I'm sure this has been done before but I wanted to do my own take on it. This is in Katniss's POV unless mentioned otherwise. So, without further ado, here is chapter one.

"We could do it, you know," Gale said quietly.

"What?" I ask.

"Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it," says Gale.

I don't know how to respond. This idea is so preposterous…but perhaps so much so it could work.

Chapter one: Of Blackberries and Escapes

I could feel his gaze boring into the back of my neck as he waited for me to respond. What was I supposed to say when a remark such as this was sprung onto me like an unsuspecting rabbit caught in a snare? My breath hitched as I inhaled deeply raising my eyes to meet his.

"What about Prim?" I managed to finally say. Did he expect me to leave her behind? He knows that she meant more to me than any freedom his suggestion could provide. I watch as he considers this for a moment and gives one firm nod of his head.

"We'll bring her will us." He said, though now the tone of his voice sounded a little uneasy.

"And your siblings?" I asked as if he had forgotten about them, "What of Rory, Vick, and Posy?" I watched as he lifted a small twig from the ground and proceeded to roll it between his thumb and pointer finger.

"I don't think my mother would be so keen on letting them join us." He said quietly not meeting my gaze.

I hadn't even thought about my mother until he mentioned his. My mother, ever since my father had died, had been an empty shell of her old self. Would she be able to make such a journey with Gale and me? Perhaps it would be good for her, a fresh start, no more painful memories to give her night terrors… But I knew deep inside I'd never be able to get her to come with us.

"Don't worry," Gale said as if being able to read my thoughts. "My mother will watch over her, she wouldn't let her starve." His hand rested on my knee as his eyes finally meet mine. "She'll be safe, I swear it."

I adverted my eyes from his gaze as I pretended to be interested in my bow. "And the Capitol?" I mumbled running my fingers down the length of my bow's limb. "Don't you think they'd go after our families when they discover us gone? Torture them into telling them where we went off to? Gale," I placed my hand over his. He looks down at it with eyebrows raised obviously not used to a touch such as this from me. "What if we ended up like…them?"

I watched him tense at my words knowing full well he knew what I was referring to. The thoughts of that morning were still fresh in my mind as if they had happened yesterday and not a few years back. The haggard expressions on the boy and girl's faces, the hopelessness I felt when I was unable to help the Capitol found them. I wondered what had happened to the two. The boy was surely dead and the girl? What had become of her? I shuddered at the thought of that being Gale and I.

"Katniss." A low voice broke my trail of thought. I looked to see Gale eyeing me with a mixed expression of curiosity and concern. "Katniss." He repeated slowly, "Are you alright?"

I wasn't too sure how to answer his question. I wouldn't say that I wasn't alright, it was more of, was I troubled or not. I knew that this might be our last shot at this. Today was the Reaping and within a glass ball labeled 'Male Tributes' in thick print were forty two neatly folded slips that read clearly the name "Gale Hawthorne". What if today was the Reaping where prim and proper Effie Trinket withdrew one of those slips with a quick flip of her wrist? Could I bare to watch my best friend, my hunting companion make his way onto that stage that would probably be the last place he would step foot on in District 12? I would most certainly blame myself for his demise if that were to occur.

"If we're going through with this it has to be done now." My voice was low and full of solemness. "Everyone will be too caught up in the Reaping to notice the disappearance of a few Seam children. I'd give us about three maybe four hours before it starts to get around," I pause, "That is, if one of us isn't chosen." I lift my eyes to meet his gaze. He stares back at me, the fingers that were holding the twig covered in small bits of crumbly dried bark. I cannot tell what he is thinking at the moment, his face is void of emotion just as it is whenever he is concentrating on squirrel he's about to nab.

"You know," He said quietly, brushing off his fingers against his pants' leg. "There would be no turning back." I listen to his words and begin to wonder if he's second guessing his decision. I inhaled deeply, my chest rising as I gnaw thoughtfully on my bottom lip.

"I know." I say quietly hoping I do not sound anxious. He merely nods in response as he sits there silently for a moment as if deep in thought.

"Definite answer?" He asks suddenly as he shifts where he sits trying to get comfortable. "No maybes, Katniss, yes or no?" His voice is firm and has dropped and octave as his words sink into the crevices of my brain grabbing each nerve like a leash. My heart suddenly begins to race as if his finger is switching back and forth on a two button panel, one button is meant for survival, the other death, but which button is which I do not know, the only way to find out is to press on. Thoughts and memories that I have collected over the years during my time in District 12 flash before my eyes. Hunting with my father, the mines, schooling, tiny Prim singing sweetly to that god awful cat, Buttercup, my dear father's death, my mother's losing grasp of reality, that baker's son who gave me those loaves one, and of course, there was Gale. There was always Gale. I inhaled deeply knowing that I am insane, that I have truly shoved the rational Katniss into a prison under lock and key.

"Yes." I reply. "Yes, I want to runaway."

I do hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I shall update soon if people seem to like it. Please review, alert, favorite, all of the good jazz, it does an author's heart good. Thank you so much for taking the time to read.-Jen