Woodpecker's Song {Open}

When I inspect that she isn't off to find another tree, I piece the other clues together. She's not looking for another tree, everyone has a partner assigned to them, but not me. The epiphany strikes me 'She's assigned to this tree.' That's when she follows me up the tree, just a few branches below me."This is the tree I was assigned to." she confirms my speculation.

Truthfully, I prefer to work alone on many things since things seemed to get done quicker. Still, it may be the fact that I seclude myself from people which makes it difficult for me to talk to people. "I wouldn't have even noticed I was about to pass by if you hadn't dropped the apple." I suppose it was good luck for her that I dropped that fruit, but it still shook me. She giggles and gives a large smile "-So thanks." her words end. I give her a broken smile which substitutes a 'you're welcome' and ponder to myself.

'Well, they're actually called gamboge, a fruit that could look similar to a mangosteen.' I wanted to correct her, but I feel it is redundant to point out. I take a few fruits from an area where the fruits are still bountiful, resisting the temptation to simply snack on the fruit like we all do every day. The last few people who ate fruits from the trees where severely punished, I swore they could've died from blood loss or an infection of some sort from the wounds. I quake a bit in the thought of putting myself in that person's position. Of course, there were the lucky few who were able to snatch a few fruits from trees right past the peacekeepers' nose. Oh, how I wish to be able to do so to help feed my mom and dad.

After a few more pieces of fruit collected, the girl introduces herself. "I'm Stormy. What's your name?" Her name is both interesting and mysterious, which almost peaks my curiosity. The thing is, now she's speaking to me and I don't really know how to give a good response.

I decide to roll with what the layout of her question is and I give my answer "It's, uh, Lotus." it's a bit weak but I suppose it gives a start to conversation. When I look back to my past, I notice that I've never been all that good at talking with other people. At school, I'm usually alone and even when I work, I remain silent. What's worse is that even when a guy I like passes me, I'm too shy to even say a proper hello to him. Maybe I should become just a bit more social.

"So, uh, how, er, how old are you?" I manage to get the question out of my mouth, only slightly distorted. It's still difficult for me to start or even roll on to a real conversation with someone. 'You just need to be more confident' I give myself encouragement, while taking another piece of fruit.

The girl gives me a response and is apparently my age. She also returns the question as an obligation. I push my teeth against my lower lip in a bit of anxiety. 'It's a rare that I ever have a conversation with most people' only my mom and dad are people I'm comfortable talking with. Strangers really have to pry themselves into my thoughts to get me speaking. I pick another fruit and inspect it's texture before putting it into my pouch. "15." My response is simple and quick and just a bit awkward.

I look down to the girl who seems to be having no trouble with gathering the fruit. 'How does she keep her hair like that?' I wonder to myself. It's almost like she takes very close care of it. 'Imagine being chased my someone and having your hair caught in a bush' a random thought comes by me and makes me cringe a bit.

Once again I look up to the fruits above me and I decide to go higher to get them. One step at a time, I climb each branch, careful not to loose my grip or damage the tree. I take a few fruits and organize them into the slightly swollen pouch. It's a bit of awkward silence and I stare down to the girl again, thinking she may speak for me.

I tug at the dirty strips of cloth wrapped tightly around my forearms as I wait quietly in line to be assigned my tree for the day, stretching it taut over my knuckles to cover more of the scarred skin beneath. I'm dimly aware of my brother's presence beside me, his boots crunching on the dried grass below our feet as he scuffs the ground with notably less patience. My sister is nowhere to be seen, but that's fine. She talks too much anyway.

"Orchard number 11, tree number 3." The peacekeeper- who looks a little too old to be wearing that familiar white uniform- speaks in a voice that reminds me vaguely of dish-water gurgling down the drain, and I try to keep the corner of my lip from curling upwards as a basket is roughly thrust into my arms. I back up a few paces and wait for just a moment to see if West is assigned anywhere near me, only to find that he's being sent to a whole other part of the orchard. He grunts at me before stalking off to find his tree, and I shrug and turn on my heels to do the same. No Perri and no West for several hours. This was going to be a very long, very quiet day. Not that I'm complaining.

Once I make my way to orchard 11, tree number 3 is just a short walk away. There aren't very many workers out this early in the morning, so it's relatively quiet. My tree is a large Gamboge, heavy with round, yellow fruits just begging to be picked, the tree itself standing a good forty, fifty feet high. I've heard about these trees, with their not-so-sturdy limbs and slick bark. A lot of accidents around here.

I loop the strap of my basket over my shoulder and wipe my already sweaty palms on my jeans. Better get climbing.

The bark is a little rougher than it looks, so I manage to get a good enough grip on the limbs as I hoist myself higher and higher up into the tree, carefully making my way to the riper fruits hanging from the topmost branches. Once I'm a good thirty feet off the ground, I brace my feet on two somewhat sturdy limbs and lean back against the trunk, doing my best to get comfortable. I fruit dangles just above my head, and I reach up to pluck it off its branch and drop in my basket. One down, many, many more to go.

It's not long before more people begin to trickle in, and the serenity of the quiet morning is quickly drowned out by the chattering of the workers around him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a younger boy climbing the tree next to mine, a little more agilely than I had. I go back to picking fruits, wondering to myself when my partner will arrive, when the boy suddenly starts to sing.

I can't actually hear what he's saying, just the barely audible rise and fall of tones that tells me he's not just talking to himself, but actually singing. I halt in my fruit-picking to cock my head and listen for just moment, trying to discern the words, but I can only make out bits and pieces. Something about a woodpecker and touching your friends. Huh.

And then there's a gasp, a short snap, and I turn my head just in time to see a perfectly ripe fruit plummeting towards the ground, away from the boy's outstretched hand. The sight makes me cringe inwardly, thoughts of whippings and angry peacekeepers flitting across my mind, before the fruit miraculously lands right into the waiting hands of a young girl. I blink, a small smile tugging the corner of my mouth upwards. Nice catch...

With the falling fruit scare over, I go back to picking the fruit in silence, little snippets of the ensuing conversation floating to my ears. I catch the boy's name, Lotus, only because it's such a unique name, even though he just barely mutters it loud enough for the girl to hear.

Finding nothing interesting in their chatter, I'm just about to tune it out when movement catches my eye. I glance over to see that the girl had scaled the tree and was threading herself between the branches, though she didn't seem like she was being too mindful about where she was placing her feet. I watch for a moment, one brow quirking upwards warily, and I see the girl lift up on foot and start to bring it down just shy of the branch she must've been aiming for.

"Watch out!" I call just as the girl's foot slips on the branch and she lurches forward. I cringe, sure that she's about to fall to her untimely death or at least severe injury, but she manages to hook her arms around another branch and hoist herself to safety before that can happen. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding, thankful that the Gamboge trees wouldn't be the cause of yet another accident today.

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After helping her with the many tangles, Storm thanks me and looks over to the man in the next tree. 'It's the guy who called out to warn her.' I look at this guy who is apparently concerned for us to find the person obstructed by quite a few branches and leaves. 'At least he can't see me very well.' I think to myself. Concealing myself from other people was something I'd normally do, especially when it's unnecessary to be seen in the first place. Luckily, from this distance a peace keeper wouldn't be able to hear us so easily.

Still, even as i avoid any visual contact I feel obligated to give my thanks. Instead of a verbal response, I simply incline my head towards the third party for a few seconds. I get back to work though since the sooner I'm done this three, the sooner I'll be safe on the ground.

A few more fruits picked and then I get a strange sensation. 'Someone is watching me.' I turn to the girl, Storm, but then notice she's not looking. When I look at the neighboring tree, I notice the guy who shout out to Storm. I could sort of see some details of him, and he could definitely get a clear view of us. My sudden reaction is to flinch and conceal myself a bit from him, using the branches to block a full view. The thing is, my curiosity gets the better of my and I take a chance to observe him. He has dark, brown hair which matches his eyes which are a warmer shade. His skin is white like Storm's is and from what I can decipher, he seemed to be a person older then I, but young enough to be reaped. 'He actually looks rather handsome.' I study the guy a bit before continuing my work.

This adolescent from the other tree says to Storm "You should really be more careful. It's a pretty long drop." I decide to distract myself and take measures into my mind and think critically. 'Assuming my weight to be 45 kilograms, the fall to be twenty feet and the gravity constant the same, the fall would most likely wouldn't be fatal... If I land properly. Then again I suppose the branches could break the fall before even hitting the ground.' I don't entirely understand why, but I enjoy applying mathematics in my life. Still, to have it applied to such a serious matter is quite unsavory. I turn my head to her for a brief moment to see what her response is.