Katniss dream's of her favorite memory of Prim and her Father CAUTION: EXTREMELY HEARTBREAKING
Katniss was silent as she crawled into bed with an already sleeping Peeta. She pulled the soft down comforter over her protruding belly and rubbed it lovingly, it had taken quite a long time but Peeta eventually excited Katniss with the idea of having a child. The thought though, of bringing a new life into this miserable world, still scared her. How could she raise a child in a world that had once killed so many innocents? Katniss's eyes became heavy and soon, even with these menacing thoughts in her head, she found sleep. Her dream transported her to a distant memory, now as vivid as day.
"Prim!" Katniss said jumping onto the queen sized mattress she and her sister both shared.
"Wakey wakey!"
"What is it Katniss?" Prim said tiredly as she rubbed her eyes.
The morning light peaked into the room through the crack in the burlap the Everdeen's used as curtains.
"Dad's taking us to the lake!"
Prim's mouth widened with a smile and she hopped out of bed, "Then what are we waiting for?"
Going to the lake had been sort of a bonding experience for the girls with their Father, especially with the long hours he spent working in the mines. Katniss pulled on a pair of jeans and gray short sleeve shirt and Prim followed suit.. As soon as they were dressed they met their father in the family room of their shack and headed out the door.
The lake was far into the woods, an area restricted by The Capitol and guarded by an electric fence. In all reality though, the fence never held a charge. District 12 was so poor it couldn't keep electricity in every home, let alone in a fence that hardly anyone dare cross anyway. So the Everdeen clan found it easy to slide under a hole in the fence and trek onward. The girls held hands as their Dad guided them through the thick woods. Young Katniss had come to find refuge in these woods thanks to her Dad's weekly hunting trips on Sundays. She could probably even find her way there herself, but she hoped she'd never have to. Within 30 minutes they had reached their destination, a clear lake surrounded by huge oak trees for shade. Katniss wasted no time in stripping off her jeans and jumping into the water. Her Father laughed at his adventurous daughter and crouched near the lake splashing her as she did laps around the pool. Prim was not as keen on joining in nature as her sister, instead she laid down a large wool blanket they packed and sat down, content to watch her sister play. Mr. Everdeen lied down beside his youngest daughter on the blanket.
"Don't you want to swim Prim?"
"I don't think so Papa…" she said looking out at Katniss floating on her back in the water.
"Why not little duck?"
"...I don't think I can.." muttered the 6 year-old.
"Well I bet if you ask real nice like, Katniss will teach you how."
Prim's eyes found Katniss in the water and yelled out, "Katniss? Will you teach me how to swim?"
Her only answer was an excited shake of the head. Prim slipped of the pair of jeans she wore and headed cautiously to the lakes edge. Katniss trudged to meet her and held out her hand to help her sister in the water. The clear lake was full of cool water and Prim gave a slight shiver as she walked in.
"Okay Prim hold onto my arms and start kicking your legs," Katniss advised. Prim did as she was told and then, before she knew it, she was swimming all around the pool.
"See Prim, you're a natural!" Katniss looked to her Father to show off Prim's swimming skills and he gave her a proud smile, then yelled out,
"You two ready to head back?"
By the look of the sky it was late afternoon, the sunset just forming. The two girls unwilling obliged, with the promise from their father they'd return again soon. On the way back toward civilization Prim grabbed her Fathers hand and said, "Papa? Can you sing the hanging tree?"
He gave a slight grin and began, " Are you, are you coming to the tree?..."
"Katniss wake up," Peeta said gently shaking his wife awake from her slumber, "It's okay sweetheart it was just a nightmare."
Katniss opened her eyes and found her pillow to be soaked in tears, she turned to Peeta and embraced him, "It wasn't a nightmare, this time it was the best dream I ever had."