I awake with a start. I turn, looking for Prim, to see that she has abandoned our shared bed to sleep with my mother. I'm not surprised; this is her first reaping. With a sigh, I push away my worries for her and prepare to head into the woods. I jog lightly through the meadow and duck under the fence that separates the Seam from the woods, glad to be free of the place. After a short walk, I smile when I see Gale waiting for me at our usual place. We have a special breakfast and get hunting, finding tons of food for tonight.
"Maybe we could have dinner together," Gale says while we fish. "You and Prim and your mother could come over, we can have a real feast." I smile at the thought: all of us, like a big family, celebrating being spared another year; Gale, done for good after today.
"I'd like that," I say with a small grin. Gale and I have been best friends for the past two years, but lately I've been feeling like he sees me as more. I'm still not totally sure if I like that. After we've collected a good haul' we decide to head back into town; the reaping will start soon. We walk slowly, eating a few strawberries as we go, but it's not long before Gale stops.
"What's wrong?" I ask, turning back to see his stony expression.
"Katniss," Gale says slowly. I turn around, taken aback by a pack of wild dogs stalking the two of us with hungry eyes. I look back at Gale, already inching toward a nearby Cypress tree. Once we get to its base, we climb the thing rapidly until Gale has to stop. "I'm too heavy, Catnip." He says, his eyes imploring.
"That's okay," I reassure him. "We're too high up for them to reach." We both peer down at the group of dogs, maybe seven or eight, scratching at the tree's base.
"We'll just have to wait them out," Gale whispers to me. "They'll get bored and move on." We're up there for a long time. Too long.
"Gale, I think the reaping's starting soon." I say, nudging him in the side. He turns with a hard look.
"If you want to leap down and be eaten alive, then be my guest." He says firmly. For the first time, I notice the intensity of his eyes staring down at me, and I'm surprised by his closeness, but his warmth is inviting. I let myself fall asleep in his arms.
"Katniss!" He whispers urgently, waking me up. "They're leaving!" I look down to see that he's right; One by one, the dogs are turning away from the tree and loping off into the trees, dejected by the loss. We both half climb, half jump down from the tree, running off in the direction of the meadow, worried about the consequences of missing the reaping. We part ways, and I run through my doorway to see my mother, eyes red, sobbing at the kitchen table, Hazelle next to her stroking her hair.
"What happened?" I ask, heading straight to them. Then, I feel my heart drop and my throat close up. "Where's Prim?" I manage to choke out. My mother doesn't answer, so I look to Gale's mother, tears already gathering, threatening to spill over my cheeks. She stares into my eyes, her expression grim, and gives me the slightest shake of her head, confirming my suspicions. When I was in the woods, and Prim was at the reaping, Effie Trinket pulled one slip, one slip of paper in thousands, and read out the name loud and clear. And it was Primrose Everdeen.