Talking To Sirens {Echo}

The cool air outside was crisp, and somewhat biting to Corina's exposed skin. For a moment she had the strange thought that bearded men were lucky; their face was easily protected from the cold wind at this time of year. Then she imagined herself with a bushy beard adorning her soft face and almost cracked a smile at the ridiculous thought. Instead of a beard, the girl wore a thick, dark coat along with dark pants and thick boots. It was effective enough keeping her warm, even if it wasn't extremely fashionable.

Her companion was of an age with her elder brother, Eric, who had been publically flogged for theft in the marketplace. The whole situation that day had been very strange, anyways. It was a day like any other, or so Corina had thought. Apparently the shopkeeper had been expecting Eric and promptly turned him over to the Peacekeepers for punishment. Eric and James both were masterful thieves and had stolen many times before with impunity. But it seemed Eric's luck had to run out sometime. Corina thought back to the day Eric was flogged often; how her parents had forced her to stay home, how the older brother who had seemed so untouchable had returned home, the flesh on his back reduced to bloody meat from at least a hundred lashes from the cruel scourge of a whip that the Peacekeepers used to punish unruly citizens of the district. Corina frowned faintly as she considered this, then turned her attention to the person next to her, Toby Button.

The older boy spoke to her, commenting that it was nice to speak to her and then saying that he had heard her name spoken before. She blinked, wondering who would speak of her considering how much she faded into the woodwork, but dipped her head. "It is nice to speak with you, as well," she said politely, without a smile. "Yes, I don't think we have ever really spoken before, either. It is good that that is ending, though."She looked up into the boy's face. He was handsome, to be sure, but as he was about her brother's age it would seem strange to have a relationship other than friendship with him. But it would be good to make new friends. Perhaps it was time for Corina to stop being so lonely and meet more people. Perhaps Toby could be a good friend.

Corina shifted on her feet as she watched him talk, jamming her fists into the pockets of her coat to keep them warm. The boy invited her to sit again and she gave a tight smile, sitting down slowly next to him. As they sat the girl watched as the dry leaves skittered across the hard ground, making a strange rattling noise as they went. It was certainly cold and Corina realized her companion wasn't wearing a coat. She frowned sympathetically but then looked back up at his face as he began to ask about her brother, Eric, and his public flogging. Corina didn't let her thoughts show on her face as she considered how to answer the question. It was a terrible memory, even though her parents had forbade her to attend the whipping. She did, however, remember how he had come back with bloody pulp for a back, the individual stripes of the cruel whip indistinguishable from each other and the blood pouring out of the wounds. Eric was certainly better now; it had been a few months now and his wounds had healed. She looked up at the boy with her, regarding him with faint curiosity. "He's alright, I suppose. Definitely more wary of the Peacekeepers, to be sure." She watched him for a moment, realizing that she knew his sister. "And how is Bea doing? I haven't spoken to her in a while."

Corina watched the boy as she spoke about her brother, noting his response to what she said. It wasn't exactly revolutionary that the people of the district were careful of the Peacekeepers; in fact, Corina slipped into the shadows everytime she saw them herself. But her brother was being even more cautious than he used to be when he still stole from the marketplace vendors. He almost never met their eyes anymore, and was always very careful to stay away from places where there were more than he could handle, such as in the areas around their barracks. Corina had decided to simply let him be and do what he needed to do to feel safe from the peacekeepers.

Corina's eyes followed her companion's gaze to the surrounding trees and their vividly bright colors; deep crimson, bright orange, dulcet yellow fringed with slightly darker tones. She had to admit, the trees were lovely. But for a moment she realized: they're just trees. They couldn't feed her or protect her. It would be just as well if they were surrounded by nothing but tall grass instead. After Corina asked about Bea, Toby's sister, he answered her, saying that she was shaken up by the Reaping. Corina nodded. "I am as well. It's terrible how much it can affect us." For a moment, the two fell silent, and then Toby struck up the conversation again by asking what it was that had gotten her brother in trouble with the peacekeepers. She frowned down at the ground. She wasn't exactly sensitive about it, per se, but it was somewhat suspicious to have someone asking about the subject. "I'd rather not say. I don't think he'd want me to talk about it. Sorry." She glanced up at him and gave a half smile. "He might tell you about it himself, though. I dunno." After she finished, she stopped talking and shifted so that she was sitting on her cold hands.