The Storm Has Passed [Open]

As she perched on the rock, the light winter breeze playing with her blonde hair and chilling her bare arms, Quartz shuddered and rubbed her hands over skin, now wishing that she'd brought something warmer to wear. Adjusting her position a little, hoping to shield a little more of her body from the wind, she listened quietly to the other's conversations and watched them with squinting blue eyes.

"Sorry, it's a touchy subject I guess" the girl who had shouted at one of the boys replied, quieting down. Everybody was on-edge after reapings, and although she took the emotion well, Quartz understood that everyone experienced it differently. It was natural to be snappy and angered more than usual, which was what she herself was often like. What she really wanted was to clear her head, but was too interested in how the others would respond to the girl's comment.

As if on queue, the boy shrugged and replied “No big deal, it’s easy to make a Career outta me. I guess I could be, whichever way you define it.” Quartz felt his eyes travel towards her and land on her smug smile, assessing her. She stared back, almost wanting to wave, but decided against it based on his expression. Probably wonders if I'm a Career. Hah she thought with an eyeroll. Quartz used to go to training religiously, but soon got bored once she'd learnt the basics. Besides, everyone there was determined to show off, to gloat about how far they could throw a spear or how heavy the weights that they lifted were. Sure, she liked attention, but all the egotistical show-off's made her extremely annoyed. She'd only have one more reaping to go through anyway, and the odds for her getting reaped were very slim.

Another girl sitting by the beach, a bit younger looking that the other, had grabbed a handful of seaweed and held it out to the girl who had yelled and the boy who had replied. Although Quartz was too high up to hear the full conversation, she watched her and the boy receive the offering and take a small bite, picking up a few words here and there. Something about food, and reapings, and scarce. Quartz guessed the girl's parents may not be pleased that she didn't volunteer, as many a parent was. Quartz never understood why, apart from the supposed pride and honour that parents of Careers rambled on about, anyone would want to send their child off to almost certain death. The thought of her father, or even her mother, wishing that fate upon her sent chills down her spine that weren't from the wind. She would almost feel sorry for the girl, if she cared more about other people. Bitter as she was, Quartz did think of the food that she had managed to consume whilst at home, and felt appreciative of it as she tucked her knees under her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, staring out at the ocean.

The rising winds began to grow louder in her ears, deciding to patter down a few meters below where she sat and find a more comfortable, warm position instead, deciding on a flat rock that blocked out all but a few escaping gusts of wind. But she was at the beach, after all, and wind was to be expected. She hoped that something exciting would happen, unless she may leave and find another, more secluded spot. Her limbs itched for the water, and needed to swim before the sun went down.