I let out a shaky breath that puffed a cloud of steam from my mouth. The freezing rain poured down in silent icy sheets and the open meadow left me with no protection from it. I pulled my sodden coat tighter around me to try and conserve some left over warmth, but it was useless. My hands were clamped over my staff in a frozen vice, and the blood circulated painfully slow to them. I tried to take my mind off the freezing cold by watching the sheep graze the soggy grass. How they could stand this sort of weather, I will never know. I lean my shepherd's staff against my shoulder as I bring my hand to my mouth and try to breath some life back into them. The warmth was short in living.
Its not long before the sound of footsteps sloshing and squelching through the meadow greats my ears. I let out a sigh that makes another cloud. The footsteps stop as my relief comes over and I hand him the staff. My shift is over.
"Try not to let them graze for much longer or you'll freeze to death!" Its an attempt at humor but the words hit too close to reality and I'm too exhausted to really feed the humor into them. My relief gives a tight nod and I know he takes the joke seriously. Oh well. No big a deal.
I trudge my way back to the town. Its deserted. Not a single soul in District 10 would dare be outside in this weather. Well, besides us unlucky souls who have to watch their livestock. the only sound in the silent rain is the steady thumps of the butchers at work. I make my way home, my pace quickening at the thought of a hot meal and a warm fire.
As I open the door of the small shack and pull the thing shut, I'm immediately tackled by my little sister. This is Rain.
"I thought you'd be an icicle by now, Farren!" She said as she lets go and looks at herself. She's now soak and wet just from hugging me.
"Get over to the fire and dry off this instant..!" I try to be stern but I'm simply too amused at the face she pulls that I'm not too convincing.
I hang up my coat to dry and join her over by the fire. She's made us both a mug of warm tea and I'm grateful as I wrap my numb hands around it and take a sip of the sweet liquid.
It's just us, Rain and me. The rest of our family is gone. We had an older brother, Kane, but he was killed in the third Hunger Games. It took a heavy toll on all of it. The grief killed my mother and my father had long been dead from a stampede incident. As much as I wanted to simply curl up and grieve for my brother and my mom when they died, it was Rain he kept me from doing so. I had to take care of her. Lucky for us, a good friend of my family, Lurch Gibstale, go me a job at the sheep farm. He lied about my age, said I was 19, but it wasn't too hard to believe. I was huge for my age, a towering 6 foot 7 and build like an ox, my mother used to say. Even when Kane and I were little, everyone who didn't know us thought I was older. I guess my attitude didn't help me look younger either. I was always stern and serious-faced, even as a baby. So I worked a job full time to feed my sister and me starting at the age of 16. I was 17 now, nearly 18. Rain was only nine. I would turn 18 the day after the reaping, in exactly a week.
Once the cold had been lifted from my body, I got up and started preparing some dinner. It was very late, but I hadn't eaten in hours and I knew Rain could use a little more meat on her bones. The cupboard wasn't exactly full, but it had enough to keep us going for a week or so. When it would be nearly empty, I would receive my pay and be able to restock it again. I hated to leave Rain without food, being gone most of the day six days a week. She was a tough one, Rain, able to fend for herself and never one to give in. It got her in trouble on several occasions, all of which I had to bail her from, but ever since our mother died, she's been careful and conservative about where she uses her spunk and quick tongue.
made up a simple meal of bread with some meat spread and gave Rain the bigger piece. She dug into it ravenously, but just to make me smile. That's why most all the people of District 10 love Rain. She always knows how to bring a smile to your face when you need it most. She slowed her pace and the two of us ate in silence. She leaned on me when she was finished, staring at the window and watching the rain wash over it. I joined her. Before the hour was over, Rain was fast asleep.
I picked her up and carried her to bed and crawled in beside her, she nuzzled against me and I help her protectively close. As exhausted as I was, sleep was hard in coming to me. My stomach gave a churn as I thought of the reaping that was only seven days away. I lost count of how many times me name would be in that ball. I fell asleep only by remembering Rain was safe. She wasn't old enough to be entered. No matter what happened, Rain would be okay.
I dreamt I was gone, and that Rain was left homeless and alone, starving in the freezing cold.
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