who's there? /blitz/will/

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

On a log in the middle of the District Seven wilderness I whittle. I breathe in the crisp, somewhat unwelcoming winter air and look around. I've just been whittling a pointy stick. I like to do that. It helps pass the time. In the woods I see the usual lack of wildlife, just tall trees as far as the eye can see.

Except there. In that direction. Something walks toward me in the wilderness. It doesn't register as anything I've seen before, so I hop up and dart behind the thickest tree near me. I stay very quiet and try to breath as delicately as possible. Everybody knows that in cold air, when you breathe, you breathe fog. And that fog is visible. If whatever's coming sees my foggy breath, it'll come right over.

I peek around the tree as I hear it sit down on the log I was just on. It's a human. How could I have not recognized that? I blame it on the tangle of branches. You can mistake anything in here for anything else. I slowly come around the tree, keeping my back against it. I want to see how long it will take for him to notice someone else was sitting there.

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

"Hi, I'm Wynn Sawdust." The boy says, immediately discovering I'm there.

Is it possible I'd stepped on a twig? I need to be more careful of that when I'm sneaking through the woods. It seems like that's how everyone finds me. The boy standing there isn't wearing the best clothes for a District Seven winter, but I'm sure he probably wasn't planning on staying out here very long. He's a very handsome guy, tall, dark haired, fair skinned. I think he might be a year or two older than me.

Out of pure impulse, I extend my hand and shake his. I respond with a large smile upon my face, "Nice to meet you. I'm Liam." Once the greeting's over, I realize how awkward this is. Just two guys standing alone in the woods, one having been creeping on the other. So I quickly ask a question to offset the bizarre tone to the situation, "So what brings you out to my little spot in the woods?"

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

The boy reacts very strangely to the things I say. I notice that he seems to almost lose focus when I speak. I'm not entirely sure what's happening. I look him up and down, checking for any weapons, especially an axe. I don't want to be stuck in the depths of scarcely traveled wilderness with a maniac carrying a weapon. I can only think of how badly that could end.

He blurts out an answer to my question almost immediately, "The beauty of nature in most reality. How about you, Handsome?"

What? Did he just call me, Handsome? I look around, seeing if there are any quick escape roots if need be. My parents and friends have warned me about those killers and kidnappers who lurk in the woods, waiting for kids to show up to take them. I never actually thought that would happen. My body is full of fear, but the thing that keeps me standing there is curiosity. And some other feeling. I don't quite know what it is.

The boy does seemed a bit surprised. I'm not sure what of, though. Did he not expect me to freeze in my place? Or maybe, just maybe, did he not mean to call me, Handsome? Could it have just been a pure accident? One of those words that just rolls off your tongue without your consent?

I reply cautiously, thinking over each individual word I will plan to say. I also choose to ignore the fact that he called me, Handsome.

"I just like to come out here to think sometimes."

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

He didn't know he said it? Did he not hear the word slip from between his smiling lips? Or maybe he just didn't think it was awkward to say. Maybe he's just one of those people who is really friendly and gets personal right off the bat. Those are usually fun people to talk with. And they're usually some of the best people I know.

I loosen up, so far he isn't acting suspicious. I don't have much reason to be scared. He appears weaponless and he sounds genuine in his question. I decide to give him an honest answer, but it comes out with a slightly puzzled tone in my voice,

"You called me, Handsome."

When I say it, it doesn't actually sound that bad. It must have just been nerves. It must've just been the fact that I've always been scared of running into people in the woods. Not to mention the fact that every scary story has some mysterious woods. I feel bad now that I got so worked up over a simple word. A word that serves as a compliment and nothing else.

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

"Well this is awkward," he blurts out.

The combination of fear, hilarity, and actual awkwardness forced me to burst out laughing. It's just so funny. The past few minutes have been nothing but bizarre. I don't know what had come over me, but I was not acting like my usual self. Maybe it was the cold, or maybe I just didn't get the sleep I thought I had last night.

After about ten or so seconds of laughing I'm able to pull myself back together. I inhale deeply to stop myself from letting out anymore laughter for the time being, and then speak,

"I'm sorry. I'm not quite sure why I thought that was funny."

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

"Maybe the occasion that I said it because it's actually awkward?" Wynn says.

I don't understand what he said, but I get the gist of it. He seems genuinely upset, not angry upset, just the kind of upset where you're not sure what's happening. I guess the word closest to what I sense is frustration. But it's less severe than that. I smile at his effort to cover up the awkwardness of the situation. It makes me breathe out another quick laugh.

I decide that Wynn is a much nicer guy than I'm expecting. Or at least, a more intricate one. He seems like he's friend material. He has the potential, at least. I decide to engage him in some conversation,

"So, what part of the district do you live in?"

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
- Aristotle Onassis

The richer part of the district? I haven't seen him around. At least I don't think I have. I hate talking about it, it makes me feel so conceited, but my family lives in the rich part of District Seven. I look at him harder. Is he lying? Or does he just live on the other side of the rich district? I wonder if maybe he's one of those poor kids who says they live in the rich sector because they're embarrassed to say otherwise.

I decide to challenge him on his answer. Not because I'm trying to get him to admit something uncomfortable, but just because I want to see if he's trustworthy enough.

"Really? I don't think I've seen you around there?" I tell him.

"You hear my voice?
You hear that sound?
I've got the eye of the tiger
Fire
Dancing through the fire
Because I am a champion
And you're gonna hear me roar"
- Katy Perry, Roar.