THE MAN IN THE HANGING TREE | Gale Hawthorne

TWENTY EIGHT - The Rebellion

YOUR POINT OF VIEW

"He's going to kill them! He's going to kill Katniss and Peeta! Snow is going to kill them!" I stutter out frantically over the phone.

Katniss and Peeta have started the Hunger Games already, and are still alive as of now. After the the stunt they pulled at the interviews though, I don't know for how much longer.

"Take a deep breath, kid." My my dad's voice, Haymitch's voice, soothes on the other end.

I do as he says, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose with my hand that isn't holding the phone, I inhale a deep long breath.

"You can't say stuff like this over the phone, Snow is recording most of our calls." My dad says. "I don't know if phones can be trusted anymore."

I shudder at the thought of Snow's cold eyes, glinting maliciously as he listens to our private call. "You're looking out for them, right?" I ask, even though I already know the answer.

My dad sighs. "Don't I always."

Katniss and Peeta are like his own children.

There's a pause, a stretched out moment of silence, filled with only our breaths.

"I need to tell you something." He says finally. "But I can't say it over the phone."

I nod, even though he can't see me.

"Tomorrow morning." He begins, voice lower than before. "I will be at the train station at six in the morning. Meet me there, and please don't be late. I can't stay long."

I nod again. "I will be there." A beat. "Can I bring Gale?" I ask.

"No!" My dad blurts, then reigns himself in. "I mean, the less people who know the batter. Don't tell anyone you're coming to see me. Okay?"

"Okay." I assure him. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"See ya kiddo." He says, then pauses at a voice in the background. "Oh, and Effie says hello."

I smile, despite the strained situation. "Tell Effie I say hello back." It's almost refreshing to end the call somewhat normally, not regarding something life or death.

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The sun is just starting to rise as I scale down the side of our house out my bedroom window. It's quarter to six, and I want to be on time to talk to my dad.

Whatever he needs to tell me, it sounded important. It sounds like life or death.

My mom and Jack don't even know I'm meeting him, hence me sneaking out my window. Complete secrecy like he said.

I jog down the empty street, the only people are the few coal miners heading to work. I pray to God Gale doesn't see and question me, thankfully I make it to the station unnoticed.

The train, with empty coal buckets, chugs along the track towards the station as I arrive. The sky has now turned a soft pink, a mockingjay calls from the closest tree eerily.

As the train stops, a figure steps out of the passenger car. My dad, looking as weary as ever.

I run up to give him a tight hug, which he returns with gusto, I can feel the flask concealed in his chest pocket. "I don't have much time, we need to get somewhere more private." He whispers frantically.

"I know a place." I tell him.

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I bring him to the clearing, just outside the fence. Sure the peacekeepers have been more lenient these past few months, but they still don't pay much attention to the fence.

"What was it you need to tell me?" I ask, as soon as we get to the clearing. If we only have a little bit, I want to hear every detail.

"The games will be over soon." He says simply.

My heart drops. "Snow is going to make sure everyone in that arena dies!" I babble.

My dad puts a hand on my shoulder. "You have to calm down (y/n), we have a plan."

I raise my eyebrows, my hands clutched worriedly in front of me. "A plan?" I ask, then furrow my brows. "And who's we?"

Haymitch looks around the clearing, as if he expects a platoon of peacekeepers to burst from the bushes, then he grabs my shoulders so we're facing each other.

"What I'm about to tell you, you cannot repeat to anyone. Your mom, Jack, you can't even tell Gale. This does not leave this clearing." He says sternly. "This puts anyone who hears it in danger..."

My eyes widen. "Dad, what's happening?"

His (e/c) eyes that look so much like my own, look back at me shattered. For once there is a spark of hope in them though. "The rebellion is finally starting, full force."

The rebellion.

It's been a whole year since Katniss volunteered, months since the riots in eleven, and weeks since the secret bombing of eight.

The people are finally fighting back.

"Thirteen is alive and well, they've been hiding underground for decades and are finally ready to fight back." He continues, dropping more surprises on me.

"Thirteen." I repeat, bewildered. They were supposedly obliterated in the Dark Days, but apparently not.

"Me and some of the other victor-tributes have been in on this since the start of the 75th games." Haymitch says. "Plutarch Heavensbee, the head game maker, is the one feeding us information if you can believe it." He's smiling, hopeful.

"I can't believe it." I shake my head, astonished.

My dad smiles wider. "Tonight, we're busting into the arena. We just have to cut the power, and we'll be able to break in the ceiling."

"Woah, this is happening now! Soon!" I shake my head in disbelief. "It's taken everyone seventy-five years, but we're finally fighting back!" I hug my dad tightly, laughing lightly.

He hugs me tightly, a bone crushing bear hug. Then he pulls back and holds my head in his hands. "Kid, there's one more thing. All this information I've told you, puts you in danger. I'm sorry, but I knew you needed to know."

"I did, thank you." I say, seriously.

His next words scare me to death. "Snow will be after you next."

But I'm ready for this, I knew this would happen. But I'm ready to go down, all in the name of the rebellion. "I know, but I'm ready for when he does." I assure him. "I want to join the rebellion."

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