Defiance: The 13th Annual Hunger Games

The 13th Annual Hunger Games

"I see them coming! We've waited too long!" My Mother whispers, forcing herself to stay quiet.

I may only be five, but I'm old enough to know that something is seriously wrong. I've heard them talk about it, how Panem has already defeated the other twelve.

I've heard my Father talking about how we will be next. It makes me scared. I just wonder why? Why would the Capitol do this? More than half of District 13 has already been obliterated. Over the course of about five years, all of the districts have been at war with the Capitol.

"Scarlet, take the children and get out of here! They're about to drop the-" Father's warning is cut short by a violent sound, worse than I've ever heard in my brief life. My brief life that's about to be cut short.

Mother wraps her skinny arms around me, drawing my little sister, Jade, and my two older brothers next to her. I press my head on her shoulder.

Another loud bang shakes the small house, sending the old picture of my Father's dead mother crashing to the floor.

Glass dishes are rattling in the wooden cupboards. The old television crumbles to the ground, sending shards of glass into my arm.

Blood soaks through my thin tattered shirt. My scratches are the least of my worries.

I can hear my Mother talking to her self. I realize that she is praying.

"Please God, help us! I don't want to die!" I murmur.

I can smell the stench of smoke and I realize that the few trees behind our house are on fire. Smoke is slowly starting to leak through the windows.

Another bomb goes off. It seems very close. Very.

"Get out! Now!" My Father roars.

I can hear the stupid Capitol planes roaring above us. My Father squeezes my hand and yanks my arm. I hear a loud shriek then realize that it is me.

My Father pulls us out the door. Jade is clinging to me. Her two year old hands are surprisingly strong. My two twin brothers are pointing to the woods that are at the edge of our district.

"We are going to the woods!" Father yells over the racket of the planes.

Our neighbor's house is completely obliterated. Smoke rises from the ashes. I know that whoever was inside is gone. Never to be seen again. And soon, we will be too.

"Come on! Before the next plane!" He screeches.

I feel Jade let go.

Probably wanted Mother to carry her.

We are a few yards away from the line of trees. I feel my Mother come to a halt.

"My baby!" Her voice screams.

Oh gosh! Where's Jade?

I stare at the scene, houses are burning, people are screaming, and planes are rumbling, not the sight a five year old should be seeing.

I feel my Mother let go of me and run back towards the house.

"Scarlet!" Father roars.

I stare with wide eyes as she bends over a small shape by the doorway of our small house. I hear another plane coming, and I feel myself yelling to my Mother.

Mother picks up the shape in her arms and begins running towards us. She's at least seventy yards away. Father pushes us under the fence that divides the trees and the district and darts towards Mother.

I see my brother, Rowan, point to the sky and yell. I follow his finger I screech.

The plane drops a round, silver object from an opening in the bottom of it.

My Mother pushes Jade out of the way and I see her mouth move as my Father draws near. He picks up Jade and turns to help his wife up.

He doesn't have the chance.

The silver object reaches the ground and Father leaps out of the way, tears streaming down his face as he comes to us.

The ground shakes and my ears feel like they are about to burst at the sound.

I have one thought, Mother....

The place where my Mother was standing is now in flames.

"Mother!!!" I scream.

Rowan pulls me to the ground as I struggle. She can't be dead! Father drags himself and Jade under the fence. Jade's screaming makes my neck prick. Father points to the trees.

"Go!" he chokes.

Jade is clinging to his neck as we run through the trees. We have to be running for at least an hour, when I collapse to the ground.

I'm gasping for breath, tears are streaming down my cheeks.

"M-Mother?" I half gasp half choke.

Father probably hears me, but he chooses not to respond. He stares into the trees with Jade still clinging to him.

Then he does something that I've only seen once before. He presses three fingers of his left hand to his lips and raises it to the sky.

A symbol of goodbye to a person you love.

A tear falls to the ground from his cheek.

I know that she's gone. I'll never see her again. I decide to say good bye. I know I'll just end up crying if I speak, so I do it too.

I raise my three fingers to the sky and think about how I will survive the years to come.