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 ...

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 d...

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 an...

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 c...

“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...

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 gloom...

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...

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...

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....

“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.

Sadi...