So this is an edited chapter. I hope I did better with this one. Hopefully it has a lot more details and things too. I did leave some things out, that were in the original chapter, but they will be in later chapters, which will make this longer. Read and review, telling me whether you like the change or not.
Gale POV:
I knew the day of the reaping would be horrible. I knew something was going to go wrong when I woke up this morning. I could feel it.
But I had never expected this.
I knew as soon as Effie Trinket called out Primrose Everdeen, that life as I knew it would be forever changed. I knew Katniss would never let Prim participate in the games. I knew that my inane fantasy of Katniss and I running away from the horrid life in the District would never have a chance at coming true.
Katniss was strong. She was a hunter. But she would be up against barbarians who had trained their whole life for the Games.
She would die, before she would let Prim set a single toe on the grounds of The Hunger Games. And she planned to do just that, by volunteering herself in Prim's place.
I felt as if there were a ten pound weight in my stomach, as I watched Katniss run up onto the stage, screaming Prim's name. My face is hot and I feel my heart beating rapidly against my chest. Fearing I might pass out, I grip my chair in an iron grasp.
"Lovely!" I hear that vile Effie Trinket exclaim. She goes on about the process of volunteering, when the mayor cuts in.
"What does it matter?" He is clearly upset. Everyone is.
I am vaguely aware that Prim is screaming. She has latched herself onto Katniss, who I can see is struggling to keep her emotions intact. I get up from my seat, and stiffly make my way on stage. I gently pull Prim off of Katniss, struggling to keep my hold on her as she struggles against me, kicking and screaming.
"Up you go, Catnip." I say, hearing how tight with emotion my own voice is. I carry Prim offstage, to her mother, and sit back down.
The room is silent. No one claps and no one speaks. The only one who does not look like death has befallen them, is Effie Trinket.
And then something truly remarkable happens.
The people of District 12 place their three middle fingers of their left hand against their lips and hold it out to Katniss. It is our district's sign of love, of thanks and goodbye. It is rarely used, often seen at funerals. First only a few do it. When others acknowledge what is happening, we all join. I am fighting to keep myself from breaking down. It's almost more than I can bare, but I cannot show them that. I've got to be strong for Katniss.
Later, when I go to see Katniss in her holding room, I find myself in danger of losing my cool. I clench my fists, unwilling to let my emotions out.
I must make her realize how much of a chance she has at winning. I will not let her give up before the Games have even begun.
I advise her on things she would find wise to do in the arena. Katniss being Katniss, she argues with me, and I can tell she is not confident on the likelihood of her victory.
"It's just hunting." I say to her. I've got to make her see. "You're the best hunter I know,"
Her face falls as she looks at the ground. "It's not just hunting, Gale. They're armed. They think."
"You know how to kill." I press.
"Not people."
But still…
"How different can it be?"
Shortly after, the Peacekeepers come to escort me out.
"Please sir, a little longer." I plead with one of them. He shows me no mercy and begins to take me away. I panic. I have to tell Katniss. I can't let her leave without knowing...just in case.
She clings to my outstretched hand and I can see she is as panicked as I am. "Don't let them starve!" I know she is talking about her mother and Prim. I remember the pact we made last year. "I won't! You know I won't!" Now is the time. I have to tell her; I have to make her come back. This might not, but she has to know. "Katniss remember I…" The Peacekeepers give one last tug, yanking us apart, and then slam the door in my face.
"…love you!" My confession bounces off the wall, going unheard.
She didn't hear. I am overcome by my anger, my grief. I punch the wall and shove the Peacekeepers' hands off of me. Uncharacteristically, they let me and I stalk outside into the afternoon sunshine, which feels like a slap in my face. Katniss and I could be hunting right now; we could be together and not torn apart by the savagery that is Panem.
I kick the dirt with my boot. Never have I wanted to curl up and die, as much as I did now.
When were we ever going to win?
It's not much longer than the original, but hopefully I've slowed things down a little.