Short Story

At baggage claim I grab my hot pink rolling suitcase with white flowers while Crystal and my parents get the rest of the baggage. The wind is whipping my hair around like an tent in a storm, we’re outside looking for my aunt Lizette to drive us to the 2 bedroom apartment my parents purchased us on Gibb street, about 2 hours later we arrive. I look around wide-eyed thinking how tiny the apartment looks but not mentioning it as not to sound ungrateful. “I know it's tiny but it's all we could afford I hear mom say I guess I had been making it obvious.

As I stared at the window of the airplane, I realized that I am leaving the place I grew up and the only place that I was familiar to. I had a long eighteen hour flight ahead of me. I could not believe I was leaving everyone and everything I knew and cared about. A part of me was excited and I could not wait to start a new life in an exciting country. Also a part of me was sad that I was leaving my friends and family and everyone I knew since I was little.

Phelps and Umonakalisi reached the bottom of the stairwell, stopping just long enough to catch their breath, but with the location of their foe unknown, Phelps opened a crack in the door just wide enough to hear the silence of the empty corridor. They were alone. Their prey still alluded them, and both men burst through the doors, setting off at a sprint along the passageway. Within thirty seconds, the signs on the walls announced the beginning of Hangar G. Phelps slowed. He searched for an entrance. Then, he stopped beside one of the huge maintenance doorways and pressed the access panel. The door remained unmoved.

1. The house was set in the middle of a field or at least what used to be a field. As I walked into the house, I could smell rot all around me. I could feel the chill of the house creeping into my bones-I could almost taste it. To my left was a broken table, with a dusty old vase next to it. In front of me were some stairs. I walked up those stairs, and with each step I could hear the stairs creak beneath me, just waiting for a chance to snap. I looked up when I got to the top, and in front of me was a room that seemed to be an old kitchen, to my left a bedroom, and to my right a small closet. I entered the kitchen. In the shelves were a few old food cans. There were a sink and a table. Nothing much to see in there. I walked into the

constantly picked flies out of my milk pail and had to be careful that one wouldn’t land in my opened mouth. I once killed a fly by smashing it between my lips. I became desensitized to the tingling of their legs dashing up and down my skin. Maybe that’s how I built up an immune system that tolerated germs and made me less susceptible to getting sick. Like how a child would hold out a finger for a butterfly to land on, I would do that same with my hundreds of fly friends. The continuous buzzing sound of the flies throughout the farm almost became therapeutic to me.

Ryder stared up at the Snowbelle gym, his heart racing in his chest. Liepard gave off a growl as she looked up at her, a smirk of determination on her face. Emma stood beside him as she looked up at the gym as well.

Selison grunts and groans as he begins to stir. He tries to fall back asleep but keeps waking up. Eventually something grabs hold of him and yanks him out of bed. He lets out a shout as he falls out of the covers and slams onto the floor, waking Jade, who instantly groans when the hangover hits. Selison hops up to his feet, activates his eyes, extends his talons and is ready to fight. Before he can get his bearings, however, Xasalamel tosses Selison Deomacht, which he catches.

“Arriving at the top of the stairs, Andrew said, “That room by the light fixture is their bedroom,” he said, pointing to a door about twenty-five feet down the hallway.

Kassidy parked her car in a spot not too far away and backed in, hoping it would be easy to get out of when it was time to leave. Just in case she had to make a quick exit. While she and Caleb had stated they’d be friends, she was still a little hesitant whether or not being friends would work out for them. Too much history.

“HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING?” she questioned in a hushed whisper in the elevator, the peacekeepers undoubtedly waiting at the bottom doors. It was a relief that they were going up. There were never set rules on if tributes could go into different floors that didn’t correlate with their district, but frankly, Reeve felt like the rules were out the window at that point.

As everyone waited to get a move on, Isaac and Epsilon sat down next to each other on an old bench. Malessica had fallen asleep, lying her head on Gerard’s shoulder while he meditated. Claire and Sabra sat outside talking under the starry skies, reminiscing of the old days. Sawyer, Paisley and Dorian sat down together, seemingly doing work on a single laptop. The afternoon felt longer than Isaac thought, but it was almost time for them to get going. Epsilon seemed generally relaxed, before standing up to stretch his arms. Isaac stood up also, stretching to loosen the tense muscles from sitting around for a few hours. Once they finished stretching, they moved closer to the door. Gerard slowly started to shake Malessica, waking her

“At least you won’t have to worry about that this time- he has set you up in a nice home with servants to look after you. Now, please forgive me and let’s have a nice visit- I want to share the latest news of what’s going on in Charleston.” Although Allie tried to pay attention to what Eli was saying, her thoughts were on Thomas, wondering where he was…

Marta was ten houses away from home and the closer she got, the more she shivered, dreading that one step that will swallow her inside, pass her iron security door and inside her enclosed porch. She looked at the houses that hugged each side of the street. All of them had enclosed porches with wrought iron doors that secure their homes as well. The only difference was the color of the houses. Some were pastel pinks, buttery yellows, and mint greens. She noticed that no mattered how colorful they were, they all looked just as opaque in the dark, as the other houses that weren’t painted; those houses with grey concrete blocks and symmetrical line patterns of cement like hers.

My cousins and I walk towards the man, giving him our baggage; beads of sweat dripping down my forehead, back, and armpits. “Oh no, I hope he doesn’t notice what I’m trying to smuggle in,” I thought as I lent him my backpack occupied by tons of vibrant, floral towels. He slowly opened my backpack, like a snail, zipper after zipper. I felt my skin starting to wrinkle, my back starting ache, and the sudden need to tinkle. Finally, he handed me my backpack; I rapidly strolled away from the guy as I just committed a felony; I brought in food from the outside. My cousins all believed that I over exaggerated the situation which enraged me because none of them obliged when I asked if they wanted to “transport the package,” which was ironic

It was 6:00 p.m. and I had been studying for a few hours to prepare for a test the next day in accounting, and it was time for a break. After walking around idly, getting a drink, and clearing my mind, I headed for the stairs. My study area was in the basement where it was private and quiet. However, my wife distracted me and I lost my balance as I turned; my foot slipped off the top step. Time felt as though it had instantly slowed, and I was airborne. Instinctively, my right arm went up to protect my head and face as I fell backward, and my other arm reached out to stop the rapid descent; but, there was nothing but air to hold.