You may notice that I am trying to move away from my obsession with the Careers. :P This is something that I am trying to explore more as a writer. The war profoundly affected a lot of people, and I wanted to try my hand at exploring how it might have taken its toll on the psyche of various characters. Hence, this. Reviews are always appreciated- your thoughts are always useful to me. :)
I do not own any of these characters.
the war: and how it tore us all apart
oo1. gale
would you believe me if i said i was sorry?
the question wasn't mean to hurt,
it was just my fear of losing you.
Gale doesn't go back to District 12 anymore.
He's tried once, but he can never really get past the train station, because beyond the train station is the Justice building- what's left of it- and beyond the Justice building is a monument of a mockingjay. He remembers that mockingjay monument, of course. He remembers getting orders from Payton to get the remaining builders in District 2 to build one to remember all the lives lost in the war. (His pocket suddenly feels heavy.)
He expected it to be in the Capitol, not here in District 12, not here where the actual Mockingjay lives. He stands there as the train leaves behind him, just stands there staring at the slab of perfect gray stone that has its wings outstretched about to take flight.
Beyond the monument, a new town is rebuilding. Gale stands on top of the small hill, surveying the hustle and bustle of District 12 as they go about their daily routine. It is a drastically changed place; instead of smelling the harsh coal dust and the smoky fires of the mines, Gale can smell fresh violets and aromas wafting from the Hob, now an open-air market filled with vendors selling their wares. It is so new, so young, so unfamiliar.
Nobody recognizes him as he walks down the street- Gale isn't surprised, because he knows that most of the people he knew are either dead or are living in District 13. Like him, they are all still hiding, Gale reflects; still hiding from their memories, still hiding from their past.
He hides, too, but he hides from his guilt of taking so many lives. He played a part in the rebellion, too. (And his pocket feels even heavier.)
Gale continues on, his feet growing heavier and heavier with every second. He reaches the Victor's Village, miraculously untouched and the only remnant of the original District 12. There are only two houses lived in; one of them is completely dark but the other is brightly lit, with two shadows dancing off the walls. He hears them laugh- and he would know that laugh anywhere, he's heard it in the woods, in the trees. He's heard it during the rebellion, the only sound that held him together when everything felt like it was falling apart.
His will deserts him and he stops himself from knocking on the door. Again, the laugh comes from behind the door, and it is joined by a gentle, warm, low chuckle.
He hastily draws out the small box of preserved primroses that he brought for Katniss, and leaves it on the front doorstep. Happy birthday, Prim, he scribbles hastily on the pad of paper that he brought with him; and then he just leaves it at the door and runs away, tearing up the street past confused people and running away from all his guilt and frustration and regret and oh, he just wants to say he's terribly sorry to Prim for possibly killing her.
He's only gone back to District 12 once, on what would have been Prim's fourteenth birthday.
Gale never goes back to District 12 anymore.
It's easier to just hide from all the guilt.
maybe it's all for the best,
but i just don't see any good in this, no.
"between you and i", every avenue
Thank you for reading :)