The Woods {Closed}

Rustling. Breathing. Speaking. Slightly heated words, once more to a 'Chatterton'. Josiah heard all these things, but saw only the inky blackness behind his squeezed eyelids. He didn't want to see them or hear them, or acknowledge them, because if he just stayed like this long enough, they'd go away. They'd have to, because that's how it worked.

"Hey kid it is going to be okay." Those were the only words he had actually heard, and they had got stuck in his head. They seemed to be bouncing around, reverberating from one side to the other unceasingly. It was like the bell at school, shrill and nearly painfully to hear, and only tolerable because it was short. Only this time, it wasn't. The older boy's words were still sounding, he could still hear them. And it drowned out everything else.

He tried to wonder were the snake was, or if the girl had the knife, or maybe even if the boy had taken it from her, or something. But he couldn't, couldn't focus because of the tintinnabulation in his head. He couldn't even make out the words anymore, it was just noise, noise, noise. It was his entire, inky black world, was that noise. He needed something else to focus on, to take in. Maybe if he had something to look at, that would--

And just like that, it was gone. He had looked up, to see the larger boy in front of him, and the girl with no knife in her hand, just a big sharp stick, and the snake slithering in circles like it was insane or something. But none of that was important, because that noise was gone. He could focus now. Focus on the two of them doing... what? Sizing each other up, like two stags about to fight for a female, or territory. He had seen that a few times while wandering, and it always ended badly for the loser. He scooted away on his bottom, back until he hit a tree.

The rough, hard wood was comforting. Solid. Like the rest of the forest, it had not a care for what these two did, it would go on regardless. He wished he were part of the tree. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, and pretended that he was not only a part of the tree, he was the tree, eyes high above and watching the two with only a mild interest. It was easy enough to do, escape from himself when he was afraid. Pretend he were bigger, stronger, defensible.

But when he opened his eyes again, they were still there. Still the two of them, standing there, staring each other down. And he still wasn't a tree, he had to care about what happened here. Because while the girl didn't look very kind, the boy was also a stranger. Strangers were bad. All of this was bad, the whole situation. So as soon as he could, he would run. For now, he would wait.

”Ivy. Ivy Escher.”

No, no she wasn't. Josiah had seen her before, somewhere, and her name certainly hadn't been Ivy. He had heard people talk about her when she walked by, that much told him she was either important or completely psychotic. And while dangerous she may appear, she certainly wasn't psychotic. At least, he didn't think so. So she was someone important. He didn't know that many important people in the district, other than the mayor and his family. Important people didn't associate with people like him.

”Seriously, kid, it’s okay. What’s your name? Hey, get up will you? You look like you’re trying to become a tree down there.”

Thus yanked out of his safe bubble of thoughts and into the immediate reality, his eyes grew wide. How did she know that? He cleared his throat to speak, but made no move to get up, or change position other than lifting his head a bit higher."I... ahm... I'm Josiah. Eln."

And I wish I were the tree. More than anything,he continued mentally. But he wasn't, and he had to deal with this situation, he reminded himself once more. He looked over at Dekota, wishing the other boy would keep this girl's attention off of him. He thought about telling the boy her name wasn't Ivy, but that might make her mad. He didn't like it when people -- especially people with knives and wooden spears -- were angry. When the figurine landed in front of him with a soft thunk, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

”Consider it a peace offering -- careful, don't get splinters. I’m. Not. Going. To. Attack. You.”

He looked down at it. It was a small wooden figure, of the Capitol Escort who came around every year for the Reaping. He would know that face anywhere, nowadays, since he had watched the man claim two of the children from his district, and knowing that the next year it might be him. Tentatively he reached for it, as though it might jump up and bite his hand, and wrapped his fingers around it. He brought it close to his face, inspecting the details on it intensely.

It was very well done, he could see that much. As good, if not better, than the ones his sister Callie did. Looking back up at her, he offered a small smile. He still, however, didn't feel like moving.

He wished he had just stayed home. The girl didn't seem so dangerous as she had before, at least not to him. However, the larger boy -- whose name he hadn't heard, when they were exchanged, for the ringing -- still seemed to think she was dangerous, and had moved in front of him to keep the girl away. He supposed that if she did do something with that knife of hers, it was better the other boy than him.

”What brings you out into the woods? I’ve never seen you around here before and I’m here every day.”

"Well, I am afraid I am a bit lost, I was just trying to find my way back to district seven, when I saw that snake molesting poor Josiah."Every day? But... but she looked young enough to still be in school. Which meant that she skipped, right? Or does being an important person mean you don't have to go to school? No, no it didn't. He had seen the mayor's daughter at school once, and she was certainly important.

And, molesting? He knew what molesting was, in both senses, the boy had meant being unwillingly touched. But the snake hadn't touched him, had only threatened him. He supposed the boy meant the snake was going to molest him. Because it surely was. That's what snakes did.

More rustling. Someone else. Looking towards the sound, he saw a girl emerge, one almost as small as he was. How was it that so many people had just happened to wander to this spot, so deep in the forest? Divine powers? Perhaps, but Josiah didn't put much stock in faith. It seemed too flimsy to him, to just say some words and hoped something happened because of them. Whatever it was that brought them here, he thought, was perhaps not as important as the fact that they were here."Hello, are you busy?'

As a matter of fact, I am busy. Busy trying not to piss myself, and thank you very much. He didn't say as much, of course, because he didn't want to draw attention to himself. But it was true; the older girl moved her hand to her knife again and the boy was reaching into his satchel for something. Oh, and the snake was back. Lovely

”No…no, not busy. Just trying to find out why there are intruders in my part of the woods." Her part of the woods? Her part of the woods? Josiah scowled at that, he came through here every now and again, because these woods were open to anyone. Well, anyone willing to break the law. What made this part of the woods hers?

"Who... who are you?"Well, wasn't that the question of the day. If he had had a nickel for every time he had heard it, he'd have... well, he'd have... he wasn't good at math, but he'd have more nickels than he came here with. And that would have been nice. What would have been nicer is if the two bigger people here didn't look like they were both reaching for weapons. And what would have been best, he told himself again, is if Marcus were here. His older brother could fix anything.

But for now, being only Josiah, he would sit still, and watch how it all played out.