District 12. What a scummy place, filled with even scummier people. Smoke and exhaust filled the air constantly. The ringing metallic sounds pouring from the mines, mixing with the constant humming of factories and patrol vehicles. These people were filthy. They were poor— Swarming lowlives who were absolutely of no use to me. I didn’t belong here, not among them.

Nevertheless, it was my duty.

One evening, during my routine patrol while trying to escape the smog, I hesitated when I heard the distant sound of a twig snapping…

I immediately stopped in my tracks, my body stiffening at the sudden noise. Before I knew it, my feet were carrying me towards it. I drew nearer to the barbed wire fence that outlined the perimeters of the district.

The sun was setting now, and it was past curfew for most citizens in the district. No one should’ve been this far outside of the district in the first place, but especially not at this hour. The thought of someone sneaking around outside in the dark, thinking they could get away with it, had me fuming. It was almost amusing how these people thought they could just get away with breaking the law.

I took quiet strides over a grassy knoll, overlooking an expansive meadow. I knew it well. The forest was further back, the lake even further, tucked away in the safe, shady wood. Between myself and the meadow sat a young girl, sitting up against a protruding rock, looking as naive and ignorant as ever.

I couldn’t help but smirk to myself as I studied her for a bit longer. She really didn’t know she’d been caught, did she?

I stepped closer, careful not to disturb her distraction. There was an almost predatory look in my eye as I stalked behind her silently. Once I was close enough to reach out and grab her, my hand flew to her wrist, snatching her up off the rock and spinning her around to face me.

I couldn’t help but chuckle darkly at the fear in her eyes and the quiet, shocked gasp that she let out.

“Care to explain what you’re doing out here at this hour?”