callen "calleva" evanson | d10

The sun rises and the roosters crow, emerging from a pile of hay in yesterday's clothes is a fella that ain't the sharpest tool in that barn, but he's the best they got. Hair shaggy and dirty, much like the hay he just came out of, skin tanned from the days out in the fields and on the farm, and eyes shining like the sun against the blue sky above. His clothes ain't nothin' special, but they're hardy as hell and worn to the last thread don't hold nothin' up no more. At first glance, you might not realize this boy ain't one of the livestock, after all, he's hairy, smells like shit, and is covered in all sorts of dirt and...well you hope it's only dirt. His eyes are as wide as his smile, and you wouldn't be surprised to see this boy smiling in his sleep, that's how often his face is found like that.

All natural, grown tall like the stalks of corn and hardy like the cows and pigs, and just as dirty and loud. He ain't no model, but he's lean and strong, looks like he could wrassle a pig or two, but don't ask him too, cause he will. Covered in scratches, scrapes, and all sorts of markings, the only times he cleans himself is when company's afoot, but otherwise he ain't much to look at it. The one exception is his teeth, boy is diligent about dental health, hell even the cows got pearly whites. Farm boy don't quite describe his look, more like if the farm were a boy, that's accurate.

I've heard some people say some mean things: I smell, I ain't smart, I was born a cow. 'tain't bother me much, cause my momma told me that people who hate you prolly hate themselves more. I never say nothin' back, cause I ain't trying to be something I'm not. I'm a farmer, and I like being a farmer, so if they ain't gonna stop me from being a farmer, they ain't none of my business.

Callen is a farm boy. He wakes up every day, gets his chores done, goes to school, goes to the market, comes home and does his chores, and goes to sleep. He don't dislike people, but he knows that he has a job to do and he's gonna do it right. Plus it ain't like he's making some fabric or mining, he's rearing animals, he's taking care of them, when he does work, it is appreciated. He ain't smart, that ain't his talent, but he's diligent and gets whatever needs to be done done, and effort gets the job done. Callen get injured cause he puts it all in his work, he doesn't back down at a challenge, and he doesn't stop until something works, even if he gets a little hurt along the way.

Working on a farm means Callen helps raise these beasts from tiny calves and piglets to bulls, cows, and sows, and he's done what needs to be done at the end of the day for the farm. Death is a part of farm life, and it ain't cruel, because death comes one way or another, it's just the choice of quick and painless or slow and painful. Callen in those moments can feel somber, seeing friends go, but his smile doesn't fade because he knows that you can't avoid the end, so you've gotta enjoy the journey and love whatever time you have.

In the rare moments of introspection, the looking up at the stars in the sky on the bales of hay, Callen considers the similarities between the farm and the games, the raising and the death...is he a cow too? When will he be slaughtered? But those thoughts don't scare Callen, cause he ain't afraid of that end. Cows live their lives unaware of the harsh reality: they're bred to be killed and eaten, and they manage to live every day eating, loving, and enjoying their lives. Maybe being a cow ain't so bad. Better than being in the games, aware of your doom.

Callen Evanson is one of several farmers on the Evanson farm. His dad, Calroy Evanson, had this farm passed down from his father, and then his father before him, and his father before him. Callen also has three younger siblings: two brothers, Caldwell and Caleb, and then one sister, Callie, and the fact they're all Cal's is not lost on Callen. In fact, often times people within District 10 will refer to the children as "Calleva" just to not intentionally mess-up the names, since it's Cal and then "-eva" from Evanson. Callen was raised to be diligent by his father, and diligent he has been on the hopes he can grow up and pass on this farm to his own children.

Being the first born in the Evanson family, early on his life, Callen had to help out his father caring for the animals, the fields, and the upkeep of the property. While many other kids, including his younger siblings, got to have more leisurely and educated existences, he was resigned to a fate of being more responsible. Some children might resent their kin for this burden, but Callen found the work rewarding, and his father's lessons and support was always worth its weight in gold. Plus Callen found good friends in the beasts, and unlike his peers, they'd never attempt to hurt or belittle him.

Callen had always focused on his future on the farm, so every year when the games roll around, like a cow staring down the barrel of the gun, he sees his own mortality like never before. Dying on the farm, decades down the road, giving his knowledge and experience to his own kid was always the dream...but the possibility of never having that has left a fear in Callen. Callen's a farm boy, he's never considered another future. If he had to face the unexpected, would he be able to make his family proud, or would there be a new "Calleva" taking this farm from his dad?