Diam Starling, District 8

Diam looks a lot younger then he is, pulling a face that looks about 12. He keeps his pale blond hair long to cover his eyes when possible. People won’t often trust his eyes, which seem darker then they should, and strangely serpentine. There is intelligence behind his eyes that seems far more mature then his outward appearance would suggest, and it makes people uneasy. Diam’s face appears childish, but has the strains of poverty carved in a bit deeper then they should.

Diam’s body is slender, caused some by muscle but mostly from hunger. Often simply going without shoes, the bottoms of his feet have become hardened, and his lower legs are about the only tanned bit on him. He usually wears shorter pants, and a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, as well as a coil of wire around one of his arms. When it starts to get colder, he’ll find a cloak and some intact clothing. Diam has a habit of standing almost supernaturally still, which tends to put people off even more. He’ll just suddenly be stock still, not even appearing to breath, and it happens at random moments.

Diam acts like he’s several years older then he is, usually. He doesn’t talk a lot, and when he does it’s often a carefully considered response. He doesn’t usually allow himself the luxury of being able to mess around without purpose. Diam will usually be working on something, hoping to get money for a good meal or something of similar importance. He is still a 15 year old boy, so he will slip occasionally, but he’s usually very controlled.

Though not necessarily foretold by his cool, silent-type demeanor, Diam is actually fairly shy, and has a hard time when girls try to talk to him. He’ll do his best to cover up being flustered, but despite his efforts, he can’t keep the slight blush from his cheeks. While flustered, concentrating or any other number of states, Diam will start tugging at the coil of wire kept around his arm. His habit of loosening and tightening the coil will sometimes draw attention to it, but it seems harmless enough, and all he’ll tell people generally is “it’s for work”. This is something of a lie, as he can find ways to use it not just for work, but most aspects of life.

Diam dislikes the aspect of being poor, and works for what he can in order to change his situation. He envies any who live posh, rich lifestyles, and strives towards the dream of even middle class living. If people judge him or his works wrongly or stereotypically, he’ll start seething with anger. He’ll even fight some people if he thinks he’d get away with it, but he’s smart about it. He’d more then willingly take on another boy his age, but he’s smart enough not to go off on a Peacekeeper or higher citizen that could get him in trouble.

Diam story is something of a sad one, but that’s nothing new with the lower districts. Born into a toymaker family that were just scraping by, He started his life in a struggle and starving. His parents did everything they could to allow him to be a little bit more comfortable. They taught him what they could of their trade in the process, allowing him to watch them work into the night. Though he was merely a toddler, he picked up some things on one or two of the least complicated crafting skills.

Diam took particular interest in the marionettes his mother could create, learning how to make simple ones early on. After some time though, worse times fell. His mother was dragged away by Peacekeepers at a time before he was able to understand that she had stolen something. All he knew was she returned a week later, battered, bloody and half-starved to death. She passed away in bed a mere three days after. Her last words to Diam were, “Be strong, you have the most nimble hands of anyone in the district, we can’t lose you…”

Diam still keeps one of her marionettes, old, broken and covered in dirt and blood from when she tried to work on it after her punishment. Diam stubbornly believes the Peacekeepers overstepped their bounds in his mother’s punishment. His mind has conjured up to many images of torture for him to be detoured by something as trivial as having no proof or knowledge of his mother’s crimes. Consequently, he doesn’t truly trust the Peacekeepers, He’ll sell them things, but he’d be hard pressed to ever call one a friend. Diam’s present day marionettes and wire work could rival anyone in the district, some even being imported to the capitol.

At school, rumors have started to circulate about him to explain just his general creepiness. Some say his mother was a snake, and that his hazel eyes have the slitted pupils to prove it. Some say he’s a vampire, and he stalks around the district at night hoping to drain someone. And still others say he’s a phantom and that if he takes a liking to you, he’ll find you in your sleep and attach his wires to you and add you to his collection.