Could Be Worse (kale)

[Oranges]

Sunlight poured out of the sky, dappling the ground where the leaves of trees blocked the sunlight's path. Fluffy white clouds hovered in the sky, slowly moving with a gentle breeze that barely made the grass bend. It was the quiet that killed her, the silence that radiated from the houses around her. Either people were working at the mines or at their jobs elsewhere, but the entire block was startlingly quiet. She couldn't stand the silence, couldn't stand it when her mind started to wander and it would all start come rushing back. Gulping down air as she clutched at the edge of the table, she knew she had to get out of this house. She pulled on her boots quickly, slipping her arms into her father's old wool coat and wrapping a patchwork scarf around her neck before she burst through the door and escaped the cage of her memories.

Chilly afternoon air hit her, immediately forcing color into her pale cheeks and sculpted nose began to run slightly. She sniffed and tucked her hands into the pockets as she walked down the abandoned road. Maybe she'd head into town? Go to the tailor's shop and see how Ross was doing. He hadn't taken the night so well, his fever peaking slightly again. He'd seemed fine enough, but she couldn't stand not being around him, not knowing he was safe. It tormented her slightly. Sure he was twenty years old, but he was missing a leg and sickly since the mining accident, everything about him had changed, and it was hard for to handle. She missed everyone...even herself.

There was a thin layer of frost on the dirt road that crunched beneath her boots as she slowly walked towards town, not really wanting to be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the shops and their patrons, but knowing she didn't really want to be alone, and that was when she saw it. The blue little five leaf flower caught the sunlight, and she froze. She'd know that flower anywhere, it was in a frame on her mantle back home, preserved for all time behind glass. He misty green eyes focused on it, and it brought both joy and sorrow to her heart.

Why did everything always have to be so bittersweet?

It's in my head;; 008877
It's on my lips;; 0099cc
It's in my hands;; 009966

[Tom Hiddelston...jk it's kale.]

Ryan Wertenberger-

It was the same shit every day for him. Go home and get yelled at. He was tired of it. He actually yelled at his dad and walked out of his house slamming the door. It was cold out and he was glad he had been wearing his jacket when he stormed out of his house. But he didn't grab his buddy which he will have to go back home and get anyways. He just ignored everything and headed down to the seam/hob. He needed to get there to forget everything that made him mad. He wished that he had volunteered for the games. That way he could have been away from all of this hell that he hated the most. He was tired of being treated like a kid and thrown to the side. He looked over to the couple of peacekeepers walking down the road and gave them a quick nod. He knew them. They were not the normal peacekeepers to turn on a him. They knew he had a gun. He laughed a little at him self since everyone knew it.

Ryan kept walking until he hit the market place. He was interested in a few things down there. They were not the greatest stuff like clothes and flowers. It was more like wood and nails. He wanted to start setting up a little target practice in his back yard. But when he saw the price of the wood he turned away saddened. Then he saw something. It was a weird looking flower. For some reason it dragged Ryan to look at it. It was pretty to him but he didn't know why he was dragged to it. It looked like a ordinary flower he saw in the field. He started to walk away but then he saw this girl. She was staring at the flower that he had just been looking at or he thought she was staring at it. Could she be staring at the flower Ryan thought to himself.

He tried to make himself blend into the crowd hoping that she didn't notice him staring at her. But he could feel that it was a little useless. Usually his gut feeling was right. He wondered what to do should he run away like a coward or be a man and ask the girl what she was looking at? He knew the decision could be the hardest in his life to make. But it was a unanimous vote in his head to go ask the girl. But his feet felt frozen to the ground of the district. It felt like someone had melted the ground and he had frozen with it. But he eventually got his frozen feet to move and he walked over to the girl. He tapped her on the shoulder, and in a stuttering voice from being nervous and the cold he asked shyly,"I.... I... Saw you looking at the flower. I was wondering why you were looking at it. I know it seems weird but it drew me to it for some reason and well it looks like it did the same thing to you also." Ryan felt like a complete idiot right now. He was talking to someone and he makes it sound like he was hitting right on her. He knew that she would most likely run from him now and he couldn't do anything about it.

[Oranges]

It was the lightest touch on her shoulder, a slight nervous tapping, but it jolted her from her bittersweet reverie. She spun quickly, strands of her auburn hair glowed in the sunlight and danced for her movement, instinct sent her a stride back. She didn't like being surprised, and she mentally cursed at herself for being so consumed by that stupid flower. She swallowed hard as she took a quick look at the guy who'd taken her by surprise. He had that seam look to him, that haunted look, the one that always said 'life ain't easy'. She would have that look too, if she wasn't already used to hiding everything she felt.

"Oh, it's just a family thing," Maija said carefully, her tone soft and quiet and soothing as always, she didn't quite feel like telling a stranger the story of her parents, didn't feel like sharing how that flower was one of the only tangible memories she had that linked her to her mother,or how it was what had made her father what he was in her mind. That flower was alive, despite the frost, and her parents were dead. Dead and gone. Her mother was buried in the ground, and her father was probably buried in the mines...along with her Uncle and her eldest brother. That flower, that one tiny flower, had renewed all the pain and all the hurt she'd thought she'd gotten past, or at least suppressed. She swallowed again in an attempt to diminish her rising pain, but her mouth was dry and there was nothing to swallow but air.

That flower had brought it all rushing back, her father's smile, his laugh, his smell that still lingered - barely - on his coat she was wearing, the way his voice sounded when he sang. She could even see a flash of sunlight through her mother's hair, hear a faint laugh. Was it her mother's laugh? No, it wasn't possible. She was too young to remember her mother, she couldn't remember anything but the story about the flower. That flower, that flower, that stupid flower! She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying, and after a moment she tasted blood. She smoothed her facial expression again, making doubly sure that no one could see the pain, no one needed to know how badly she was hurting inside.

It's in my head;; 008877
It's on my lips;; 0099cc
It's in my hands;; 009966

[/size]

[Tom Hiddelston...jk it's kale.]

Ryan Wertenberger-
Ryan heard her say,"Oh, it's just a family thing," He could sense a certain tension in her voice by the way she said her one sentence. He could sense she was hurting but he knew not to press on to the matter if someone didn't want to talk about it. He looked at her and spoke in a non stutter this time, " I was gonna head over to the hob I know this may be weird and all but I was wondering if you wanna come with me. I know we don't even know each other but what can it hurt to hang with a complete stranger. Not like the games helps the stress anymore in the district."

He felt like a complete idiot now speaking. He knew he was not possibly looked at as a creep. But he was tired of not getting out there and not meeting new people. Each reaping made him scared for his life. He knew he had only such a little time before he can actually do stuff for himself. So he had made a vow to himself that he was gonna make friends with anyone that crossed his path.
(ooc Sorry for post had a little to work with.)

[Oranges]

A cold breeze rustled strands of her auburn hair as she stood, quietly, her misty green eyes sizing up this stranger. Certainly she'd seen him around, but in all honesty she had no idea who he was, and she wasn't so sure she should trust him. But that was her way, she trusted next to nobody - not nice her family was slaughtered in the mines. She looked back down at the flower and thought of picking it, knowing it might be a nice surprise for Ross, but he was in the grips of his fever. Maybe somebody in the hob will have something that could help him, she couldn't help the thought form crossing her mind. She wanted to help him, needed to help her brother. A deep sigh escaped her lips in mild frustration as she dug her hands deeper into the pockets of the worn old coat. She hated thinking of the games, hated thinking that there was still a chance for them to pull her name, still a chance for her to be thrown in to the wolves.

"The Games make everything harder,"she said with a shrug, trying ot let it roll off her back as she thought of how their tributes had died...like they always did, "I don't see how a stoll down there could hurt. I needed to get out of my house anyway..."

I couldn't stand seeing him suffer anymore, she admitted to herself, but there was no way she was going to say anything to a stranger, because that's how she was. She hid from the world inside her head, and carried the weight of it all on her own shoulders. If only to make it easier for Ross, "Oh, I'm Maija by the way. Figured you could at least know who I was."

These words might be, too little too late,
And I'm afraid that I have already lost you
Now three months equals eternity
and this will be so hard
And I will long to hold you in my arms

[Tom Hiddelston...jk it's kale.]

Ryan Wertenberger-
He saw her looking him over. Sizing him up for some reason. Maybe she was concerned but then again who wouldn't be. The last year alone was not the greatest but he was not going to be the one to make things awkward at all. He saw her dig deeper in the coat she was wearing. He knew that move all to well. She was troubled and he may have caused it. But he heard something leave her voice. "The Games make everything harder,"

She was right and he knew it. When the games come people remember the fallen tributes that have been picked to die for the capitols fun and games. He couldn't help but to start thinking of his friend who died five games ago. He had volunteered to save someone else from going to their death. But that was the history. He had to come to grips that this was now and he can't do anything about the past. He heard another sentence utter from the girls lips, but this time it was not about the games."I don't see how a stoll down there could hurt. I needed to get out of my house anyway.. He snickered at her sentence. He was the exact same way. The house was a death trap to him and he wanted out of it for a quick second every day. He let out a statement," Yea I know what you mean about getting out of the house."

He had just finished his sentence when he heard her start speaking again. His mind was racing now. Telling him he was a idiot for practically cutting her off mid sentence. But he heard her speak the final sentence or what he thought was the final sentence to him. "Oh, I'm Maija by the way. Figured you could at least know who I was. He thought about her name for a quick second. He liked it. It was unique and different. Perfect for a place like District 12 and our unique people and way of life. He knew he had to answer her with his name at least, it was common courtesy to do it."Nice to meet you Maija, I am Ryan Wertenberger. Most people call me Ryan. Now that we have kind of made a acquaintanceship you ready to head to the hob. I was looking forward to buying some new gloves or something down there. A lot cheaper then in the merchant area." He knew he sucked at side conversation. He sucked at a lot of things and he knew it. He just had to try and not make a fool of himself to much.

[Oranges]

"Nice to meet you Ryan," she said quietly as she turned in the direction of the hob, the chill having seeped into her legs, making the joints stiffer than usual. How is he holding up in this? She wondered absently. She needed to make this trip quickly and get back home, she couldn't leave him alone. So what if he was a grown man? He was all she had left, the only person left standing between her and the community home. The very thought sent fear seeping into her expression, she quickly wiped it off her face, rubbing her white hands on her cheeks to give her a chance to hid her face. As the winter had raged on her self control had slowly begun to slip away, and even though they were almost in the clear, Ross wasn't. He was sicker than he'd been all winter, and it terrified her. You can't fail him, you have to do anything and everything you can to save him. He's all you have left.


"I was looking forward to buying some new gloves or something down there. A lot cheaper then in the merchant area." She couldn't help the slight frown that found her lips, "They're only so expensive because the tailor is running low on material to make glove and mittens and such, as well as the employee who makes the best glove in the entire district has been ill pretty much the whole winter."

Why are you running your mouth?

These words might be, too little too late,
And I'm afraid that I have already lost you
Now three months equals eternity
and this will be so hard
And I will long to hold you in my arms

[kenny]

It was a bit cold today, cold enough that he continued on to wear his jacket. Although, it wasn't as if he had any other plans for clothing during this time of the year, seeing as how he owned about four shirts and one jacket. His dad and mother had been having a bit of a dispute today, about Ken's mother supposedly "cheating" on his father. It wasn't that the boy really cared about the whole cheating situation, it was just that he was getting pretty annoyed with all the commotion going on that he decided to get some fresh air before his mind explodes.

"Chilly as usual..." the blonde haired fourteen year old had sighed afterwards, continuing on with his stroll. He was hoping that the two morons in his house wouldn't set off the traps in their home and get their selves killed. The last thing he wanted to do was go to an orphanage, a District Twelve orphanage at that. It was about a thirty minute walk, soon seeing two people having a small discussion. From not paying attention, Ken had accidentally bumped the male who was talking to the other female in front of him.

"Oh sorry for that." he said in his monotone voice

OCC: sorry for short post T^T

[Tom Hiddelston...jk it's kale.]

Ryan Wertenberger-
He could sense a little dis satisfaction in her voice when she responded to him. "They're only so expensive because the tailor is running low on material to make glove and mittens and such, as well as the employee who makes the best glove in the entire district has been ill pretty much the whole winter." He knew she was right again. But he never felt the likeness of gloves maid from the merchants. They were stiff and not made how he liked. But that he knew he had to keep it to himself. He didn't want to make the situation worse then it was already.

He was about to motion for Maija to follow or come with when he felt a slight bump up against him. Ryan went for his weapon but felt nothing. He had forgotten that he had left it back in his room at his house. He looked over at the guy who had bumped him. He heard the guys say,"Oh sorry for that." Ryan clenched his fist getting ready to do something but his words came out before he could stop them.

" Sorry.... sorry. That is all you have to say. Why not excuse me. I know there is a lot more people to bump into then just me. Couldn't you see that I was talking to someone. I know you may have accidently but don't just say sorry. You are lucky that I didn't hit you. Things would have gotten worse for you and that is the truth." Ryan breathed a heavy sigh and turned back toward Maija motioning to her that he was gonna head toward the hob before anything else got worse.

(ooc kenny I am not mad at you just wanted to make it interesting)

[Oranges]

She froze, her firsts clenching in her pockets and the muscles in her jaw tensing, but not because she was siding with Ryan, but because his aggression was completely and totally uncalled for. He was just a kid, younger than them both, scrawny and underfed like most of the kids in the district, and probably already scared of his own shadow. Everybody was on edge now, especially with the new peacekeepers who actually played by the rules. Maija herself was walking on glass - because walking up the road that two hours and foraging and trapping were illegal, and she risked a whipping every time she came back into town with a sack full of life saving goodies. This kid was like everyone else, trying to keep his head down and survive. It was all any of them were trying to do.

She let her anger simmer beneath her outwardly tranquil surface, painting her face with a relaxed expression, that soft fluffy wintry voice of hers cutting through the tension that surround Ryan, "He's just a kid Ryan, no need to be so hard handed."Her voice was always like a balm, soothing rage and terror alike, she hoped she could keep the bigger boy from doing anything too foolish. So the kid had run into him? Big deal. If Ryan caused a scene this close to town he could cause trouble for all of it.

He might turn out to be more trouble than he's worth, Maija thought as she turned those misty green eyes onto the younger, smaller boy. She could see the dark circles under his eyes, much like hers, and even though he looked healthy enough, she could tell by the way his cloths fit he was far too thin. Once more her voice, soft like falling snow, and nearly as quiet, crossed the space between her and the two boys, "I'm sorry for him, it appears his own manners are lacking. I'm sure you have more on your mind than etiquette."

Doesn't everybody...

These words might be, too little too late,
And I'm afraid that I have already lost you
Now three months equals eternity
and this will be so hard
And I will long to hold you in my arms

[kenny]

" Sorry.... sorry. That is all you have to say. Why not excuse me. I know there is a lot more people to bump into then just me. Couldn't you see that I was talking to someone. I know you may have accidentally but don't just say sorry. You are lucky that I didn't hit you. Things would have gotten worse for you and that is the truth." the man said in an aggressive tone. Ken was not worried in the least, releasing a sigh from thinking how troublesome this guy could be. This other guy seemed like some man who was more about brute strength than thinking...the boy mentally chuckled at the though of this man falling for one of his life stealing traps at home.

The female next to him had defended the boy, saying that he was being too rough on the kid.

"I'm sorry for him, it appears his own manners are lacking. I'm sure you have more on your mind than etiquette." she said in a tranquil tone that was sweeter than sugar. The boy nodded his head.

"Thank you..." the boy paused, "The name if Ken, mind giving your name? Don't feel obligated if you don't want to." the boy said in a monotone voice that somehow gave a small soothing affect as hers did. The blonde haired fourteen year old was going to watch the other boy's actions for a little while before deciding a good persona he should use for him. Perhaps he would get along more with a really kind person, perhaps someone who was a bit sad? Observation of human society was one of Ken's specialties, and he was going to put this skill to use.


(OCC: don't worry, i know it's just IC xD)

[Tom Hiddelston...jk it's kale.]

Ryan Wertenberger-
Ryan knew his comments were not needed at all and he was being a dick of all things. He couldn't help it. He had just snapped. With everything going on in his life and him remembering his friend to much he just couldn't handle it anymore. He heard Maija yelling at him, "He's just a kid Ryan, no need to be so hard handed." He just looked at her like he knew he had done more then he should have. He turned toward the kid and said nothing. He just listened to him and Maija talk.

"The name if Ken, mind giving your name? Don't feel obligated if you don't want to." He now knew the kids name. Ryan felt a little obligated to answer him back but he was not in a mood to answer anyone except Maija. This kid who had bumped into him had triggered something in Ryan that even he didn't know existed. It was a deep sadness for everything that he held deer to him and he can't get anymore. Ryan was starting to cry a little but he wiped his hands over his eyes trying to hide any evidence. He turned back to Maija and spoke, "Hey Maija ready to head to the hob. We can't be out here much longer specially when it is suppose to get colder.

[Oranges]

She nodded at Ken, but watched the boy carefully. His voice was lack luster, as if he had no personality of his own. Perhaps that was how he survived, by appearing to be nothing and then morphing himself into whatever the situation required. He would have been a social chameleon then. Clever boy. She couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face. Ryan survived by throwing his weight around, appearing intimidating even though he was trembling inside, just like everyone else. If nothing else, District Twelve taught you how to survive. Maija took her eyes away from the two boys and looked down the road towards the city square. People were beginning to head home as the sun was beginning it's slow decent in the west and the temperature was steadily beginning to decline. It had plummeted at least two or three degrees since they'd been standing them.

"Hey Maija ready to head to the hob. We can't be out here much longer specially when it is suppose to get colder."

"It already is," She said flatly as she dug her fingers deeper into her coat pockets, as her pale green eyes passed between the two boys. Her velveteen voice passed through the frosted air, soft as new fallen snow, "I also suggest we move on before we attract any attention. We've lingered too long."

These words might be, too little too late,
And I'm afraid that I have already lost you
Now three months equals eternity
and this will be so hard
And I will long to hold you in my arms

[kenny]

"Hey Maija ready to head to the hob. We can't be out here much longer specially when it is suppose to get colder." said the boy who was whipping his eye at the time.

"It already is, I also suggest we move on before we attract any attention. We've lingered too long." she said in her velveteen voice. So the two of them were planning on going to the hob? This had reminded the boy that he needed to take a trip there soon.

"Mind if I tag along? I gotta get some wires and a few poison spikes....," the boy somehow sensed a feeling of curiosity from the both of them "Oh...well I have to set up traps in my house so we don't get our possessions stolen from us again. All of the thieves' money pretty much pays for the materials." he said as he cracked his back, a loud sound being audible to both of the teenagers. And so they made their way to the designated area, a highlight of all markets in District 12, the hob.


(OCC: sorry for the really short post, been watching this livestream the whole day :< )