The Squirrels on the Other Side of the Fence (Maia)

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I was always awed by the sights on the other side of the fence. It fascinated me. On this side, we never saw foxes, or coyotes, or bears. All that roamed the streets here was homeless or starving people. It was pretty depressing actually. 

I sometimes dream of traveling to the other side, running among the trees, feeling the wind whip my face, without the boundaries of District 12 holding me back. I would truly be free. Why did the Hunger Games have to exist? Why did President Snow find joy in torturing us like this? We're all people, and we should all be treated as equals. But my father tells me that will never happen, that we're doomed to be here forever. I don't believe that.

Standing next to the fence, but careful not to touch it, I observe a little squirrel that's picking at a nut. That squirrel doesn't have to worry about the Games. It's much happier than me.

Being by the fence like this actually helps me think. Right now I'm considering my options. My family isn't going to survive much longer like this. We're barely scraping by, with just enough money to buy food for the week. That was it. No clothing, no extra delights, just plain old bread or grain. And it was all because of me, since my father doesn't make much money from the mines at all. The two of us our working our asses off trying to support Rita, my innocent 12 year old sister. If anything ever happened to her, I would truly never forgive myself.

So I work on, skipping school one or two days a week in order to work. I always found school pointless, since all they teach you is that, 'The Capitol is awesome and you should bow down to them.' Everyone knows that's not true, even kids. I wish I could live in the Capitol, where they have good schools that actually teach you reading, and math, and history. I wonder about the people that lived before us, the people that supposedly destroyed our world. 

I turn my attention back to the squirrel, who has successfully cracked open the nut and is now nibbling on the goey insides. "Hello little guy. I wish I could be over there with you." The squirrel didn't even seem to notice me, and I sigh. Maybe a person will come over to watch with me if I wait long enough. People are easier to talk to than squirrels.