{ s i l e n c e . is . my . song } [Open to one]

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing I blinked my eyes open. My room was barely lit by the dawn light that filtered through my white drapes. I sat up in my itchy linen blankets, feeling a chill hit my skin. It must have rained last night. I got out of bed, pressing my cold feet against the smooth wood floor. I pulled on my white tee shirt, already wearing my jeans. I tied my light blue ribbons where I usually put them; in my hair and laced around my hand. I found my aspen leaf necklace and put it on. I slipped on my worn leather boots and exited my room. I quietly walked down my hallway that lead to the stairs. I could hear the rhythmic breathing and the occasional snore from my family. As I walked down the stairs, I slid my fingers across the wall, feeling the peeling wallpaper that was plastered over it years ago. I finally reached the base of the stairs. I grabbed my leather satchel hanging on a crooked hook and headed for the exit. I grasped the cold doorknob, twisting it. I heard a click and I opened the door, seeing the trees that guarded the front of our home. The scent of pine danced through the soft breeze as I stepped outside. I walked along my small path, a narrow and trampled strip of dirt that lead deep into the forest. I had traveled this way so many times no plant would ever dare to grow. The rays of early dawn staggered through the thick canopy of leaves behind her house. I walked at a calm pace, making extra note to not make disturb any leaves or snap any twigs. I come here for peace and quiet. What good does it do me if I just attract attention? There always seemed to be a nitwit wandering around in the forest, yearning for a morning conversation. That's why I was heading to a new spot, just in case. At long last, I reached my destination. I saw a towering aspen tree, large knots scattered across the bark. It's branches splayed outwards, joining to other trees like a close friend. I started making my way up, finding it easy to get a foothold. I climbed five branches before I found a perfect little indentation I could fit myself into. I perched myself in it and opened my bag. I took out my papers and charcoal pencil, as well as my smooth slab of wood that I use as a flat surface. I resumed my house blueprints, drawing squares and labeling everything. It was my dream to become an architect, even if the job was meant for guys. I noticed sassafras tree next to me. What a wonderful morning treat. I reached over and plucked a leaf off of it's branch, bracing myself as a shower of rain sprayed on me. I plopped it into my mouth and chewed, enjoying it as the tangy flavor filled my mouth. I was lost in thought. About the Hunger Games. About my future. About my past. About my hopes and dreams. About everything in my life. This is the only place where I can think clearly... I looked out on the horizon, seeing the beautiful sunrise take place. The pinkness reflected on my face as I studied the sky. The quietness was beautiful. Silence was my song. If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

I swung the heavy axe at the long strip of timber, almost grunting with the effort. Cutting timber was tiresome enough in the cold winter winds but during the blistering summer it was even worse. Sweat poured down my face and a reached a hand up to swipe it away. I didn't mind too much, after all it was just a sign of working hard, like my father always said. I shifted the smaller chunk of timber onto the steadily growing pile to my right before lining up another log. Swinging the axe down again, I wondered how long I had been doing this. One thing was for sure, it was definitely a long time.
Just as I was moving the timber into its rightful place on top of the pile, my father called to me from where he was working deeper in the dense forest that covered our district. "Robyn, you've been working hard all morning, darling. Why don't you take a break?" Take a break, he said. Take a break. He never, and I mean never asked my brothers to take a break. And they were doing the hard work; felling the huge trees that surrounded us and slicing them into manageable sized logs. All I did was cut those logs into smaller pieces. And I was the one who needed a break?! I peered up to stare at my father who stared back, grinning. He was trying to stop me from flying into a temper. Like always. My three older brothers had stopped working now and were all facing me. It was bad enough that I wasn't allowed to help them with the tougher jobs but now I had to take breaks, when they obviously needed one so much more. You could hear their heavy breathing from where I stood in the clearing. Anger welled up inside me; a very familiar feeling.
"Fine. I'll go on a stupid break if it makes you happy father. Its not like I do much anyway, is it?" I flung the piece of timber and stormed off into the shade of the leafy trees. It was because I was a girl, that's why. That's why my entirely male family wouldn't let me do anything. But I was just as good as any man and I was determined to prove it. One way or another.
I heard my brothers calling from behind me. I heard Forrest sighing. Well, it didn't matter what they said, I wasn't turning back to be patronized even more. I didn't want to see my father's disappointed face either.
I had been wondering through the woods for a while when I noticed that I was still carrying my axe. I had never put it down. Well, it might come in useful. Wandering over to the nearest tree, an aspen my forest-programmed brain realised, I leaned against its sturdy trunk, revelling in the cool shade of its branches. I suppose I was glad to be out of the intense summer heat for a while but that still didn't mean I needed a break. Not at all.
Suddenly, I heard a slight rustling from above me and peered up into the twisting aspen branches. A girl sat there. I recognised her, she was my age and called... Aspen. That was it. Like the tree she was sat in. She was staring intently and some papers. I was a sociable person, that was for sure, and was definitely not shy... but I'd never been very good at talking to women. Probably due to growing up with seven people; all family and all men.
I decided I might as well try. Resting my heavy, and slightly intimidating, axe on the trunk of the tree I yelled up to the girl."Hello. Your name's Aspen, isn't it?"

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing A person's voice snapped my from my deep thoughts. I flinched at the sound, loosing my grip on the branch. I felt my heart jump into my throat as fell off my perch. My hands grasped the air violently until my fingers barley closed around the wood. I put up my other hand to join it and looked down, getting a firm hold. I saw a girl, she looked my age. Before I replied, I let out a huff. "Yes, how did you know?" I say, my voice trembling. I studied her, hoping to find a name in the back of my mind. But I couldn't recognize her. Blue eyes, brown hair. Nope, I still can't remember. I felt my arms starting to ache, and I pulled my long legs up to the branch, standing up on the bark. I tucked my papers in my satchel and adjusted the ribbons that covered my hands, finding that the strands had run quite amok. If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

"Yes, how did you know?" I recognized her, that's how. But I couldn't remember where from. Desperately, I tried and finally remembered that I'd seen her in the market once. The always bustling District 7 market. Ginger hair. Green eyes. Very tall. Yes, that was her. Someone had called her name and that's how I knew.
"Oh, I just recognize you from somewhere." I replied lamely. She probably didn't recognize me. Aspen hauled herself back up onto a branch and stood on it, fiddling with some ribbons that adorned her wrists. It's the first time I had noticed those.
I wondered what to do next. By now, I had been away from my family and my work for a long time. My break had stretched to being a few hours long but I didn't care about returning. I didn't want to. If they think I'm useless then I might as well stay here. And if they started to worry about me then that will teach them not to send me away. It would serve them right.
Deciding to stay in this cool, wooden haven, I began to heave myself up onto the lowest tree branch. I negotiated the complicated layout of the tree branches and slowly worked my way up the aspen tree, leaving my axe behind.

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing I nod, watching her starting to climb the tree. I walked along the wood, placing my satchel on a makeshift hook. "Well, it would be nice if I could recognize you, but I can't. What is your name?" I ask her, crouching down on the branch. I reached my hand out for her's, offering to pull her up. As I did, I saw an axe at the bottom. It was a little odd to find a girl carrying such an intimidating one. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean I couldn't help her. If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

I took the hand that Aspen offered me and, with her help, heaved myself onto the branch. Carefully, I stood up. It took a while to steady myself. "My name's Robyn. Robyn Lilac Sallow if you want my full name." I laughed. Except for my first name, I really didn't my name. "I'm not surprised that you don't recognize me. Me and my family don't get out much." I laughed again, more out of annoyance at my family and work this time.
I noticed Aspen glance down at my axe lying at the base of the tree. I wondered what she thought of it. "My family run a furniture business. I live..." I glanced around and after almost losing my balance, pointed in the general direction of my house. "Quite a way over there. My father, my brothers and me cut down the wood. Well, I cut up the timber not the actual trees. That's why I have the axe. I've just been working and I forgot to put it down when I came to have a break. I don't know where I'd be without it, I use it so much. " I shrugged and sat down, hoping that I'd explained enough. Gazing up at the sky, I decided to find out more about Aspen.
"What about you? What's with the papers?" I asked her confidently. Luckily, I wasn't shy so I didn't mind prying.

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing I nodded, holding Robyn's arm to keep her stable. I had been in the trees long enough to help myself. "Nice to meet you, Robyn. Aspen Maple Cross if my full name." I smile. "My family runs a syrup business. I have to collect the buckets later, or the insects will get into the sap. And clean out the spiles, sometimes they get clogged." I glanced down at the papers she questioned me about. I shuffled through them, finding the one I was currently working on. "I want to be an architect. So, I draw blueprints." I explain. The paper showed a tree house, decently size with elaborate wood patterns and planned paint job. The insides was drawn on the back, showing possible paint jobs and furniture. "Or an interior designer. Take your pick." I say passionately. If I get past reaping age, I'm going to start my own business. One that makes more money than the syrup one. One that I actually enjoy doing. If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

I took the blueprints from Aspen. The drawing of the treehouse was amazingly intricate. She really had put a lot of thought into the details. It was incredible. I turned over the blueprint to look at the inside of the house again. Instantly, my mind began whirring. I began to think of everything to do with the wooden furniture she'd drawn inside. The type of wood to use. The sections you'd need to cut the timber into. What tools were best to use for carving.
"I haven't thought much about the future but I'd love to continue making furniture. It pays quite well." I smiled. "Although, I definitely like carving them more then just cutting timber; it takes more skill. My Uncle and cousins do that in our business but I'm getting lessons from my Uncle now. I'm getting quite good."
I leaned over and handed the blueprint back to her.
"I can't help thinking about how to make that furniture. It's like my brain's default setting." I laughed at myself. "You'd make a great architect one day. Let's just hope that we don't get reaped." I smiled at Aspen despite the fact that part of be became worried at the prospect. It was impossible not to be. I still had to live through a quite few more Reapings. Luckily, I didn't have to take out any tessara but it could still happen. But I wouldn't get worried. It was incredibly unlikely and, anyway, that would mean I was being weak.

OOC~ Finally, worked out how to use colour!

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing I grin. "Thanks." I say happily. I decided not to address the reaping. "I'm sure you'll be able to come up with the best furniture." I smiled, filing the papers back into my satchel. "I don't have anyone to take lessons from. All of my family is busy working. They think that sitting up here is a waste of time. And yet they've never climbed a tree. It's just like someone saying that reading stinks before ever laying their hands on a book. They still let me do it because they know they'll lose the argument." I told her, talking a bit too much. I sat back down on the branch, looking out far on the tree tops. I glance over to the sassafras tree next to us and picked two large leaves. "Would you like one?" I ask, holding out one to her. If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

"Would you like one?"
"Of course." I replied taking one of the leaves and popping it in my mouth. I chewed, thinking. "Sounds a bit like my dad. He's really stuck in his ways. He absolutely hates change."
I thought of my dad and his unwillingness to change anything. His opinions. His routine. His beliefs. His inability to adapt. "It's where I get my stubbornness from, I suppose. My dad always said that my mother was the most open-minded person he ever met. I'm not much like her." I looked down at my feet, slightly shocked by my sudden sadness. Quickly, I decided to change the subject.
"So, are you good at arguing too?" I grinned at her, perhaps I'd found a friend who could also win an argument against anyone.

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing I let a playful smile shape my lips. "You could say that. I like to think of myself as a quick thinker with plenty of good reasons." I say. "I am usually the winner of all of the family arguments." I chewed the leaf in my mouth. "Especially since I had such a moody brother. I had to get used to bickering about the littlest things. That's probably where my stubbornness comes from." I laugh, remembering that she had a brother or two, too. "What are your brothers like?" I ask curiously. If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

"What are you're brothers like?
Well, I thought. I wondered how to answer.
"I have three older brothers. Great, I know." I said sarcastically, grinning. "If I had to pick my favourite, I'd say Jay. He's seventeen. The 2nd youngest. He's really funny and is the most cheerful person I've met. Forrest is eighteen and well, he's very quiet." I remembered all the time he spent in his room. All the times he has shouted at me and Jay to be quieter. Those looks he sometimes threw me. Like he knew something I didn't.
"Forrest is the smartest out of the lot of us. And then there's Ash. He's twenty and might be moving out soon. To be honest, he is exactly like my Dad. Stubborn and overprotective." I threw a smile at Aspen, hoping that I wasn't boring her too much. Peering down to the ground, I began swinging my legs.
"I don't know whether I'd like a sister. I'm more of an honourable boy in our family." I grinned. "Is your brother your only sibling?"I asked her, curious.

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing "Was." I corrected her. "He's run away now and we haven't seen him around. He may be dead. And no, he has a twin sister. They're like exact opposites. William was really stubborn and rude. Willow is kind and open minded. And she actually cared for me. She's the reason why I have this," I pause, pointing at the scar on my cheek, "Instead of this." I say, swiping my finger across my throat. "William hated all of us. And me the most because I was the one he could tease. Willow was older and much more sophisticated than him." If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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[Spectral]

"Oh. I'm sorry about that." I said, wishing I hadn't brought up the subject. Carefully, not wanting to lose my balance again, I shuffled round so my back rested against the tree trunk. I pulled my legs up to my chest. I felt more secure in this position up in the tree. Of course, I wasn't afraid of heights but I wasn't used to climbing this high up trees. Looking over at Aspen, I noticed the scar on her cheek properly for the first time.
"How did you get that scar?" I glanced at Aspen. It was an awkward question to ask but my curiosity got the better of me. "If you don't mind me asking. You don't have to tell me." I added.

[Dreams]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: B09089; border: 000000 solid 2px; width: 490px; padding: 0 0 0 0px; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 0px;] Aspen | Maple | Cross Narration Saying Thoughts Hearing I shrugged. "Don't worry about it." I reassured her. It wasn't really a painful subject to build up. "William was just one of the nuisances in life that you have to deal with." "Where'd you get that scar? If you don't mind me asking. You don't need to tell me." I felt my scar absentmindedly before telling her. "Eh, I've told it a lot of times, it's not really a secret any more. One day, I was playing hide-and-go-seek with Willow and Will while m. I was about three at the time. Will and I were hiding and Willow was counting. Will had convinced me that the best hiding spot was by daddy and that I should hide there. So, thinking he was being a nice brother, I went over by him. I was much too small for my dad to see. He was chopping down a tree for firewood and I had gone just a bit too close. Willow was there just in time to save me from being beheaded." I told her briefly. I could've done it in a lot more detail if my head wasn't clouded with sleepiness. I didn't really see anything that I could ask her about. What, was I going to ask her how she got blue eyes? If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

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