.|It's A Farmer's Life|. (Open)

Jason

I feel strong arms enclosing around me. I hope with all my heart that for once it's a Peacekeeper. I open my eyes and see a young man holding me. For the briefest second, I guess it's Flek. But no, it's not. It's a young man I've seen often, especially when I was little and helped Grandma supervise the fields.

No, you were supposed to run away! I was trying to distract them so Flek and Colette and the three people in the tree could get away and escape the Peacekeepers, I want to shout, but I don't. The water is really cold, and I'm not as good a swimmer as I thought I was. I relax in the strong boy's arms and just wait to see what happens next.

But no, I can't abandon my new friends. If they're even that. I wonder what happened to them. I wonder if my distraction was enough for them to get back to the fields quickly enough so the Peacekeepers didn't notice.

Finally, I think of Thel. Strange I should think of her last when only two days or so ago, she would have been the first thing to come to mind. I wonder how she's doing in the fields. She hasn't worked there very long.

I'm lifted out of the water and flung over the man's shoulder. Are we heading back? Is he bringing me back home so I can change and get warm? Through my wet eyelashes, I glance around. This isn't the right direction. We're going away, away from the river and the fields, away from home. I flail until the man puts me down.

Urgently, I whisper, "I'm grateful you came to save me, but I really meant for it to be a distraction. I wanted Flek and Colette to get back to the fields before the Peacekeepers noticed. But now--where are you taking me? Why are you taking me away? If I leave, Grandma will get hurt--she's one of the supervisors in the fields, and everyone knows she hates her job. If I leave, or run away, what will happen to her? What will happen to my sister? I can't just leave. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to go, but this is really impromptu and not the right time. Take me back, please? Besides, I left my harvest of winter apples in that other tree," I add lamely. The man doesn't answer, but there's a flicker in his eyes. He's not responding. Does he disagree with me? Why did he take me, of all people, away from home? Does he even know me? I barely know him. "Hey," I say, "did you hear what I said? What do you think?"

It was much worse than Aura believed. She didn't have to work extra hours. She was being imprisoned by the Peacekeepers for trying to get out of work. One week in a jail cell, and back to work with 2 extra hours added on to her everyday schedule. As the two Peacekeepers grabbed her arm, she turned her head to the river, seeing the three get away. She sighed. Although it would be very hard for her to cope with, she was glad she had been inprisoned for the sake of the strangers. One Peacekeeper tugged at her arm, and she hurried to the jail.

Post to come soon. If Jason can wait until I post, Becca can come up and explain Amadi's situation.

.:Hardly a second passes by before confusion unfolds around Becca. Down beneath, the other three had heard an alarm call, warning of two Peacekeepers coming this direction. Looking over, Becca saw them in the distance, slightly hard to see, their unnaturally white suits just slightly brighter than the thin layer of snow on the ground. Panic filled Becca's breast, first, then fear for the others. However, people were already onto what she had considered doing herself.

.:Jason seemed to be the first to react. He jumped in the river, flailing, calling for help. Before she could stop him, Amadi had climbed down and ran into the rusing water to save Jason. She didn't have time to explain that Jason was trying to distract them. Instead, she followed silently behind him, her feet barely making a sound as she ran along behind Amadi.

.:Behind them, another had fallen, trying to protect the others. This was one thing the Peacekeepers couldn't take away from District 11, their unity. Even strangers looked out for each other when they could. Jason was desperately trying to explain to Amadi that he was trying to help them. Amadi, obviously couldn't respond. When he asked a question, I turned to him and said, "He can't answer. Now shut up." Perhaps a bit rude, but we were trying to be quiet. Any moment now, Peacekeepers could come around the corner and catch us. A tree wasn't exactly the best hiding spot. More sympathetically this time, she whispered, "Amadi can't speak. Once the Peacekeepers are gone, we can talk, but until then, stay quiet, please."

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[/At the jailhouse, Aura sits quietly in her cell as she ponders what will happen to her. She hopes that nothing more will happen to her, other than the week in prison and the two hours added onto her workday. My crime wasn't that bad...Was it? She asks herself. She then thinks of the strangers she helped and suddenly feels a little better. The Peacekeeps walk into the room and stand by her cell. "Aura Pierce, for faking injury to get out of work, your name will be placed 5 times during the Reaping, plus a week in prison and 2 extra hours added on to your work schedule every day." Aura is shocked at her charges. "That isn't fair!" she argues. "Shut up." One of the Peacekeepers say. Then, the two exit, and Aura is left alone to cry.