Disclaimer: All characters, places etc. are the property of Suzanne Collins.
So, this is going to be a multi-chaptered fic which begins with the bombing of District 12. Each chapter title will be a letter of the alphabet (e.g. Chapter One is Ashes to Ashes, Chapter Two will begin with B, Chapter Three will begin with C, etc) so there will probably be 26 chapters and maybe an epilogue. The POV will switch between Prim and Gale with every chapter. Hope you like it, please R&R! :)
WARNING: Eventual Rory/Prim romance, onesided Gale/Katniss romance. May contain some violence and strong language.
Prim's POV
As soon as the screen goes dark, I know that something is wrong.
Silence descends over the Seam, a silence so deadly and final that I can hear the blood rushing through my veins. I look at my mother, who has turned a shocking shade of white. Her hands are shaking tremulously. I open my mouth to tell her not to worry, that everything will be alright, but before I can the front door bursts open and Gale races into the house.
"Get out!" he shouts. "Quickly, we need to leave!"
My mother utters a soft gasp, but Gale doesn't seem to think there is time for an explanation. He wraps a firm hand around her wrist and drags her out of the house, yelling for me to follow him. My gaze darts toward the garden, where Lady is nibbling on some leaves. Buttercup is lounging on the kitchen table. Without a second thought, I scoop the cat up in my arms and run as fast as my feet can carry me, ignoring my thudding heart.
I come to a halt just outside of the Victor's Village, my eyes growing wide. Hundreds of hoverplanes fill the sky, gleaming darkly beneath the sunlight. Gale throws a glance over his shoulder, curses under his breath and screams at me to move. Jolting back to myself, I comply.
We are not the only ones who Gale has saved. The streets are filled with people, some of them crying, others rushing forward with determination in their eyes. I see small children hurrying to keep up with their parents, a sight which breaks my heart. But that isn't the worst of it. Some are just waiting in their homes. They have seen the hoverplanes. They know what is coming. And yet instead of trying to save themselves, they sit and await their death. It goes against everything I believe in to leave them there to die, but I know that we have precious little time to get to safety.
Gale directs the swarms of people, leading us toward the Meadow. It's a good idea. It won't burn as easily as the Seam. When we reach the Meadow, Gale begins to pull down the chain-link fence. Quickly catching on, some of the other men and boys begin to help. I notice Gale's younger brothers Rory and Vick helping out, while Hazelle stands off to the side with little Posy in her arms. Good – they're safe.
With the fence down, Gale takes us to a place that he hopes will be safe. It is a lake, which will at least provide us with a drinking source. Almost as soon as we arrive, the first bomb drops. Someone begins screaming. In unison, we turn our heads in the direction of the Seam, and we watch our lives go up in smoke.
The bombs rain down for hours and the flames grow higher and higher. I can't look away. The bombers disappear after a few hours, but the fires carry on long into the night. It reminds me of Katniss. Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire. Tears fill my eyes. I wonder what her fate will be – but now is not the time to worry about Katniss.
Dawn approaches, and our makeshift camp receives a few extra survivors. They are people who were not fortunate enough to escape the bombs, but managed to avoid the most deadly. My mother immediately begins setting up a medical station, although there isn't much she can do without her materials. I offer her my help, because if I have to stand around doing nothing for much longer, I fear that I will go insane.
We do what we can, although it isn't much. Gale thanks us for trying. There are bags beneath his eyes, but he won't rest for even a moment. He saved who he could, but as far as he is concerned, that's not enough. He is determined to keep us alive, no matter what it takes.
Luckily, he had the foresight to bring what hunting materials he could. He produces a hunting knife, a fishing net and two sets of bows and arrows. He recruits those who are able-bodied and requests their help with hunting. Rory Hawthorne is the first to volunteer. Gale hands him a bow and a set of arrows, although he stares at them for a long while before releasing his grip. Rory is more slender and lithe than his older brother – Katniss used to say he had the perfect build for an archer.
They disappear into the woods, returning hours later with their spoils. There are over eight hundred people by the lakeside. Although Rory, Gale and the others have done the best they can, it won't be enough to feed us for long. I do my part by collecting various berries, using knowledge that I have gleaned from Katniss over the past few years. I avoid the poisonous berries, taking only the ones which I am sure will do no harm.
Those who are adept at cooking take over from then on, putting their skills to the test to try and turn what we have into a meal for eight hundred. It isn't much, but at least it's something.
I approach Gale as soon as he has a moment of peace. He is beginning to look worse and worse. The bags beneath his eyes have darkened and his olive skin has taken on a sickly pale tone. His heroic rescue has taken its toll on his health. I notice for the first time the burn covering one side of his face, and the awkward way he holds his arm. I frown. He is staring into the lake when I approach. He flinches when I lay a hand on his arm.
"Oh," he says, inclining his head slightly. "Prim. Hello."
I crouch down beside him and fold my skirt over my knees. The material used to be a pale yellow, but now it is stained with dirt and the blood of my neighbours and friends.
"You need to get that looked at," I tell him softly, pointing to the burn. "And that arm, too."
"It's fine," he replies, glancing down at his arm. "I don't have time for a medical examination anyway, Prim. I need to focus on how to keep all of us alive."
"Stop being such a martyr," I scold. "How are you supposed to hunt with a broken arm? If you really want to keep us alive, go to my mother and have her bandage you up. If you don't, it's just going to get worse, and then how will you look after us?"
He flinches again, meeting my gaze with troubled grey eyes. He opens his mouth as if to reply, and then a weary grin tugs at his lips. Gale gets to his feet and ruffles my hair.
"When did you get so smart, Prim?"
It's a rhetorical question. He leaves, heading in the direction of our makeshift medical centre. I stay by the lake, staring at the clear waters with a frown on my face. After a while, I slip off the leather shoes that I had been so proud of just a few months ago and dip my bare toes in the water. It's cold.
I stare at the black smoke still coating the sky and think about how fragile everything is. Just a few months ago, I was living in a warm, comfortable house with my mother and my big sister. Thanks to Katniss's victory in the arena, we finally had enough money to pay for the things we had always wanted – for my mother, the materials for her medicines. For me, the leather shoes and pretty dresses that Madge Undersee flaunted on a daily basis. My heart clenches for a moment. Where is Madge Undersee? Not by the lakeside, that much I know. Did she escape? Or has she gone up in flames, too?
I wonder how Katniss is, and what she would be doing if she were here. Does she know about the bombs?
My mind still whirring, I shake my feet until they're dry and slide them back into my shoes. I can see Gale in the distance, keeping a brave face while my mother tends to the burn on his cheek. Beside her, Hazelle is staring at her son with a sort of resigned pride. I know what she is feeling. She is so proud of what Gale has done – but she's terrified because he did it without any regard for his own safety, and the worst part is, she knows he won't hesitate to do it again. Yes, I know exactly what Hazelle is feeling.
I feel exactly the same way about Katniss.
Ta-daaaaaa! This is going to be my very first multi-chaptered Hunger Games fic, so I'm pretty excited. Hopefully this turned out alright. The next chapter will be in Gale's POV. Thanks for reading! Cookies if you review :D