Kasey Karataeva ~ D3 ~ 18 [FIN]

Karataeva.


The chartreuse shoes with streaks of red still sit proudly on the mantle of our fireplace with the picture of her modeling them hanging above them. My family says that I inherited a good amount of her features, the same face shape, and the same flowing red hair, but everyone in our family has red hair so it's not that big of a deal. Plus I don't think our similarities are even that strong. My eyes are more hazel while hers are more light blue. My nose is an upturned button while hers is longer and almost downturned. It's been not very pleasant having constantly compared to my great great grandmother, Kasia. With her portrait hanging so high above us in the penthouse apartment she secured after her win, it feels like her ghost is monitoring us, ensuring keep her legacy alive.

Or at least that is how it feels with how my family acts. I don't understand why we are still in fashion and production tech just because Kasia made mechanical wings for her Reaping dress. I don't get why we have to be eternally grateful that she won a killing game. Or at least one of the killing Games. According to the family history, she died in a twisted Games where they made all of the Victors kill each other. Some sort of "All Stars" event, the Capitol called it. If that's true, then why aren't we angry? Why haven't we started trying to fight back against the very concept of the Games? It's been almost 100 years, and the Games are still celebrated as the cornerstone of Panem's culture, and it's disgusting.

My parents say that we're keeping Kasia's memory and story alive, but all I see is us serving our purpose in the Capitol's design, just a cog serving our purpose just like any good part should. My younger sister has taken it upon herself to keep up the family tradition of fashion and production tech. She always brings up how things have changed so much since my great-great grandma's time, and I try not to get upset when my sister brings it up. My reaction does give her teasing fodder though, calling me pufferfish for the way my cheeks puff out when I hold my tongue. I've never been good at hiding my emotions, but at least I'm honest. Too honest some people might say. Well, I think too many people pretend to be nice under the guise of politeness when I think things would be a lot smoother if everyone just said what was on their mind.

As much as I hate to admit it though, my family might have a point. I'm brazen and defiant, hating that things could always be better, yet we settle for just being ok. I think District Three has so much potential to be more than what we are now, yet some say that since we have so few Victors, we should be lucky that we aren't targeted like other Districts are. We still hold the Capitol's very limited favor. Am I the only one who sees that the Capitol would crumble without us? They profit off of our labor, our sweat, and our blood, just so that they can party. I'll never understand why people are ok with living in the system that we do, and applaud the districts who tried to rebel and make something new for themselves.

I make my way through the ever-crowded streets of Three, wishing that the Capitol would let us expand, and give us some more breathing room. But that's not a luxury we won, even if my great-great grandmother had to spill blood to get whatever favor we had. It's hard to wipe off the grime that paints the District, but at least we're reaping the benefits of the Capitol relying on us. People are starting to afford nicer things, the homeless population can afford housing, and I get paid for being a babysitter because parents can actually afford dates now. As angry as I am towards the adults, kids have always held a place in my heart. I can't help but melt at their innocence.

Being a babysitter allows me to remember that not everything is bleak and terrible, children have a way of seeing the good in most things, and that is something I want to protect. They don't know about everything that goes on, and I learn a surprising amount from them. They just approach everything at face value is a trait I still had. I'm too worried about ulterior motives, or people pretending to be nice when they want to use me. I had to start going by Elektra around my close friends just to afford myself a moment of anonymity. Apparently, the Karataeva name still carried weight in the District, which is annoying.