fionn quirke. district eight. fin.

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𝐅𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐍 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐊𝐄

𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐓 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑

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What's to be said about a name? Names have meanings associated with them. Not sure why, but in most cultures names have meanings. Do the meanings actually have any effect? Or are they just a way for humans to try to find something where there's nothing?

Here in Eight, my name means something different than it's original meaning. Fionn originally just meant "white" or "fair". I'd like to believe my parents named me after the sheep we've raised for generations. After all, my sister Ona her name means "lamb". I would have loved to just been named after a lamb.

About five years before I was born, a boy from District Eight was reaped. Fionn Stoddard, what I was actually named for. He didn't win, but he got damn close. He placed third, and for the longest time that was the closest any of us from Eight had ever gotten to winning. And it was the closest thing to hope any of us had ever felt.

I understand why my parents named me after him. My family has always been superstitious, so maybe they think it's good luck. But a name like Fionn in a place like this comes with a lot of stress, mainly from the older generation. If I ever get reaped, will I be expected to do as well as him? Am I supposed to somehow bring hope to District Eight? 

What my parents don't understand is I'm not Fionn Stoddard. I'm not brave like him, Sure, sometimes I'll wrestle with the sheep - even the ones with horns. And now that I'm sixteen it's my job to take care of the sheep that are better off dead than alive when we can't afford the vet. But that's different. I do what I have to do, but taking the life of a human being? I'm too much of a coward.

And hope? Please. At this point I think I've forgotten what hope feels like. When I was a kid I had dreams. Dreams of a life away from the Hunger Games. Where I could have my own plot of land with a little river running through it, my own herd of sheep. A little cottage with a vegetable garden up front. No wool quota or living in fear. Just a boy and his sheep. Those dreams have long since faded with every dead tribute from District Eight.

But, life ain't all too bad. I like taking care of our sheep well enough. My sister Ona and I get along better than when we were kids too. Plus, there's always Tiernan, our sheep dog. My parents say he's worth the expense because he helps out so much with herding the sheep. But we know that they consider him family at this point.

I've always been sort of an outdoorsy person, so I wish we had more freedom to do stuff. Running around with the sheep and chasing Tiernan is fun and all. But I want to go exploring. I want to go for hikes. I want to sail through rivers and explore dense forests. Though for now, late at night when I can't sleep, I just close my eyes and imagine I'm seeing those places. And I hope one day I'll be able to do more than imagine. More than dream.

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ripred_bot

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let fionn live outside the borders w a sheep ranch 2k21