My morning walk was my escape. It was my escape from Snow, from the Games, from everything. I would walk through the quiet streets of District 12 from Victor's Village, and calmly enjoy my time. While I had it. I knew President Snow was planning something against me, maybe even against my family. I couldn't possibly let that happen to Prim, or my mother. I did everything I could to protect them, but maybe everything wasn't enough. These thoughts usually plagued my thoughts, worry for my family, for myself, and for the future. There had been whispers of spies and assassins in District 12, which made me paranoid, even though I knew it was unlikely. Slipping into my thoughts, I accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh, I'm sorry!", I said, looking up. Who I saw was Gale, my former best friend.
"Katniss." He said, averting his eyes.
My heart clenched. He never called me Katniss. He knew that he always called me Catnip, and his use of my real name pained me. Nothing had been the same since the Games, since my love story with Peeta. And I knew Gale would never forgive me.
"Maybe we should go hunting later." I whispered, so no one else could hear, not that it would be any news to them.
Gale stared at me coldly. "I have plans." With that, he turned, and walked away.
I sighed deeply, feeling tears starting to appear. I quickly pushed them away, putting up a wall between my face and my emotions. I couldn't believe I had lost my best friend over something like this. Of course, neither of us had ever believed one of us would be sent into the Games, but it had happened. And our friendship had paid the price.
Coming upon the Meadow, I appreciated the fall leaves on the trees, and the apples that littered the ground. Picking up one of the shiny red apples, I was about to take a bite, when something struck me. For a second, it seemed as though I had seen a shadow move on the apple. I turned around cautiously, expecting to see someone standing there. When I saw no one, I breathed a sigh of relief. I looked toward District 12, seeing the roofs of the small houses. Suddenly, I noticed something. A few small black ovals that seemed to be stuck above Victor's Village. I squinted at it, and my blood ran cold. A hovercraft.
I yelled, screaming at the top of my lungs. I began to run out of the Meadow, slipping under the fence, and sprinting back to my house. On the streets, many people were pointing at the hovercrafts, looking fearful. My thoughts raced. My rebellion might have put my family in danger, and now they could be tortured because of it. As I neared Victor's Village, I saw Peacekeepers guarding the gate, not allowing anyone inside.
"My family is in there!" I screamed, trying to push past them.
One of them pushed me back roughly, and I fell into someone, who quickly righted me, trying to help me push through.
"Prim! Mom! Peeta! Haymitch! Someone, please!" I yelled, trying to catch a glance over the Peacekeeper's shoulders. When I finally saw over their backs, I saw Peeta and Haymitch standing in front of my house, trying to get through another barricade of Peacekeepers standing in front of my door. Peeta shoved one of the them, trying to slip through, but the Peacekeeper punched him in the nose, and Peeta staggered back. Something was happening in my house, and they knew it. Haymitch yelled, shoving the Peacekeeper back. I continued trying to push through the barricade, trying to yell to Peeta and Haymitch. All the yelling and screaming rang in my eardrums, until one sound broke the noise. A gunshot. And then, a piercing, terrified scream.