heath d13 | fin

You've never seen the outside. They've told you since you were old enough to comprehend it that the feeling of fresh air cast against your chest is freedom. For now, every particle you breathe in is recycled thousands of times a day through generators and fans. The earthy dirt is fluffier than the concrete lanes of the underground. Everything is better up there, the water, the food, the warmth. Hell, thin blanket sheets do nothing for you in Thirteen, where the walls feel like damp caverns prepared to chill you to the bone.

The Capitol and their district puppets have made this their agenda for ninety years. They aim to keep you and the rest of District Thirteen suffocated in this hell hole we are forced to call our home. The light of day is but a story passed down generation upon generation for most. That is, of course, unless you're lucky enough to make it out there yourself. That is what this academy is for, recruits. We are preparing you to see the sunrise.

Your eyes roam the television screen ahead of you as choppy footage rolls of planes unloading bombs upon the nuclear District Thirteen. The video tells you that your district fought too hard, relentless in its efforts to withstand the Capitol's powerful hand from tightening its grip on you, too. It took all they had to drive Thirteen into silence. Explosives sent towering skyscrapers into a collapse, and along with it, many innocent citizens of Panem. They put your ancestor's home into shambles as an example for the other districts. Look at what they will do to your homes if you continue to disobey. Fires die out on the screen, leaving rubble of concrete, glass, shrapnel, and human limb.

We are showing this to you so that you are prepared, recruits. There will not be another opportunity once we emerge from the shadows to retreat. They know we are still alive, hanging on by a thread of malfunctioning generators and tasteless meals. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain when you fly our planes and fight on the frontline in the Capitol. Almost by definition, something that you cannot lose means that victory is imminent. Freedom is imminent. But if you want to see the oceans and rivers that span throughout Panem from east to west, you are not allowed to make mistakes. We cannot afford liabilities in this academy.

You will not be a liability. You will not be a liability. You will not be- will not be- will not be a liability. Not anymore. Your name is Heath Prichard. Your parents died because you were a liability. District Thirteen cannot afford for you to be a liability again. Be reliable, dependable, capable, commendable. You will see the outside and breathe the air that few Thirteen residents have tasted in nearly a century.

We will now begin the interview process to see where you will be the best fit to train in this academy. Some of you will specialize in specific areas, such as combat or piloting. Others will be given general instruction for the time being. Answer freely. Kostas Academy will not tolerate dishonesty. Dishonesty leads to mistakes. Mistakes lead to..

Liabilities. You hang on to every word the speaker emits like your lunch ration of water. This is where you belong. Once you turned fifteen, officers arrived at your door with an ultimatum: work, attend the academies, or die. You were not a good, contributing member of society like the laws of residency in Thirteen demanded from you. Your parents perished during the oxygen shortage. You were a little boy then, who could blame you for digging your claws into the bed frame as red lights beamed in your eyes and sirens blared? You can blame yourself, Heath. By the time your parents got you out of bed, there was barely any time to escape. The oxygen was depleting and they had to close off the sector. Mom threw you underneath the falling door seconds before it shut for good. They could not escape, dying of asphyxiation along with seven others who could not make it out. You chose the academy, as learning might just be the best way to reconcile your mistakes.

A gentleman guides you to his office room, locking the door behind him. Everything must remain confidential. You are not allowed to speak about your interview, coursework, or training in the academy with anyone outside of the academy. It will put you at risk if you disobey these orders.

He begins to question you at a rapid pace, not missing a beat after your responses.

"What is your name?"

"Heath Prichard."

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"What is your sector?"

"8.4."

"Do you love District Thirteen?"

"Yes."

"Do you wish to protect District Thirteen?"

"Yes."

"Is the Capitol our enemy?"

"Of course."

"Do you support District Thirteen's aim towards freedom and independence from the Capitol and Panem?"

"Yes."

"Will you obey the orders of Presidents Nova and Cormac Verlice?"

"Yes."

"Would you die for District Thirteen and its causes?"

No hesitation. "Yes."

"Good boy. You've passed our interview. You may enter the dining hall for further instruction."

"Thank you, sir."

"And sit up straight, Mr. Prichard. No future soldier may have poor posture."

Yes, sir."

You stand up straight with your arms by your side as you exit. You passed! You follow a single-file line of the academy's students to the dining hall. There is nobody eating, though. Eyes are glued to the screen where a projector plays hundred-year-old documentaries about the Dark Days.

They have done this to our home. And by locking us away in the underground, they are trying to keep us silent. District Thirteen, we cannot be silent any longer. All children are encouraged to strap up and attend District Thirteen's academies, both Ames and Kostas, in order to train themselves in resiliency and dedication. The fight for freedom is switching hands as another youthful generation comes to fruition. This will be the generation in which we see grass once more.

Every word is deemed sincere as soon as it comes out of the speaker. District Thirteen wants to be free, and you must fight for that freedom. You must do your part. Obey the rules. Follow orders. Train hard. Do not question your authority. Dissent is a liability. You will not be a liability.

At seventeen, your specialization is to be a pilot. The man who interviews you is the same one who admitted you to Kostas Academy.

You recite your oath.

You are Heath Prichard. You are seventeen years old. You are from Sector 8.4. You love District Thirteen. You will protect District Thirteen. The Capitol is your enemy. You support District Thirteen's aim towards freedom and independence from the Capitol and Panem. You will obey the orders of President Nova Verlice and President Cormac Verlice. You will die for District Thirteen and its causes. You swear it.

And soon, a pilot for District Thirteen you will be. You will see the sky, the water, the grassy ground.

Just as they promised you.