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( act i. district nine )

...two siblings

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                         — FOG WEIGHED THROUGH
atmosphere of the early morning, the thick humidity making itself known throughout the district.

Fallon tied the laces to her boots, her dark hair fanning around before she stood from her place on the bed. The seventeen year old girl made her way down the steps to see her younger brother busing himself in the kitchen.

Fallon glanced around, "Mom left?" Kou turned upon hearing the voice of his sister, a brow quirking up at her question, "What do you think?"

The girl quietly muttered a 'thank you' in relief, not having enough energy to deal with her mother's constant reprimands or lectures that never ended well. Fallon slid onto the barstool, placing her clasped hands together on the counter as the smell of coffee plagued her senses.

"What did you make today?" The brunette asked Kou who had begun dishing their breakfast. The boy turned with the two plates, scrambled eggs with French toast. A half smile adorned Fallon's tainted lips while her brother slid the platter towards her, "Thanks, Kou. I look forward to waking up simply because of your food."

Kou rolled his eyes as he'd reached for the coffee he'd made for the girl, handing it to her before adding, "We ran out of sugar so I didn't put any."

Fallon raised the mug to her lips, enjoying the small sip she took before answering, "That's fine, I'll go out later to get some." Kou leaned on the counter across from his sister, the two siblings beginning to eat as a question poked at the boys mind— but was unsure whether to ask it.

Fallon glanced up slightly, instantly knowing Kou was biting his tongue from speaking. If there was one thing she always tried to teach her brother, is that he could speak his mind or simply ask anything. She knew because of how they're mother acted with them, the two siblings had gained the habit of shutting their thoughts out from others.

Fallon cut the corner of her French toast before chirping up, "You know you can ask me anything, Kou." The fifteen year old boy huffed slightly, having forgotten just how well his older sister could read him, "I just— I don't want to hit a nerve."

The brunette gave the boy a look, "You won't." That was true, no matter what her younger brother asked— even if it was a sensitive topic, she would always answer.

Kou sighed out softly, gazing intently at his place while thinking of a way to word his question, "Have your nightmares gotten any better?" His cautious tone reached Fallon who had set her mug down, her chest heaved slightly. The girl licked her lips before shrugging, "It's just the same."

Kou frowned at this, he had thought they'd been getting better. Especially since Fallon no longer stayed in his room anymore, there had gotten a point where the girl couldn't be alone at night. Screams and heavy pants coming from her room every time she slept. So, Kou had taken up a mattress on the floor and given his bed to his sister— so she wouldn't feel alone.

Fallon had soon gone back to her own room and Kou was proud, thinking her nightmares were finally simmering down. He'd been mistaken though, he could see it by the look in the brunette's dark eyes.

They hadn't gotten any better, she had just simply begun to deal with them on her own. "Fallon—"

The teenage girl already knew what her brother was going to say, reasonably but she refused to put Kou in that situation again. It was a rough time for Fallon, every time her eyes closed she'd see the people she killed— others trying to kill her. Images of the ruin city plaguing her mind.

She knew having to wake herself up from such horrid couldn't be a pretty sight, and Kou was always there, gently pulling her from her horror sleeps.

Kou was still young, and she couldn't imagine the toll having to see his sister in such condition was taking on him. He shouldn't have to be dealing with that— she'd decided to deal with it on her own after having taken the dagger that rested on her nightstand in defense, pressing it threateningly at Kou's neck.

Never had guilt absolutely wrecked her. She had pulled a knife on her own brother, and had she not noticed it was him she would've killed Kou. The thought of what she could've done tearing into her, she couldn't even look her sibling in the eye for weeks.

Kou had tried to reassure her that it was nothing and a mere accident but she wouldn't listen. So she spent her nights locked away in her room again, trembling and panting every hour her mind decided to torture her.

Fallon was quick to cut Kou's sentence off, "It's okay, I can handle it." Her brother pulled his brows together slightly, "C'mon, Fallon. At least don't lie to me."

The brunette traced the handle to her lavender mug, a soft sigh slipping past her parted lips. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

Kou scoffed slightly, raising his brow at his sister, "If I don't who will?" The boy knew his sister was always too busy watching out for himself, especially when it came to their mother.

They're mother never did anything but complain about everything they did, insults thrown almost every time she laid her eyes on the siblings. Fallon took most of screaming matches though, always shielding him from their mothers cruel words.

Kou also knew the toll it taken when her name had been reaped for the 73rd annual game female tribute. Especially how they're mother encouraged her to go, saying it was the least she could do for them and that she had to win.

Fallon had tried her best not to show much emotion from her mothers cutting words, but Kou could tell from her eyes that it'd hurt her.

When she came back as district nines victor the mother didn't even bother asking if she was okay— but rather about how much she'd be paid.

Fallon finished her plate of food, setting down her utensils before glancing up at her brothers attentive eyes, "I'll be fine, seriously."

Kou took her plate from her, placing it in the sink before turning to face her once more, "We gotta look out for each other."

Fallon smiled slightly, always would she watch out for the boy. Doing what her mother never did.

The Mintz girl stood from her place, downing the rest of her coffee before moving to start washing the dishes as Kou placed the eggs in the fridge and flour away in the pantry.

Fallon spaced out, breathing softly as she finished the last mug before grabbing the sage green towel to her right to dry off her hands.

Kou finished cleaning the counter before speaking up, "The 74th hunger games is coming up."

Fallon glanced back at the boy slightly, in four months the new games would commence. She wished strength for those who would be reaped, they'd need it.

"Yeah... it is." Her response came out dry— tense with the remark that had been made. Kou pursed his lips, "You're gonna be mentor this year, right?"

Fallon cleared her throat slightly, the thought coming back to her after attempting to push it away many times. Mentor, she was next up for that role alongside Evren Solace. He was the one that had won the 55th annual Hunger Games before her.

"Yeah, it's me and Evren." Fallon's voice came out smaller than intended. Evren had been her mentor alongside Reva, the two had given her life saving advice before the games and Evren taught her proper fighting skills.

She'd grown familiar with the two, especially the male who she'd learned much from... but she'd distanced herself greatly after the games. The toll weighed on her crushingly, she couldn't bare to face anyone who knew her personally after what she'd done.

Kou was no exception. She was afraid of doing more harm to her younger brother, she could barely look him in the eye due to the shame she felt after having killed a boy his age. She'd completely shut down once she'd returned home, only serving to worry her younger brother more.

Kou grit his teeth slightly, he knew it was going to be hard for Fallon having to return to the Capitol. A wound being reopened, "Do you have to? Can't you find a way out of it? They can't put you through that again."

Fallon licked her lips, "They don't care, Kou. To them, we're just dogs on a leash for them to order and discipline when needed."

"This is fucking bullshit." Kou's frustrated voice echoed throughout the kitchen. There was absolutely nothing he could do save his sister from the trapped life of a victor, and he hated that.

The teenage girl turned to face her agitated brother, "There's no use in getting angry about it now. It's how things work, there's no way around it."

Her brother scoffed out, anger visibly written across his features, "No one ever wins the games huh?"

Fallon's expression fell, no, the girl thought. There was no winner of the Hunger Games, there were only survivors. Fallon didn't feel like she'd won— hell she felt far from it actually.

The Capitol enforced the supposed victors to maintain an image, become a face used for enjoyment. She'd been made to keep up with the fascade, play into the act of the arrogant victor from district nine. A smirk always glued to her lips with a devilish glint in her eyes.

For the first few months she made herself seem invincible, her ego sky high in the eyes of the rich with her snarky comments as comedic relief for others. She was made to seem glad with her win, made to be social with those who wished to speak with her and hold a comedic charisma to her personality.

But Fallon was far from that, she hated being made to rejoice in the kills she'd done. Claiming the others stood no chance to her— the thought making her feel uneasy.

She was and never would be proud of those she killed. They were forever marked into her as a reminder of the horrors she'd committed. Yet, the Capitol found her arrogance and so called 'ego' amusing and likable.

She was sick of playing pretend just to appease others. Snow would do anything to tighten the chain around her neck— including making her help two teens who's probability of surviving were slim to none.

Just the mere thought made her stomach churn with unsettling emotions. The arena was an animal cage, bringing out the very worst of many people in desperate need. A sick show for the Capitol to enjoy.

None of the victors who came out of there were ever the same.

Fallon swallowed thickly before grabbing her black leather jacket from the coat wrack to slip her arms into, tucking her hair out before she was inching towards the door. "I'm going to the market."

Kou frowned, he knew how much his sister was struggling with the upcoming hunger games. He couldn't begin to imagine what constantly ran through her head.

Nothing sane for sure.

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— AUTHORS NOTE,
starting off the book on a dark note apparently