Back from the Daily Grind [Tallulah]
Aug 2, 2011 15:01:00 GMT -5
Post by initdoby5 on Aug 2, 2011 15:01:00 GMT -5
The wind blew across a field, parched yellow grass rippling in waves over the flat ground. Some crows lazed around in the sky, their black forms set against the deep reds and oranges of sunset. A rocky path cut through the pasture, complete with barbed wire on both sides of the meadow to keep walkers from roaming into wilderness.
I was the only one occupying the trail, my shadow my only company. All of the other workers at the meat cutting plant had already made their way home, except, of course, the Peacekeepers. They stayed even after I did, on the premise that they had to stop anyone from stealing the meat that was to be sent to the Capitol. While this may have be true in part, they never stopped one of their own from taking an extra cut of beef or mutton.
I had stayed late, something I had made a habit of ever since my second year of work. I just couldn’t allow the quota of meat that was assigned to me for cutting that day to go half-done, or that of the man at the neighboring cutting station, or that man’s wife’s. It wasn’t that it got me away from the older boys at the plant, although I vividly remembered seeing the group of them leave earlier that afternoon, there was something more. “Good work,” I mouthed to myself.
I gazed off toward the town, the appearance of my eyes matching what they were doing for the first time that day. I dreaded going home to my family, my sisters’ jeers already rattling around inside my head. Our parents would already be home. Mother would pretend not to notice the taunting but she would smile every so often, while Father would busy himself with some chore. I sigh, knowing this was my lot, and continued on the path toward town.
I was the only one occupying the trail, my shadow my only company. All of the other workers at the meat cutting plant had already made their way home, except, of course, the Peacekeepers. They stayed even after I did, on the premise that they had to stop anyone from stealing the meat that was to be sent to the Capitol. While this may have be true in part, they never stopped one of their own from taking an extra cut of beef or mutton.
I had stayed late, something I had made a habit of ever since my second year of work. I just couldn’t allow the quota of meat that was assigned to me for cutting that day to go half-done, or that of the man at the neighboring cutting station, or that man’s wife’s. It wasn’t that it got me away from the older boys at the plant, although I vividly remembered seeing the group of them leave earlier that afternoon, there was something more. “Good work,” I mouthed to myself.
I gazed off toward the town, the appearance of my eyes matching what they were doing for the first time that day. I dreaded going home to my family, my sisters’ jeers already rattling around inside my head. Our parents would already be home. Mother would pretend not to notice the taunting but she would smile every so often, while Father would busy himself with some chore. I sigh, knowing this was my lot, and continued on the path toward town.
