Heath Hemlock ; D7

Heath is about 5'8, 150 pounds, dark eyes, dark long hair, lanky, thin features, big hands, big feet, big forearms, and a bit of a hunched back. His big stature is due to his giant genes from his family. They come from a long line of burliness. Although he is very active, his presence is always hunched back, reserved, keeping to himself. He wears his hair like a curtain, avoiding eye contact. But, when he does have his attention to something, his dark eyes look intent and focused. Other than that, he always seems distracted by the ground. His eyes are always on the ground, but because of his long figure he occasionally catches peoples' eyes with a quick twitchy blink.

Being from the district of Lumber, his body is muscular, but only just. Heath figures that the growth spurt in his teenage years are making him look too skinny. The only muscles that juts out are his forearms and neck from the arm labor. Working in the lumber industry doesn't have you dressing too carefully. Heath wears the same dark pants that seem too big for him, but since he is so tall that's pretty much it for bottoms. He's had too many cuts on his sore forearms that he just conforms to wearing the same faded long sleeve gray shirt. Because of this habit, his shirt has been worn so much that he sometimes adds another undershirt for extra protection. For foot wear, he only has one pair of shoes. Inherited by his father, ugly brown boots. Stipulation because of his fast growth.

Heath’s dark appearance is reflected by his demure moodiness. Since he was a kid, his parents taught his to sit down and obey. For him, it wasn’t obedience; it was just survival of the fittest. The capitol’s iron fist made Heath’s parents bend their heads and keep to themselves. Seeing this made Heath confused and, like any child would, he copied them. As his silent manner continued, his parents took notice and at first were worried. But, when they questioned him, they understood and went back into their quiet lives.

Since then, Heath managed his childhood by adjusting to solitude. Kids his age weren’t so merry either, but his confinement puzzled them. Sometimes puzzled Heath. But, the situation was nothing to be concerned about with the ongoing life in District 7. It’s busy there and submissive. Not everyone here has a hard life. It’s tough, but that’s all that there is to complain about. There might have been unrest in 7, but now everyone bends their heads and works. Heath noticed in his parents that they weren’t too happy about them succumbing to the tyranny of the Capitol. But, sometimes, it is best to do nothing. Heath learned to keep quiet, no matter how wrong things are. He grew into a teenager, silence screaming from him.

With his loneliness came a lot of roaming around. One thing he became good at was stealth. When he was younger, about 12 years old, the realization that the capitol will never stop hit him. He started to get violent punching the wall of an abandoned building by the woods, thinking of an uprising(which is silly because he is 12), no matter what the cost. But, a few peacekeepers heard his commotion and went to investigate. He was scared out of his mind, unsure if they would let him go or punish him. He hid among the trees, rubbing mud and leaves on himself when he realized his clothes were noticeable in the greenery. When the peacekeepers noticed nothing, they began to search the woods. With his heart pounding, he calmed himself enough to jump softly from tree to tree. It was only 3 peacekeepers that day. Shocked at his ability, he would practice being undetected with his parents, few friends that he had, and sometimes mess around with the peacekeepers. But! Only if he had enough guts to do it. Must had happened 4 times since the first. To his parents, it was just a game of hide and seek. To his few friends, it was just competitive pranks. But, to Heath, he felt he could be himself if he hid. There was a time he almost convinced himself to stay by a half fallen tree. Thought he could hide and make a life there. This was of course unnecessary, so he convinced himself to go home.

Heath Hemlock was born during the 49th Hunger games. It must have been during the summer because his family of 3 celebrate his birthday then. Not that there is much celebrating since his demure attitude. Not a little happy birthday is all he gets. His parents names are Hally Hemlock and Ilex (Lex for short) Hemlock. Lex’s family goes back a couple of generations of lower class Lumberjacks. Before that, the stories of their family tree were lost to time. Hally’s family were the middle class. Her parents managed a fairly stable financial life, so she never really wanted for anything. Until she met Lex. They met and fell in love. They were even part of a rebels against the capital in District 7, but that ended when the iron fist of the Capitol came about in the propaganda. It scared the rebels back to their daily lives. Hally has had it tough with an unplanned child, since then she has take precautions to not have any more kids. Hally is often stressed about the hunger games and of how they could pick Heath at any time. They are able to survive just fine with Lex’s and Heath’s work.

Hally’s and Lex’s hushed conversations at the old television set explained the silence that his parents had. He understood and followed along. The hunger games was always a grave event. Heath escaping death again and again. The kids being murdered live for everyone to see occasionally brought Hally to tears, but Heath was there to calm her. With a look from their parents into their offspring’s, they huddled together knowing that they could be killed at any time. They accepted this, but still obeyed out of fear of losing one another. They never stood out too much, just another slave waiting to die. Heath is more like his mother than his father. His father was a very polite and calm. His mother seemed more focused on things while his father was trying to be more relaxed. It’s probably why the family is quiet. Everyone is trying to keep it together.

School was eventful, seeing as how books were mostly made in District 7. But, to the future lumberjacks, it was simply seeing this paper products as the aftermath of them picking off their origins. Teachers pressed for the kids to educate themselves. Some did, but what good can come of it in this busy body world. Better to have muscle than brain out here. Heath was at best awkwardly inclined to read. He only showed any interest when school had physical activities. Mostly because his thin body confused him since his father’s family were thicker in physique. Anyhow, looks weren’t very important even at school.