Loose Ends

Chapter 15

*back to Katniss pov*

It's been a couple days since I arrived in this dreadful nightmare. I have noticed that Gale has added onto the arena, it is a lot bigger. I came across numerous boobytraps and have avoided his ridiculous, human snares because I know all of his techniques. The idiot forgets that I used to be his friend before he turned into a psychopath, before he became jealous, before he killed my sister.

I have been carrying around my bow and arrows with me everywhere, making sure not to forget them: they are my only hope in defeating Gale. I have also filled my pockets with numerous pieces of meat from quality kills I have made: I haven't lost my technique. I have no idea how long I'll be in here for, all I know is that I need to kill Gale, get out of here, and go find out what happened to my daughter.

All of a sudden, I abruptly stop walking. I have been walking since this morning, try to sneak up on Gale and kill him. I hear footsteps, and from all my years of training, I know for a fact these are not the ones of an animal, but a human, and a tall human. Gale. I'm sure of it.

I attempt to slowly creep up to him and figure out where he is, but the sound has stopped. All of a sudden, it hits me. If the noise has stopped, that means Gale is being careful. If he's being careful, then he knows I'm here. I pull out an arrow and prepare to aim. I can feel my heartbeat vibrating out of my chest and I feel like I'm going to throw up. He already know I'm here, what's the point in being careful? -"Well, well, well Katniss. It's time for the face off of all face offs isn't it?"

-"Gale. Yes, yes it is. I let you go after you killed my sister back then, simply because I was unsure about my feelings. Unfortunately for you, you are now completely insignificant in my life. I feel no love or admiration towards you. You're more of a scumbag to me Gale Hawthorne." Gale laughs at me in response to my statement.

-"I know you still feel our connection Katniss. Don't worry, I won't be killing you today. We belong together. However I will be kidnapping you and then killing Peeta. You will understand the true meaning of love, which is all I feel towards you."

The statement he makes in killing Peeta is enough to set me ablaze. I release my arrow at him, which he dodges. The man doesn't stand a chance against me. He will die right here, today.

-"You don't stand a chance against me Gale! Face it and give up, then I might let you live."

-"No Katniss, it's you who doesn't stand a chance against me!"

Gale comes running at me with a huge net, one that reminds me of the net Rue was stuck in before her death. At the last minute, I pull out an arrow and stick it in front of me. Gale doesn't have time to deviate from his path and runs straight into it, yelping out in pain."

-"You spiteful bitch!"

I watch him struggle to attack me, put three arrows into my bow, and release them as he falls onto the floor, starting to bleed out. I kick him while he's down, and pull put my arrows, which will not go to waste. He moans in utter agony as I look down upon him, feeling nothing but successful. As his breathing starts to slow down, his last words to me are:

-"If I can't have you, neither can Peeta."

Then, all of a sudden, he pulls out a red button and presses it. The sound of numerous bombs going off screeches into my ears, and the next thing I know, I am pulled back by the force of a bomb. I can't move, I can't think, I can't talk, I can't breathe. And then... I see a blinding white light, and I look up in shock as I lay on my back and see my mother, father, Rye and Prim standing over me.