Heart of Ice

"Johanna! Get down from there right now!" My step-mother's shrill voice pierces the air, and sharp intake of breath keeps me from losing my balance. "Johanna!"

I curse under my breath and swing down from the power line, my feet hitting the ground with a soft thud. "What?" I snap.

She looks appalled. "Don't take that tone with me, young lady. Get yourself inside right now and wash up for the reaping. I won't have you making us late again." Acacia jabs her hand inside.

I reluctantly head inside the house. I didn't make us late last year. She made me run back to the house for her purse, and then lied straight to the Peacekeeper's face when asked why we were late. I had that bruise on my chin for weeks.

I pull on reaping clothes, a dark green dress and new shoes. I'd wear my work clothes if I could, but Acacia threatened to wring my neck the first time I tried. I pull the comb through the tangles of my short hair. I usually just wear a hat over it, but I leave it down for today.

I head downstairs, debating whether I could sneak back to the power line. I've never gotten hurt while doing it, no matter what Acacia thinks. Not that she cares about my health, but apparently it's rude to walk on power lines. Last I checked, it wasn't technically illegal, but peacekeepers don't need a valid reason.

I stop dead in my tracks when I see Willow sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal, her hair nearly as short as mine. "What the hell did you do to your hair?"

"Acacia cut it," she says.

Why the hell would she do that? Willow's hair was long and curly, and I'd seen the looks she got from the boys in her class. Now it hung limply from the sides of her head.

I bet Cypress didn't get a haircut. Of course not. Acacia would target Willow for humiliation on reaping day, knowing I couldn't do anything to fix it.

I take Willow by the arm and lead her out of the house and over to our neighbor's door. The streets are crowded with people trying to get to the square, but I weave through. "Mrs. Allston! I need help!" She better answer. I fixed the side of her porch last week. She owes me.

She opens the door. "Child, what's wrong? The reaping hasn't started yet."

"Acacia cut Willow's hair, and I don't have time to fix it. Can you please help?" I plead. I even put on a smile. It's illegal to not dress nicely for the reaping, and I doubt the state of Willow's hair counts as nice. She's only fourteen, and the peacekeepers here aren't exactly lenient.

Her crinkled face turns into a smile. "Of course. Leave her with me, and I'll fix it. She'll meet you at the reaping." Mrs. Allston takes Willow by the hand and leads her inside.

"Thank you so much. Willow, wait by the big oak tree for me when she's done, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Johanna."

"See you later." I flee back to the house. Cypress and Conrad are likely to have forgotten something, and I'll be the one sent out to get it. Acacia prides her twins, giving them their own bedrooms despite having Willow and I share the smallest. They get the best portions during dinner, the new clothes that Willow will wear when they're outgrown. It's likely because we aren't her real children. Father would never have allowed it, but the dead can't do much.

The reaping isn't until eleven, but I hurry back to the house and wolf down a meal. Soon enough, I hear a cry of "Mother!"

I slip out of the house, not in the mood to deal with Cypress's lost hair ribbon or whatever shit it is. She can deal with it.

I pull myself up to the roof, using loose bricks as handholds. It's harder to climb in a dress, but I don't care. I approach the power line, wondering how long it'll take me to get to the oak tree. There's no point in waiting around here, and I'd rather not get lost in the crowd below.