The Return (Open)

The forest is quiet today, and the air is almost too humid for my tastes. I've been traveling off from District One to who knows where now. I don't care to be there anymore after meeting that boy. What a god damn coward. I grab at myself and shake my head. I can't believe the place never improved on my leaving. Why should it though? District One is bound to continue those problems with superiority. Always thinking about themselves and not hoping to improve the world itself. Escaping there was one of the best things I could do. Now I could enjoy what the truth was. How horrible a man could treat another. Grab arms and use a weapon to destroy themselves in the bleak chaos that once could have been law. And I, the holder of a weapon, works against those forces. How chilling the thought is.

Then again, war was inevitable among man as we craved blood and hungered for violence. Though I'm glad I can be different. Not wanting to conform to the beliefs but be one with the cycle of nature. Understand that the world can give if we are willing to give. Forrest taught me all of that. He was quite the man too. Looking out for the small guy in the woods as they were climbing the trees. Forrest was looking out for me. But he left to help others in the woods, felt that I was ready on my own. Wherever Forrest was, though, he was doing something great for the world. Helping those as unfortunate as I had been in the woods. Teaching them that the world can be kind in a give and give society. And I would do the same for whomever I find.

“Forrest... Where are you?” He's all I can think of. All I long for in this lonely life in the woods.

And the world is no longer cold when I see him. Forrest! Over in the woods walking off in the distance. Was he waiting for me? Hopefully coming for me, waiting to meet with me again. He was what I needed after the day in District One. The pleasant smile he'd wear when he saw how much I'd grown. How strong I've grown... He would want to see me, out here surviving off the land still, wouldn't he? Forrest left me because I was strong enough to survive and didn't worry about me. But I worry about him everyday. No night goes by that I don't think of his grace. Now here he is though, wandering the woods like me.

I have to get to him.

I run toward him, and he's obviously heard me when I enter the room because he has stopped. Forrest would notice just about anything. He would even notice a little thing like me. But then I get a better look at him. Something isn't right. Not quite what I had thought. Is this really Forrest?

“You know...you need to work on your stalking skills a little better if you want to follow me and not get heard. Just come out and you won't get hurt."

No, he's not Forrest at all. Who is this man?

“No, I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else...” I turn to leave but something is keeping me here. Forrest always said never to trust anyone, even a stranger in the woods. What if he turns to attack for some reason. “I'm looking for an old friend. His name's Forrest. You just happen to look like him.”

"Put that on to cover your hair. Please. It reminds me too much of someone I knew."

He's handed me a hate to cover my hair. It makes me smile and chuckle, how this pretty feature needs to be hidden now. Everyone from District One would be dying to have me wear it down, proudly covering the body they so desired. Craved. Devoured. That isn't your world anymore Passion. You're here in the wild with this... person. Who was he anyways? I can't help but wonder that as I put the cap over my head, covering some of the long hair I've grown while out here. He seems nice enough but wasn't I told never to trust anyone? Even out here? And it is even worse out here because if he turns to me, with those hungry eyes, then I'm not sure I can really fight him off. Not here especially. Why did I even come down here? In hopes of finding him? In hopes of Forrest.

"I'm sorry that I can't really help you. I don't know anyone named Forrest. Maybe if my friends hadn't gotten caught in the two years that I had been training in uncharted lands, they could help you. Worst case is that they're dead right now and I wouldn't doubt it."

Living in the world as it was now turned into something dramatic. I didn't want to think of Forrest or be bogged down by his disappearance yet here I was. Telling another person about him. And that I lived for myself. And I do. No one can say otherwise. He was the everything I had wanted outside the world of District One. How perfect he was not to look at my body and say that it was his to own one day. All the people in District One, claiming the girls as though they were dogs. But this was a relief now. To be away from that lifestyle and with a world that would want me to be something more. Not just another pretty face.

"Really? Is that why you're looking for Forrest? Because looking for him and seeming to worry about him just contradicts everything that you just said about living for yourself."

It stung because he was right in my speech. I'm out her looking for someone else rather than just doing something else. But then again, I was looking for Forrest for myself. He was going to be there for me one day, I know it. But when? I never know when I will see the man again. He may be watching me now even, to make sure I'm still okay out here in the wilderness. He always did watch from afar when he'd trick me. But this was the first time he hadn't come back, and through the years I hadn't seen him at all out here. And he would be there again, I'm sure of it. He always came back. Always...

I shake my head gathering my thoughts. I can't focus on Forrest now because of this new man. What was he doing out here. I can't help but feel like there is some ulterior motive to the people he called friends. Why would anyone want them dead? Why would anyone be chasing them? What were they doing out here? But what is even worse is that now they can't be found because of, what, Peacekeepers most likely. The people out here know how to defend themselves against the threats of the world. What they can't fight against is civilization. They would die trying to act against the capitol no matter how just it was.

"A former District Nine citizen. Someone who had certain yellow eyes and an injured eye. I heard that she was in a certain district...District One. And that's where I'm going."

Going to... District One? That doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want to venture there after leaving all of this? District One would be a cruel place for a person... or maybe kind. As long as they didn't think like myself. Because if they went to District One and saw how easily people got along compared to places like District Twelve, they would be disgusted. The activity there is almost vomit inducing. How can those people live so content with the hardships out here? I give him a look and feel the words coming up my throat.

“Why would your friend want to go there?” I'm grabbing at the hat, wishing I could rip it off. It's bothering me now for some reason. “How fair is it to live life there when you've seen the pain out there, in the other districts.”

Enclose me and grab at the world. I clutch the hat and toss it off. There is no need for me to even do this. I'm the kids elder. If he were older then... he would be Forrest but now I'm going to be standing up for myself. Just like you always wanted. I don't need to be told what to do anymore since I had enough of that in District One. Be pretty. Like this boy. Hide behind make-up. I desire none of these things. I am something more than the veil of humanity. One with nature and nirvana. The wind speaks my name. I'll do as I please

“You're making a grave error in trying to get there. You need to just turn back and forget this friend of yours.”

Just like I need to forget Forrest...
I'm always the one to put her foot in her mouth...

The flowers bloom, as does my mind. I can't just let the light stop feeding those thoughts. I have to let my mind bloom, pollinate, fill the world with a different sense of morality. And this kid is far from my sense of reality. He may have left the districts on the right thought but he doesn't not bear the same mindset that I've set for the world. That doesn't mean I think less of him though. He does have his finer moments in thought where as I just stumble on the words. I couldn't convince a boy to leave the world he had to bring him a better life. Instead he got these stupid ideologies that the district was the right place to be. He's a fool. What do I know, we're all fools in this world. That's right. That's what Forrest taught me above all else. We can't expect to be better than anyone in the world if we just act like them. We have to prove we're better than those blood-crazed animals.

"Now on to the fact that you seem more alone than ever...find some people like you or you won't survive long. I don't know what this man Forrest told you...but living without a friend is not the best way to be a wanderer.”

Then he obviously didn't know the way of the wanderer. You didn't need others to depend on, but rather if you could survive on your own then you proved better than the others. This was the environment that picked and preyed on the people that depended on each other. He doesn't know a damn thing then. To even lecture me- He's a kid, remember that. I can't just tell him he's wrong. He has to figure it out on his own. Just like I had to. I can remember thinking just like he had. Quite up and proud of myself and thinking the world was my oyster. Stupid thoughts of a District One child. We're raised to believe we're better than the rest of the world, only to find out that the rest of the world is better than us.

"You still have a lot to learn."

Now I break into a giggle fit, thinking about how much the kid had to learn and now here he was trying to tell me the same thing. The poor guy didn't know who he was even talking to. I'm the lady of the earth and wind, the one who watched the world begin and end. I'm Passion Ryndel, the guiding principle of man. And boy did I live up to my name. All of the emotions would whirl around like a cyclone whenever I spoke, whenever I acted, whenever I existed. My presence was the passion of the world. And it, my own passion So I could not be mad at the boy, or even try to deter him anymore. But instead, I would try to guide him to the ways of life whether he knew it or not. Just like Forrest had with me.

“Listen, if it is so bad to be by oneself, then why are you alone right now?” He would know a thing when I spoke, though he would respond quite naturally I'm sure. He must think he owns the situation. “So in that respect, I'm following you to District One. It's better to be with someone, right?” I playfully wink at him. He won't be able to convince me otherwise.

He has to take his own advice, right?

Dance to the sun's rise and live in the ecstasy of a world that isn't really yours. Passion is what my mother would call it. That sudden explosion of emotion which any mortal man cannot explain. We feel the need to express everything in these tiny little hearts of ours. Let the fury lose and let the love fly. It's almost childish in retrospect. Man never grows up because we are all driven by those crazy emotions in our bodies. Throwing us this way and that. And here I am, throwing myself with those same feelings. I would have to be what I am. Passion. The name meant everything to my existence. It meant everything to my being. The raw taste of humanity lingers on my tongue, I wish I could speak it with this boy.

"Why am I alone? Why don't we talk about this over food? The emergency store for food should be around here somewhere..."

Fine then, we ewill talk over a meal of food that he had found. Left by his friends. Mister dependence. Not something I was ever taught to do. Not by my family and not by Forrest. I was told I need to learn to fend for myself otherwise the world would walk all over me. There was my family telling me to use my body, and Forrest to use my mind. But let him do still, soon the kid would learn of his faults. Or even I could take a lesson from him. Some of the strangest people can teach you the strangest of things. Even a young man to an older woman. He could show me something that I've been missing all these years, out in the woods. Where I have lived much longer than he.

"My name's Ghost. What's yours Ms. D1?"

Strange name for the kid, but then again all names were strange these days. I remember reading a baby names book, one of the books I stole from my mother, and seeing how strange they were to me. Jacob. Robert. Sophia. Curtis. All these things were average to them back in their day. My name, however, would have been seen as an abnormality. As would Ghost's. The world would have been shocked to talk to Passion. Right in their face, the would be their power that had held them through centuries of wars. I would be their focus. I am what governs their body. I am what governs their mind. I am the entirety of the world. But too boastful that would seem. I am but a mere woman who loves life, and loves to live.

“It's Passion,” I respond, waiting for the food to be set out. He was the one with some, and I'm sure he was about to share. “And I hope you don't forget it. I'll be following you.” And there was nothing he could say or do about it. I was going to make him choke on those words of his. That stupid advice he gave out. And besides, I was curious to see where this kid was going, who he was meeting, and what their purpose was.

We never know what really guides us though, do we? How the leaves twirl in the slightest gust of wind... it's almost like the emotions that we bolster up inside this cage we call a body. How they float lifelessly in the wind only to be given animation by our own needs and desires. That's what passion is. And here I am, letting this cage hold my innermost emotions as I sit with this boy. What can he tell me that will surprise my old mind? Aging, gracing, becoming something better than a child's. I can't really say too much would surprise me. Then again, I surprise myself too often. Too unpredictable, humans are. Not like an animal We have passion, and they, only instinct.

“I don't mind you hanging with me, but I just want to show you what you are getting yourself into."

I don't care what I'm getting myself into anymore, whatever it may be, it has to be better than this fruitless search for Forrest. I can't keep thinking about him day in and day out. The wilds were his love, not some poor girl from District One. I was foolish to even think that we could have so much in common, wasn't I? Just a girl, full of folly from leaving the glitz and glory. I chuckle at the thought, and then look at the sheets of paper he has put on the table. Each with a name, some money amount, ages, pictures. What did they all mean? No, wait... I know what this means... And all I can think is you have to be kidding me.

“We were some of the highest sought after rebels two years ago."

The whole bit, with the pictures and such, it was a lot to digest. The kid had some serious ghost's haunting him if all this were true. It takes a lot for some kids to rebel, and not just rebel against anything, but a much higher power. A lot of guts, I'd say. I couldn't even think about trying something like this after seeing the gates at District Eleven. The Peacekeepers there almost cage the people in like animals. You don't just leave or even get the chance to relax. If it ever were to happen, you'd be shot down for sure. And how does one even fight against a power like that? I look up ay Ghost, a smile on my face.

I grab the wanted poster with his name, hold it up parallel to his face, and look at the picture in comparison to him. “Looking at this, you've been doing some growing up Ghost.”

Ad I'm sure he has been doing some maturing, as have the others that are on these posters. There is no sense in trying to take on the government with such small numbers. You'd need an army, something straight out of one of those wild fantasy books I found. The Districts would have to rise and rebel, fight back against imperialism. And who would? People think that this body of power is protecting them from something outside. But you would have to educate these people. Teach them that there is nothing to fear and that they can take power into their own hands. Just like you did Passion, just like you did. I put down the poster, and push them back toward Ghost.

“I'm saying this because I care, and only because I care,” I raise my hand in a mannerly gesture, as if to lecture. It's meant more of a joke though. “The capitol is all powerful, and going against them is of the highest treason!” And then I can't keep it up. I giggle a bit, shake my head and let off a nice, long sigh. I can't remember the last time I may have been so excited over something. If Forrest were here, he'd jump on this deal with me. I can't let the kid just walk off now that things have gotten interesting.

“My offer won't change, I'm still going with you to District One.”

I hadn't felt the thrill of life flow through my veins like this in a very long time. No one convinced me of doing anything so reckless and endangering. That was frowned upon in District One. But, then again, that was about fifteen years ago and no one could tell me anything was impossible now. I could jump from a bridge and believe that in moments wings would sprout from my back and I could fly. And I would, too, just to spite all of them. And all their faces would be in shock as they stared up at me, Passion Ryndel, someone who could fly and defeat all the stars in the sky. I would rival some deity in the sky. The same one that doomed places like District Eleven. But could I really? If only I knew what it meant to be a god, too bad I'm human.

“I would guess that the others are either captured, dead, or in their own exile like I was.”

And this boy had caught my interest with his tale of breaking rules and habits. I had only thought of myself out here, keeping my own body safe and not trying to do anything for the people still trapped under capitol eyes. I wasn't doing any better than the people back in District One. I was only fooling myself into thinking I was. What this boy had in mind, what Ghost had been planning those years ago, was a revolution in the making. People would rise against the power of the Peacekeepers, weapons in hand, demanding that they too are allowed the same fairness as those born in the capitol. As they should have already.