Bring /them/ home {Mylee and Mattio | Train | Blitz}

[ali]

"P ROMISE ME!!” Brienne had yelled, desperately, as she had watched the door close slowly behind them “I PROMISE!” I promise… Gabrielle thought, hugging buddy tightly to her chest as tears welled in her eyes as she sat, shoved between two complete strangers, in a car onto the way to the train station. She had never been in a car before, not many people had in District 6. Only really the mayor had a car, and even then it was rarely seen. Gabrielle should have been excited, but all she felt was a mix of sadness and guilt. Sadness that she would not be able to return Buddy to her sister and guilt..guilt for making that promise. She hated making promises she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep. Gabrielle looked up from her lap as the car pulled to a stop outside the train station. She had been here once before, what seemed like a long time ago. She had stood, waiting on the platform for the train that would return her sister; today she would be getting on one of those trains to head to the Capitol. Her hands shook, clutching at Buddy as she climbed from the car. It was too late to turn back, but she glanced over her shoulder anyway at District 6, at her home, for one last glance before she stepped onto the train. She turned back to the door of the train, looking up at the sky at a passing cloud, before she looked dead ahead of her and stepping through the doorway. The train was, extravagant, and she should have gasped in shock but Gabrielle was always modest when it came to anything that wowed her- unless it was her sister- so she kept quiet, her eyes gazing around as she slowly walked to take a seat on a long, red couch which was pushed up against the wall. She sunk down into the cushions, letting out a quiet sigh as she looked up at the chandelier that hung from the ceiling. She kept quiet for a moment before she spoke, softly, mainly to herself “I can’t believe it…” 357 WORDS heather - d2 [mylee] mat

credit to nat of adoxography.

[mat]

My heart’s beating picked up ever since the word ‘Venn’ came out of the President’s mouth. And it has never came to a pause, not even when I said goodbye to Kameron and Father. Even when we got into that car on a bumpy road to the Trains which was a very tight squeeze with three people in the back. At least two of us are going to die, and that means that I’m dead. A thing that I thought wouldn’t happen so soon in life. I ignore the two to my left, one boy and one girl. They pulled up aside the train tracks, a train already prepared to go to the Capitol. I’ve never been in one of these before. And no tribute from District Six has come back since I can remember. The girl goes in first, so I just decide not to be last. I look back, and all I see are shattered memories. Shattered memories that I may never see again. I wish it was possible to stay here, but I’d probably just been forced back. Because there is no hiding from the path ahead, I might as well try and at least not die first. There is one more blink of an eye, and my head shifts back and hops up the steps of the train. And what I see is… different. It was definitely more luxurious than probably any of my family has seen. This is just the first train car? Damn. I examine everything, feeling a bit happier than I was before, but I snap out of that in seconds. They’re just trying to make you sidetracked so you don’t learn anything new, probably. Nothing that is going to help you actually win. I don’t try and go through the next car. The girl, the one that volunteered, mumbled something that I couldn’t catch right away. ”Hmm?” I say quietly, staring at her. WC: 321

credit to will

[Deleted]

W Y A T T  O ' C O N N O R

Nine letters nine taps on that wooden table in the justice building.

(“Wyatt, you are depressed.”)

Five minutes passing led to fifteen and eventually the thought of my parents’ arrival dissipated from a future reality to a distant hope—nine letters nine taps my parents faded to background noise as I was escorted down the stone steps.

There were only seven of them, less time to fall than there was to rise, but the walk from the stage to that stone heart of the district was a distant reality just like my parents’ arrival and beyond it all was those five stone steps.

Paces to the train and I pause at its entrance, watching the world behind the metal with no thought to the district I was leaving behind—depression is tied to places and familiar faces I remember reading it on page ten. And when I’m brought into that cold car with a dismissing wave I tie those nine taps to the eyes of a boy and a girl far different yet quite the same really, disintegrating souls and minds all tied to faith.

I sat down by the window, nine taps on the wooden table and the girl’s voice strikes the air, “I can’t believe it.”

Faith is petty; five letters nine taps on the wooden table and the boy’s interest sparks on tap number eight—nothing more than an interruption, tap number nine and I turn my attention from the table to their lines of sight and I see nothing more than desperation.

Desperation and depressed were only two letters different for a reason, rearranged within those nine taps on the table like the pieces of a puzzle I cannot solve. Connecting one to tear apart the other I pause between their breaths— keep one hand on the table, the other on my thigh to steady the shaking that comes with the lurch of the train.

I resist the urge to knock my fingers against the wooden table, whether it was one time or nine.

[ali]

S he was caught in the moment, staring at the chandlier as it glistened in the afternoon sunlight. It reminded her of a glass her mother had broken once, how the hundreds of tiny shards had caught the sunlight and cast rainbows across the wall of their apartment; it was almost whimsical. Gabrielle breathed in, sighing as she gazed at the pretty ornamental light. They really treat you with luxery before you die...it was almost like she was on the steps of heaven. Or the steps to hell that were very misleading. Gabrielle blinked, hearing someone question her quiet ramblings beside her. The young girl turned to the boy who was staring at her. A small frown formed on her face, she knew it was rude for people to stare and yet this boy- who's name she could not quite recall- was staring at her as if she had done something horribly wrong. She blinked, brushing it off. She knew that some people did not have the privalage of the upbringing she had been given by her sister and mother (when she had been around) and then her foster mother.  Being a good soul, soft and gentle, Gabrielle smiled a little at the boy, her green eyes shining brightly as she thought. This time she spoke a little louder so that the boy next to her could hear "I can't believe it" she said again before looking to the other boy who sat, drumming his fingers against the table "I can't believe we are going to the Capitol...well I should believe it..I did volunteer after all"  She looked from the boy who had been staring at her to the boy who'd been drumming his fingers on the table to the boy who'd been staring at her again "So, what are your guys names? I'm afraid I didn't quite catch them up on stage..." she paused briefly before she extended her hand to the one who'd been staring at her, smiling and holding the small teddy in her lap with her other hand "My name is Gabrielle...." 357 WORDS heather - d2 [mylee] mat

credit to nat of adoxography.

[mat]

[googlefont="Bad Script:400"]

[presto] [/presto]

Geo Venn The girl’s blonde hair and green eyes sparkled as she turned around in a smirk. I can’t say she wasn’t attractive, but not to the fact that I would think of asking her if she wanted to do something. If it were under different circumstances, maybe, but this is the beginning of the Hunger Games, and you have to be ready for anything. I may not be there yet, but I sure as hell can guess that they might have the same feeling. Nobody is your friend, and you can’t forget that. The girl continues what she said. Why was she so idiotic to volunteer for her sister… or whoever she volunteered for? If it were I (and if I was a girl), I would never even consider volunteering for Kameron. I wouldn’t not only because handle herself, but I’d rather not die before her. Outwit, outplay, and outlast, that is the only way you can win the Hunger Games, and maybe if I win I could still last longer than Kameron. I moan as she continues to ask for my name. She introduces herself as Gabrielle. That’s a pretty name, one that I haven’t heard in a long time, maybe I heard it as a little kid but no earlier. I look back into her forestry green eyes and respond to her. ”Geo, but I guess last names aren’t too important here,” I say, trying not to get too chatty, as the other boy seemed quite odd, with some pretty modish hair. I don’t want to look, because usually the quietest people are the most dangerous, and being a target of the dangerous is the last thing I want in this hell of a world. If there’s one thing I don’t want, it is for this book of the Lion and the Mouse to go horribly wrong. And if it does go wrong, Ripred help me that it goes wrong for someone else.

[Deleted]

W Y A T T  O ' C O N N O R

Restless spirit and quiet tongue I watched the world outside the window rolling by in the passing seconds—much faster than it would take to knock my fingers against the table one time more.

Names only have significance on gravestones and birth certificates, five letters etched into stone like the marks on the wall—“My name is Gabrielle.” Nine letters; nine taps on the wooden table I cannot resist.

I make it to four before his voice cuts the air, “Geo, but I guess last names aren’t too important here.” It takes every ounce of self-control not to let tap five turn into a lecture on the topic of a name’s significance anywhere—no one truly cares about a name when they’re driving an ax through your chest unless they plan on carving it across your chest afterward.

Marked in flesh like the marks on the wall—maybe someone would scratch those eighty-four tally marks into my skin at the sound of my cannon; maybe it’d be my coffin. Nails slamming against the surface I hear the hammer hit once, twice, and my attention shifts to their gaze, both locked on tap number six and I’ve already forgotten the question, (“Wyatt, can you do anything right?”)

Names are only good for gravestones and birth certificates, letters etched into—“O’Connor.” Specifications mean little to none and I’m left with the blank space that’s left to fill the void, seconds passing tap numbers seven and eight do me no good and I’m tripping over the air in my lungs, “Wyatt, if you’re being specific.”

Tap number nine leaves me breathless and staring at the window, horizon rolling by like the letters of my name—five letters spell guilt, anger, and odium—five letters spell Wyatt.

If I had the pocketknife, I’d be scratching the table.

[ali]

T he atmosphere was, unpleasent to say the least. Gabrielle kept smiling, dropping her hand into her lap when the boy named Geo failed to shake her hand. Geo she would have to make special care to remember that, him being one of her district partners. Wyatt O'Conner was the other one, the boy who was quietly tapping against the table; she didn't question his tapping. She'd seen Brienne do things just as odd before, just as odd and just as... Gabrielle almost wanted to use the word threatening.  She smiled small, clutching the teddy bear that sat in her lap against her stomach "It's nice to meet you all..." For a moment she smiled at both of the boys in turn, first Geo and then Wyatt before she followed the stranger boys gaze out of the window. The trains moving she thought when she saw the rolling hills and blur of trees speed past her window. District 6 gone, clearly beyond its fence, Gabrielle felt a lump form in her throat. There was no turning back now, not that there ever was the second she volunteered. She struggled to blink away the tears; she knew how volunteers were seen in lower districts. Fools. She didn't want to be one.  "What do you think is out there...?" she said, watching the wilderness float on by as the train continued to pick up speed "My sister read me a story once- well I don't think it was a story but still..it was about how there are 2 types of bear. Grizzly and Black...." She thought for a moment of how that book had contained information on all sorts of animals, including wolves. She looked around and thought to herself Who is the wolf among us... 357 WORDS heather - d2 [mylee] mat

credit to nat of adoxography.