When I Died

Chapter 15

I wake at the brink of sunrise. I half expect to be swimming in a pool of blood but its just my room. Buttercup sleeps in his basket by the door. I get up and go splash my face in the bathroom. I stare at my reflection. It's just plain old me staring back. I put on a pale blue dressing gown but then take it off. I decide to get dressed so I change into a green dress and matching tights. I then slip on a pair of sandals and go downstairs quietly. I leave a note saying I'm going for a walk and walk to the pond. I skim a few rocks over it, disturbing the dragonflies resting on lilli pads. Them I just sit and stare at the water, thinking.

The execution wasn't until midday. I could easily stay out here until 11. I could grab an apple for breakfast, some berries for morning tea. I sigh. But I didn't want Bonnie and Twill to get worried. I stand up but decide to go get an apple. They wouldn't be up for a while yet, the sun was just creeping over the horizon and I was still slightly hungry. It's takes longer to find the orchard than when I'm with Bonnie but that's to be expected. I pick a bright, ripe, red apple and take a bit. Juice dribbles down my chin and the flavor escapes into my mouth. I finish it in a few bites and pick another one and then a few more for Bonnie, Max and Twill. I then decide to do a little exploring of the 'town' Bonnie was talking about. I leave a trail behind me and soon enough, I'm stumble on 1/2 a brick wall. I stand up and look around myself. The area is slightly cleared and the brick wall makes a large square. Rusty beams and old things litter the ground. I find the corpse of an old bed and a few other hundred year old things that have long since been useful.

I look a little longer then head back to the orchard where I stop and eat an apple then head back to the pond. I skim a rock then walk back to the house. The sun is well risen by the time I walk in the door. Twill is in the Kitchen making something with the last of the dried apricots.

"Hey Primrose, did you get any apples while you were out, by any chance?" She says, looking up.

"Yes, and I had a few myself. I found the best tree, here try this one." I say, handing her one and putting the rest on the island. She takes a bite and juice dribbles down her chin.

"Delicious! Thank you Primrose." She says.

"Aren't they up yet?" I ask, gesturing above us.

"Oh, Bonnie's up. She had breakfast and went straight back upstairs. I think she's picking out what to wear. Max isn't up though. He stayed up late last night, watching that bike show in the entertainment space. He's been dead since two."

"That seems like Max. Hey, what are you making?" I ask, looking down at the apricots.

"Mini apricot balls. May as well make something nice out of this horrible fruit."

"Mmm." I say, not sure whether that's possible.

"Well, how 'bout you go upstairs and see whether you can find the best live channel. Then if Max isn't up yet, we can wake him with Bonnie." She says with a smile.

"If by wake you mean pour a bucket of cold water on him, then I'm in."

"Of course. How else!" She says, evilly.

I go upstairs and flick first to the Capitol news. It says live screening but it would most likely have step by step or something, so I settle on a different channel that says they will have live screenings and no breaks or commentary.

Unfortunately Max wakes so we don't get to wet him. We decide to all go out and go for a swim in the pool before the execution. I splash Bonnie and Max and they splash me back. We have a diving competition (see how long you can stay underwater, Max wins) then me and Bonnie climb out and dry off while max shows off. He goes to do a front flip but just does a bellyflop, then he tries a dive but also does a belly flop, so he settles for a pencil dive. Twill calls us inside so Max hops out and grabs a towel. We walk inside to find Twill pulling somthing out of the fridge. She smiles at us.