In The \Vast/ Open-ness {Axel}

There wasn't a moment I had thought this wasn't weird, to see such a vast open field of water and never know about it. I'm sure the people are District Four knew about the oceans that surrounded the world of Panem. Or at least that's all there seemed to be to this world. Just thirteen districts... No, only twelve... that existed and everything beyond us was just a great void. Except it wasn't. There was water, miles and miles of uncharted water. Place probably existed out there waiting to be discovered. Places waiting for a fresh face to come about. Maybe even a palce for someone like me. A place for the people who could be themselves. I smile at the thought. Bliss is enough to feel from it all. Bliss is what makes it all...

Then the strange feeling of someone holding me comes about. I'm probably just imagining Forrest coming up from behind, giving me a hug. How I would love him to so that. But instead this wasn't him. The arms, the hands, they were too small and too real to be someone like Forrest. He had big, strong arms that were covered in hair. So rugged! I smile at the thought, but then frown remembering someone is actually holding me. Who came out to these ocean bluffs with me? Who followed me this far and found me just sitting out here, looking like some lost doll. Forrest always warned me it was important to be paying attention. But now here I was, possibly caught in a trap and going to die before I got to see Ghost again. Before I got to see what he had planned.

And then I get a good look at the girl here, the one who couldn't seem to hurt a fly at this point. She looks too frail, too weak, no where near as strong as the men who roamed the wilds. She was almost like a younger version of myself when I came to the forests. But then I find she's not me but someone else. She was young, almost too young to bear when looking at her. Why was she out here alone? What drove her out of the districts? This wasn't something like me, I was sure about that. But I couldn't tell why I was so sure about this. She didn't seem to act like a District One girl. But neither did you Passion. I shake my head of the thought and look at the high sun. I can't just let her fall at this moment. She's slumped down and looking for something, isn't she?

“Beautiful, wouldn't you say?” I smile, looking toward the girl hoping to appear inviting. “I've never seen the ocean until today, but I have to say nothing really matches it's appearance. I could travel the world and see all kinds of things, but nothing would be like this.”

I look back toward the ocean and watch the waves pull back. This was something that I learned, something called low tide. The waves would pull in and out, guide by something. I didn't really get the whole gist. There was something about the moon and some physical force, but there wasn't time to really understand the books. The people in District Three have too much time on their hands to learn such things. Instead I'm stuck here looking at some girl who seems lost. I almost can't resist like the waves, and feel myself pulled close to the girl. I slide on the ground, sit next to her with a smile and brush the hair out of my eyes. I know I can't look like a complete wreck or trashed because I slept indoors last night and the girl didn't run away at the sight of me. Hopefully she won't mind if I give her some company. I reach my hand out to pet her head, and look out toward the waves once more.

“It's been awhile since I was young like you,” I listen to the tide pulling, watches the waves recede more and more as I'm pulled away as well. “I was some foolish girl thinking I could just come out here and live life like I wanted. But I'm still here, looking at the ocean and smiling. That's something, right?”

If only the capitol would leave like the water, then I would be safe.

"I'm sorry....that I hugged you before”

Poor little thing, didn't know she could just be okay with her actions. After all we have drives that must be followed. The girl had the need to come up to me, embrace me, feel the presence of someone else. That's normal in the wanderer life; this is such a lonely road. No one will care for you back in the capitol. Put food in your belly at the capitol. Show care or concern for you in the capitol. Instead, we're just nothing more than wild creatures to them. Seen as dangerous fiends to the world now. Because we know, not like the others. The world is a much better place once you release yourself from those bonds. A much freer place for those of us who can see and think outside the box. A place where I can exist, as well as others, without the restraints of a government. But an overbearing power would never want that. No. That power would want to keep whatever it could under its palms. And when something slides through those cracks, then the powers ready to grab back. But that's neither here nor there, this girl is what matters.

"My name is Elizabeth Verdain....would I be rude in asking what your name is?"

The girl wasn't exactly the brightest it seemed. Not for intelligence, but for motivation and self-esteem. She was stuck in a rut of on-coming problems and worrying what she may ask would hurt her in the end. She should be freed of that pain and misery. The past isn't meant to hurt anyone. It's there as a book, a page turner, something for us to reflect upon. The present is our current matter. What's gone is gone, and what's here is now. For me, the past is something I can look on with a smile, remember that the good times happened and the bad times are over. But there's one that is still following me, lingering about in the recesses. Forrest... Where was he? I missed him...

“Never think it rude to ask a question,” I look down nostalgically at her, thinking about the times Forrest told me to just ask what was on my mind. “If you need to find something out, then seek out the answer and never be afraid of what may come from it.” I pause for a moment, let it sink in before speaking again. “My name's Passion Ryndel.”

She would find inner peace, that was for sure. I would make sure of that. To help find the calm in the storm, the control of those tides. And maybe she would want to help with everything. Ghost would need more allies than just his friends and I. If we were going to even stand a chance then we'd need to have more people on our side. And being outcasted here, she was sure to come along, wasn't she? I would hate to drag her along, though, to some dangerous situation. She would need to know before things got bad. And why did I care so much? I hardly knew the poor girl but here I was stroking her hair and wanting to bring her along with me. Was it because of what I saw in her? Was it because I saw myself, lost in the woods when Forrest found me?

My eyes focus on the bluffs, becoming something clearer now that the waves were pulling out. “I'm heading off to District One right now, it's where I'm from.” I felt the need to explain some things now since I wanted to bring her along. She would hear me out and come, wouldn't she? “A friend of mine is there, well more of an acquaintance. He and I... have something we need to do.” My eyes drift off toward the side and I let out a sigh. My chest is tightening. I'm scared of the idea, but it's what I feel I must do.

Follow your passion
Yearn for more than life

“We're going to try and rebel... against Panem...”

Please don't be harsh, please don't be critical. At the time, wounds don't need to be opened. Markings of the past are enough for me.