Dessa • District 9 • WIP
Sept 21, 2014 10:19:18 GMT -5
Post by ali on Sept 21, 2014 10:19:18 GMT -5
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Two people, a man and woman, scramble across the wasteland which lies between them and the fence in a desperate attempt to escape the dogs and their peacekeepers that control them. The woman looks back, her hood falling from her face as she does; her pupils in large at the sight of sweeping torches and headlights in the distance. She turns to face the fence again which is only a few bounds away now; if she reached out with her hand she could touch it; she can already hear the low buzzing sound which the hundreds of volts of electricity emits as it runs through the silver wiring. There is a flash, and suddenly the couple are surrounded in light. Wind whips around them and they both blink up in horror at the hovercraft which hovers above them, pinpointing their exact position; the couple remain frozen, like rabbits caught in headlights, as the hover craft fires exactly two bullets into their skulls.
A few minutes later, the ground crew arrives. The ones on foot, make a perimeter around the two dead bodies while they wait for the head peacekeeper to arrive; they do not want any locals near by to be interfering with the scene of the crime. It does not take long for one of the jeeps to arrive, squealing to a halt in the dry dirt near the fence. A tall figure dressed in a brilliant white suit, takes a step out the car and walks towards the fence of peacekeepers that surround the escapee's. He takes his helmet off as the wall parts, revealing an aged face and dark grey hair; to anyone who did not know this man was 40, would guess that he was well into his 60's. He admits years at this job have aged him far beyond his years, in fact it was incidents just like this one that made his hair turn white with stress.
"What do we have Joey?" Crowley asks as he takes a few more strides to the dead bodies which lay crumpled on the ground.
"We don't know, they don't have any papers on their persons."
"Wanderers?"
The younger one nodded. Crowley sighed with frustration. Wanders inside the fence he thought to himself never have I heard such a thing. He had, of course, heard of such a thing; a very long time ago he had be taught about people who had lived beyond the Districts in the Wilderness and how sometimes they got into Districts to make trade before skipping town again. He had never thought he would find himself in the position where two had somehow made it into 9, since it was almost neon impossible. He looked up at the 9 meter high fence, and wondered to himself how they thought they would escape it; covered in barbed wire and singing with electricity, it was a death trap to try climb it. Looking up and down the perimeter, he wondered if there was a breach near by.
"I want a group to scan the perimeter for breaches." he barked orders at his squadron "As for the rest of you, get these two disposed of as quickly as possible."
The head peacekeeper was just about to turn away when he heard an odd sound coming from beneath the woman's large coat. Turning, he saw a peacekeeper peal the coat away from the dead woman's side to reveal a bundle of cloth nestled against her chest. A baby. Muttering erupted from the rest of the squadron as they stared at the infant which wailed loudly in the quiet night; it was as if they had never seen one before. Rather than having the child killed, as many of his peers begun to suggest on its discovery, Crowley simply took a step towards the woman and knelt down.
He looked at the bundle, which wriggled like a little caterpillar in the cold, with sympathy before he gently scooped it up in his arms. The child was so small, it was not chubby like most babies were, and its cry caught on itself which lead Crowley to believe it might be sick. The man did not know what to do with her, him, it; he had never been trained to deal with such a situation, though if he remembered correctly from his theory training that all children discovered beyond the fence who are still at the age where impressions still need to be made must be taken to a government owned orphanage where they will raised under the eyes of the Capitol.
Denver • Seventeen • District 9
Before she could remember...
Two people, a man and woman, scramble across the wasteland which lies between them and the fence in a desperate attempt to escape the dogs and their peacekeepers that control them. The woman looks back, her hood falling from her face as she does; her pupils in large at the sight of sweeping torches and headlights in the distance. She turns to face the fence again which is only a few bounds away now; if she reached out with her hand she could touch it; she can already hear the low buzzing sound which the hundreds of volts of electricity emits as it runs through the silver wiring. There is a flash, and suddenly the couple are surrounded in light. Wind whips around them and they both blink up in horror at the hovercraft which hovers above them, pinpointing their exact position; the couple remain frozen, like rabbits caught in headlights, as the hover craft fires exactly two bullets into their skulls.
A few minutes later, the ground crew arrives. The ones on foot, make a perimeter around the two dead bodies while they wait for the head peacekeeper to arrive; they do not want any locals near by to be interfering with the scene of the crime. It does not take long for one of the jeeps to arrive, squealing to a halt in the dry dirt near the fence. A tall figure dressed in a brilliant white suit, takes a step out the car and walks towards the fence of peacekeepers that surround the escapee's. He takes his helmet off as the wall parts, revealing an aged face and dark grey hair; to anyone who did not know this man was 40, would guess that he was well into his 60's. He admits years at this job have aged him far beyond his years, in fact it was incidents just like this one that made his hair turn white with stress.
"What do we have Joey?" Crowley asks as he takes a few more strides to the dead bodies which lay crumpled on the ground.
"We don't know, they don't have any papers on their persons."
"Wanderers?"
The younger one nodded. Crowley sighed with frustration. Wanders inside the fence he thought to himself never have I heard such a thing. He had, of course, heard of such a thing; a very long time ago he had be taught about people who had lived beyond the Districts in the Wilderness and how sometimes they got into Districts to make trade before skipping town again. He had never thought he would find himself in the position where two had somehow made it into 9, since it was almost neon impossible. He looked up at the 9 meter high fence, and wondered to himself how they thought they would escape it; covered in barbed wire and singing with electricity, it was a death trap to try climb it. Looking up and down the perimeter, he wondered if there was a breach near by.
"I want a group to scan the perimeter for breaches." he barked orders at his squadron "As for the rest of you, get these two disposed of as quickly as possible."
The head peacekeeper was just about to turn away when he heard an odd sound coming from beneath the woman's large coat. Turning, he saw a peacekeeper peal the coat away from the dead woman's side to reveal a bundle of cloth nestled against her chest. A baby. Muttering erupted from the rest of the squadron as they stared at the infant which wailed loudly in the quiet night; it was as if they had never seen one before. Rather than having the child killed, as many of his peers begun to suggest on its discovery, Crowley simply took a step towards the woman and knelt down.
He looked at the bundle, which wriggled like a little caterpillar in the cold, with sympathy before he gently scooped it up in his arms. The child was so small, it was not chubby like most babies were, and its cry caught on itself which lead Crowley to believe it might be sick. The man did not know what to do with her, him, it; he had never been trained to deal with such a situation, though if he remembered correctly from his theory training that all children discovered beyond the fence who are still at the age where impressions still need to be made must be taken to a government owned orphanage where they will raised under the eyes of the Capitol.
Young and unafraid...
Dessa was ever so hungry. Her stomach gurgled and groaned inside her as she sat on the wall outside the orphanage; her little dark hands clasped at her stomach as pain shot through her sides. Looking at the other children, who gloomily played in what was supposed to be a front yard but could scarcely be called one with its concrete ground and few blades of grass that shot through the cracks, she wondered if they were as hungry as her? The answer was probably yes, since they all got fed one scoop of grits every breakfast and dinner; if they were lucky, they'd have gloppy sweetcorn mixed in it or even a stale (slightly grey) piece of bread.
Dessa hands had already taken grasp of an oat cake when she had heard the door slam open behind her. She felt her stomach drop, if it had not been so empty she would have thrown up, as a voice screamed and footsteps stomped towards her. Before she could turn, the old hag who ran the Orphanage had grabbed hold of her wrist and was tugging her out of the kitchen- the oat cake tumbling from her hand- shouting about how the little girl was so ungrateful for the food she had been fed. Being 5, Dessa did not know as many words as she should really; some of the other kids new much more fancy words than she but unlike the other kids, Dessa did not know how to hold her tongue.
"What food? We get notin'"
Oh how she regretted those words when they tumbled from her tongue, she regretted it more when she felt the clean swipe of the old woman's hand come down across her face. The little girl let out a scream so crisp but rough from the cough she had acquired, that other children began to gather in the hallway. They did nothing, of course, while the old woman beat Dessa again. Each time the old woman's fist or knee slammed into the little girls side, Dessa's scream would falter but then continue as strong as it had done before; tears soaked her cheeks but the 5 year old refused to give up standing until her little knees could hold the pain no more.
Even after she crumbled to the ground like some doll tossed aside, the old woman continued beating her but eventually she stopped, leaving Dessa on the ground bleeding inside and out. She heard the other children scurry out of the old woman's path in the fear that they would end up like Dessa; bruised bloody and sobbing on the hard wooden floor of the Orphanage. The little girl did not see why they were always so afraid, well she saw the reason why they should be afraid but that shouldn't stop them; the old woman would give up beating one day right? If there was enough children being 'naughty' then she wouldn't have time to beat them all right? Dessa, of course did not know the answer but she wished she did.
Slowly, Dessa's vision turned grey, and her mind slipped into limbo between sleep and awake. Through the fog of unconsciousness, Dessa heard some of the other children return slowly one by one with muffled footsteps and voices. Apparently, while in this state, one of the older kids apparently used the payphone outside to call the ambulance and then Dessa was taken to hospital. The little girl had asked if the old woman had been questioned, which she had but of course, she had lied and cheated her way out of it; not that Peacekeepers cared for Orphans.
Dessa was ever so hungry. Her stomach gurgled and groaned inside her as she sat on the wall outside the orphanage; her little dark hands clasped at her stomach as pain shot through her sides. Looking at the other children, who gloomily played in what was supposed to be a front yard but could scarcely be called one with its concrete ground and few blades of grass that shot through the cracks, she wondered if they were as hungry as her? The answer was probably yes, since they all got fed one scoop of grits every breakfast and dinner; if they were lucky, they'd have gloppy sweetcorn mixed in it or even a stale (slightly grey) piece of bread.
Dessa hands had already taken grasp of an oat cake when she had heard the door slam open behind her. She felt her stomach drop, if it had not been so empty she would have thrown up, as a voice screamed and footsteps stomped towards her. Before she could turn, the old hag who ran the Orphanage had grabbed hold of her wrist and was tugging her out of the kitchen- the oat cake tumbling from her hand- shouting about how the little girl was so ungrateful for the food she had been fed. Being 5, Dessa did not know as many words as she should really; some of the other kids new much more fancy words than she but unlike the other kids, Dessa did not know how to hold her tongue.
"What food? We get notin'"
Oh how she regretted those words when they tumbled from her tongue, she regretted it more when she felt the clean swipe of the old woman's hand come down across her face. The little girl let out a scream so crisp but rough from the cough she had acquired, that other children began to gather in the hallway. They did nothing, of course, while the old woman beat Dessa again. Each time the old woman's fist or knee slammed into the little girls side, Dessa's scream would falter but then continue as strong as it had done before; tears soaked her cheeks but the 5 year old refused to give up standing until her little knees could hold the pain no more.
Even after she crumbled to the ground like some doll tossed aside, the old woman continued beating her but eventually she stopped, leaving Dessa on the ground bleeding inside and out. She heard the other children scurry out of the old woman's path in the fear that they would end up like Dessa; bruised bloody and sobbing on the hard wooden floor of the Orphanage. The little girl did not see why they were always so afraid, well she saw the reason why they should be afraid but that shouldn't stop them; the old woman would give up beating one day right? If there was enough children being 'naughty' then she wouldn't have time to beat them all right? Dessa, of course did not know the answer but she wished she did.
Slowly, Dessa's vision turned grey, and her mind slipped into limbo between sleep and awake. Through the fog of unconsciousness, Dessa heard some of the other children return slowly one by one with muffled footsteps and voices. Apparently, while in this state, one of the older kids apparently used the payphone outside to call the ambulance and then Dessa was taken to hospital. The little girl had asked if the old woman had been questioned, which she had but of course, she had lied and cheated her way out of it; not that Peacekeepers cared for Orphans.
Street rat
The streets of District 9 are always sluggish. Dessa sat on the steps of a bakery, not far from her Orphanage home, watching everyone walk past; curious of who everyone was and what their story was. Of course she'd never ask, only stare at the man with hands so burnt they appeared to be rubber or glance at the little boy with one arm that was too short. The dark haired girl always wondered about the world, there was a lot of things she still did not know despite being almost 11 years old; she barely knew how to count and her vocab was poor at the best of times but that made her wonder all the more.
Dessa glanced down at her own hands, her fingers poking out from underneath fingerless woolen gloves that were beginning to fall apart stitch by stitch. Gently, she attempted to wiggle them but her joints ached from being forced to write by hand all day and everyday; sometimes her wrist ached too but the old hag at the home had no idea what was wrong with her nor would she send for Doctors. Mumbling under her own breath, Dessa imitated what the old woman would say when someone needed a Doctor's visit - "You don't need the Doctor unless your dying on the kitchen floor. Now Scram."
Dessa laughed, throwing her head back, watching each breath form a hazy puff of smoke every time she let out a 'ha'. Soon the laugh turned into a horrible cough, causing the cackles to turn into retches and heaving noises as her body lunged forward with the coughs. Dessa didn't look up at those who stared at her sat coughing her guts up into the palms of her hand; she was used to it by now. She was forever coughing and sneezing but mainly coughing- the hag always said something was wrong with her lungs, too small or what. She'd been examined when she had arrived by the Doctors, to make sure she weren't carrying some fatal disease, but all she had was a little cough.
Wiping her hand on her trousers she gazed through the crowd. Her stomach was also making noises again; the old hag had forced her to skip breakfast for a punishment. Dessa wondered if there was anything in the bins behind the bakery, so she got to her feet and slowly made her way down the alleyway beside the stairs she had been sitting on. The alleyway was filled with a stench and wafting clouds of smog which hung just above ground level. A few rats hurried past Dessa's feet as she made her way further into the alley, only watching the pass as if they were children; she was unfazed. She had seen many like them before.
Reaching the bins, she began to rummage through them as if she were some street urchin; it made her feel disgusted in herself. She had done it a few times before but that didn't stop herself feeling shameful for what she was doing; she was starving and so she had no other choice...
"HEY YOU!" shouted a voice from behind
Turning quickly, Dessa saw an armored figure stood at the foot of the alley- their shadow looming down the narrow side street. A peacekeeper. Fear suddenly filled the young girl, it was a weekday and she was supposed to be in school.
"Come Here." the voice ordered, taking a few strides towards her.
Dessa had never been good at obeying orders, and fear pumped through her veins as if it were her own blood. Pumped full of adrenaline, Dessa turned on her heels and took off down the alley. She heard the peacekeeper shout after her angrily and begin a pursuit. uh oh she thought to herself as she desperately tried to gain some speed- though soon she began to feel out of breath. Rounding the corner, she found herself faced with her worst nightmare. A chain-link fence blocked her path to freedom, the only way up would be to climb. Dessa looked it and tried to suss the quickest way up but she couldn't stop, the peacekeeper was hot on her heels and she had no other choice but to just go by instinct.
When she was about arms length from the fence, she jumped.
Her hands clung to the fence, her fingers curling around the wires, but she was struggling to get some footing. As her feet scrambled against the wire fence, getting caught in a good position to climb up before slipping, she felt someone fist the back of her coat and pull her forcefully to the ground. With a OOF, Dessa landed on her side against the hard damp cobble; the young girl quickly turned, only to find herself face to face with a peacekeepers baton.
Dessa glanced down at her own hands, her fingers poking out from underneath fingerless woolen gloves that were beginning to fall apart stitch by stitch. Gently, she attempted to wiggle them but her joints ached from being forced to write by hand all day and everyday; sometimes her wrist ached too but the old hag at the home had no idea what was wrong with her nor would she send for Doctors. Mumbling under her own breath, Dessa imitated what the old woman would say when someone needed a Doctor's visit - "You don't need the Doctor unless your dying on the kitchen floor. Now Scram."
Dessa laughed, throwing her head back, watching each breath form a hazy puff of smoke every time she let out a 'ha'. Soon the laugh turned into a horrible cough, causing the cackles to turn into retches and heaving noises as her body lunged forward with the coughs. Dessa didn't look up at those who stared at her sat coughing her guts up into the palms of her hand; she was used to it by now. She was forever coughing and sneezing but mainly coughing- the hag always said something was wrong with her lungs, too small or what. She'd been examined when she had arrived by the Doctors, to make sure she weren't carrying some fatal disease, but all she had was a little cough.
Wiping her hand on her trousers she gazed through the crowd. Her stomach was also making noises again; the old hag had forced her to skip breakfast for a punishment. Dessa wondered if there was anything in the bins behind the bakery, so she got to her feet and slowly made her way down the alleyway beside the stairs she had been sitting on. The alleyway was filled with a stench and wafting clouds of smog which hung just above ground level. A few rats hurried past Dessa's feet as she made her way further into the alley, only watching the pass as if they were children; she was unfazed. She had seen many like them before.
Reaching the bins, she began to rummage through them as if she were some street urchin; it made her feel disgusted in herself. She had done it a few times before but that didn't stop herself feeling shameful for what she was doing; she was starving and so she had no other choice...
"HEY YOU!" shouted a voice from behind
Turning quickly, Dessa saw an armored figure stood at the foot of the alley- their shadow looming down the narrow side street. A peacekeeper. Fear suddenly filled the young girl, it was a weekday and she was supposed to be in school.
"Come Here." the voice ordered, taking a few strides towards her.
Dessa had never been good at obeying orders, and fear pumped through her veins as if it were her own blood. Pumped full of adrenaline, Dessa turned on her heels and took off down the alley. She heard the peacekeeper shout after her angrily and begin a pursuit. uh oh she thought to herself as she desperately tried to gain some speed- though soon she began to feel out of breath. Rounding the corner, she found herself faced with her worst nightmare. A chain-link fence blocked her path to freedom, the only way up would be to climb. Dessa looked it and tried to suss the quickest way up but she couldn't stop, the peacekeeper was hot on her heels and she had no other choice but to just go by instinct.
When she was about arms length from the fence, she jumped.
Her hands clung to the fence, her fingers curling around the wires, but she was struggling to get some footing. As her feet scrambled against the wire fence, getting caught in a good position to climb up before slipping, she felt someone fist the back of her coat and pull her forcefully to the ground. With a OOF, Dessa landed on her side against the hard damp cobble; the young girl quickly turned, only to find herself face to face with a peacekeepers baton.
Factory Girl
Dessa couldn't quite believe it. Well, she could, but she still didn't want to. Days earlier, she had been living at the Orphanage- somewhat happily, if by that you mean starving- when some men had approached the old hag asking if she had any girls suitable to work in their factory. At first she had refused, but then they'd shown her the money and she'd given them a list of the older girl; first and foremost was obviously Dessa. So, here she was- halfway across town in some factory that boxed little plastic casings for rings and such all day and every day.
She was probably the tallest girl out of the others who stood in the line beside her, dressed in whatever they'd been sent from home wearing, who all glanced up to Dessa with sad and scared eyes as if she would help them out of this place; but Dessa couldn't help any of them. The doors had been closed and locked behind them, there was a man stood at the door and they were 3 floors above the street so there was no way they'd be able to escape from the window. It wasn't like Dessa had anywhere to go if they did try to run, she could go back to the home but why would she ever want to go back there.
The girls briefly stopped crying as a woman- a woman- entered through the door. She held her head high, wore a sharp dress with an apron and her hair was tied back in a neat tight bun which clung close to the nape of her neck. Her face was sour, and she wore a permanent glare which only reminded Dessa of the old woman who ran the orphanage; she smirked to herself as she imagined the two as sisters. She immediately regretted it, since the woman noticed and quickly turned her evil gaze on Dessa.
"Is there a problem here girl?" she spoke quick, with a slight high tone to her voice
Dessa turned her
She was probably the tallest girl out of the others who stood in the line beside her, dressed in whatever they'd been sent from home wearing, who all glanced up to Dessa with sad and scared eyes as if she would help them out of this place; but Dessa couldn't help any of them. The doors had been closed and locked behind them, there was a man stood at the door and they were 3 floors above the street so there was no way they'd be able to escape from the window. It wasn't like Dessa had anywhere to go if they did try to run, she could go back to the home but why would she ever want to go back there.
The girls briefly stopped crying as a woman- a woman- entered through the door. She held her head high, wore a sharp dress with an apron and her hair was tied back in a neat tight bun which clung close to the nape of her neck. Her face was sour, and she wore a permanent glare which only reminded Dessa of the old woman who ran the orphanage; she smirked to herself as she imagined the two as sisters. She immediately regretted it, since the woman noticed and quickly turned her evil gaze on Dessa.
"Is there a problem here girl?" she spoke quick, with a slight high tone to her voice
Dessa turned her
