Gale's Story ~On Hold!~

Chapter 3

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Don't forget I do not own the plot of the story! All rights go to Suzanne Collins. (Author of the Hunger Games)

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Chapter 3 (edited)-Parting

The large building towered above me. This was where they brought the tributes every year. This was the place that I never wanted to enter. Of course it hid mysteries that I wanted to find out, like what it looked like but it would also hold memories that would ruin me after I entered.

I spotted Prim and Ms. Everdeen suffering with the big brass gate that hid the entrance so I ran over to help them. Prim was still sobbing and Ms. Everdeen seemed to fall back into her state of depression. Exactly what Katniss had wanted to stay away from. I knew I would have to get her back. Help her continue living. Katniss had worked so hard to get her back to normal and now it was all over. I also had to cheer Prim up. Seeing her like this was not only ruining Katniss but me and my brother Rory too. I reached down to give her a hug and wipe away her tears.

"Don't worry Prim! We'll make sure she survives! Get cleaned up we'll talk later." I whispered.

"Okay. Thanks Gale!" She replied starting to relax.

"Ms. Everdeen, my mom wants you to go over to my house! Take Prim with you!"

"Alright," was all Ms. Everdeen could force out of herself. This was going to be hard.

They headed off towards my house and I made my way to the entrance, only pausing for a second to look at all the past tributes tiny pictures carved into the door. All the dead tributes to be more exact, 144 little faces. I flinched at the though and pushed open the door only to come to a large flight of stairs. I headed up the staircase going over what I was going to say. I had to tell her I loved her today! It would be my last chance before I might lose her forever. Katniss had the strength to win. She had the intelligence, wisdom and skill! I wouldn't let her die!

I finally arrived in front of Katniss' room which was heavily guarded by peacekeepers, big buff looking men. They were not the people who I was used to seeing around. They were definitely new here so I knew not to play with my chances.

"I'm here to see Katniss Everdeen." I whispered on the verge of tears.

"You have 30 minutes!" One of them huffed as they let me into the room.

I nodded and let the door slam shut behind me. I let my eyes wonder around the large room covered in velvet. Everything looked so expensive I was scared to touch it, especially with those peacekeepers standing right by the door. So close.

Then I saw her. The dark brown hair pulled back into her usual braid starting to come loose in strands, her gray eyes flickering in the light and shining from pain. There she was, Katniss, fighting to stay strong. Holding back her tears and willing them not to fall. The only girl I truly loved! The only girl I actually saw...

"Hey Catnip!" I whispered.

"Hey!" She said pretending to be strong but not winning me over.  I knew her too well to believe that she wasn't scared, sad, depressed and wishing it wasn't her.

"You don't have to pretend in front of me!"

"I know."

"You can win Katniss! Just do what we do in the woods every day! Killing people can't be much different than killing animals!"

"Yeah."

"Come on Katniss! You'll make it out! Your family needs you! Prim needs you! I need you!!"

"Watch Prim while I'm gone! Please." She was so much like me. Her sisters life meant more to her than her own life, just as Rory's meant more to me than my own.

"I will! You know I will! I'll take care of Prim you don't have to worry about us. Just worry about surviving." She just nodded.

"Get a bow from the cornucopia. Find a source of water and if you don't want to kill anyone just stay hidden."

"But what if there isn't one?"

"Make one! You know how right?"

"And if there is not wood? Anyways, mine are never that good."

"There has to be wood. They wouldn't want to repeat the time people just froze. That would make the games to uneventful."

One year we had just watched people freeze to death since there had been no wood provided and they were thrown into mountains of snow. Since then there has always been wood.

She just nodded again.

"Pretend your in the woods here, but camping out. This should be simple for you. It's our everyday life."

 "Your right. I'll try as hard as I can!"

"I sure hope so," and after that we just sat there. Katniss' body pressed hard into mine. Our breaths evening out, matching the others and some how we provided the other with strength.

The feeling like I was going to cry had now faded. Instead I was filled with anger and the urge to get back at the capitol. They wouldn't keep us in fear forever! If our ancestors had been able to treat everyone as equals we should too!

I also started getting ideas while we sat there. Plans on how to either sneak into the arena and fight with Katniss or on how to get her out. They were all good but you would need a hovercraft, a broken force field which we knew they used to keep the tributes in the arena, and help. Lots of help. All of which were unreachable for a citizen of 12.

I would just have to hope she survives.

***

The time went by too fast. Before I knew it the peacekeepers were here to get me.

"Just 5 more minutes!" I pleaded. I hadn't yet told her.  Never found the right time.

"No! Rules are rules!" One of them screeched and they started to pull me away, Katniss and my hand extended reaching towards the other, but not brave enough to argue.

"Take care of her! PLEASE!" She cried.

"I will! And don't forget I -------" I never got to finish. She might never know what I wanted to remember!

I could just see it in her eyes that she wanted to know but the door had slammed closed before I could scream those last two words. The two words she needed to know.

"She'll survive." One of the peacekeepers told me as they placed me on my feet.

"You can see the strength, courage and skill in her already. After she gets trained you won't even recognize her."

"He's always been right! You can trust our word boy. Now go home. Get some rest. Skip school if you have to. You seem worked up."

"Run along..." They told me.

What I had just heard somewhat pleased me. To know that they thought she would win, without even knowing that the arena would be no different that our everyday lives. Or not much at least.

I followed their instructions and left, but didn't head home. The anger that had filled me while I thought hadn't yet vanished and there was only one place that could clear my mind.

 I headed for the woods