THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

EPILOGUE - The Man In The Hanging Tree

10 YEARS LATER...

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

My children run around, carefree and laughing-- they don't know they dance atop graves.

My eldest son is almost ten now, our second two, twin girls, six. They're all so lively and free, no fear in the world while Gale and I are here to protect them from whatever horrors may arise after the ones we already defeated.

Jack Haymitch Hawthorne, our eldest, is named after the man who raised me as my father and my birth father. He looks like a fifty-fifty split between Gale and I, sharing both our features interchangeably. Jack has Gale's deep grey eyes, that look far too mature for a ten year old. He has my (h/c) hair, Gale's nose-- and Gale claims he bares my smile. 

Since he's almost ten, his father is starting to teach him to hunt by our house in the woods. But much to his dismay, Jack prefers to paint like his Uncle Peeta. Jack is such a gentle soul, and such a caring big brother. 

He is there for me when Gale is away for whatever reason, and I wake from a nightmare. There for me when I can't be there for him. 

Then there is Mallory Effie Hawthorne,  the first of our twins, named after my mother and the woman who has become such. And Maysilee Hazelle Hawthorne, our youngest, after my aunt who left behind my mockingjay pin, and Gale's loving mother.

The twins look much the same, with Gale's dark hair, and matching features-- but their eyes are what's different. Much to our surprise, Mallory inherited the crystalline blue eyes my mother had. I see her in my daughter's little face everyday. Maysilee on the other hand has my (e/c) eyes, so pure and perfect. It's strange to see them like that, so unbroken.

They are my little warriors, always trying to make Gale bring them with him hunting. He tells them they aren't old enough yet, to which they respond with slashes of their sick daggers: we are rebel soldiers from the uprising, we can handle anything!

Little do they know, their parent are just that.

My dad and Effie are doing wonderful even after all this time. They still live in his house in Victor's Village, where he still raises geese and gardens. They got married a couple years after Gale and I in a small ceremony at the court hall, and they are so happy together.

My dad, and Effie for that matter, adore our children. They love being grandparents. It actually made Effie cry the first time I told her I considered her a mother to me, and in turn the grandmother of my kids. Papa and Nana they call them.

Katniss is pregnant with her first kid finally, it took her and Peeta a bit longer to decide on even having them. Their monsters still keep them up at night, and haunt them by day.

As for Gale and I, we're both extremely happy, and as we sit in the meadow watching our children run around-- I couldn't ask for a more prefect family. 

He leans his head on my shoulder, both of us watching our kids. "We make beautiful children." He sighs contently.

I hum in agreement, snuggling closer to my husband. "Yeah, and this is the last one." I gesture to my bulging stomach exasperatedly. We had planned on three and three only, but it just kind of happened. Thank goodness there is enough room in our home, and more then enough room in our hearts. 

Gale snickers, hand on my stomach. "Yeah, sorry about that." He pecks my lips, before whispering lowly in my ear. "But not really, I love making babies with you." He nips my ear lobe at the end of his statement for good mesure.