Scarlett Rosenberg ~ D6

Appearance ~ [fc Kalia Prescott] Fragile. Scarlett looks like the smallest breath of wind could break her into a million pieces. Her pale, smooth skin and wide blue eyes are those of a fragile young woman. Long chestnut hair frames her delicate features, giving a bit of volume to her skinny body. Mother Nature graced her with a reasonable amount of feminine shapes and Scarlett is the kind of girl people stare at. Impossibly long lashes frame eyes that seem to reflect her every emotion. Her lips are dark and thick. She's fit and runs all the time, because she has energy to spare: from where ? No one really knows. But what catches people's attention really, is this sweetness, this grace, present in her every move: it's all a bit strange, to be honest.

She's not perfect, though. In fact, not everyone would call her beautiful. She's too skinny, closer to anorexia than a sane body. She looks a bit like a ghost, with this pale face and fragile body, and the dark shadows under her blue eyes. Her lips are purplish all the time, as if she had spent hours in cold water. She's a bit disturbing, because she always looks like she discovers the world for the first time, staring intently at everything and everyone.

Personality ~ Scarlett is different. She doesn't really know in what way, but it's a fact to her. She will never fit in. She grew up in a normal district 6 family. Her father conducted trains, and her mother was an unofficial doctor. She did an excellent job at school, but not really at making friends. People started to call her a freak. There is certainly something wrong with her: she is too naïve to be true. She always seems to see the bright side of things, exactly like a little child. The smallest things make her happy. People who know her, really know her, understood she's still a child inside. Innocent. Pure. Strange. And yet, she can understand things in a glance, see things no one else notices. In one word, she's different. She's still sweet and generous, giving her help whenever it is needed. In her darkest moments she tells herself she is nothing, deserves nothing. She will rarely get mad at anything or anyone. Some have learned to love her: they were rewarded with the promise of a life-long loyalty. She will protect those she loves, whatever it costs.

Some things do get to her, though. The Hunger Games are her worst fear. She categorically refuses to watch them and the reaping occupies her mind all year long. Kids killing kids...She just doesn't get it. It seems foreign, impossible to her. She won't accept it, and she won't talk about it. As far as she's concerned, the Hunger Games don't exist, except on the Reaping day. She's easily scared, and if her fear is profound she can slide into a state of pure anxiety, crying and biting her nails.

Ok, so maybe she is a scared little girl needing constant protection. But there is also a sort of courage hidden inside this fragile young woman. The sort of pure, innocent courage we were all born with, the one life tore away from us. She kept it. She will go through anything as long as she still has a purpose. She could be the bravest for her family, especially the little ones, Jared and Bluebell.



'Shhhh. It's okay.'

The little boy's sobbing was pumping the joy out of her heart. His head rested on her shoulder and her arms were around his small body.

'It's okay, Jared.'

What more was there to say ? The tears threatened to run down her colourless cheeks. She kept them in, her huge blue eyes fixed on the white wall in front of her. All she had ever wanted was to protect her family. Lynnie and Ray, the elders. Jared and Bluebell, the little ones. And then there were her parents. She, Scarlett Rosenberg, was stuck in the middle. Nobody ever really noticed her, and that was fine. Things were easier that way. No one had to know what a freak she was. To everyone, she was just the girl whose oldest sister volunteered for a few years ago. Those things happen every year: families are broken. Children play soldiers. And for what ? It was so much easier not to think about those things. All she had to do was forget who she had become for the benefit of those she loved.

'It's your first year, there's no need to worry.'

Usually she was the one people felt the need to protect. But this year was her little brother's first reaping. Soon it would be little Bluebell's turn, and God knows how Scarlett would handle that. She couldn't bear to see the terrified looks on both of their faces. It was all so simple to her. She wanted them to be happy, and the reaping was getting in the way. All she had to do was make sure they didn't go to the Games. If Bluebell was selected then she would volunteer in the blink of an eye, but Jared ? No one in the right age cared enough to save his life. She was as scared as he was, but there was no point in showing it, so she kept pretending everything was fine.

'Send me Bluebell, I have to do her hair.'

Jared reluctantly tore himself away from his sister, his eyes still full of tears. She held his hand for a moment, hoping he could feel courage running through her veins. And then, she let him go. There were too many things she had to let go.



My story ~ I'm no one special. I made sure of that. I'm just a girl to whom family is everything. I don't know my father that well. Most of the time, he's off conducting his train. I do know my mother, though. She's absolutely amazing: exactly the person I want to be when I grow up and get rid of myself. She knows how to heal people with anything. I asked her to teach me: I want to be a doctor too, so that I can be useful. It's the only thing I know about my future. That, and the fact that I want to marry a good guy. My parents have always protected me. Then, there's my older brother, Ray. the reapings are over for him. I like him a lot. There's Lynnie, who will turn eighteen in a month. She's nice, too. Below me, there's little Jared ! He's twelve. I try to be a good sister to him. There's also Bluebell, our little angel. She's five, and she thinks I'm the best person in the world. God knows why. She told my mom she wants to do everything like me because I'm perfect. I don't know why, but to me it's just one more reason to love her. She's my protégé. It feels so good to be important to someone. And then there's me, Scarlett.

It's not the whole truth. I guess I might as well say it. There used to be another girl in my family. Her name was Roxanne. She was like a mother to me. And when I was picked at my first reaping, she volunteered for me. And died. I think that's when I started to be what people like to call a "freak". I overheard my mom telling my dad that I never quite grew up. That I stayed the exact same girl I was when Roxanne volunteered for me, inside. Hearing those words hurt. I try to be an adult, I try to fit in, but I can't. And if Bluebell thinks I'm perfect, why should I change ? I don't care what they think, after all. I'm sure one day I'll find a way to be happy, too. A way to chase my demons away and face my future.

I spend every day waiting for this one. But for now, I'm just me, Scarlett. I do well at school. I get good grades. I don't have that many friends though. I have Asha and Alexa, the twin sisters. They're nice enough. A bit weird, but who am I to say that ? There's also Ellias, that guy from the older class. He's really nice to me. And then there's Lucien. I doubt he even knows my name, but for some reason I like him. Maybe it's because he's handsome, or because he seems really sweet. Not that he'd ever be interested in me. I don't really care about people whose surname isn't Rosenberg. I guess no one from the outside loves me enough for me to count them as a friend. Asha is going out with a guy in our class. I wish I could be in love, too. I guess it's too much to ask. My mom says I'm not ready.[/font]