Rose Tatum by Lora Carlson (black female authors .txt) 📕

As I opened my eyes I knew that I was the first one up. Not because the house was dark, but because our cat Kaylee was sitting on my bed staring at me. Kaylee only sits on someone's bed when she's hungry and shes only hungry when no one is up to feed her. So I got out of bed and went into the kitchen. There are 6 people in my family. I'm the second oldest kid. In order of age it's my mom, Tealia, then my dad, Arter. Then there’s my brother, Micah, me, Rose, my sister Mint, she’s 14 and last but not least, my 7 year old brother Clay.

I opened the shades on the windows and light flooded the room. I walked over to the only shelf we have in our kitchen and reach up to find that we were out of cat food. Great, that is just great. The day we have about 6 hours to relax before the reaping and I have to go into town and buy some stupid cat food.

What I mean by relax is that no one one has to work until the reaping is over. So I walked back into my room, well, the one I shared with Mint, walked over to the closet and grabbed a brown dress that I slipped on over my PJ's.
I ran to the door and put my sandals on, opened the door and stepped outside. We were a middle class family but we lived in the poorer part of town. I walked down the dirt road to the square where I can buy the cat food. As I was walking I saw someone waving at me. Dixie, my one and only friend. Well, she is one of my two friends. She ran over to me and said
"Rose! What are you doing?"

"Hey Dixie,” I smiled at her. “I am going to Layla's for some cat food." How stupid does that sound?

"Well that sucks, I was just going to go over to Riley's place, you should stop by when you're done!"

"Sure, sounds good. See ya later."

“See ya!" and then she ran off.

Now I’m confused. Why would she go see Riley? I know the answer. I just don’t want to think about it. It’s because Dixie had her name in about 30 times this year and this could be the the last time we see her. Which sucks cause Dixie is my best friend and if she was in the Hunger Games I think she would die because she is one of those type of people who wouldn't hurt a fly, much less kill someone on TV.

I walked into Layla’s animal shop and look for some cat food. Layla is one of the most successful store owners in District 8 because there are a lot of animals. I know the textiles district shouldn’t have a lot of animals but we do. I don’t know why, it’s not like we need them. Everyone goes to Layla for animal food and other animal supplies. I find some cat food, but I also grab some bug repellent (the ants and mosquitoes wouldn’t leave us alone).

I walk up to the counter and Layla isn’t there. I reach over the counter top and down onto the desk, pressing a button that activates a bell that rings through the whole store. When it stops I shout:
“Layla! I need to buy this stuff!”

A couple seconds later the door in the back opens and Layla walks out. Layla is a middle aged woman with dark caramel colored hair. Her green eyes are always hidden behind her golden wire glasses. She also wears brightly colored clothes. Today she has on a baggy dark purple shirt, with a tan belt around her stomach. She has a light green skirt on too. Covering most of her waist length hair is a white bandana. She stumbles in carrying some new cat house she made. She’s a clumsy person most of the time.

“Hello, Rose! What are you doing here today?” she chirped while putting down her cat house.

“I just needed some cat food and bug repellent.” I replied, nonchalantly.

“Well alrighty then, by the way, how is Kaylee? I haven’t seen her in months!”

“She’s fine, though she could use a check up.” Did I mention that Layla is also the vet?

“Well, bring her round when you get the chance.”

“Kay, I’ll do that.” I put the stuff on the counter and reached into my dress pocket and pulled out my homemade patchwork wallet. I pulled out a long piece of string that had a wool ball on the end. Attached to the ball were four multicolored feathers; red, green, blue and yellow. I set it on the counter.

"Here Layla, I don't have any money so I made this cat toy thing or whatever for you"

"Thank you Rose. I need more cat toys" She picks it up by the end of the string at starts to bat the ball with her hand.

"Okay then... Oh! wait a sec" I pulled out two copper coins that I found in my wallet. I set them on the counter.

"Thanks again Rose" She snatched the coins and slid them into her skirt pocket. I picked up the cat food and bug repellent.
Then I walked out the door.

I was walking home when I was hit in the face. It hurt. I looked down, rubbing my forehead. It was a rock. I looked back up and saw my sister Mint laughing with her back to me. So I walked over and clapped her on the back of the head.

“Ow! Rose! Why did ya hit me?” She spat, holding the back of her head and turning around.

“Cause you threw a rock at my face, you jerk” I spat back. She threw a punch at my face but I blocked it, dropping my load in the process. She punched again with the other hand, I grabbed her hand and twisted it behind her back.

“Ow! Rose let go of me!” She yelled.

“Say you're sorry” I replied calmly.

“No” She growled.

“Fine” I shrugged, twisting her arm harder.

“Fine fine fine fine!” She squealed. I let go of her and spun her around to face me.

“I’m sorry I chucked a rock in your face” She said, rubbing her arm.

“I accept your apology” I said while picking up my stuff from the ground. I walked past her and down the road. She ran up next to me and said:

“Let me take this stuff home, Channing is waving at you” I let her grab the stuff and spun around to see Channing; my boyfriend, grinning at me. I grinned back at skipped to his side, grabbing his hand.

“Hey beautiful” he said in his sweet voice.

“Hey Channing” I smiled up at him. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I leaned my head on his shoulder. We then walked toward the “Community Garden” which really was a bunch of really tall weeds. We started walking down the path in the garden in silence. After awhile he stopped me and made look at him.

“What’s wrong” It wasn’t a question, it was more like a demand.

“Nothing, why would something be wrong? Nothing is wrong, Why would you think-” But then I bit my lip to stop my blabbing. Whenever something is wrong I blab. It’s a really annoying habit. I looked down, kicking myself mentally for making my blab mistake. He put his finger under my chin and pushed lightly, making me look into his eyes.

“You can tell me what’s bothering you” He said softly. I took a deep breath and spilled.

“I’m really scared that Dixie is going to be chosen in the reaping. She is my best friend and if anything happened to her I don’t think I could take it. She is so helpless and small. I know she has Riley to protect her but if she got picked then he couldn’t volunteer
because you know... he’s a dude” I thought about that subject for a bit, then I realized something.
“Hey...” I said slowly. “I could volunteer if she got picked” I smiled. Then my mind registered the look on Channing’s face. It was a mixture of shock and horror.

“What?” I asked.

“You can’t volunteer! I don’t know what I would do if I lost you” I swear he was going to cry. How sweet is that? He wouldn’t know what to do without me. That’s actually a little sad. I pat his head.

“I’m not gonna volunteer. Don’t worry” I smile at him.

Text: Suzanne Collins for the Hunger Games. Lora C for the people and story.
Publication Date: 08-30-2012

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To my BFF Rose. This is a story about her. She wanted me to write it after she read "Another Victor" which I wrote for school.