The Turbine Home

Rosalee walked onto the front porch of the home she had grown up in. The 12 year old had just finished supper with her family, and now was watching the sun go down. Rose hadn't eaten much for dinner, because she had been thinking. Normally, she was a very carefree type of girl, but something got her thinking. The Hunger Games. Rose didn't know much about the subject, except for the fact that it cost people lives. Her parents never did tell her much about it, probably hoping that she wouldn't care, or notice.

Now that Rose was 12, she knew that her name would be entered once, but that was about it. She figured since it was called the 'Hunger' Games, then people must die of hunger and other natural things. The girl didn't want to die, not for something like that. Rose was smart enough to know what was coming, and that it could take her life, or her loved ones'.

Blinking, she noticed the sound of someone coming out to join her. "Hello." Rosalee said with a smile, not turning to see who it was. She didn't really care, knowing it was one of her siblings.

Rosalee opened her mouth, as if to say something, then quickly rethought her words. She didn't want to trouble Ryan with a Hunger Games talk. The girl knew enough about the topic to know that it was a sensitive thing. "Not hungry." Rose lied. One thing about her was, everyone could tell when she lied. Rose was really trying to see what it was like to be hungry, since she might have to face that in the arena of the games. The girl wasn't going to share that so openly with her brother, however.

Brushing her hoeny-brown hair over her shoulder, Rose sighed deeply. "Is it scary? The Hunger Games Reapings?" she asked softly. She knew that it was a soft subject, but she also wanted to be ready for whatever she heard at the reaping. Rose looked down at her feet, where her white kitten, Penelope, was weaving in between. "Mrow..." the kitten purred. "Penelope wants to know too." the girl said, a small smile forming on her lips.

Rosalee nodded slowly and then looekd down at her cat again. "You make it sound easy." she said slowly, trying to process it. "It tears lives apart..." the girl continued softly. "... I don't want to die, Ryan." she finished.

Her voice sounded soft and fragile, as if she really was going into the games. In truth, the thought of them terrified her. Even if her name was only in there once, it was enough to haunt her. She looked up at him with a pained expression and added, "I don't want our family to die."

Rosalee sighed again and looked out at District 8. It wasn't really much of a view, but it would be enough for now. She wanted to take in as much of the view as she could right now. Penelope purred against Rose's leg, wanting some attention. She looked at Ryan for a moment, her expression almost hollow. Rose was thinking about Genevieve, the girl tribute for district 8. She hadn't known her, but it still got the 12 year old thinking. "Will Genevieve make it?" Rosalee asked softly.

It seemed like an off - topic question, but at least the color was coming back into her face. "I want her to win." Rose said with a little more confidence. Stroking her white kitten, the girl looked out at the steps with a dazed kind of expression. She wasn't really sure what to think. Ryan put it simply, saying that she would be okay. That got Rose thinking, what about everyone else?

Rosalee gave Isa a half-smile, still not fully conivnced of their family's safety from the Hunger Games. It was like a hungry cat, and it was about to pounce. Needless to say, the girl felt like someone had just walked over her grave. "Er... I suppose."Rose said, looking down at Penelope once more. Running her hand through the kitten's white fur, she sighed. "I guess I was making a big deal out of nothing..." the girl said, looking at her siblings. "Nothing, that kills people every year..." she thought miserably.

Rosalee's face lit up with a bright grin. "You don't need to tell me twice!" she said with a laugh as she sprung up. Smoothing her new frizzy brown hair, the 12 year old laughed again and poked Isa's stomach. "Hurry up, or I will eat it allll!!" Rose said with another giggle. She ran up the stairs and yanked open the door, her kitten following behind her like a shadow.

She ran into the kitchen and opened the freezer, setting the ice cream on the stove. They would have to wait for it to melt a little before eating it, but Rose stood close to the desert, as if protecting it from her siblings. "Oh, shucks! I ate all the ice cream!" she called outside with another giggle. It seemed that Rosalee had gotten over her Reaping Fears.