(001) the barn of death



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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act one.

(chapter one, the barn of death)

district ten, 72 ADD.

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FAINT FOOTSTEPS ACCOMPANIED BY rapid panting fought against the sounds of the cows mooing and groaning, the livestock barely glancing at the two seventeen-year-olds that creeped through the paddock. 

Hisses and whispers were hidden amongst their panting and the animals as the pair continued their journey. They were headed to the large, red barn that the cows and citizens of Ten knew all too well as the Barn of Death, the barn where the prize was. 

"Hurry up, June!"

"Shut it, Just!"

The cows flicked their tails about as they ignored the two siblings, carrying on eating their grass that littered the paddock. A white, newly painted fence surrounded the large area, a little gate at the very end with a gravel road that led to the Barn of Death. It was just a little way from where the two crouched behind an unbothered cow.

"This is stupid."

"This is smart."

Justice Hale rolled his eyes at his older sister's antics, clutching onto the satchel that hung by his left hip. His twin had a copy of the exact bag, she too holding onto it as she watched the moving cows, eyeing the gate.

"What if the farmer finds us?" Justice asked, fear setting into his eyes as he glanced around anxiously.

"Then we run," Juniper Hale replied with a smirk, looking over her shoulder at her twin as she reached up behind her, pulling her hair into a tight ponytail before sighing. Her cheeks were already red from running, sweat beading against her forehead. "Ready?"

"If we die because of this, you're dead."

"Can't die if I'm already dead." Juniper chuckled as she took a deep breath.

The minute the cow moved, ridding their hiding spot, the Hale twins launched up, sprinting their hearts out across the rest of the green paddock. The livestock moved out of their way, the twins making sure that no-one saw them darting to the Barn of Death. When they reached the white gate and gravel path, they leaped over the fence. 

"Hurry!" Justice urged once they reached the red barn, the smell of meat flooding their senses. Their prize. 

"Saying hurry won't help." Juniper grunted as she pulled a small knife out of her pocket, shoving the tip inside the lock as she began to move it around. She had never really picked a lock before and never had she really stolen meat from the Barn of Death, but as she heard Justice's impatient sighs from beside her, she tried to shove away her anxiousness and made it turn into glee when the barn doors opened up. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Justice, however, completely ignored his twin as he slowly walked into the barn, eyes going wide as he looked at the different arrays of raw meat that were laid on shelves and strung from the ceiling, muttering, "Holy crap... that's a lot of cow meat."

"Get as much as you can," Juniper ordered as she crossed to a shelf, picking up the beef as she began to throw it into her satchel. Blood smeared across her palms, soaking into her flesh. 

And so, following his sister's orders, Justice crossed to a display of meats that were strung from the low ceiling, untying them as he placed them into his satchel. The intoxicating smell of raw, dead animals filled their noses, making Juniper try not gag. She hated the smell of raw meat. 

"I am so getting my nose cleared out after this." Justice coughed as he winced. 

"Just wait until it's cooked."

And so, the Hale twins continued to fill up their bags with raw meat. They only agreed to stop when the shelves were nearly empty of beef and their satchels nearly not being able to zip shut. Juniper and Justice felt rather proud that their mission succeeded, considering it was only the first time they had done it. 

"Ha!" Justice laughed as he looked around the place, nearing the barn door as he placed his hands on his hips. "I bet the farmer won't even notice it's all gone."

"You're an idiot."

"It's called sarcasm."

Juniper shook her head as she went to push open the barn door and as she did, the sunlight flooding into the dark area, she noticed a certain figure standing in the paddock, tending to his cows. The farmer. 

"Ah, shit..."

"What?" Justice asked as he joined his sister at the door, peering out, but when he saw the farmer standing in the greenery, his face went as white as a ghost. "Ah, shit..."

The farmer hadn't noticed that the pair were hiding in the entrance of the barn, causing Juniper to swallow a lump in her throat as she tried to rack her brain of all the choices they could make to get themselves out of this sticky situation. 

They could wait it out, sit in the barn until the farmer left. But no, neither Juniper or Justice had the patience for that and what if the farmer came into the Barn of Death? Or they could completely run for it, sprint their way through the paddock and hope for the best. No, that would be stupid. Surely, there was another way out of this.

"There." Justice pointed to their left, gesturing at a little stone path that went around the paddock, back to the district. "We sneak out of here, walk simply along the stone, pretend we're going for a nice stroll."

"... that's incredibly stupid." Juniper shrugged. "... let's do it."

And so, taking deep breaths, Juniper and Justice tried to hone in their best acting skills as they slowly slipped out of the barn, clinging to their satchels as they sped walked to the stone path. 

"Please, don't notice us..." Justice mumbled over and over as they tried to avoid eye contact with the farmer, whose head slowly looked up. "Please, don't notice—"

"Just, shut up!" Juniper hissed. "The farmer probably—"

"Oi! What are you two doing?"

The two Hale siblings froze on the spot as they saw from the corner of their eyes that the farmer was striding over to them, his cows following as he tipped back his straw hat. Juniper tried to put on a fake smirk and curtly waved at the man as Justice continued to stay still. 

"Well?"

"M-Me and my brother," Juniper began. "We're taking a... nice... walk around the paddocks."

The farmer grunted, obviously not convinced as he eyed the satchels, asking, "What are the bags for?"

"Oh, we always carry them." Justice nodded. "If we ever... well, you know."

"I don't know."

Juniper swallowed a lump that was stuck in her throat and hoped for the best, but when she saw the farmer's eyes glance from the satchels to the unlocked barn door, rage filled his face as he began to point and yell at them, racing to the white fence as he planned to jump it. 

"Shit!" Juniper hissed as she began to push Justice along. "Run, Just!"

And so, the Hale twins began to sprint down the stone path, trying hard to not trip on the loose parts as they heard the farmer stumbling after them. 

Juniper felt her heart in her throat as she tried to remember the way back to the district. She had never been this far out into the paddocks and so, she was quite lost. But as she heard the farmer gain on them, only a hand away from grabbing her flying ponytail, Juniper had an idea. 

Running to the other side of Justice, who was thoroughly confused, Juniper noticed barrels that were standing beside the white fence. Smirking, the Hale girl quickened her pace as she reached them, looking over her shoulder to see the farmer not only a few metres away. And so, with one simple kick, Juniper managed to knock down the barrels, making them go rolling down the path where the farmer was taken aback, tripping over them as he smashed his head into the stone. 

"Shit!" Justice laughed as he looked over to see the farmer groaning on the floor, surrounded by wooden barrels. "That's epic!"

"Move your ass!"

And so, desperate to leave the paddocks, the Hale twins continued to sprint down the stone path until they made it to the outskirts of District Ten, the poorly-built housing coming into view as Juniper and Justice high-fived each other. They had bundles of meat that would last them for the next several months. Their father would be pleased. 

Speaking of their father, he would currently be on shift at the Milking Station and wouldn't get home until late and so, the Hale twins decided to pay him a visit to flaunt all of the beef they managed to steal. 

As they made their way to the Milking Station, which was on the other side of the little housing section that separated the Barn of Death from the other part of the district, Juniper took a look around. 

District Ten was largest in size, but small in manner of housing. The homes were poorly made and built in strips along the land. There was the Barn of Death, a strip of housing, the Milking Station, a strip of housing, the Breeders, a strip of housing. The Hales lived on the land that separated the Milking Station and the Breeders and so, Juniper and Justice walked quickly past all the other buildings and homes. 

And since District Ten was specialised in livestock, the smell of manure, hay, raw meat, and milk always lingered in the air. It was an odd combination and not a good one, for it always made the pair want to puke, which was why they were hiding their noses in their shirts.

"Lord, I hate this place." Justice cringed as he eyed a group of dirty kids that were playing in mud, their parents letting out puffs of smoke from their cigars. Only the farmers got cigars if they bribed the Peacekeepers' for them. 

"Well, move out then if you hate it." Juniper rolled her eyes. 

They had this conversation every day and every day, it ended the same because despite Juniper's comment, no-one could escape District Ten. The only way, a way no-one wanted to experience, was if you were chosen, was if you were Reaped and that was something the people in Ten never wanted to happen.

But it always did. Two of the kids from Ten would disappear forever. They wouldn't come home victorious because District Ten always failed when it came to the Hunger Games. The kids were always killed in the bloodbath, they were always murdered on the first day because no-one from Ten ever won. Except for Lucy Stevens and Brent Higgins. 

Lucy Stevens and Brent Higgins were the only living Victors' from Ten. Lucy Stevens, a red-headed, beautiful woman, won the Sixty-First Games eleven-years-ago. No-one remembered how she won, but that they were all shocked that someone from Ten managed to survive until the very end. But after that year, no-one saw Lucy Stevens again except for when it was Reaping. She never left Victors' Village. 

And then there was Brent Higgins. Brent Higgins was about the worse Victor you could meet. He won the Sixty-Eighth Games about four-years-ago and ever since then, he would wander through the streets of District Ten to flaunt his wealth and money, making all the citizens despise him. And he was overly too ambitious and full of himself. Juniper and Justice always tried to stay clear of the young man whenever he went on his weekly journey through the district. 

"Look, the Milking Station." Justice pointed to the small building as they managed to exit the housing strip that separated the Barn of Death and the station. 

The Milking Station was a big, grey building that inside had a little stable that was filled with cows. It was like a journey for the animals. They would be born at the Breeders, wait a few years, go to the Milking Station to be milked, and then the next day, go to the farmers and butchers at the Barn of Death. Juniper nearly felt bad for the animals. 

"What stable is he working in today?" Justice asked as they neared the entrance of the station. 

"Uh — six, I think," Juniper mumbled as they reached the steel doors that were open and guarded by two Peacekeepers. "Hi there, sirs."

"What do you want, kid?" One of the soldiers scoffed as they tightened their grip on their gun, Juniper feeling his cold gaze even through his mask. 

"I — we — would like to see our father," Juniper told them, jutting her chin high up in the air as she clutched her satchel tightly. "He works in stable six."

"And I want to be rich." The Peacekeeper sighed. "Get lost. The men are working—"

"They're with me, Brian."

A certain figure walked to the open steel doors from inside the Milking Station, a man with greying hair and a shadow of stubble on his jaw. He was wiping his hands with a cloth, his face dirty and clothes ragged as he shook his head at his two kids. Their father. 

"Ah, these are yours, Orion?" The supposed Brian asked as he eyed the two kids, his tone much more playful than it was moments ago.

"Unfortunately," their father said jokingly, winking at the two kids. "Give me a second, Brian. I'll be back to work soon."

"Just don't let the Head see you!"

And so, waving the Peacekeeper off, their father placed his hands on each Hale twins's shoulders, leading them away from the Milking Station and going around the corner before sighing. 

"Now, why are you two here?"

"You'll never believe what we did!" Justice beamed as he began to open his satchel, jumping from foot to foot as he did. 

When Justice opened his bag to reveal it loaded with raw beef, their father's eyes went massive as he gaped at it. When Juniper opened hers, they thought the middle-aged man would faint from shock. 

"Where did you get those?" Their father hissed as he quickly looked over his shoulder to see if anybody was nearby. When a cohort of Peacekeepers' passed, he moved to cover the two siblings from view. "Don't tell me you—"

"Stole them from the Barn of Death?" Juniper asked. "Yeah, we did."

"Well... I don't know what to say..."

"Thank you?" Justice suggested. "I mean — this enough 'till the end of the year."

"I suppose I do offer you two thanks..." their father said meekly as he ran a hand through his thinning hair. "But did you get caught?"

Juniper let out an awkward chuckle as she rubbed the back of her neck, muttering, "Not exactly..."

"What do you mean not exactly?"

"I mean — hey, isn't it time you get back to the stables?" Juniper smiled at her father, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"Yeah!" Justice agreed, not knowing how to explain to the old man that they gave the farmer a serious concussion. "We can go home, get a meal ready, and you can come back to a lovely cooked beef."

"Exactly." Juniper nodded. 

Their father took a deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose before looking around. He should've known his children would pull something like this and he shouldn't have been that surprised and so, he said, "... fine. Just be careful on your way to the house. There's more Peacekeepers' around now because of tomorrow."

"Don't sweat it, Pa." Justice gave him a lousy smile. "We'll be all right. We always are."

"Okay." Their father nodded as he wiped his hands on his already dirty trousers. "I'll see you two at home then... be safe, please."

"Of course!" The two Hale twins said unison as they began to walk backwards, watching their father go to the Milking Station to continue his shift. 

Juniper and Justice began to stride to their home, the strip that separated the Milking Station and the Breeders. It wasn't a long walk, but Juniper was a very impatient girl and so, she tried to think of things that could take her mind off her long strides. But the only thing that came to mind was the Reaping.

It was tomorrow, of course, and everyone in Ten had dreaded it for weeks. But Juniper tried to not let it go to her head. She and Justice managed to survive for four-years and only had two more to go. Sure, their names were in there multiple times, but they had never been chosen. In fact, no-one in the Hale household had ever been chosen. 

And sure, Juniper had watched all of her friends get carted off to the Capitol and get slaughtered by kids that were younger than them, but she hadn't been chosen yet. She and Justice would survive this year and the next, despite their friends' deaths. Despite everything because they were Juniper and Justice Hale. They had survived for four-years, they would be all right. 

But even as they walked to the housing strip that separated the Milking Station and the Breeders, Juniper tried to not look at the Justice Building that she always teased her brother about. It would currently be in the process of beautifying to make Ten look decent, considering the Reaping would be broadcasted to all of Panem. 

The Justice Building was at the very end of District Ten, past the Breeders and the housing strip that was next to it. But despite it being on the other side of the district, everyone could see it, even from the Barn of Death. Its building and columns were so big that anyone could see its deathly reminder. And even as Juniper tried to ignore it, she could still see the vibrant banners that were strung up. 

"I just thought of something," Justice said, interrupting Juniper's daydreaming as they began to enter the housing strip, taking a right to where their house was at the very end. 

"What?"

"All of this meat is going to go off in a few days," Justice told her as he scrunched up his nose. "So all of this was a waste of time."

Juniper rolled her eyes as she shrugged, saying, "Not if we put it in the cooler. If we freeze them, it'll be all right for the year."

"Are you sure?" Justice asked, eyeing their satchels. "I mean — I know we're in poverty, but I don't really want to eat expired meat."

"Justice, you're lucky we even got food." Juniper shoved him playfully. "And knowing you, you'd eat rotten eggs if someone gave them to you."

Justice grumbled under his breath as he rubbed his arm where his sister shoved him, still continuing their way to their house. When they reached it at the end, they both sighed. 

Their house was practically falling apart, the porch roof being taped together considering it fell through last winter. The wood was chipped away and the windows had to be covered with boards to stop thieves from entering. The boards creaked and moaned as the two twins stepped on them. 

Juniper went to go fetch the keys under a cracked flowerpot, coming back to shove them into the lock. With a twist, the door opened slowly and revealed the dark house. Juniper sighed as she and Justice walked inside. 

Sometimes, as Juniper looked around their broken home, Justice lighting the candles, she wished that she could leave Ten. The district never held a special place in her heart and so, she wouldn't mind leaving the place to live in the woods that bordered it or another district. But she couldn't because no-one could leave Ten. The Peacekeepers' were too strict and President Snow was a tyrannical man. No-one left the districts while Snow was under control. 

And as Justice and Juniper started to cook some of the beef and potatoes they managed to find in one of the cupboards, she started to realise that this was a life no-one should have. No-one should have to steal for their food, to find scraps hidden in the corners of cupboards. But the people of the Capitol would never have this issue, them and their silly wigs and six-inch heels. The Capitol was superior, the districts inferior. 

But every night was the same. Juniper would always wish, in her mind, that life wasn't the way it was. But every night, she would banish her thoughts when she would see her father walk into the house, a tired look in his eyes that would turn into joy whenever he saw his kids. 

Juniper Hale would banish the thoughts that things could be different as she, Justice, and their father sat at the small, wooden table they managed to put together, surrounded by flicking candlelight as they held hands. Because even in their darkest moments, even in the most horrible times, they had each other. 

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