The Hunger Games

Gale's Point of view

Chapter 1

Hi guys! I do not own the hunger games..Or else I would have not writing this. BTW I am team Katniss.

I wake up with a start. The dream I saw was about my best friend being reaped in the reaping. Today was the reaping day, when Effie Trinket, the maniacally upbeat capitol women chooses the doomed tributes of this year.

For today's celebration, (the capitol expects us to treat the hunger games as a festival, to make it even more embarrassing.) I want to get Catnip something special.

So I headed towards the woods. I remover the bow and arrow she gave me once and shot a squirrel. It's not much, but I hope the baker has something good to trade for it anyways.

I then set out for the town. As expected, the baker's shop was the only one with the lights on. Mr. Mellark was a kind man who was rather generous with his trades. "Hello Gale, How can i help you?" He said when he saw me coming.

"Good morning Mr. Mellark. What can I get for a squirrel?" I asked. He nodded and bought me a freshly baked bread. I was a little surprised. "thank you." The kind of bread he gave me was very expensive. Anything for Catnip. I traded it for a squirrel and was about to leave, when the baker suddenly said, "Good luck, Gale." Again, a bit surprised over here. "Thank you. Good luck for your sons too." I said. He nodded and I started heading towards the woods.

As soon as I reached the woods, I got the bow and sheath of arrows Katniss gave me. I still remember the day we met in the woods. I was waiting for game when I saw a 12 year old girl examining my snares. I thought she was trying to steal from it because she already had a squirrel. As soon as she was about to touch my hard earned rabbit caught up in the snare, I spoke. "That's dangerous." She jerked back and saw me. Then we had this conversation about how she had a bow and shot a squirrel, and then I examined a bow. She asked me for knowledge in return for a bow. After a few days we became a pair, without us even mentioning it.

I struck an arrow at the bread and started waiting for her.

I was waiting, when I saw her come out from behind the berry bush." Hey Catnip. Look what I shot" I showed her the arrow sticking out of the bread. She laughed at the silliness of it. She took it in her hands, removed the arrows and inhaled the fragrance."Mmm, still warm, what did it cost you?"

"Just a squirrel. Think the old man was feeling sentimental this morning" I said."Even wished me luck"

"Well, we all feel a little closer, don't we?" she says. I don't even look at her to know that she was sarcastic."Prim left us cheese."

I brighten at the treat. Ahhh, How I love sandwiches. I then fall into the horrid Capitol accent and started mimicking Effie Trinket. "I almost forgot! Happy Hunger Games!" I then pluck out some berries. " And may the odds-" I threw it to Katniss. She catches it and finishes the phrase. "-be ever in your favor." I cut the bread in halves and spread the halves with the Goat cheese, carefully putting the Basil leaves on the bread while Catnip strips the bushes of their berries. We then settle in the nook of the rock.

"We could do it, you know" I say quietly.

"What?"

"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it." I don't know from where do these dark thoughts come from.

She remains quiet. So I added quickly, "if we didn't have so many kids," Well, I can't leave my brothers and Posy, and she can't leave Prim. I suddenly realized what a stupid idea this was. As stupid as this was, I wish this could happen.

"I never want to have kids" she says

"I might, if I didn't live here." I say

"But you do" she says, irritated.

"Forget it." I snap. How can she not know about the joys of having kids?

We stay in silence for a while, drowned in our thoughts, when she finally says, "What do you want to do?"

"Let's fish at the lake. We can leave our poles and gather in the woods. Get something nice for tonight" I say.

We make out well. The predators ignore us. By late morning, we have a dozen fish, a bag of greens and a gallon of strawberries. The mayor will pay nicely for these I think, looking at the strawberries.

On our way home, we swing by the hob and do our trades. After finishing the trades, we go to the mayor to sell half the strawberries. The mayor's daughter opens the door. Her usual outfit has been replaced by an expensive white dress, and her hair is done up by a pink ribbon. Reaping dress.

"Pretty dress," I say ironically

"Well, if I end out going to the Capitol, I want to look nice, don't I?" she says.

"You won't be going to the Capitol." I said coolly. Of course not I think bitterly your dad's the mayor. I then see the circular Mockingjay pin attached to her dress. "What can you have? Five entries? I had six when I was just 12 years old."

"That's not her fault" Katniss says, giving me the "that's enough" look.

I know my anger is misdirected. The tessare is just another way of the Capitol to divide the districts.

"No, it's no one's fault. Just the way it is."

The girl gives Katniss the money and whispers something. Catnip whispers back. Do they know each other?

We walk back in silence. I wanted to yell out loud, like I did in the woods about how unfair the Capitol is, and how stupid is the hunger games. How do people have fun watching children being murdered?

We divide our spoils, leaving two fishes, greens, loaves of good bread, greens, a quart of strawberries, salt, paraffin and a bit of money for each.

"See you in the square." She says

"Wear something pretty," I say. She is beautiful, and honestly, there is nothing she is going to need to make her look pretty.

At home, I simply change my clothes, have some food and go with my mother and siblings.

At the town square, I saw Katniss with prim. Prim! I totally forgot that this was the year she turned twelve. Prim in the reaping! No wonder Catnip was feeling so horrible today. I know her enough to say that she didn't let Prim take any tessare.

Behind me, there are gamblers, who gamble on who will most likely be reaped, or who will break down if reaped.

The square gets more claustrophobic as more people appear. I just think about the forty two "Gale Hawthorne's" written in the boys bowl, and twenty "Katniss Everdeens" and one "Primrose Everdeen" in the Girls bowl.

I was just thinking all this as the Mayor begins to lecture us about the history of Panem, and reads the treaty of treason. As a reminder of the rebellion we have to endure the Hunger games.

Then he reads the list of past victors in district 12. Only one is alive, the drunkard Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch stagers towards the stage and hugs Effie.

The mayor looks distressed. Probably because the whole country is getting this and they are the joke of Panem. He quickly tries to divert the attention by introducing Effie Trinket.

I look at Katniss and she looks back. We both are thinking about each other's names I the reaping bowl. Thinking how the odds are not in our favor.

And there, Effie is picking out the female tribute. I wish for Katniss's safety and breathe out a sigh of relief when the name isn't hers. But I quickly realize what it is. It's Primrose Everdeen.