Catching Fire: The New Story

Chapter 41

Gale's POV

"I’m pregnant."

What? She's pregnant? No. No she's not. She can’t be. Never. I laugh.

"No," I stop. "You're not!"

"I am Gale,” she says quietly. She seemed so true on it, so stuck to this conclusion. I wanted to laugh again, because I know she is lying, but she is so connected to it, her voice tells me she isn’t lying. I just can’t believe her.

"How could you? You're the one always saying to never have kids! And now look at you!" I point to her.

She looks down. "I know, I'm sorry. But it was bound to happen sooner or later."

"What?"

"Yes, it was. President Snow would have made Peeta and I have children of our own after our marriage was complete. Then he could enhance the counts so they could be reaped." As she says this, she never looks up, I can hear the tremble in her voice.

"I'm fine with this.” She looks up, strong and brave. "But not that you've done this with Bread Boy."

"Stop calling him that! He doesn't call you My Hunting Partner! He calls you Gale! Why don't you grow up Gale?" she screams. I look straight into her eyes, the gray reflecting mine. Hers were ten times darker, watering with the tears brim to falling. I was about to grab her, apologize for making her cry, but she runs out. I begin to think that I should let her go, but decide against it. I have to apologize. I try to follow her, catch up, but she got a good head start and she can run much faster than I. I’ll apologize later, so I being to walk home.

I'm about to knock on Cray's door, head Peacekeeper of District 12, to sell him some fresh game, when someone opens it from inside.

"Hey, Cray, I have-"

"An illegal wild animal. Probably hunted from the woods." The new man in place of Cray is sturdy, tough, and doesn't look like he's from Twelve. Cray had dark brown hair from the Seam, growing grays as he aged. His eyes were the same gray as mine and Katniss’s, but wiser. This man, he seems much younger, much more youthful, yet not too much. He much be from Two, where Peacekeepers are trained and raised, or maybe even the Capitol.  

"No, sir. I- uh- he was running around outside of the fence, you know. I grabbed a stick and killed it before it got to the circle," I lied, trying my best to keep calm and laugh it out.

"That is still poaching. You are under arrest. And penalty, twenty whippings in the square,” he says calmly. He was trained for this. Questions run through my head. Who is this man who seems to have taken over Cray’s spot in our district? What happened to Cray? How can I possibly get out of this situation?

"No!" I scream. But two more Peacekeepers have come and locked me up at my wrists with chains. They drag me to the square where an unfamiliar post poll has been stuck to the ground and sticks right up in the air, casting shadows on the ground below. People had been walking around, most recognize me, and stop to see what the commotion was about. They stand around as the Peacekeepers chain me to the poll and the new Head Peacekeeper brings out his whip. Oh, shit.

*

Author’s Note:

Okay, good luck Gale

Keep reading guys!

~Jez xo