Everthorne

Chapter 17

Katniss's POV

I wish I never told them, I wish I never saw them cry. It broke my heart to see them like this. I run past the tree I climbed 4 days ago, when Peeta was still alive. On that tree Gale told me he loved me, and I told him I didn't love him back. I still feel really bad for Gale, he didn't do anything wrong. I can imagine if I loved Peeta, but he ran off with some other girl telling me he didn't like me back. That would be terrible.

I walk over to the tree and lean against it, breathing in the cool Autumn air. I feel my mind race over the things I could have done if Peeta wouldn't have died. If he didn't did, The Hunger Games would be back. It's funny how fast I chose Peeta to live and The Hunger Games to be back, did I really love him this much?

I start climbing the tree, branch by branch I make it to the top. As I get to a thin branch I underestimate my weight.

The branch snaps, and I feel myself falling down to the ground. For some reason, I don't seem to panic, I stay calm as I feel my back hit the ground.

Everything goes black.

Gales POV

Katniss has gone out hunting, so she asked me to look after the kids. The house is miserable after the news of Peeta's death, Prim and Rue seem to not want to talk to me either.

I lay on the old couch thinking about what to do. Since I have done everything I needed in district 12 I should leave. But The the last time I tried to leave, Katniss stopped me. Now that Peeta has died, Katniss has no one, and if I stay she will have me.

I made up my mind, I will stay and protect her kids with my life.

"Where is mummy?" I hear. I open my eyes to see the bright blue eyes of Prim. I look at the dark clock on the wall beside me.

2:30 pm, she should have been back two hours ago. I shake my head trying to wake myself up from my faze. "I don't know," I answer truthfully.

"Do you want to go to the woods with me?" I ask Prim and Rue. They both nod in excitement. I feel my first smile creep up my lips, I try to shake it away but give up eventually. "Let's go," I say.

Katniss's POV

I feel a cold breeze blow against my skin as I wake up. The warm rough sand underneath my back scratches me making me feel nervous. I open my eyes. The bright warm sun burns my eyes so I look away quickly. I stand up slowly, brushing the sand off my tattered blue dress that I wore to the reaping. I let myself look at the scene before me.

My eyes are met with a strange sight. I see foaming water lapping onto the bright sand in a repeating rhythm. The water calms me down a bit as I look further. The long sea is bright blue, and seems to be never ending. The sand behind me goes on further and further, however a bundle of small houses catches my eye. I look closer to realise that what I'm looking at is a tiny village, one in the middle of the sand.

"I used to live there," I hear someone say. I turn around quickly, ready to fight the person if necessary. However his sight makes me stop. The man is tall, with curly bronze hair and eyes the colour of the sea beside me. "Want a sugar cube?" He asks me, holding out a small cube of white sugar. I smile brightly, and instead of taking the sugar cube I pull him into an emotional hug. I feel his arms wrap around my body in reply.

"I missed you Finnick," I whisper in his ear.

"I missed you too, Katniss," he answers. And with that, his body disappears in my arms. I close my eyes, a cold liquid running down my cheek. He is gone, I will never see him again.