Taking a walk ((open to anyone))

[Molly LaFeunte]

Molly walked down the moss covered streets of district four. Even if she groaned in disgust every time she stepped in a puddle she loved where she lived. The cool wet moss was very good use in summer. She sighed and walked over to a bench which was slightly covered with moss. She smiled as she played with a small blob of moss. She suddenly heard footsteps from somewhere and she sprung straight up dropping the blob of moss.

[Fraya Mekka]

She didn't know why she went to four, she didn't know. She just felt like going for a swim, practising her stroke. She had been battling the waves since she was 10, but never mastered the art of swimming. Sure, she could jump from tree to tree fearlessly, but water was someone different. It was unknown what was beneath the murky surface, what hid among the seaweed or stones. Her parents used to take her swimming in a small lake near their house, but soon the peacekeepers blocked it off. Her older brothers could swim fine, but Sami and Fraya were hopeless. Every time she wadded I to the water and lifted her feet off the ground, her mind froze and she panicked.

But now she was determined not to fail, so travelled all the way to four and prepared to learn to swim. The train journey took a long time, so she wouldn't be swimming for long as she had to get home before the strict curfew. She had sat in the train, telling herself over and over again that the water couldn't hurt her. She had got off with a confidence she hadn't felt before, after convincing herself it was no worse than taking a bath. She walked towards a lake that she had once swam in before, but she only vaguely knew the direction. It was facing a row of benches, near the large willow tree. She remembered that much, but didn't know where the benches or the willow tree was!

She walked for a while, dancing over the puddles that littered the streets. The air smelt salty, like the sea.it was probably the presence of so much water, she thought as she skipped along the road. She then slowed down to a walk, swinging her arms by her side happily. She was alone, without her brothers torment or parents expectations following her like a shadow. She laughed with glee and turned a corner. Finally she saw a row of benches, but there was no lake. She gasped itch confusion and was about to turnaround,when she saw someone. She decided to ask them for directions, depending on whether they were from the district or not.

She walked purposely towards the,, telling herself not to be hostile. The girl must have heard her,because she jumped up, dropping a piece of moss to the ground. I watched it fall, before smiling politely. the smile felt foreign, she never smiled at strangers, "Hello, my name is Fraya Mekka. I was just wondering whether you knew where that lake facing a row of benches and next to a large willow tree is? I'm lost," she faltered realising how stupid she sounded, "I'm from district 11," she said meekly. She hoped the girl would talk to her, as she was a career and Fraya was a peasant in the eyes of her.

[Molly LaFeunte]

Molly looked the girl up and down. She looked down at her little piece of moss and shuffled quickly over up it and grabbed it in a swift motion. She looked up and smiled at the girl. Lost in my district this is going to be fun she thought. "My name is Molly LaFeunte, you can probably tell I am from here." She said to Fraya. "A lake a small one? By any chance you mean that one?" she asked pointing over to a distant lake just in front of a few benches and a large willow tree. "If so that is the one but now one goes there anymore they usually go out in the sea thats where i feel most comfortable but i am from this district so i guess that is natural. As she heard the girl say something about being from district eleven she sighed. "I have always wanted to visit there but with my mother sick i do not have much of a choice to leave or stay" she said.

Molly sighed and thought of all the arguments of wanting to go to eleven and not being able. She had heard about how they seemed to jump from tree to tree like they were flying to her that fascinated her and wanted to see it for real right in front of her. It was always a dream she would one day meet one of them who could do that and who could teach her how to do that. Her mother used to yell at her saying she would never learn. Thinking of that tears sprung from Molly's eyes. Molly quickly wiped them away and smiled politely to the girl. "If you want i can bring you there and then when you are done trying to swim or whatever you are trying to do i can be your escort out of the district" she said.

Molly watched the girl intently as if she was analyzing every bit of info about her. "Ohh you should get used to the smell of salt water its everywhere you go even in the houses and stores" she said. Molly paused again thinking. "Hmm maybe you can buy something from her as a souvenir... although there is not much to buy..." she paused again. Why am i offering to do so much asked Molly to herself. Molly thought for a moment and dropped the subject.

"So how is life in your district, good, bad, horrible, the best thing? Er wait living in districts are not always the best thing so cross that last one" she said. "Ohh also you should start going to take your swim or whatever since you have to leave in what like six hours plus you need some time to dry off get a snack and such since you do not want to get on a train soaking wet not something proper" she said then she paused again. "Just curious how old are you?" she asked Fraya.

[Fraya Mekka]

{this wont be amazing because I lost my post before I sent it and don't have much time to post! Sorry )

Fraya watched the girl pick the piece of moss off the ground in one swift movement. She wondered why she had retrieved it, after all it was just a piece of moss that she probably picked off the bench that stood like a barrier between them, " I'm Fraya Mekka, nice to meet you," She was glad that the girl didn't offer her hand, because Fraya would have probably backed away quickly and looked terribly rude. And since Molly was a career, she didn't trust her any more than she trusted her brothers. She knew that her vision of careers had been tainted by the vicious tributes that entered the games every year, but didn't want to change her views based on one girl, "Oh right, thank you! To be honest, I'd never go into the sea. The waves are unpredictable and who knows what creatures could come in?" she explained in a hurried manner, "And I hope you don't mind me asking, but what's the matter with you mother?" she tried not to sound rude, using the nicest tone she could muster.

"Thank you, I'd love it if you, Er, escorted me out. Thank you!" Right, now this is just weird. I'm being too darn polite to a career, this shouldn't be happening! I shouldn't be so nice to this girl! It's just not my personality! What's the matter with me today?

Fraya paused for a moment and thought, " my district is nice, I like it there. Everyone is constantly cheery, even when working, and we are one big family. It's so...green there that newbies probably wouldn't be able to cope. Is a bit overwhelming at first, working all day and having little food to come home to, then repeating it everyday for years upon end. But it Dinesen you get used to it! All of us are like little monkeys, even the adults," she enjoyed speaking fondly about her district, and smiled with pride, How about you? How's life in 4?.

"I probably won't swim long, I don't like it that much. It's just that I m trying to teach myself to swim so..." she trailed off and glanced at the sky, which had fluffy clouds floating through, I'm 15, going to be 16 soon. How old Re you since we are on the topic?" she asked averting her gaze to the bench.

[Molly LaFeunte]

When Fraya asked about her mother Molly's face grew to a very dark red. "That is none of your business" she snapped at Fraya. She had not meant to speak like that but it was how she spoke when people talked about her mother. Her mother mostly favoured her sister. Her mother would have forced Molly do go volunteer for her sister if her sister had gotten reaped in the games. Her mother never cared for Molly so Molly never appreciated her even if she was nicer now after her father's death Molly still hated her.

"You should thank me since you would be stuck here longer than you want to be if you did not have someone to bring you everywhere which you don't" she said sarcastically but her sarcasm was not showing in her voice at all she sounded sad and serious. Don't be so mean yelled a voice in her head. Molly balled her fist up tight and shouted in her head to the little voice to shut up.

"I was cheery and happy once before but thats not about how it is here" she said thinking of nicer times before she found out about her mother not really liking her and making her like a peasant and after her father died it got worse. "Life is okay here in four now it used to be better we are still happy well the rest of my district but i am the saddest and grumpiest one here" she said and sighed. "I would love to visit your district one day but for me its not possible since well you know my mother and everything" she said.

"I guess i could teach you but not in water i do not have one of those bathing suits on like others do when they swim and everything.." she said quietly. Molly wished she could swim but she had just come out for a walk. "Ohh i am sixteen but thats enough talk lets take you for a swim or actually uh never mind" she said and looked at the ground.

[Fraya Mekka]

Fraya involuntarily stepped back when the career snapped at her. Maybe it was insticts, maybe it was just distaste, or maybe she was just scared, "Oh right, sorry for asking,''. Fraya swept the puddle littered ground with her eyes. She didn't want to look the reddening girl in the eyes. She hated it when people who she hardly snapped at her. They don't have any importance over me so why should they snap? Fraya thought scrunching up her face.

Then, Molly seemed to shout at her again, but this time without raising her voice. She didn't want to thank her, because after all she had just snapped at Fraya. But she knew that that was rude, so she looked up and smiled weakly, "Thank you, but I have been here before. I do know the district quite well,'' she lied smoothly before shrugging. She didn't really want to be dragged around this salty distrct by a girl who seemed to pop her lid every so often. No, she would prefer to wander by herself and entertain herself, like she had done for years. She muttered her apoligise quickly before shuffling in the spot.

''Well, not everyone is happy. Some people live like that from the moment they eneter this broken world to the moment when they leave for a better place,'' she said shaking her head in disbelief, ''No district is perfect. There are flaws, even in the upper districts,'' she pointed to approximately district 3 was. Even though district 4 produced careers, it wasn't one of the upper districts. 1,2 and 3 were the upper districts. She found it amazing that 3, one of the top districts, didn't make careers. They stuck to the rules that 1,2 and 4 seemed to overlook and played fair, and this was inspiring to Fraya. But she knew inside that that wasn't fair. Fair would be if every district trained beforehand, or if the careers stopped being careers. Why does everyone want to visit 11? It's the strictest district and people get killed weekly for crimes that aren't a big deal? she thought angrily.

''Oh, don't worry it's fine! I prefer to do it myself, then no one can insult me all the time,'' she imagined being coached by a fierce career, who threatened to drown her if she didn't swim. She shuddered, before looking at the ground, ''Ok, you don't need to come if you don't want!'' she said hopefully, but there was no trace of hopefullness in her voice.