not ominous, more like sad and tired lol. this is kind of my twist on the prompt, so not exactly what it’s asking for.
Time seems to pass much faster on a full stomach than it does when I’m starving. I blink and it’s already dusk, the sunlight shrinking away more and more with every passing second. Has food always made me this tired? Heavy? I am shown to the bathroom once my sister is done. I turn on the bath water, wiping the fog off of the mirror from my sister’s shower. There’s a small cut near my hairline that I hadn’t noticed before. And I have a small bruise on my jaw. I frown, running my fingers over my face. When did my skin get so pale? Since when were my cheekbones this pronounced? Have my eye bags always been this dark and round? Turning away from the stranger in the glass, I strip my clothes off and fold them neatly on the tank of the toilet. Carefully, I step over the wall of the tub into the streams of the shower, my whole body relaxing as the water, hot and steady, rains against my chest and beads down my arms and legs. I close my eyes, turning so that the water pours down my back. Deep breath in. Out. Deep breath in. And out. On the wall next to me is a small ledge where a bottle of standard soap and a handmade scrubber sit quietly. I wrap my hand around the scrubber, lathering it with the liquid soap and water. Slowly, I rub it across my skin, starting with my arms, then my chest and back, then my legs. Every now and then I’ll find a hidden rash or scrape irritated by the rough brush, but for the most part, the sensation of scrubbing the soap across my grimy body for the first time in weeks is as if I’m shedding an old layer of skin. By the time I’ve rubbed away any remaining remnants of the forest, my body is already swaying with fatigue. I want to stay here forever, to have this hot, steaming rain pattering across my raw skin until I can’t stay awake anymore. And although at the moment that idea seems reasonable, I know I can’t. So, with a squeak and the twist of a handle, I’m left shivering and wet, the wooden floor cold against my bare feet. A fluffy white towel has been left out for me on a small hanger, and I grab it, grateful for its warmth. Rubbing away the fog with the palm of my hand, I take one last look at the girl in the mirror, studying her dripping hair and tired brown eyes. She deserves so much better. At last, I open the bathroom door, and a sharp gust of air saps all of the warmth from the shower out of my body. For a moment, it’s the coldest I’ve ever felt.
I miss hugs from Mom I miss stories from Dad I miss laughing with friends I miss learning from teachers
I miss songs from birds And purrs from cats And barks from dogs And bubbles from fish
I miss not being alone, confined to a box Invisible chains keeping me in bed I miss talking to people, making new friends Reading tales of pirates and heroes
I miss not staring in the mirror for hours each day Sucking in my gut, holding back tears I miss not scrolling through the internet Watching other girls live my dream
I miss not going to bed in my makeup And having the energy to take a shower I miss eating full meals And kissing my partner goodnight
I miss feeling full Feeling loved Feeling nourished
I miss feeling alive.
Like the dawn and dusk Salt and pepper Sweet and salty Black and white Sun and moon Just him and me Stellar opposites yet nothing can compare To the wonderful Magical Fluttering feeling that arises inside Every time he’s around
Rose petals and hearts Chocolates and TV Mornings and evenings snuggling together Just him and me
We fit together perfectly Two pieces of a puzzle Unbreakable Just him and me Two people— Hopelessly Helplessly Passionately Just two people In love
A wonderful way to start my day— Beginning with watching the sunrise, Continuing onto breakfast—yay! Dewberries, dates, and delicious grass pies. Even though I’m a dull shade of gray, I love to bask in the sun— Fun-filled hours with cold lake showers Grass tall and green and so fun! Hoards of my brothers and sisters Imagine being released into the wild Jokes on them, this place is beautiful as can be!
The zoo is the perfect place For a gorilla like me.
“You’re not coming?!” Mei Mei gasped, her deep brown eyes wide. I smiled sadly. “No, Mei. I have to stay here.” “But—Earth is dying, Liu!” she cried. “And you’re my big sister! You have to come with us! Dad won’t let you stay, anyway.” I stayed silent. I could never tell my little sister that her father was one ticket short to bring all three of us to space. It would break her heart—and she would never agree to it. So Dad and I decided to let me stay behind without Mei knowing. “Liu…why? Why would you stay here? The world is covered in trash…literally everyone is leaving…please, please come with us.” I choked back a sob, staring at the patchy, dead grass below me. “I just…can’t. But this is for you, Mei Mei. Always for you, okay? I promise I’ll be okay. I promise.”
Mei hugged me tighter than she’s ever hugged me before. “I. LOVE. YOU. SO. MUCH!” I pulled back, a tear falling down my cheek. “I love you, too. And you, too, Dad.” Dad wrapped his arms around me. “I already miss you, Honey.” he said. “Thank you.” he quietly whispered into my ear. “For everything.” I nodded as Dad stepped away from me and gripped his suitcase. “We should get going.” I nodded. “I’ll watch the ship take off.”
I was standing multiple miles away from the launch site, but that didn’t stop the space ship from looking absolutely gigantic. I painfully watched as the ship shot into the shy, leaving a cloud of blackened smoke in its wake. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I envisioned Mei Mei and Dad on that ship. Supposedly the very last ship to leave Earth. “Goodbye,” I whispered, letting the smoke whisk my words away to be lost with the wind. My eyes followed the ship up and up and up, trailing the fire and smoke behind it with a heavy heart. Every second the ship gained altitude, it was as if my stomach was sinking lower and lower. I was just about to turn away from the space ship and head back home, when an earsplitting explosion knocked me to the ground and onto my stomach. I got up and onto my hands and knees, while my ears rang, drowning out all other noises. My head pounded, and my hands were scraped and bloody from hitting the rough floor. I looked up, confused—only to see a wall of smoke and sparks in the sky where the space ship should’ve been. “No…” I mumbled, watching large pieces of metal rain from the sky. “NO!” Warm tears cascaded down my face, trailing through the dust coating my skin. “This wasn’t supposed to happen…” I cried, kneeling down and resting my sobbing face onto my grime and cut-up hands. They were supposed to be safe… I was the one who was sacrificing my life… Now they’re dead… I should’ve been on that ship. I should’ve—I should’ve been there for them! I’m a terrible daughter… A terrible sister… Another wave of tears hit me like a bag of bricks, mixing the dirt under me into mud. I sat up straight again, unable to stop my tears from falling. Then the ground started to shake. The mud in front of me sloshed around, sending specks of muddled dirt onto my skin. Then, it started to bubble. I hastily wiped my tears and stood up, examining the puddle of tears that was now frothing and sparkling under the hazy sun. And then, POP. A little green stem popped out of the mud, with a shiny pink flower blooming at its tip. A plant. Something I hadn’t seen in a long, long time—not since the Earth had started dying. More little flower stems started to sprout where my tears had fallen. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t mean for Dad or Mei Mei to get killed. I hadn’t even planned on staying on Earth. But maybe this was a good thing. A new start. This is what Mei would’ve wanted for me. I know it. “I promise I’ll change the world.” I whispered to myself, a look of determination making its way across my tear-stricken face. “For you, Mei Mei. Always for you.”
Soft, white snowflakes pepper the ground Leaves from the trees, brown and withered Sunshine trapped behind the clouds A rush of wind disturbs the quiet Animals sleep in little nests Grass covered up, nowhere to be found Flurries of snow whisking around People covered up from head to toe Lakes frozen over with ice so smooth Frosty air freezing your fingers and nose But behind the darkness and gloomy cold There’s something very special to celebrate warmth A small little thing, hardly even a sprout Pokes through the snow to soak up the light A little green stem with a little green bulb Announces the first bloom of spring, and the end of the winter.
As I run through the woods in this year’s arena, I rifle through my backpack, looking for the personal item that the Capitol promised I could take with me. I push and shove through all of the weapons in my bag; a hunting knife, a net, a few arrows, and a long rope. Finally, after relentlessly searching, I find what I am looking for.
It may seem like something very unusual to bring into the Hunger Games, but I have my reasons. Ever since I can remember, I’ve had to watch the Hunger Games live on the small staticky television in my dingy living room. Over the years, I’ve noticed the effect that the games can have on participants.
Three years back, a shy twelve-year-old girl from District 7 was entered. She accidentally killed a boy from District 4, and the guilt lead her to using some rope to hang herself from a tree. When I was eleven, I vaguely remember the Capitol having to postpone the games because a boy from District 1 deliberately killed someone before the games even started. Last year, a boy from my district, District 9, who was generally soft-spoken, went on a killing rampage before becoming the Victor. I haven’t seen him since, but some of the gossip spreading around my school suggests that he never leaves Victor’s village and when he does, it’s to buy rum and sleeping pills. Some even say that he killed his mother after coming back from the games.
But now, as I run frantically through the woods with no clear destination, I clutch the small mirror in my hand. I keep it because every time I look in the mirror, it’s a reminder to stay true to myself. No matter what the Capitol throws at me, no matter what happens; I won’t let the darkness consume me. Never.
A sunset is a beautiful thing. It looks like tangerines and strawberries and mangos and lemons. Like roses and poppies and daisies and dandelions.
It sounds like a chorus of melodies carried by the wind. Like the rustling of leaves and the singing of birds nesting for nightfall.
It smells like a bakery with freshly baked bread. Like citrus and sugar, with a slight bit of salt.
It feels like holding a warm cup of cocoa on a cold winter’s night. Like a soft fur blanket or a smooth leather jacket.
Sunsets are beautiful, no matter how you describe them. I dare you to change my mind.
I gasp for air, the icy water clawing at my numb skin. The water is pitch-black, and there’s nothing but ocean for miles around. “HELP!” I scream. “SOMEBODY—HELP!” But there’s nobody there. The splashing of waves rings in my ears, echoing in my skull. I feel as though I have lost all control of my body. My frozen limbs are thrashing and flailing in the water, trying to keep me above the surface. But every now and then, my head dips underwater, and I can’t see anything. Just the inky, black sea. Suddenly, something brushes up against my leg. I can barely feel it, but I know there is something in the water. In my mind, I try to think about what creature might be near me—but I can’t focus on anything. My arms and legs are tired of moving, and it’s as if the water is so cold that it’s freezing my joints, like rust. And then I feel it. Something brushes against my other leg, and for a split second, I feel like I can see spiny fins breaking through the surface of the water, only for them to disappear back down into the icy depths. My heart racing, I frantically kick my legs with what energy I have left to swim away. Blood rushes through my ears, reminding me of the sounds a highway makes as cars speed down the roads. Will I ever see a highway again? Or a car, or road? Suddenly, a tidal wave of fear washes over me. Will I ever feel warmth again? Are my family and friends worried about me? Am I going to die? Hot tears stream down my face as my legs continuously kick and splash in the water, but I can tell I’m not going anywhere. I’m too weak. I look around desperately, trying to find something—anything—that might lead me to safety. But all I can see are the same sharp fins I saw earlier, slicing through the water a few feet away from me. My lip trembles as I watch the fins turn towards me. I turn around and try to swim away, crying out once more. “PLEASE, SOMEONE—ANYONE! SAVE ME! PLEASE!…please…” But I no longer have any hope of being rescued. Still crying, I look over my shoulder. The last thing I see before being dragged under the water is a pair of black, beady eyes in a blur of spiny fins and scales.
And then my vision goes black.
“3…2…1…Ready or not, here I come!” I giggle into my hands, trying to muffle the noise so Sadie doesn’t hear. My big sis is probably looking for me right now—but I picked a really good hiding spot right behind a big rock! She’ll never find me! “Hm. Where could she be?” Sadie asks. She’s near my hiding spot—I can tell. I try to hold in another giggle. “You’ll never find me!” I shout at Sadie. Sadie gasps, closer now. “Where did that tiny voice come from? Hmmm…Was that you, sis?” My eyes widen. “No!” “Are you suuuure? You sound an awful lot like my little sister,” “Yes!” I shout back. She’ll totally believe me! She always does! “Positive?” she asks. She’s right on the other side of the big rock now. “Yes!” I peer around the side of the rock to look at Sadie, but she isn’t there. “You’re absolutely, positively, one-hundred-and-ten-percent sure? Because you look an awful lot like her, too.” I gasp, turning around. “SADIEEEE!” I squeal. “HOW’D YOU FIND ME?” My big sis grins. “I’m just amazing at hide and seek, that’s all.” “YOU CHEATED!” I shout, putting my hands on my hips. “Of course I didn’t! Come on,” Sadie says, grabbing my hand, “You’re the seeker now.” I roll my eyes. “Fiiiiiiine. But you only get thirty seconds! GO!”