swim like a fish >>open

[jenson morte crete]

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swimming downward, jenson had no problem navigating her way through the waters, going to retriever her net of fish. these days she had been working extra hard, seeing as how she somehow knew that maybe, probably, she was going to be in the games. no one wanted their daughter to be in the games, so why not send some orphan. that's how it was going to go down anyway. no careers, just a small orphan. that's how it was going to go down for her, and that was probably how she was going to die.

the sad thing was, was that she hoped that if she did die, they'd kill her in her sleep. it's a morbid thing for a thirteen year old to think of death, but when you've had nothing, like jenson, then you sometimes couldn't help but think of what life would be like without you, if you were dead. was anyone gonna miss her? maybe the boy tribute would team up with her, maybe. if he was nice enough, would anyone help the small orphan?

probably not, she thought, no one wants to feel pity for an orphan, if they know there kid might die. in ways she had gotten over that fact. she bet that they had waited till she was this age to actually make her be in the hunger games, because they probably didn't want to send a twelve year old in. now that she was thirteen though, they thought jenson was old enough. so now, now she was dead meat. dead meat and not a penny to her name.

maybe she could win.

maybe if she won, she could have one of those nice houses. finally remembering that she had to breathe, she swum up, gasping for air. looking around, she wondered which way she was suppose to go to find her net. catching her breath, she swam back down, and grabbed the net, swimming upward and toward a boat she had been sleeping in for a while. throwing the net over the side, jenson pulled herself in, and rowed the boat to the docks, tying the boat at one of the pegs.

the thought of winning was still in her mind.

[twister14]

,


Jogging up and down the Docks and Beaches, Kyle began to feel the rumbling of his stomach for food. For fish. Kyle could easily get a fish, after all, he had a few options for retrieving one. He could A: Go to the market and buy one - That was a big no no, his father may have money, but he was still a stickler. There was option B: Get his pole from home and go fishing, waiting for what could be hours on end for a decent sized and edible fish to grab onto his hook. Then there was option C: Get his trident which he hid behind a group of boulders, and go spearing for a fish in the shallow waters. Option C was a bit more dangerous, as the shallow waters that contained the fish had sharp edged rocks and crabs. However, Kyle was always a fan of using his Trident, and was better with it than a pole, so, he decided he would go with option C, and get a fish the quick way.

Dashing over to the boulders which were now ever so close to him, Kyle dug his Trident out of the crack. Kyle weighed the Trident in his hand as if it were his first time handling the dangerous weapon, remembering all the fish it had helped Kyle bring home to his family, to help them gain more money.

Sneaking out from the boulders, careful to make sure no one saw him and discovered his precious hiding place, Kyle began to slyly glide over to the shallow waters.

On his way over there, he noticed a boat not too far out on the sea, beside it, was a little girl. Well, little compared to him at least. She looked about the age of thirteen, and Kyle hadn't seen her around here before.

Up and down her head bobbled, constantly diving back under water. Kyle couldn't help but wonder what she could be doing.

It appeared that she was attempting to retrieve something from underwater, but Kyle couldn't seem to place his finger, or his visual on it.

When the girl began to look as if she couldn't get what she was going for on her own, Kyle decided to skip and ignore his hunger for the moment, and swim out to her to help.

But just as Kyle was about to place his trident on the beach and bury it, then take his shirt off to go swimming, the girl came back up with what looked to be a net full of fish, and began to row her boat back to the docks.

Interested in meeting someone new, just for the heck of it, Kyle sprinted over to her and glanced at the net full of fish. There were quite a few.

Taking his mind off the fish, Kyle decided to introduce himself. "Hey there, I'm Kyle Redding. You seem to have quite the skill for fishing. What's your name?"

Words: 497

[jenson morte crete]

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looking at him a bit like a timid animal would someone who threatened them, she replied, "...jenson, jenson crete. your a merchant's son. i recognize you, they interviewed you when that one girl was killed in the games." jenson was a weary girl, so being around people was a bit different for her. "and i have to have skill in fishing, they're gonna make me go into the games, so their daughters dont. i can shoot too, and traps. i think," her eyes flashed a tiny bit of hope, "i think maybe, just maybe i have a chance of surviving."

jenson knew, deep down inside, that she was going to the games. you didn't have to be an idiot to know that during the reaping, when some girl was picked, that the mother was going to give her such a look that she would have to volunteer. not that the games scared her, she just didn't like it. that's why she was preparing this year. not lke a career would, of course. she just wanted a fighting chance. a fighting chance to prove she was more than an orphan, more than the little girl who slept in a boat.

grabbing the net, she swung it onto the dog, grabbing a knife and cutting it open. grabbing a few of the bigger fish, she threw them in the boat, then put the rest back into the ocean, watching them swim away, getting the use of their gills back. jenson was definitely going to be in the games, she knew she was, why? no other girl was going to volunteer. once jenson volunteered it'd be because she wanted to. for once, this orphan was going to show the district that she was more than they thought. she would show them. she'd show them all.

[twister14]

Jenson. A pretty name, Kyle had to admit that. He'd hadn't heard that name before, but Crete. For some reason, the name Crete stuck in his mind, and rang out loud. Whatever the reason for that ringing, Kyle would never find out, for he put it out of his mind when he decided it was useless trying to remember a forgotten name.

So, the girl just had to be good at fishing, huh? For the games? Then, she was good with a bow, eh? Jenson thought she would stand a chance to survive in the Hunger Games. Didn't they all? Well, Kyle was quick, could climb trees, expert trident handler, and was an okay fisher. Did that mean he would be the victor of the Hunger Games? Or at least one of the top eight? Kyle didn't think so. He knew his chances would be slim up against all the others and the Careers. Ah. The Careers, Kyle loathed them. Their districts were wealthy, being the closest to the Capitol, and almost always winning the Games, letting their district suffice for yet another year. One year, Kyle hoped, a different district would win. Perhaps one like District twelve. That was quite unlikely, but then again, the Victor from the last Hunger Games had been from that very District. That Victor had also been the very killer of Callie. Yes, that girl – Vivian Lane, no matter how protected she was, would pay one way or another. Whether it was physical or mental, it would happen.

Kyle watched as Jenson threw her net over a dog and then pulled her knife to kill it. She then headed over towards her fishing net, and took out a few of the big ones, and released all the other smaller ones back into the ocean, as Kyle and she watched them swim away, finally getting air…Or water that is, once again.

Walking over to the boat, Kyle sat down and studied Jensen’s face. Was it possible he was on the verge of making a new friend, or at the very least, an acquaintance? Whatever he was about to make, he was eager to get it.

“Jenson” Kyle tested the name on his lips. Obviously, it was pretty. He liked it, and he liked her last name as well, but once again, that was out of his line of thought. “So, you remember me, eh? Her name is Callie by the way. All of Panem will know by now that I was....In love with her. But she never felt the same for me. Anyway, you think you’ll be picked for the Hunger Games, huh? Let me guess, probably because you’re an orphan, right? I mean, not that you look like one or anything, I mean, you look perfectly healthy. Anyway, you probably think because you’re an orphan the other mothers will force you somehow mentally or physically to volunteer in their daughter’s place? Hmm, well, I wouldn’t worry about that. I’m sure someone will want to go. They’ll be chosen, and if not, they themselves will volunteer.” Kyle smiled at the younger girl with reassuring hope, trying to give the girl something to hold onto. Not just the thought of maybe winning the Hunger Games. Not just memories of dead family members. If she had any members that is.

“Say, how about you grab those fish of yours, and we go on a walk somewhere?” Kyle realized what he had just said could sound a bit creepy and rephrased his words. “If you want to, of course” Kyle added quickly.

Kyle waited patiently for a response from the young girl, and got ready to either go for a walk with the girl…Or without.

Words: 617

[jenson morte crete]

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listening to him, she nodded, "yea, but now, after thinking about it a lot... i kind of want to be picked. i want to prove myself to all those people. i wanna show them that orphans can win." jenson, when she put her mind to it, could definitely do what she wanted to. the hunger games showed a challenge, maybe the ultimate challenge. she knew the dangers, but that was what drew her to the game, she wanted to win, to be the ultimate.

at first she was weary, eyeing kyle, not everyone asked that question. nodding, she grabbed the fish, and jerked her head towards the beach, "follow me, i know the place like the back of my hand, maybe even better than that. oh, and whatever you do dont go west, ever." jenson started walking, not much caring if kyle was with her or not. reason why you didn't go west? the peacemakers were there, and jenson didn't want to go near them. ever. they bothered her to a point, and she hated having to run away all the time.

[twister14]

That's what motivated little girls like Jenson, huh?. She wanted to be in the games. Just like Kyle had - Does. Kyle ultimately hoped that his girl wouldn't be picked the same year as he was if he was indeed chosen for the Hunger Games. She had so much ahead of her, Kyle could simply see it in her eyes. She may be an orphan, but she was destined to do something great. Kyle knew it was to be true.

Jenson hesitated and then motioned towards Kyle. Confused, Kyle got up, and then realized she wanted him to follow her. Apparently he wasn't to stray to the west. Hm, which way was west again? Or by west, did she just mean the left? Whatever the reason, Kyle got up and began to follow her, and had the biggest urge to stray to the west, and become a badass.

Then it hit Kyle what was to the West. The Peacmakers. Of course. The likes of them would probablly get a hoot out of bothering and bullying a little girl like Jenson who just turned out to be an orphan. Jerks. Kyle had other choice words for them, but he didn't feel like fouling his thoughts at the moment.

"It's the Peacemakers over there, isn't it? That's why you want me to stay close to you, and as far away from the west as possible." It was a statement. Not a question.

Kyle glanced over toward the Peacemakers who were bothering some lady, and Kyle felt a sudden pang of need to go and help her out. To back her up. Kyle may be wrong, but half the time, whenever a Peacemaker bothered a citizen, it most certainly wasn't for a legit reason.

Then the Peacemakers noticed Kyle looking at him, and they began to walk over towards him and Jenson.

Kyle put his palm to his face and muttered something on audible. He had just caused both he and Jenson some serious trouble. Especially, sinse the likes of him, was hanging out with a thirteen year old orphan. A prim target of the Peacemakers. Yea, that TOTALLY wouldn't look suspicous.

Turning towards Jenson, Kyle whispered in her small ears. "Come on! Let's get out of here." Before Jenson could even ask why, Kyle pointed to the Peacemakers, directing her line of sight towards them. Then he began to run, just hoping Jenson would be witful enough to follow him.

[jenson morte crete]

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she nodded yes, "yea, them and i dont see eye to eye, if you catch my drift." jenson and peacemakers got along as much as a shark and a fish got along. only, she was the fish, and they were the sharks. they had this place wrapped around their fingers, so it was always best for her to stay away from them. besides, if they wanted to mess, they could, but she knew this place, like said earlier, like the back of her hand, maybe even better. this wasn't going to be a problem.

when kyle started running, she sprinted, catching up with him, "this way!" she shouted, breathing hard to keep up, "get in the water, dive under, and swim back toward the dock!" jenson made sure that the peace makers hadn't heard, and not looking behind her to see if kyle was following she ran to the water, getting out far enough and diving under. you didn't have to be an idiot to know that peacemakers thought she was going to swim away from the docks, to the cove, but jenson after a while had outsmarted them.

swimming, trying to not waste too much air, she started swimming towards the dock. they hadn't gotten very far from it, so thankfully, she could make it without getting up to breathe. for someone small, she was a strong swimmer, currents weren't a problem for her. sometimes she felt like she could become a fish, and just live under the water all her life. when she reached the docks, she popped up, gasping for air. looking around, she couldn't see kyle. did he make it? did he escape?"

[twister14]

Kyle looked back. Thank god, she Jenson was sprinting as well, and eventually catching up with him to tell him what she thought would be a good idea. She wanted the two of them to swim back towards the docks. Where the Peacemakers were. Yes, that was a good plan. Go to the least expected place. Wasn't the place that would be least expected to be found hiding, where they first started out? Where the Peacemakers had begun to make their way towards, but were now on their tails? Yes. Kyle would comply, and follow Jenson.

When Kyle reconcentrated on his running, on his direction, where he was heading for, he noticed that Jenson had already sprinted ahead and made her way into the water, beginning to bob up and down as she went down under to conceal herself, and then back up for a breath, only to continue he process.

Looking back one last time, Kyle swished his head towards the Peacemakers, and as it turned out, they were taking their time. As if they had better things to do. They were oh so confident in themselves. Those high and mighty Peacemakers. The government. One day, someone would show them who's who. But for now, Kyle just wanted to get away.

SPLASH. Kyle was in the water now. He waded out to a good spot to begin his journey back to the docks, which didn't look too far away. But hey, you never know with Kyle. He was horrible at estimating things.

Kyle glided through the water, each stroke flucid and neat. When it came to swimming, Kyle was nearly flawless. Surprisingly, Jenson was doing pretty well by the looks of it too, especially for how small she was. But hey, once again, Kyle was horrible at estimates.

BOOM a wave crashed over Kyle just as he came back up for a breath, hurling salt water right into his mouth. Spewing the water out, Kyle tried to temperaroly balance himself while he got all the salt out of his mouth. But at the same time, he had to try and make sure the Peacemakers didn't make eye contact with him. Heck, so they didn't even see him.

Finally getting rid of all the salf - or most of it that is - Kyle began to paddle with his arms once again, and willed the water and his body to take him further, faster. However, all that came as a result was more water in his face.

The salt got in his eyes, and his vision was temperaroly blurred. Calling out for help, assistance, guidence, anything! Kyle shouted out to Jenson. "Jenson! Are we almost there yet!? I can't see it very well." Kyle hoped with his heart she would answer, giving him hope and relief for that extra boost of energy.

[avatarfan97]

Kate Herring reclined against a rock with a baited fishing pole in her hand. Today, she was going to feed her family. Her father was farther away, fishing for the Capitol. Anybody who saw her fishing would think that she was fishing for the Capitol to eat. Although she wasn't technically a career, she hung out with them and that made her somewhat more liked by the Peacekeepers than anyone else. They never bothered her when she went out to fish and she never antagonized them on purpose. But lately, she began to feel somewhat excluded by her friends. They were always out late training for the Hunger Games. She knew that some where going to volunteer this year. Chances were they wouldn't return. Oh well. She wouldn't worry about that now. A nice dinner would await her and her family soon enough. Kate's eyelids began to droop and slowly a mist descended over her...
A splash from the water in front of her jerked her awake. A young girl and a boy were swimming away. The boy she recognized from school. He was in her grade but he wasn't a popular. To be popular, you had to be a Career. The girl was younger than her and an orphan. She had passed her occasionally, but had never been bothered to talk to her. What was the cause of their panic?
She turned around and spotted a couple of Peacekeepers walking towards them. With a start, she remembered the fishing pole in her hand. She had to hide it, quick, or else they would most likely ask what she was catching, then they would check up with the market to see if she actually sold the fish. She took out a small pocket knife and cut the line, then buried the pole in the usual place, in the sand behind some rocks.
It wasn't safe to leave her place yet so she hid behind some rocks so she could peek out and see what would happen next.

[jenson morte crete]

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When she heard Kyle, she sighed in relief. The Peacemakers hadn't gotten him yet. Going under, she swam under the current and over to him, popping up, "I thought I lost you. You tried to swim with the current, didn't you?" Jenson didn't have to hear him say he did, he looked like he did. Looking out, she watched as the Peacemakers were making their way back to their station, and she leaned back, her hands on her face and floated on her back, breathing.

"That was close," she kept her eyes closed, letting the waves rock her. It was easier to float that way, "I've never had to help someone escape the Peacemakers before. Well, I guess it's cause I've never had a friend before," she held her hand out for him to shake, "I save your back you save mine?" basically, that was Jenson's way of asking if you'd be her friend. Simple, yet effective. It wasn't like she didn't know how to ask, 'hey, wanna be friends?' but that didn't seem the appropiate way to ask at the moment.

That's when something caught her eye.

Someone was hiding, and was watching them. Quirking an eyebrow, she moved so she wasn't floating on her back, but staring right at the person. "Follow me," she said to Kyle, "and stay under the current. You wont get hit by waves that way." Without waiting, Jenson dived under, swimming as if she were a fish. She could, it's what happened when you lived here for a long time, and didn't go to school. Swimming, she was easily getting over to the rocks, the water much calmer under the current.

Her eyes never stung of the salt water, she noticed. Maybe it was because she had gotten used to it. That, and the water was nice and clear down there. When she reached the rocks, she surfaced, and climbed up to the rock the girl was hiding behind, and sat on top, looking down at the girl, "Hi. Whatcha doin, hidin' a fishin' pole. You hang out with the Careers, I remember you." You didn't have to go to school, to know this girl hung around the Careers, Jenson saw her sometimes, so it never bothered her. But why had she been watching her and Kyle?

[twister14]

Kyle waited for maybe five minutes before Jenson eventually replied, reasurring Kyle, and told him to continue. He had finally caught up with Jenson and she was explaining how you should never try and ride with the current like Kyle had tried.

Then he got asked if he wanted to be friends with Jenson. Well, that's what he assumed at least. She saved his back, he saves her. That's what she had said in terms. It sounded good to Kyle, and he really needed another friend. After all, he wasn't the most popular kid in school. He wasn't disliked or hated or anything. He just wasn't 'popular', in order to be popular, you just had to be a career. The few people in his life he absolutely hated. Not including the PeaceMakers that is. After all, who couldn't hate them? Kyle would like to meet one of them. Someone who actually didn't mind them. Little did he know, he soon would.

Motioning Kyle forward, Jenson explained that this time they would swim UNDER the current, not above, and would slowly, but progressively, make their way towards the boulders. Jenson dived underwater, and Kyle reluctnatly followed her, swimming as fast and hard as he could.

For awhile, Kyle couldn't find or see Jenson Crete, the little girl, who was meant to be guiding him to her little hiding place from the Peacemakers.

FINALLY. There she was. Jenson was sitting there still, staring at a girl who was staring back at her...and at Kyle. Jenson began to question her, and then it came to him! This girl was from his school. In his grade infact. This girl, was Kate Herring. She was pretty Kyle thought, but still, he wasn't sure if he was ready to even consider asking her out. Well, that's what he thought at least.

"Well, if it isn't Kate Herring. You remember me, right? Kyle Redding? I'm in your grade." Kyle smiled reasurringly, and continued "Now, what may we ask, are you doing at the likes of this place?"

[avatarfan97]

Kate was frozen with shock for a minute or so. If they found her hiding place, all the Peacemakers had to have done was turn around. Luckily, they were gone. Kate came back to her senses.

"I was burying my fishing pole. Getting caught stealing food is punishable by death, but I have to feed my family."

She barely knew them, and yet she was confessing a crime. But somehow, she got the feeling that they didn't mind. In fact, they probably did it countless times. They were decent people. Hardly anybody knew their names, but she did. Maybe she admired their freedom to do what they wanted. To not have to pretend just to be "popular". No. Her friends really liked her, didn't they? Of course!

She was jolted back down to earth by a sentence from Kyle.

"Yeah," she said. "I remember you. We never met, but I know you. and I know you too." Kate looked at Jenson. "You don't go to school." She stepped out of her hiding place and brushed the sand out of her clothes and hair.

[jenson morte crete]

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"Of course I dont go to school," she replied, "They don't let orphans be in school, unless their in an orphanage. And I'll never go to one." Jenson's ears perked up at the name Herring. "Herring? You hang around all those Careers, right? They train a whole lot, instead of actually coming out here and learning the skill." Shutting up after that, she watched Kyle talk to her, keeping an easy lookout for any peacemakers. Well, she was an orphan, an orphan peacemakers could easily pick on. That, and now her and Kyle were friends, so it seemed logical.

Key word, logical, but here she was hanging around one of the Careers people. That wasn't good. It made her seem like she wanted a one up on going to the games, and Jenson had her mind on that exact game. She couldn't help but wonder how this would have played out if it were in the games. Maybe there would be an alliance or maybe someone would die. Who knew? But, of course, she was probably the only one angling this around the games. So... oh well, at least she could watch the two older kids.

[twister14]

She was feeding her family. She was breaking the law for her family's sake. She didn't care what became of her as long as her family was safe. Those three things were what Kyle had inferred about Kate. She was loyal first to her family, then to herself. Or were there others still that she put before herself? If so, that would make her a very honorable person.

So, Kate DID reconize him. She didn't know him personally, but they still knew one another existed.

Kyle listened for a while more while Jenson talked about how the careers didn't actually master a skill, they simply learned it, and then noticed how she shut up and began to be a lookout for the Peacemakers while she watched the two elder kids. Kyle and Kate.

Kyle stood up and stretched, then he cracked his back by doing a non-professional bridge. Kyle was quite flexible, so he could move in many directions and do many astounding things with his body.

Bending back up, Kyle examined the two girls. Kate, who was the sme age as him - 15 - was sort of pretty, but he wouldn't admit that. Not infront of Kate. Not infront of his new friend Jenson. Then there was Jenson who was about the age of thirteen sitting there watching for the Peacemakers adn watching Kate and himself. She was nice, thought Kyle, but she was still a new friend to him. Usually, newer friends took a bit of time to trust completely. Kyle hadn't had a good friend that he could trust with anything for a long while. His last had been his love. But she couldn't really be counted as a friend. Especially sinse she was dead.

Finally getting bored wtih just sitting there, Kyle fought off the urge to keep quiet and asked "So, how bout' we do something? I mean, if you two are up for it. Kate - If you don't want to do something with us, it's cool. We'll just leave if that's what you want. But either way, it's the ladies choice.

[avatarfan97]

Kate smiled.

"I don't think it's quite safe yet to go. Peacekeepers are all around. Most likely at the bar with the Careers," Kate told them. "Why don't we all fish together? We can split whatever we catch."

Kate had never gone group fishing before. Sometime she fished with her friends, but they always seemed to get the best equipment. Of course, Kate always had her spear buried a little bit away and her fishing pole right here, but she didn't feel safe about telling them that yet.

It had been a hard day for fish. She had been out here since morning and caught nothing. Her father was out filling both hers and his quota for the town's fish supply. Splitting would be great.

"It's up to you guys. Together we could get more than usual."