THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

TWENTY TWO - Actions Speak Louder Than Words

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

Gale's cries of pain echo throughout Twelve, each one is another blow to my heart.

I have to get to him.

I have to save him.

I have to protect him from whatever is causing him harm.

So I run towards the source of the noise. On my way I notice how much Twelve has change within the time I was in the bakery, a little concerning for our boring old district.

There are peacekeepers, by the dozens, patrolling the streets. I can tell a couple of buildings are burning, and by the billowing smoke from the west side of Twelve, they've set the Hob ablaze.

People cry out in fear, some are struck down by batons. The smart ones hide in their homes, I catch a glimpse of Delly on my way down the street, hurrying into her parents store. Thankfully she is safe.

But other than that, Twelve is completely silent, except for Gale's occasional grunts of pain.

I have no idea why the place is suddenly crawling with peacekeepers, or why they are ransacking the district, all I care about is getting to Gale.

And so, my feet carry me through the crowd in the square, to the source of the haunting sounds.

They've erected a post in the middle of the square, and to my utter horror, Gale's half stripped body is tied to it.

In my moment of shock, the new head peacekeeper by the looks of him, strikes Gale again with the whip he is holding. Gale lets out another cry of pain, that must make ten since I left the bakery.

Seeing him like this sparks all my senses into overdrive. How dare they hurt Gale, my friend, the man I love.

So as the peacekeeper raises the whip to strike him once more, I jump in front of it. I practically throw my body in front of Gale to stop his pain.

The whip comes down towards me instead, hitting my raised forearm with a sickening crack. "Stop!" I shout, my voice loud and strong, not a waver of fear present.

"Who are you to tell the head peacekeeper what to do?" The peacekeeper sneers, face almost as vile as Snows.

"Who are you to go around giving people unfair punishments." I snap back.

"He asulted a peacekeeper, the head peacekeeper at that." He growls. "I assure you forty lashes is hardly a punishment for what he did."

"Forty lashes?" I breathe out. That's basically issuing a death warrant.

Forty lashes at the hand of this brutal peacekeeper will most likely mean death.

"Move out of the way girl." The peacekeeper signals a couple of his men to approach me. "Before you get some too."

The two peacekeepers start pulling me away, I struggle in their hold. I will not let Gale get hurt anymore, be that emotional or physical pain.

I will never let anyone hurt the boy, the man, that I love again.

"No! Stop!" I stop them all. "I'll take the rest of his punishment." Even if it kills me.

"No..." Gale groans, trying to sit up best he can. Apparently just competent enough to hear me. "(Y/n)... No..."

But the other peacekeepers have already removed Gale from the post at the nod of their head peacekeeper. The two others, still holding me, drag me to it instead.

They tear my shirt off, rather unceremoniously leaving me in just my bra in front of the entirety of Twelve who is watching, and by the looks of the cameras, the entirety of Panem too.

But I'm not scared, not even the slightest bit. I'm replacing the one I love, I'm taking his pain for him, I couldn't be more content with my decision.

My wrists are shackled to the post, and I kneel without a fuss. I can hear Gale struggling in the arms of his captors behind me, but I don't dare glance back. I can hear the peacekeeper's footsteps drawing nearer, but I don't dare feel fear.

And finally, the whip comes down on my exposed back and I bite back a horrid scream.

This is the worst pain I've felt in my life, and Gale had to suffer through about 10 lashes already–

The whip strikes again, I bite my cheek to suppress another scream.

It feels like fire on my back, but I'm alright as long as Gale is–

Another lash.

–as long as Gale is alright.

Another.

And another.

I begin to lose count, eventually the excruciating burning pain becomes to much, my vision swims and I grip my hands into fists. Only my thoughts are keeping me going.

It'll be over soon.

Whip.

As long as Gale is alright.

Whip.

Hopefully actions speak louder than words.

Whip.

I really do love him, I would so anything to protect him.

Whip.

If I don't get to tell him I love him, hopefully this at least proves it.

Whip.

And as the edges of my vision turn black, and Gale's fitful cries become only a distant murmur, the lashes suddenly stop as another voice joins the mix.

Katniss stands in front of the peacekeeper now, the previous lash had grazed her face.

She converses with him, her attempts of subduing him even more futile then my own. This is until Haymitch, looking more alert and sober than I've ever seen him, steps in front. He wears the most worried expression I've ever seen on his face, I vaguely wonder what that's about.

I can't really hear what they are saying through the throbbing and ringing in my ears, but whatever it was it worked.

The bindings on my hands are released, and I fall into a heap on to the dust covered ground.

Gale finally breaks free from the peacekeepers holding him, and with stumbling steps, and several winces of pain from his own injuries, he rushes to my side.

"(Y/n), come on, stay with me." He begs. "Stay with me." The desperation is thick in his voice.

But my eyes flutter as they try to stay open, and my body screams in pain. All of it was worth is though, as long as Gale didn't get the brunt of the punishment like I did.

As long as Gale is alright, dying seems like the better option at the moment. Dying is alright, as long as Gale can live without anymore pain.

And so, with a wistful smile and one last look at those gorgeous, now watery, grey eyes I love so much, I close my own and let the pull of the darkness consume me.

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