the untold tale (A Gale Hawthorne story)

CHAPTER 10

The house stands in the distance. It's one of the last houses in the outskirts of the Seam, beside the Meadow. Its a small house, but strong enough to stand upright through the long, freezing winters and survive the hot summers.

It always had a warm, welcoming aura to it. Everyday Prim sweeps the little porch before going to school. She tells me that her father hated the layer of coal which covered everything in District 12.

But today the doors are slammed shut. The house seems lost and forlorn. Forgotten even, amidst the cheerful neighbourhood, families relieved that their children have been spared for another year.

I trudge to the front door, not knowing what to say.

I knock the door twice and wait. Minutes later Prim opens the door, her eyes red and her face swollen from crying all night.

"I...uh.." I stammer. I don't know what to say to a twelve-year-old. Pathetic.

She doesn't say anything, instead, she wraps her arms around me and lets out a sob.

"It's okay," I croak, caressing her back. "She's coming back."

I crouched to her height and wipe her face. There's not a single tear, but the dry streaks down her face say otherwise.

My chest tightens.

I envelop her in my warmth and we stay like that, her body racking with sobs as we share our grief.

Katniss.

***

A touch on my shoulder makes me turn.

Ever so slightly, I pat Prim, dabbing her face with my sleeve.

I greet her mother and hold out the game bag. She stares at it, deciding whether to accept it or not. Her face is clouded and white, almost as if she's a ghost.

I can't meet her eyes.

"Gale," she croaks. I look up. She pushes the bag to my chest.

"Take it to home your family needs it."

"No, you-" I start to protest.

She finishes my sentence though. "We don't need so much food Gale. There's no one here who could eat that much anyway," she says bluntly.

The words are like a tight slap which brings nothing but pain.

I gasp for air. No.

***

 Katniss can eat an entire rabbit if she's hungry and that too within minutes.

About six months ago, while following the trails of a deer, Katniss and I got lost. I was the one leading and of course, Katniss put all the blame on me. She wasn't wrong though.

It took us nearly six hours to retrace our steps back to the fence, our constant bickering delaying us further.

By the time we reached the district, it was way past midnight. I went with her to make sure she reached home safely-not that she can't take care of herself.

Anyway, we found our mothers wide awake. It isn't unusual that we reach home this late, but we always let our families know and usually pack food for a meal in the woods.

They looked mad, but Katniss never bothered.

"We got lost because of him-" she shot me a dirty look, "-it took time to find our way. I'm sorry, Hazel. I'll make sure he doesn't lose his way again!" she finished in a single breath.

"Is there anything to eat? I'm hungry," she said. 

Both women looked dumbstruck, but they got up to prepare us a small meal.

It was some potatoes and bread that they ate last night and a freshly roasted, medium-sized rabbit. The smell of food made my mouth water. I wonder how Katniss was able to resist so long.

We sat down to eat and the entire rabbit vanishes. I glared at her. Incred

"What?! I saved you some," She says and points to the three rabbit legs.

She gobbled down the entire thing and was nice enough to leave some for me. She was already eyeing them. I grabbed them before she gobbled them down too.

***

The memory brings nothing but pain. The heavy game bag feels like a burden. If only Katniss-

"Will you watch the-will you watch with me?" Prim whispers.

I nod, dreading the days to come.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

HEY EVERYONE! 

MY EXAMS ARE STARTING THIS MONDAY(25th JAN)

LOVE Y'ALL!!!

I probably won't be able to update for a while, but I'll try my best.😔😔

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!