THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES
━━ ❛𝖈𝖆𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖎, 𝖜𝖊 𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖇𝖔𝖗𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖎𝖊.❜
in which treech and lamina are reaped together for the 10th annual hunger games. but how can they save each other when they can'...
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Lamina couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. Hours, days, maybe even weeks- her mind couldn't wrap itself around the exact number.
"Lammie," her younger sister Aspen cried, "I'm hungry.." Her pleading voice and tear-stricken face shattered Lamina's heart, but her part-time job selling antique furniture hadn't gained enough revenue the past week and she couldn't scrape up enough money for food.
Her boss, Florina Alyria, was a nasty old snake in hot pink polka dot heels. She underpaid Lamina for her long hours of work, but it wasn't like Lamina could complain. Florina was the only one dense enough to hire a desperate 13 year old with no previous qualifications into her antique furniture shop.
However, with the entire district scrambling to simply make a living for themselves, income in the shop was slow. No one was particularly eager to shop for vintage couches when they couldn't even afford their next meal.
After Lamina's parents had died in the war, she was forced to step up and become the sole provider of their family. If looking after herself wasn't enough, she also had her seven year old sister Aspen- not that she wasn't grateful for her, of course. Lamina couldn't imagine life without sweet Aspen in it.
Misfortunes like those led to situations like these. Florina hadn't spared her a single coin for a whole week of labor, and Lamina was left to fend for herself in their dingy wood cabin her father had built years ago. Though old, it was the only thing protecting her and Aspen from the cold, rainy climate.
As if it wasn't hard enough to ignore the growing pains in her own stomach, the silent cries from Aspen's were sending her spiraling over the edge. If she didn't find food soon, survival would become an unattainable luxury.
After slowly coaxing Aspen to sleep, Lamina knew she had to act swiftly. Driven by desperation, she tiptoed out of their cabin into the oppressive darkness that lay beyond.
Fueled by the determination to keep Aspen alive, Lamina was ready to resort to theft if it meant her sister could live to see another day. She wasn't proud of it, of course, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She slowly approached the grocery shop in the town square, its dimly-lit lantern acting as her only form of guidance.
She calmly reassured herself that she wasn't going to get caught. Even though this was essentially her first time stealing food, she hoped her agility climbing trees would transfer to stealth during this nighttime endeavor. Besides, how hard could it really be? Security cameras were a luxury beyond their means, much like many in their poverty-stricken community.
As she approached the store, she felt a pang of guilt about the crime she was about to commit. Regardless, Aspen's well-being took precedence over her own moral dilemmas. She pulled a bobby pin out of her ginger hair and picked the lock, the door swinging open in response.
The lights were off inside, entailing no signs of human presence. Lamina let out a quiet breath of relief. Her eyes darted across the room, scanning the trays and trays of untouched produce.
However, she had to be quick. She decided she would only take what she absolutely needed and be out as fast as she could. The Lavigne family lived right upstairs after all, and getting caught was not on her itinerary at the moment.
Just as she was about to snatch a potato, Aspen's favorite, she heard shuffling from the staircase.
Lamina's body froze, and the lights flicked on from behind her.
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short first chapter but thats okay!! i wrote this at one last night so its pretty trashy but anyways next chapter is our first treemina encounter!!!
