If I Die Young[[Kendall]](goodbye thread)
Jun 29, 2013 12:57:00 GMT -5
Post by Aurum on Jun 29, 2013 12:57:00 GMT -5
No one volunteered for Bae. She didn't think they would. They have families they care about. She wouldn't want to tear families apart. Other than her's of course, but what could she do. Peacekeepers marched her into the building, up a flight of stairs and into a bright white room. It had a single window that looked out over the pastures. Bae realized with a jolt that the Peacekeepers would never allow for her to say goodbye to her horses. Soot and Silhouette would be waiting for her to take them out for their afternoon ride and training. No one but Roan would come see her. She didn't know if she would be able to handle it, seeing his face during the Reaping was bad enough, and now she had to say goodbye.
Bae sunk down onto a white plastic chair and buried her face in her hands. The Peacekeepers had left her room, but she could see the shadows of their feet under the door. A white ceiling fan hummed quietly, simply pushing the hot air around the room. Bae stood and looked out the window. She pulled her necklace out from under her dress and looked at the key. She would be able to bring thing from home. Bae desperately wanted to bring the key, but Roan would need it to open up the trunk to put away his Reaping outfit.
She pulled the thin, white, worn twigs out of her hair letting her braid fall onto her back with a quiet thump. She unwound the hair with her fingers, leaving it in flowing waves. Bae's mother loved doing her hair. Since she died, Bae put it up in a plain twisted bun. She had contemplated cutting it short so she would have no more of the heart wrenching memories that came with brushing her hair, but she couldn't cut the only thing that reminded her of her mother.
There was a loud knock on the door that pulled her from the memories and old sadness, but it was simply replaced with new ones. The image of Roan falling to the ground in grief still burned in her mind. When the door opened, she found her little brother weeping openly in her arms. She held him close, petting his hair, silent tears streaming sown her own cheeks. They didn't need to talk not yet.
But they only had a little time before he had to go. Just 5 minutes to say goodbye wasn't enough. But if Bae was honest with herself, she would know that there would never be enough time, even if she had all of it. She pulled back and lifted her necklace over her head and placed it in his palm, closing his fingers around it.
"Don't ever forget how much we love you. Mom, Dad, and me. Promise me you won't go and do something crazy, when I'm in there, and don't buy tesserae, no matter how much you need it. You can drop out of school and get a job. And remember everything I do is to try and get back to you. I'm not saying it's going to happen, 'cause it probably won't. I don't think they'll put horses in there just for me." She smiled sadly down at his tearful face. New tears flowed down the channels made by their predecessors. "Hey, don't cry. If I see Mom and Dad I'll tell them you said hi." She held him close. Both bodies shook as they wept together.
When they parted, it was Roan who mad the first move. He dug into his pockets and pulled out a small necklace with small rectangle charm. He handed it to her and she realized it was a locket. Inside was a picture of her family on the day Roan was born. "Mom gave the picture to me for my 10th birthday. It took all year to get enough money to buy the locket. I was going to give it to you for your 18th birthday, but I guess now would be better." Roan spoke for the first time and his words came out choked. "I have the big picture at home. I figured you could take it into the Arena with you. That's why it took me so long to get here. I ran home to get it."
Bae had him put it on her and then the Peacekeeper opened the door and said they're time was up. She smiled encouragingly as he began to protest. "Go, I'll be okay. Find Jordan. He'll get you set up with a job." She sank to the floor as the door closed and cried against the bright white walls. Roan would be all alone now. She hoped he would be okay.
