Ashlyn Lovelle(A HG Fanfic based off an RP I do)

The day started out simple enough...nice. Fun, even.

It was my 7th birthday. Kenjii and I were hanging out after school on the roof, talking and laughing, being our usual bestie selves. He was teasing me about the birthday kiss tradition as we dangled our legs over the ledge, licking a cupcake.

"Oh come on, Ashlyn," Kenjii said, licking the frosting off, getting a bit on his nose. "It's tradition."

I snorted sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "First off, no way am I kissing a guy who has chocolate frosting on his nose." I smirked as he wiped it off. "Second of all, I don't care what you say-you'd never be brave enough to kiss me, you'd be too scared of cooties." I rolled my eyes again, staring into the distance.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" he asked, eyes sparkling at the challenge.

"Kenny, I don't think so. I know so," I taunted, smirking again, licking frosting off my fingers.

Then he did something that totally shocked me.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

I was shocked. I didn't know how to react...but I found myself kissing back, one arm coming up to rest on his chest where I could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady and familiar to me. His hand cupped my neck, and then we were just kissing, tasting the chocolate frosting we'd both eaten, and I caught a hint of the mint leaves his mom always made him chew.

Then he pulled back and we were just staring at each other, his soft brown eyes meeting my bright cat-green ones for a long moment. I took a shaky breath and looked away.

"I-I should probably get home...Scipio will be wondering where I am..." I mumbled. I crumpled the cupcake wrapper, sticking it in my back pocket. "I'll see you later, Kenjii." And then I ran off, not knowing I would never see my best friend again.

As soon as I was in the door, I knew something was off, because Scipio barely even looked at me. I stared at mom and dad, then glanced at Breanne questioningly. She just shook her head and looked away, seeming pale and tense.

I frowned in confusion before shrugging and going to sit on the stairs, doing my homework, tuning out Scipio as he argued with Mom and Dad about God only knows what.

Then, everything changed.

I heard a distant BOOM. The house shook, debris raining down on us. One piece hit Breanne and knocked her out cleanly. I screamed and ran to try and help her, but then another BOOM sounded, the house shook more violently, and the roof caved in. Heat blasted me, so intense I started crying as I shielded my face. I tried to find Breanne but she was lost in the wreckage of debris and flames. I cried, not sure if it was because of the heat searing my lashes or because I was sure my sister was dead.

I felt a hand grab me from behind. I screamed, struggling, lashing out instinctively.

"Shh, Kitten. It's okay," Scipio murmured, pulling me into his arms. I cried there for a long time, until he pulled me up and started running.

After that, for a long time, everything was gray confusion. Smoke. Ashes. Flames rearing up unexpectedly, licking at our clothes, our hair. Raining chunks of our house. Finally the front door-which was about to be sealed off-came into view. I heard Scipio curse, but even as I looked up at him, he was throwing me out the door, screaming for me to run.

I landed on the street hard, crying, staring as my brother was sealed inside my home, sanctuary becoming doom. I always listened to him, though-now was no exception. I couldn't afford to break down. I had to get out of here.

I stood up, looking around at my home one last time, taking in the wreckage: All the flames, the ashes, the assorted wounded and dead littering the street. Ash rained down from the sky like smoke.

I knew what had happened-the Capitol had finally decided we were too big a threat. They couldn't look powerless, so they chose to destroy us.

I took one last look at the wreckage. On the ground, I found a single feather-a mockingjay feather. The one Scipio had brought home for me earlier that day, knowing I would love it because the birds fascinated me.

I tucked the feather into my ash-blond hair with a shaky hand, surveying my home one last time. I felt my heart harden into a knot of ice.

Then I turned around, and I began to run.

I ran for a long time, not paying attention to where I was going. I ignored the fact that I was crying. I ignored the fact that I was having difficulty breathing. I ignored the searing pain on my back left calf. I ignored everything but the fact that I had to run- get out. Get away. I just did what Scipio said, like always-I ran.

About half an hour later, I had an unfortunate run-in with a wild dog and her pups. I cursed and ran off, darting through the trees, trying to find one sturdy enough to climb.

Then, next thing I knew, I was face-first on the ground, feeling a warm, sticky wetness seeping from a hot spot of pain on the back of my calf. I rolled over and gagged when hot, foul dog breath blew in my face. The mother was lunging toward me, jaws agape, her weight holding me down, and I knew-with a strange, calm certainty-that I was going to die. The last thing I saw would be her face, these were the last thoughts, I would ever think-

Everything froze in that instant. The mother stopped mid-lunge, staring. Her breath cut off with a strange gurgling. She collapsed on top of me, and I cried out in disgust, scrambling out from under her body. I saw the arrow protruding from its neck and looked around for the owner, wondering if the next sensation I would be aware of was an arrow shooting through my neck, ending my life.

I stood shakily. "H-hello?" I called out in a low, trembling voice. "Please...I-I need help..." I broke off as my voice caught on a sob.

A shadow moved, stepping toward me. I stumbled back then fell over, my legs giving out under me.

"Hey. Are you okay?" the shadow spoke. "What's your name? I've never seen you around before..." A male voice, I was sure. "Well, I guess that's not really important now. Can you walk? That bite needs to be treated, and you look fairly banged up." A pause, then he spoke again in an exasperated voice. "Come on, I don't bite." He stepped out of the shadows and I got a good look at him.

He was tall. He had dark hair, not quite black but almost. Gray eyes like stopped smoke. He seemed tough, even if he was only a year or so older than me...right around the same age as Kenjii.

I felt a pang in my chest. No, I told myself. Don't think about him...don't think about any of them. Just take this one step at a time.

I stood up shakily. "I-I'm Ashlyn...can you help me? I'm lost..."

He looked at me for a long moment before saying shortly, "Gale. Come on, can you
walk? We should get you back to the district so you can get medical treatment." He walked over to me. I took a tentative step forward and almost face-planted when my legs buckled and gave out.

Then Gale's arms were around me, catching me before I fell. He was sighing brusquely. "Okay, so walking's out for you. Here, put your arms around my neck." I stared at him for a long moment before obeying. Gale bent and put his arms behind my knees, the other around my shoulders, and he was scooping me up in his arms.

Gale grunted slightly. "Good thing you're light...and the district's close." He set off at a brisk jog through the forest until we came to a fence topped with barbed wire. He pushed me gently through a break in the break in the fence, setting me down lightly before clambering through himself, then scooped me up again and jogged off.

He stopped outside a small house and kicked the door. "Aria! Prim! Come out here, quick!"

There were some scuffling sounds, then a young girl with blond hair opened the door and stared at me quizzically. "Who's this, Gale?"

"Prim, this is Ashlyn," he said. "She got hurt by a wild dog, and she needs help."

The girl-Prim-nodded and stepped back. "Bring her in, I'll get mom up." She scampered off yelling "MOM!!!" as another girl about our-mine and Gale's I mean- age came in. She took one look at me and then got pale, looking away. "I'll just go... um, get some food." She vanished as Prim came back, tugging an older woman by the hand.

The rest of the evening is a blur. Pain. Food. Kind arms hugging me, patting my head when I cried. Only one thing stood out, really: Gale's face, always watching me.

I knew I would never forget that face...how can you forget the face of your last hope?