Pure Morning {Antimony
Jun 27, 2011 19:16:06 GMT -5
Post by Baby Wessex d9b [earthling] on Jun 27, 2011 19:16:06 GMT -5
Mace didn't get days off. In fact the concept was entirely foreign. That was something the folks in the Capitol did, as they wiled away their time. He wasn't sure they ever even had days on, which was equally confusing. No, time off usually meant a Reaping. So he wasn't exactly thrilled when the community home mother, better known as "Ma," told him to get out of the house, and not be in the fields, and leave those damned cows alone for a day. He couldn't really fathom her reasoning, but as she allowed him to stay in the home rather than forcing him out at eighteen, Mace was inclined to obey her. For now.
The trouble wasn't that he didn't want some time for himself. Who didn't? It was just that he didn't know what to do with it, now that it had been given. He had never attended the school of District Ten; the community home was just large enough to support educating its own. So, he had never gotten to know his "neighbors," although they could hardly be called that as the closest one was nearly a mile away. And the school was much farther. What would he do there anyhow? He tossed the idea almost as soon as it occurred to him.
And then he was totally at a loss. Not wanting to stay under foot when he'd been told to do otherwise, Mace left the ranch and took to the dusty, dry road. It wasn't so bad walking, though. Kismet, one of his herding dogs, caught up to him after a half-mile, and Mace couldn't see the point in sending him back. The beast was a dumb mutt, and wouldn't listen to anyone else. He had no idea how the cattle would be fed without him, but he tried not to worry about that, either. Instead he thought about the town, and his feet naturally carried him to the market, even though it wasn't the right time for anything to be open.
But it was familiar, and not completely deserted. He guessed by the light of the sun that it was just about midday. When did school even get out? Would he find others his age? Where did people go between school and work, before they had families?
Mace stood along the side of the main thoroughfare, watching people pass by. He was tired of thinking about options, about what he could do. This was such a pointless exercise, as far as he was concerned. Better that he be at the home, scrubbing toilets, than wiling away a day like this. He didn't even have any of his own coin to buy anything decent, and if he'd thought harder about it, he could have brought some stuff for trade. But he hadn't, and here he was, stranded in the shade on a lazy, hot summer's day.
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