Elon Emberstatt // District Ten

Name: Elon Emilio Emberstatt
Age: 17
Gender: Male
District/Area: District 10
Appearance:

People used to say that I had the biggest smile when I was little. I guess until I became a teenager really. Which is weird when you think about it, because how does someone lose a smile? It's not like someone gave it to me. Well, maybe my parents. But I don't know who they are, and if I don't know who the giver is, then it's anonymous. So anonymous gave me a smile. And it disappeared? I didn't mean to lose it. Maybe it ran away. That sort of makes sense.

But the point is, I don't have that smile any more, and I guess it kind of defined me. I mean people who used to live at the community home don't even recognize me now. It's weird. Totally. But what can I do about it? Anyhow, now I guess people know me by... my facial expression. Yeah, my brothers always say that I look like I'm a thinker. Well, Mace says that. Icarus doesn't seem to mind much, and Cygnus would say something more like "pensive." I am always thinking; I don't know how to stop. I'd like to stop. Sometimes. Because mostly I'm worrying and that's not good for my health. A lot of the time I just worry about my skin. I mean it's so pale, like reflective. And in the summer I get all these freckles, and I've heard about cancer, and I just don't think that I'm suited for a place with so much sunlight year round. I try to avoid it, but there's always chores to do. I want to help out, I do, I also just don't want to die of skin cancer.

Mostly the chores I do are inside the house. I help teach the children, and I like that, because it gives me time to really explore the reading I've done. I don't like math as much, but it's better than cleaning up cow mess. Or you know, killing them. But I think I got off point. Again. I'm not as strong as my other brothers, but that's really okay with me. Other than the whole skin burning issue, I'm pretty content with the way I look, smile or no.

[Claiming my Eddie Redmayne reservation]

Personality:

It's not that I'm not happy. I mean maybe I was happier when I was little. I don't remember. Do you remember feeling things when you were a toddler or tween? It just seemed like the world went by so fast. There was school and chores and my brothers, and all the other siblings in the home. Every day was the same, and that was good. Maybe it's just that I miss the routine of my childhood.

Because now that I'm a little older, I see all the cracks. I know when breakfast is late it's because something disastrous happened in the kitchen. I know when Mace goes on one of his long ranching trips it's because he can't contain his rage. But at least the house is quieter. When he gets back, there's usually a lot of punishment doled out. And that disrupts everything because some of the children will have to do that instead of come to class. I don't like that, but Mace doesn't really listen to me.

Not that he has to. He's clearly top dog, and I love him, no matter what. I love all my siblings, and I try to do right by them. I listen, keep their secrets, help clean up their messes. It makes me feel good to help out. Besides, listening to someone else's problems sort of fills out my life. I don't have a lot going on. I hardly ever leave the house, which is probably a good thing because I'd likely get lost.

I don't really know where I'm heading in this world. Other than teaching, I've never really liked to do anything. Well, reading too, but that's practically the same thing. It's like teaching yourself. So I don't know what I'll do when I turn eighteen. Maybe Ma and Mace will keep me around to teach more children. But do I want to stay here? Cygnus asks me that from time to time. I just don't know. I can't really see myself getting married. I don't know many girls my age other than my siblings. Actually, correction, I don't know any. And I've never really understood girls the way I understand my brothers. And I don't really want to, you know, do anything to them, not like what Mace and Cygnus talk about. It sort of grosses me out. So I don't know where that leaves me. I just. don't. know.

History:

I was born in District Ten, somewhere, and my parents brought me to the district square, where they left me a little before dawn. I guess I spent a few days at a house in the nicer part of the district before the family decided another baby was just too much handle. So then I was passed off to the northern community home. Not an auspicious start, but I immediately became one of the Emberstatt brothers. The family from the square had already named me Elon, so Ma gave me another "E" name for the middle part. It's nice, having all the same letters. I've always liked that sort of balance.

So I grew up with a dozen siblings on and off. I don't remember a lot of those older than me, especially the boys. They tended to leave when they started to put on muscles for other farms. That was okay though, as long as I had my brothers. We ran and played, and maybe I don't remember how it really felt, but I remember what it did, and those memories make me happy. That's pretty much the same thing, isn't?

Ma taught me to read and, after my smile, that sort of became my thing. I've read every book we own, and bought a few more over the years with birthday money. I actually own seven books, and I love them all. I take very good care of them, and I only lend them out to the kids who I trust the most. But I'll read them aloud to anyone who will listen. Stories - that's how I survive in a house that is always noisy and obsessed with cattle (which I really don't understand at all because they are big and dumb and smell terrible).

These last couple of years have been the hardest. We had to sell off the horses and that just made everyone work even harder, myself included. And my brothers all seem to know where they're going. Well, or be content with where they are. I don't know. Am I happy? Do I want to leave? Where would I go? I'm really sure the community home isn't the best place on earth, but I'm also sure that it isn't the worst. That has to count for something, right?

I feel like I'm walking in circles. Maybe it would help to pace. I'll try that tonight. I think I might be okay if someone gave me some direction, instead of having to figure it out myself. Like, maybe Mace really does need me to help out around the house, or Ma really does like that I help teach the kids. I could stay here, if they wanted me to. I might stay, even if they don't.

Codeword: Odair
Comments/Other:

all done, and so are the Emberstatt brothers <3