The Hunger Games (Fan Fiction) Book Two

Chapter Twelve

My mouth is silent for a minute and I can't speak. The district seven tribute inches closer and I open my mouth to speak.

"Gale turn around!" I scream. He doesn't even bother to see whose voice was screaming at him. He whips around and shoots the arrow at the tribute. It hits the tribute the same time the knife plunges into his shoulder. A cannon goes off and the seven tribute drops to his knees. Gale cries out in pain and I leave Wiress to help him.

"Gale, you're ok, you're ok." I'm panicing because I'm afraid that what happened to Peeta will happen to him. Gale clenches his teeth and pulls at the knife, and after a little bit of pulling it yanks out. I cringe at the cut. Blood has seeped through his shirt and drips on his hand. I plead with Gale to walk back to the Cornucopia, but he'd rather finish hunting.

"You can hunt later, you have to come back right now. Please." I beg. He argues and I can only get him to move a couple of feet. I look behind me and Wiress has followed me and is staring intently at Gale's wound. I want to pour water on his cut, but the only water nearby is salt water, and I'm sure that won't help him. I stare at the cut and it makes my stomach turn. I've seen worse before, but for some reason, just staring at him makes me feel sick. 

          "You ok?" He asks me. I nod slowly and swallow the lump in my throat. "We should clean this." I start, even though my mind is wandering and i feel clueless. He looks at me and nods, believing every word I say. I'm not lying. The first step to healing him is cleaning the wound. I help him up and walk him back to the Cornucopia. "But...hunting.." He whines, but I give him a look that shuts him up. We sit by the water and I tell Gale it might hurt a little. Just as I've cupped a handful of water, a noise goes off and the grey parachute floats by. My smile returns as I run to retrieve it.

I open it up and am relieved to find a water purifier, along with some ointment. "Thank you." I mouth to Haymitch, who I know sent it. I run back over to Gale and tell him to start rubbing dabs of ointment on his wound, while I clean the water. The second the soft cream touches his skin, he's crying out in relief. 

"That feels great!" He exclaims, and I glance over at Wiress, spinning in a circle calling for Beetee. A rumble in the bushes gets me on my feet, and Gale follows. Wiress stands still and watches the bushes, and I almost call out her name but then wait. They might not be armed. A man, same age as Wiress, steps out, and she fills her eyes with tears as she wraps her arms around the man.

"Wiress!" He shouts, his arms finding his way around Wiress. She cries into his shoulder. "Beetee!" She mumbles. He looks over at us and defends himself, causing Wiress to let go off him. 

"No! These are-"

"Your friends?" He finishes for her. She nods and he half smiles. He moves over to us and watches me. "What is that?" He asks. I glance down at the purifier and suddenly forget what it is. "Um, uh..." I stammer. He kneels down and examines it. "It's a water purifier." He figures out. He looks at Gale's wound and nods. "I assume it's for you." He says. Gale nods and sits back down. I kneel and push Beetee away from the purifier. I don't know why, but he makes me uncomfortable. I don't want him touching the thing or helping Gale. "I got it." I tell him. He's silent before going over to Wiress. Gale leans in to me.

      "Are you alright?" He whispers. I feel my head nod, even though I want to shake my head no. "I'm fine." I whisper back, even though I want to tell him I'm not. "What's bugging you?" He asks. I look at him, and for the first time, I really know what I'm upset about.

             "I want to go home." I start, feeling my tears push through my eyes. "I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to sit here and die." By now I'm crying in his shoulder and he's rubbing my back like Katniss would do when I had nightmares. He quiets me and I look over at Wiress and Beetee, who are murmuring to each other.