The sky was painted a light grey color, dark patches of onyx blossoming just over the horizon as they brought with them the winter storms that would surely freeze all of Distinct Three in one fatal blow. Against the sky the bare branches of the once fruitful trees stretched up and tried to scratch the ugly gray color, to rip it open and light the light illuminate and warm all those who needed it; the warmth never came. Even with the biting chill signaling that the rains were going to begin falling any second people still continued on with their usual tasks, woman sticking to the sides of the street as they pulled their wool coats closer to them and tried to rush back to the factories after their lunch break. There was only one female that was not copying the rest, one who walked down the middle of the street and waited for the rain to begin falling.
Ophelia let out a shaking sigh as she pulled her dark aqua colored sweater to her body, the material not offering her much comfort from the wind that tried to freeze her pale skin to her bones. Her brother had given her what little money he had extra from his pay check to go out and buy them food for the next few days, maybe even a proper jacket if one was cheap enough, though she would never do such a thing. Her brother eating was more important than her health. Still the wind was so cold her face was starting to lose all its color, the flesh so light it matched her pale blonde locks that were pulled up in a lose pony tail at the crown of her head with a ribbon. In an effort to keep warm she pulled her sleeves over her hands and rubbed them against her tight black pants, the friction only offering her a little comfort.
Suddenly the whistle of the factories broke through the silent air, signaling that all workers on their lunch break needed to be back now. The streets were near empty though so not a single person moved to rush back, creating the perfectly still atmosphere that Ophelia loved when she went shopping. She had finally made it to the dismal market place where the stands were few and far between, only small bits of food about since the town was mainly centered on technology. She would have thought that being a top numbered district with an important position would make them wealthy but that was not the case; everyone was poor for the most part and there was a lack of food which only made the people that much more rebellious. She was one of those people who just went along with things though, good or bad, and it looked as though one more year of good would come to fill her life since she had avoided the Reaping.
With another heavy sigh she pushed those thoughts from her mind as walked up to the local bakery to see if the owner had any bread left to sell, her shoes crunching on the pebble ground as she slipped inside the door and pulled her basket closer to her body. From behind the counter she could see a frail old woman pushing a broom about in an attempt to sweep, her eyes only moving up to take in the petite female when Ophelia coughed lightly. With a kind voice yet sorrow filled voice the woman told the girl that they did not have any bread left for the shipment of supplies had run out for the week, Ophelia’s heart dropping at those words. However she knew better than to complain and instead she thanked the woman before leaving the store, her ice blue eyes scanning the grounds of the market for her next destination as she began humming to herself to keep her spirits up.
