... Fall. I remember the days when Soren and I were young. How we would jump in the leaves, and have wonderful times playing with eachother... But now, all of that is gone. Taken away from me... All that remains is the memories that I've been holding on to.



All of a sudden, I snap back to reality as a burst of cold wind hits me. *Sigh*. If only I could go back in time and change things... make them better, somehow. As I'm walking down the street, I see this girl... She seems so... familiar. Beautiful chestnut-brown hair with multi-colored eyes. It's like I've seen her at school before... a long time ago. I begin to notice how she is looking up, and suddenly she says, "Good Luck." I stare at her with wide-eyes... As I'm walking away, I'm thinking, "What the hell?! Is everybody going crazy now???"

[*~Ink~*]

Basil Edwards

My head snaps back from the goose when I hear footstep behind me. Out of instinct, I briskly turn around in the direction of the noise. At first it takes me a moment to pinpoint the source of the steps, but then I locate my target. I see a boy my age with jet black hair and pale skin walking away from where I was. Was he spying on me? I think. I half-run half-walk to try to catch up with him, just to make sure that he isn't a stalker or anything. Something about him seems familiar... somehow. Do I know him from school. As I get closer behind him, I finally realize who this boy is. "Saskia! Wait up!" I am now jogging towards him, slightly happy to see someone I knew from school. It had been nearly a year now since I had seen anyone I knew.
I wave at him, but he probably still won't recognize me. "It's Basil!" I say, hoping he remembers me. I didn't know him very well, but I am really just so excited to see someone my age, other than Hanna. A sudden thought crosses my mind. What if he heard me talking to myself? Well, I guess it doesn't really matter because everyone knows I am always a little quirky. I just hope he doesnt keep walking.

[Nerdy Ninja]

" Only a few more blocks to go," I tell myself. Suddenly, I hear jogging coming from behind me... "Please don't be Soren." I mean, I love him and all, It's just that I can't talk to him right now. What should I say to him? I can't just lie to him and say that Dad is... I begin to look down, "I don't know..." But once I hear the voice, I know that it definetly doesn't belong to Soren... "Saskia! Wait up!"



I stop walking, and I just stand there... frozen. My heart had stopped at that very moment. It's the girl. How does she remember my name? I barely had any friends in school. Plus, I hardly talked to anyone most of the time... I guess anything is possible. As she's aproaching me, I start thinking, "Damn it! What is her name?" I close my eyes thinking... B- Brittany? No, that's not right. She's quickly closing the gap between us... I know her name starts with a B. It's just that I can't- She calls out again... "It's Basil!" I open my eyes as I turn around to face her... But my voice is below a whisper... "Hello Basil."



I try again, but I can hardly breathe... "Hello Basil," I say with my heart pounding in my chest. Not knowing how to start a conversation, I simply say, "Umm, So... What's up?"

[*~Ink~*]

Basil Edwards

"Hey Basil," he says when he turns around. I stop running and I am now standing about 5 feet in front of him.

"Hey," I whisper, sorta out of breath from running. I'm not in the best condition. I can already tell that he is beginning to shy away, like he always has. In fact, I probably wouldn't know he even existed if he hadn't had my exact same schedule in 8th grade, minus two classes. It's about to get awkward, but then he finally says something.

"Umm, So... What's up?" He is still looking down, so I assume that he hasn't changed much from when I left.

"Oh... nothin' much." A lie. A big lie. There is too much, really. Since then, since I left school for work, too much has 'been up'. Way too much for me. I'll bet he doesn't even know; I'm too ashamed to tell anyone. I trace a cobblestone under my foot and look down, pretending to be occupied. "So how have you been since I saw you last? Like a year ago?" I look up to glance at him, and then look back down, worried that he might ask why I wasn't at school anymore. If anyone found out, I swear I would throw myself into the electric fence, if it ever turned back on.

I can't help but keep talking to him, even if it leads to the demise of my social life. As long as I have someone to talk to, I guess I'm ok. Plus, there's just something about Saskia that lets you know he would never spill a secret, even if I were to mention it. I know for some strange reason that I can trust him.

[Nerdy Ninja]

"Oh... nothin' much," is what Basil says to answer my question. I envy her... But, I'm glad that she doesn't have to face the things that I go through. No one deserves to feel unhappy or unloved. No one deserves to feel empty AND broken on the inside. No one deserves to be hurt by the one that they love... Well, in this case, used to love...

I bet her life is so much happier and normal than mine. I mean, just look at her. Basil is so admirable and (without a doubt) she probably had a whole bunch of friends last year. I believe she still has her mom, dad, and maybe a few siblings living with her. She's just so... lucky. Then again, maybe her life isn't so great... because when people say "nothing much" usually alot of things have been going on...

Another question hits me. I wonder where she's been ever since I last saw her... but I guess she beats me to it. " So, how have you been since I saw you last? Like a year ago?" I look up at her to make eye contact,but she just looks away... "Well, things have been the same... since then." *Sigh* Nothing had changed... and that's pretty much true. My mom is still gone with "my sister," my dad still goes through this sort of depression mixed in with denial, and Soren has always been by my side. He's always there when I need someone to talk to, and he actually listens to me... God, If I didn't have Soren, then I probably would have lost my mind a long time ago...

This question is really bothering me... Where has she been this past year? In Ninth Grade, she just seemed to... disappear. Maybe someone in her family needed help, so she was forced to stay home and take care of them... I don't know. I don't remember anyone metioning her dropping out of school, so I just let curiosity take over... "So Basil, why... I mean, where have you been? I don't really see you at school anymore."

I feel so stupid... I think to myself, "Saskia, what if that question was too personal?! You'll just make her walk away, and she'll probably feel like your being too nosey!" Well, It's too late now. I stare at her... anticipating for an answer.

[*~Ink~*]

Basil Edwards

"So Basil, why... I mean, where have you been? I don't really see you at school anymore."

He's always been the shy type, so he probably doesn't really know how to read people. I thinnk I've made it pretty clear without making it obvious that something's bothering me and I don't want to talk about it. Doesn't he get that? I see that he is looking at me funny, so I put my head down and try to concentrate on following a swirly looking crack in the pavement, but it just ends up going back to his feet, making me look at him.

I'm starting to wonder why I ever followed him, but then I re-think my own question. Why did I follow him? I can't really find an answer, now that I think aout it. Was it for attention? To see someone I know? Or was it, maybe, to find someone I barely know and tell them everything? Sometimes, I do things impulsively, so that could be it.But there's always a reason behind my impulsiveness. Could it really be just because I wanted to talk to someone? I'm lost in these thoughts when I remeber that he's waiting for an answer, so I look him straight in the eye and spill it all.

About my father, about my brother, about my mom, about my job, about Hanna, about school, about everything! I've never ever let it out before, not even to Hanna, so by the end of my talking, I'm sobbing hard. I just... can't... help it. "Sorry," I say, embarrased that I just unleashed my entire story onto someone who probably didn't even want it. On top of that, I'm crying. "I know I have a good life!" I blurt out. "But I just want it to be back the way it was before... you know... my dad and my job! I'm probably acting like a brat right now," I say and I wipe the tears off my cheeks and stand up straight. "Sorry to bother you... sorry," I stammer and then I turn my back to him and begin to run home without looking back.

[Nerdy Ninja]

Silence... Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

I bet she's thinking on whether she should tell me or not. I would understand if she doesn't because I'm just...I don't know. Maybe I feel like I should help someone with their problems because... I can't seem to fix my own.

Why did I have to ask that question? I could've just said, "How have you been, Basil?" and went on about my bussiness, but no. Like a dummy, I had to ruin things.

Looking me straight is the eye, Basil tells me her story... About how her dad's arm was disfigured, so she had to leave school to work in the factories... In order to help her mom support her family... I was shocked. Breathless. I didn't think something like this would happened to someone like her...

Basil, who I thought had a normal life, is beginning to cry, "Sorry," she begins, "I know I have a good life! But I just want it to be back the way it was before... you know... my dad and my job! I'm probably acting like a brat right now." I dont... know what to say... How can I make this better? I begin to look down. It's all my fault... "Sorry to bother you..." she says, "Sorry."

"Basil, I..." but by the time I look up, She's already running. I wouldn't blame her, I'd run away from myself too... If only I could... "I did this to her, and I have to go fix this..." I start running after her, "Basil... Basil! Please Wait!" I don't care if I have to run forever... I did this to her... I made her cry. I just hope she stops running and listens to me...

[*~Ink~*]

Basil Edwards

“What!” I scream at him, “What do you want!”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I wish I could put them back where they came from and lock them up so I would never have to say them again. I look down at the ground, deeply ashamed. Why did I say that! Poor Saskia, he didn’t deserve that, not at all. Why can’t I just control my feelings sometimes! I stomp my foot in anger at myself, and look at the boy whom I am now facing directly. His eyes are grey, like mine, just a little lighter, with less green. I look away and mumble an apology that I can barely make out myself.

The picture of his eyes are still in my head, like I’m still staring into them, like there is some hidden story behind them that I just don’t know, maybe a story that I don’t want to know. But I do, I want to know about him, I want to know him. It might sound strange, but I just want to feel like I’m not the only one here with problems, like I’m not the only imperfect one. If only I could stop seeing his eyes, which are perfect in every way.


OOC: OH MY GOSH! I am so sorry it took me such a long time to post, but life has really gotten in the way. Urg, hope you can forgive me Sorry!!!