THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

THIRTY ONE - Our Tomb

GALE'S POINT OF VIEW

It has been four weeks, four entire weeks and there still wasn't any word about (Y/n). Still no word from the Capital.

I am itching to get out of this tomb that they call District Thirteen. That's what it is, a tomb. We're all stuck hundreds of feet underground, under tons and tons of rock, if the Capital knew where we were they could simply trap us in.

But I'm not too worried about my own safety at the moment, all I can think about is (Y/n).

They're probably torturing her, beating her for information. I try not to think the worst, I try not to think about how she could already be dead.

I wish I could switch places with her, I wish I had fought back against those peacekeepers who had grabbed her. But she told me to run, to protect the others. I had to do it, for her.

But I still feel incredibly guilty.

Haymitch wasn't doing so well in his daughter's absence. There is no alcohol for him to drink here in Thirteen, so he's not able to drown his pain. His emotions are as clear as day now on his sober face, a face I have learned to read like a book now.

He and I both fought with Alma Coin, the president of Thirteen the other day. We were trying to convince her to send out a team to get the (Y/n) and others, but it was a no go.

"My daughter is out there, probably fighting for her life just to keep our plans secret!" Haymitch shouted at her, standing abruptly out of his seat. "We will send a team out there to find her, or I will go and do it myself!"

He had tears in his eyes, of anger and loss. It was the first time I had seen him cry, ever.

Coin only observed us with a passive face, her shoulder length grey hair framing her face like a crown of power and authority. 

"I'll go." I stood, with the same determination as the victor. "I just need a weapon and a way of transport, and perhaps a couple other's as back up."

I was ready to risk my life to save (Y/n)'s. I still am.

Coin turned to me too, eyes calculating. "As noble as your offers are, I cannot risk the loss or spare the resources to save the victors and (Y/n) at the moment."

Katniss stood up next to address the president. "(Y/n) is the one who sparked this entire rebellion, you have her to thank for what we have accomplished so far. We will save her and the other victors, or you will find yourself another Mockingjay!"

Katniss's time in the arena had shattered her, her broken pieces were now rearing themselves in protection of her friends. Brave as always, but now with a defined purpose.

She and I had been closer than ever this past month, confiding in each other in the absence of our significant others. 

The Capital had Peeta too after all, the boy she had yet to admit her true feelings too.

Coin was still inscrutable, but she finally sighed. "We will send out a team, we just have to wait for the right moment. In the mean time, I want the both of you to start filming propaganda to be viewed by the citizens of Panem. We're going to need all the help we can get from the districts."

So far we had a few of the districts on our side, but we needed more help if we were going to overthrow the Capital.

(Y/n) would have wanted me to continue, to fight for what's right even while she's gone. 

So that's why Katniss and I, and a group of others are here, back at District Twelve, filming propaganda for the rebels' cause.

Cressida, a filmmaker from the Capital gone rebel, directs us in what to do. Apparently even some Capitol people want this to happen.