Everthorne

Chapter 9

We entered the underground building to find the place unlocked and empty. We walk back through the twisted corridors but completely lost where we are.

"Gale, do you still have that bracelet of yours?" I ask desperately

"Yeah,"

"Check if it has some kind of button to open doors," I ask. Gale pushes a yellow button. The wall beside us opens. "There you go," he laughs. I make an effort not to smile. We walk through the door Peeta trailing behind us. We found the exact place we need to be. There is an extremely dark room with what looks like the same chains I was in earlier. I slowly take small steps towards what looks like a small blonde figure laying on the ground. I look further down to find another figure, slightly bigger then the other one, hunched over hugging its knees. Gale presses a button which turns on the dim white lights.

I see a terrible sight.

Prim, she has blood dripping down her wrists from the chains. She looks in a terrible state, like she has been here for the past week, only being fed water. It is the same with Rue, except she is awake.

"No," I whisper. Why would anybody do that, they are just innocent kids. I watch as Peeta sprints to Prim, gently picking her up and rocking her in his hands. Gale, noticing my frozen state, puts his hand gently on my shoulder. "I'll take care of them, they are beautiful," he walks over to Rue and whispers gently to her. Rue looks at him, then wraps her small arms around him. I can't help but smile at this scene. Gale presses the button on his bracelet and the chains open up. I instantly notice the deep gashes on my children's wrists and the deep red blood coating the chains. I wince.

"Come on, let's leave this place," Peeta says putting unconscious Prim up in his arms. Gale gently puts Rue on his back, piggy back style, and walks over to me. He pulls out some strange looking thing out of his pocket in his pants. "Here," he gives it to me. I frown. "What is it?" I ask. He points at a small black button. "Press it," he says. I obey, and the thing unfolds into a small black gun filled with bullets. "I designed it, I keep it around with me at all times," he says. I smile. "Foldable gun, nice."

We make our way back down the corridors to be met with a man. He had grey hair with dark skin. I instantly point my gun at him. "This isn't over," he says. I close my eyes and pull the trigger. I hear the man fall onto the hard concrete.

Killing people, it's easy to say.

We make our way towards the exit. "It's ok Prim, we are safe now," Peeta says as he kisses Prim on the cheek.

When we arrive home we instantly put the children down onto the black leather couch. "Peeta, grab the first aid kit!" I say. He instantly rushes down to the bathroom and I am left alone with Gale. I look at Gale, he seems the same. He still looks like a 18 year old. It's funny how much he looks like Rue though...

"Got it!" Peeta rushes into the room and sets the kit down on the wooden coffee table near the couch. I open it up and grab some bandages. "Gale, can you get us some napkins and some water? They are in the kitchen," Peeta says. Gale obeys and instantly sets up and jogs to the kitchen.

"Oh my god, what the hell happened," Peeta mutters under his breath. I grab a bandage and unroll it. "Do you know how long we have been away?" I ask Peeta. "No idea,"

Gale arrives with a huge roll of napkins and a bowl of water. He sets it down and we instantly set to work. I remember, how Prim used to do this so well. I remember how she could remember what to do in situations like this, how she was born a healer. I'm not like her, I was born a hunter.

Peeta gets a napkin and dabs it in the water. He puts it to Rues wrist and dabs away the blood and dirt. I follow him and do that to every wound on Prim, Once I am done, Gale wraps the bandages around her wounds and clips them together. He does the same with Rue.

Once we are done Peeta and I carry our kids to their room. Gale trails behind us. I put prim onto her bed and tuck her in, just like I do every night. Peeta does the same thing.

"The room, it's beautiful, so are your kids," Gale says. I look up at his tall figure. "Thank you," Peeta says from behind me. I don't know what to say. I haven't seen him in such a long time that I don't know whether he has changed or not.

I sleep next to Peeta, like usual. Gale is sleeping in the living room on the couch. For the first time in my whole life Peeta's arms don't feel so comforting around my body. I don't seem to enjoy his warmth. It's like, with Gale's presence, something has changed.

But I don't know what.