Gale's Story ~On Hold!~

Chapter 9

So here it is! Chapter 9.

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Character and plot owned by Suzanne Collins!

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Chapter 9

Ms. Everdeen stood in the door her arms full of bags, her hair in a messy bun, her clothes dirty and tattered. To top that she was staring down at the floor dazed. Neither of us said a word. For minutes I stood there gaping at her and the state she was in. I knew she had fallen back into depression but I didn't know it was this bad.

When she finally realized the door had opened, only three words left her mouth before she fell back into this zoned out state. "Gale, help me!"

At the sound of this I quickly grabbed her bags and pulled her through the door and into the kitchen. I wouldn't let Prim see her mother like this! With that I quickly locked the door and scribbled a note to the children.

"Don't worry! Nothing is wrong! I just have a very important visitor I need to take care of! Finish your homework and play something. I'll have dinner ready by seven. Be good! If you need anything I'll be in the kitchen!

                                                                                               I love you guys! Gale"

I folded the note into an air plane and sent it flying thru the living room window. Rory grabbed it immediately and read it out loud to the other children. I head one of them gasp while the others started to bicker on who was here.

"Maybe Katniss got here somehow and Gale has to help her hide!" Vick said jumping with enthusiasm. He had always been very close to Katniss.

"I don't think so!" Rory objected. "I've heard that there is no possible way of escaping from there because if you try you will just die sooner." When Prim heard this she let out a sob.

"Katniss knew that too! She wouldn't have tried to escape!" Prim whispered.

"Then who could it be? The mayor? Haymitch that weird mentor?" Rory questioned.

"How are we supposed to know Rory? We were here the whole time too! Anyway I'm sure Gale will tell us... Let's just do what he asked us to." Prim snapped at Rory, trying to hide her pain. He had obviously hit her soft spot. Katniss in the games.

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While the kids bickered about who was here I made Ms. Everdeen some tea and tried to think of something to say that would help her. I knew mentioning Katniss' name could push her deeper into her depression so that was something I was trying to stay away from. When I finally resolved what to say I spoke to her in a whisper.

"Ms. Everdeen, I'm so glad you came here for help! I know the past few days have been just as hard on you as they have on me, so we should be able to understand each other completely. It would help both of us if we could talk about what happened. Prim has also been getting very worried about you! Please open up! You know you can trust us!"

"I know, and I also know I broke my promise! I told her I wouldn't fall back into this state, but as you can see I can't even keep my word. You need to help me come back out Gale! Talk to me about her! Help me see she will be fine! If I know she's safe than it will help me a lot!"

"You just want us to help you see she will be fine? But you know she is at the biggest advantage! I bet even the careers can't shoot like that, and they haven't had the experience's we have gone through with Katniss! She also has a great mentor. I know Haymitch doesn't seem like much now, but we've seen him when he's in his right mind. This year they showed us what the mentors do when at work. Didn't you see the little flashes of them in the background?"

"Those were them? I thought they were just Capitol citizens, or the game makers!" Ms. Everdeen said lightening up. "She still is in lots of danger though. I don't know if I will be able to watch the games."

"We'll figure out a way by then! I promise we will figure something out!" I coaxed her hoping se wouldn't fall back into the depression.

"I sure hope so Gale! I sure hope so!" She whispered before bursting into tears muttering "My poor baby, my little baby!" under her breath. I quickly jumped up and started shaking her.

"Ms. Everdeen! MS. EVERDEEN! Nothing has happened to Katniss yet!" As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them almost instantly. Ms. Everdeen had started to wail even harder now and I didn't know what to do. All I knew was that I had to bring her back to Earth! And fast!

As I glanced around the room my eyes landed on the bucket of water I had brought in to make the tea. There was still some cold water in it which gave me an idea. I grabbed the bucket and dumped all the water over her head. She let out a small scream and started at me.

"I went back in didn't I?" she asked me. I just nodded, not being able to force words out of my mouth.

"Now you see why I need you help!" She said her lips still trembling.

"Yeah," was the only thing I could reply to this. I definitely had some hard work ahead of me, and it was going to take all the energy I had. I guess making extra money was going to be put on hold for now.