When the Mockingjay Falls

Chapter one

Dipper

Sunlight pours into the empty streets of District 12 as my twin sister Mabel sleeps peacefully beside me. I don't know what time it is but, bearing on the sun it looks like it is 5:00 am. I groan quietly at the time. For some odd reason I'm getting up earlier and earlier. I used to be a bed bug and just sleep in late but, now I'm waking up like the peacekeepers are here for me.
I nudge my sister as she stirs peacefully, with eyes fluttering and mouth twitching, I knew she was dreaming still. I didn't want to wake her just yet, although playing in the meadow sounded like a great deal to me.
I scratched at my wavy brown hair that stopped at the middle of my neck and curved into a loose C shape. All of my curls are wispy like that, even my bangs. My auburn like eyes stared through the shutters that kept the beautiful sunlight out. We were NOT allowed to open them just yet.
Suddenly the shifting of the bed and sheets startled me as my sleepy sister rose from her slumber in a graceful manner.
"Morning Dippin sauce...." She smiled lightly as she stretched and yawned.
I yawned too just watching her. She seems to never have a care in the world for this screwed city.
"Morning Mabel...hey-" I stopped allowing my voice to go into a soft whisper as I got closer to her ear.
"What?!" She whispered back excitedly.
"We should go to the meadow! You know before the reaping today," I suggested smiling wide before noticing my sister's frowning face.
"What? We love the meadow! The wires are barely on anymore, it'll be fine-"
"But, what about today?" She asked with a sad look. She stared at the ground waiting for my answer.
"What about today?" I asked twirling her messy hair.
"Won't there be more security?" She asked stopping my twirling with her hand and she looked at me dead in the eye.
I didn't know how to respond, yes, sadly it was true that there would be more security around the district and all because of the reaping. Luckily since we were twelve we hadn't gotten picked. I put my name in for tesserae after we turned 15 this year since my family was going out of food. Mabel offered to put her name in as well but, I wouldn't allow it.
Not ever...I will never let her be a piece in those games. She will never be a Capitol doll, if I am...
If I am....well, let's just say it wouldn't be so bad. Not as bad as losing Mabel, besides her bright spirit keeps this district alive, even when tragedies enter the "highly" secured District.
Anyway, now my name will be entered 23 times now, Mabel's three.
"Dipper? Hello? Earth to the Big Dipper?!" She exclaimed in a monotone voice as she waved her hand in my face.
I suddenly snapped out of my daze and got out of the bed. Our parents were still asleep so Mabel and I smiled at each other as we put on our shoes to go and play in the meadow. And maybe explore the woods...but, I don't tell Mabel I want to go in, besides I could risk getting killed. I don't want Mabel to be left alone.
"Shh!" Mabel giggled as I made a slightly loud noise with my boot.
"Sorry!" I whispered to her as she stepped to the door on her toes. I copied the same movement to restrict noise from my hiking boots, aka my father's.

In the alleyway leading to the meadow we spot a baby deer and a doe, trotting along the edge looking for food.
"So pretty!" Mabel gasped and tried to reach for the animals when I grabbed her hand.
"No! Mabel...stop! Listen...." I whispered to her harshly as the hum of the fence filled our ears.
"Shit-"
"Language!" Mabel scolded pointing at me with a glare.
"Shoot-" I said instead, just to satisfy my innocent sister.
"They turned the fence on...I knew they would, on reaping day? Of course!" I mumbled as I poured out my anger.
"Told you so!" Mabel taunted not making my mood any brighter.
I sincerely wanted to spend some good quality time with my sister before the reaping, before we would be forced apart and set in a group of our genders, just to make us wait anxiously until the names were called.
"Dipper look!" Mabel gasped and pointed to a hole in the ground at the edge of the fence.
It looked to be about 2 feet deep under the humming fence. I inspected it a bit further before trying to even fit in the hole.
"Ah! God dammit!" I mumbled quietly so Mabel wouldn't hear.
The hole was too small, and I almost got electrified.
"Ah shucks, well guess we should head home," Mabel sighed.
I heard the sadness in her voice and longed for her to be happy, so I dug, I dug the hole with my bare hands and made sure that at least she could fit underneath.
I grunted as I swept away mounds of dirt with my worn fingers. The smell of fresh earth made my heart flutter, I absolutely love the woods! They make me feel so free and almost like I can be myself! Even more than Mabel, it's like the trees listen but, don't criticize, the wind answers but, doesn't speak...
The woods are freedom to me...
"Dipper?! What the mumbo jumbo are you doing?" Mabel gasped as she turned to look at my digging in District dirt.
"Making sure we get to that meadow!" I grunt as I push away a mound of dried dirt.
"Dipper!" Mabel struggled with her words as she flipped her head from side to side making sure nobody was awake yet.
"You're gonna get us caught!" She whispered fearfully.
I felt a pang of guilt for making her worry but, I'll be sure to make them punish me and not her. So, I was back to digging.
"Dipper please! You've gotta-"
There was a crunching sound of the gravel road in the distance and it seemed to be getting closer. I dug faster.
"Dipperrr!!!" Mabel pleaded in a whisper as she stepped closer to me and tried to pull me away.
I gritted my teeth and pushed her into the hole.
The sound of the gravel got even closer.
I panicked as I pushed Mabel to the opposite side of the fence.
"Dipper hurry!" She panicked in a hushed tone as she hid behind a tree and waved her hand.
"I'm coming hold on!" I whispered harshly as I got on my belly and slid, ungracefully, to the opposite side.
As I turned over I saw Mabel's face. It was full of horror and worry and I didn't realize my arm was about to hit the humming fence.
And I hit it...
"GAHH!" I hissed loudly before hearing a man's voice in an angry tone.
"Who's there?!" It asked angrily as I shot up as grabbed Mabel's wrist and fled deep into the forest.
"Dipper!" She gasped as her feet stumbled on the forest floor.
Her shoe option wasn't the best, considering black flats absolutely DO NOT go with running or the forest floor. They aren't very sturdy, unlike my dad's hiking boots.
"Dipper slow down!" She gasped again as we jogged into a halt by a white barked pine tree.
She rested her hands on her knees as she took in deep breaths and I leaned against the tree with a sigh of relief and regret in my breath.
"What an adventure Dipster...." She managed to say between gaps.
"Yeah...oh god, what if that guy saw the hole? Do you think he'll patch it up? Then we would never get in!" I exclaimed letting a hand run through my wispy brown curls.
"We'll be in big trouble bro bro, but, hey look on the bright side! At least now we can hang out in the woods!" She smiled and started to climb a tree before crashing back down to the soft earth floor with a smile.
I chuckled at her silliness and let my soft hands grasp the unsteady branches as I pulled myself up. With little to no strength I got up to 4 branches before giving up.
I grunted as I hit the grass beneath me.
"Ha ha! Only three branches bro?" Mabel laughed holding on to one of the lower branches for, out of laziness, support.
"Hey! Four branches actually!" I boasted as I crossed my arms and smirked at her.
She shook her head before adjusting her grip on the branch and headed up 6 branches before slowly climbing back down.
"Beat that superman!" She taunted.
"Challenge accepted super woman!" I teased.
"Oh! Thank you!" She gushed falsely as I got a good hold on one of the branches.
I bit my tongue a bit in concentration before letting my weak muscles take over and allowing me to climb up 5 branches before one cracked from under me and I fell.
"AHHH!" I yelled in fear as I landed harshly on my back.
"Ooo! That looked like it hurt! I still won though!" She taunted before slipping off to the meadow's direction.
I shook my head in ignorance.
"Too innocent....too innocent....." I whispered before jogging up to meet her.
I saw her face and it was shocked. She looked straight ahead and froze. I didn't know who or what she was looking at but, then I looked and there she was. The most memorable girl ever!
The famous girl on fire....Katniss Everdeen!

I thought Katniss was supposed to be getting ready for the reaping today, considering she and that Peeta guy will be mentoring.
"Woah...I'd never think we'd ever meet her in person!" Mabel whispered.
"We aren't...." I whispered back.
Mabel frowned at me.
"Thanks party pooper," she muttered.
It seemed that Ms. Everdeen was hunting and crouched quickly when a bird flew by.
She shot it...
"Ah!" Mabel gasped silently and winced at the pained cry of the bluejay.
I winced along with her as Ms. Everdeen walked to the dead bird and picked it up. My sister closed her eyes as I watched the small bird's neck twist in an unnatural angle.
"Ooo!" I whispered in disgust. My face scrunched into a frown as Ms. Everdeen walked away, deeper into the forest. A young man followed her, he looked like Ms. Everdeen, he had dark (almost black) brown hair and olive skin. I didn't quite catch his eye color but, he looked like her brother or a cousin.
"His name's Gale...he's Ms. Everdeen's hunting partner, he's really dreamy!" Mabel sighed with a sparkle in her eye.
I chuckled an rolled my eyes. Mabel has been going through an extreme boy crazy phase and every guy she sees she swoons over.
And I mean every boy!
"C'mon Mabel we should go," I started before Mabel grabbed my shoulders.
"No! We didn't even do anything! C'mon we should play tag! YOU'RE IT!" She smiled brightly before running off at full speed.
"You're on!" I challenged with a playful smirk.
I race after her with my hand stretched out and and a huge smile planted on my face. I was glad that the few shopkeepers and friendly peacekeepers, paid no attention to our silliness. Either that or they couldn't hear us with the sound of a loud ring filling the district.
It is time to rise and get ready for the reaping. Our parents would be up and so both me and Mabel traded horrified faces before sprinting to our hole and climbed through.
"C'mon Mabel!" I hurried her as we raced through the alleyway.
"I'm running as fast as I can!" She exclaimed grabbing my hand.
We finally reached our beat up home and headed in. Our parents didn't look at all concerned. They knew where we were, and they don't mind. In fact my mother believes it is good for us to be in a scene of greenery and nature and not always where the coal is. My father is a little more cautious, surprised? You'd think our mother would be frantic. That wasn't the case, our father is really good friends with the head peacekeeper so, things that my sister and I do that aren't technically allowed we can slip by on. We just gotta make sure no Capitol dummies are here at the time. Of course not everything is legal so we have our limits.
"Come here you two," our mother sighed in a dark tone.
"Mom? Are you okay?" Mabel asked. Her confused face silenced our mother more. I don't know why she's upset, I mean obviously the reaping is today but, she's usually not this bad. Dad was getting breakfast ready slowly and silently.
"One of the miners died this morning of an injury, he was your father's best friend...." Mom cried. I wasn't surprised that mom got hysterical because she has a huge soft side to her. Dad was strong and only stayed silent throughout the whole preparation.
Soon me and my sister were in white dresses and shirts, hand me downs from our parents and cousins, and our hair brushed and styled and our faces and teeth washed and brushed. My picked at the hem of my brow cargo pants, which were extremely uncomfortable. My shoes pinched at my feet and my shirt seemed to choke me. Mabel had a loose dress and her black flats. Her headband baby blue to match the design on the skirt of the dress.
"Let's go you two...." Mom said quietly as all the families rushed to the town square. I saw a lot of kids from school that I recognized and one of them being my crush. She was just so perfect, her name is Gwen Harper and she's amazing. She didn't smile at me while we passed but, instead gave me a nod and headed off to go get her finger pricked.
I sighed and looked ahead, this is where me and Mabel get separated and we've always hated it, one time Peacekeepers had to rip us apart because we didn't want to be separated. We were 12...
I headed up the stone steps to the peacekeepers that took your blood.
I held out my finger a bit for the man but he jerked my arm painfully towards him.
"Ow...." I whispered inaudibly.
When the needle hit my finger I flinched and was pointed to the square where I found my place and stood. Now all I have to do is wait.