So this is the rescue through Gales eyes. Please tell me what you think. Your reviews mean so much to me, and I'll try my hardest to reply to every one! enjoy,
~ Slightly Afraid
Blood Red Eyes
"I volunteer! I'll go!" My voice echoes across the room and suddenly I'm wondering if this is how Katniss felt when she volunteered for Prim. With everyone's eyes drilling into your skull. Ever since Katniss and Finnick lost it a few hours ago whilst shooting propos, Coin, Haymich and Plurach Heavensbee have been arguing about sending a rescue team to the Capitol to rescue the victors and any other prisoners that are willing to fight for the cause. And-finally- after hours of arguing Coin finally gave in and agreed, but she said it was volunteers only. I didn't really think. The second the president asked my hand involuntary shot up.
Within a matter of minutes, myself, along with three other men (whose names are Homes, Darren and Schmitt) are whisked into a large black hovercraft. We're all handed camouflage uniforms (Plurach said that in the old days before Panem, people in the armies used to wear camouflage and its 'good to keep with tradition') and told to change as fast as we can. We're then handed some sleek, stiff, black boots and our favoured weapons that consist of a personal choice and a hand held machine gun. I sling my gun and bow and arrows across my back and slip on the boots, tying up the laces as tight as they'll go. They're comfy and durable but I'd proffer my hunting boots. We're then told to sit on a set of comfy black swivel chairs as we're given a set of very specific instructions. "We're going to drop you right into the centre of the mansion," says Plurach "your then immediately to follow the directions given to you through your ear pieces. You will have to defend yourselves. There is no question about it. You'll have to use a type of nauseous gas when you get down to the cells. It should knock everyone in the room out. Just make sure the victors come out in one piece." Me and Homes look at each other and nod. We've been in the same training squad for the past few weeks and we've become friends. But we're not as close as me and Katniss. No where near.
"RUN! Damn it Gale, run! Forget about me! Just complete the mission!" Schmitt's leg was riddled with bullet holes and he had a huge cut along the side of his head. He didn't have long left but I didn't want to leave him behind. I could feel Darren and Homes' hands pulling on my own, and could hear them agreeing with Schmitt. I knew that they were right. "We'll be back!" I promised and started sprinting in the direction of the cells. We turned five corners and ran down six hallways until we reach the very heart of the presidents mansion; the dungeons. I could vaguely see the outline of four bodies laying on the blood soaked floor. Suddenly I could hear loud footsteps coming towards us and I raised my gun and fired seven times towards the sound. Darren shone his torch and we found the bodies of six peacekeepers. "Darren you search for Annie, I'll look for Johanna. Hawthorne, you look for Peeta and any others." We split of into opposite directions. Darren to the right, Homes straight ahead and me to the left. The first cell I came across had a body slumped in the corner. The sight made me want to vomit. I kicked open the lock after using one of my arrows as a pick and ran towards the body.
The smell of festering flesh hit me hard in the face and as I took in the sight of the broken man, a whimper escaped my throat. "Cinna." At the sound of his name he raised his head and looked me in the eyes. "Gale?" His voice sounded hoarse and rough. I crouched down by his head. "Yeah Cinna it's me. Come on we're going to get you to district 13. Get you cleaned up. Katniss will be thrilled to see you." With this he smiled but with the dim light of my torch I knew my request would not be fulfilled. His skin was a sickly pale and he was covered from head to toe In bruises and cuts. With the way he held his body he looked like he'd broken at least three ribs and a leg. "I think you know as well as I do Gale that that won't be happening. But tell me, how is Katniss? I've missed her. I haven't slept in weeks out of fear that they've harmed her." His voice is no more than a whisper. Even though I hardly know him, Cinna means a lot to me. And far more to Katniss, and his confession brings a tear to my eye. "She's fine Cinna. She misses you too. Says all the time that she wishes that she was in some of the clothes that you designed instead of our drab second hand district 13 uniform!" He chuckles and slowly closes his eyes, and I know, as does he, that time is running out. " please-" he takes a short ragged breath, "Please tell her what an honour its been for me. And that I wish I could stand by her side through this whole thing. But most of all-" he pauses, tacking a long and painful breath. "Tell her I'm sorry. Sorry that she's in this mess. Ever since we first met, I've considered her as a daughter, and I only wanted what was best for her. It's tore apart my heart, seeing her in both arenas, watching as Peeta got beaten bloody, just to break her." Tears start cascading down my cheeks and Cinna opens his eyes one last time. "I'm proud of her. And you Gale. Even though I hardly know you." His confession is tearing me apart. He suddenly gases at the ceiling. "Keep burning bright girl on fire. I'll always watch over you." And with that, his body goes limp and his eyes loose there light. I look away as fresh tears pour from my eyes and onto his bloodstained shirt. I raise my hand and close his eyes whispering a goodbye and a promise that I'll give Katniss his last message.
Cinna's death has left me heart broken as I go in search of Peeta, and I silently vow that Snow will die a slow and painful death. I'd make sure of it. Very soon I come across another cell with a body in. "Peeta!" The human form shifts, but that's all the response I get. He's probably unconscious. I can't kick open the lock this time so I have to shoot it down. I run over to mellark's unconscious body and shake his shoulder. His body moves into the light of my torch and I take in his broken form. His hair is greasy and knotted, his clothes ripped tattered. He has a large cut running from his ear to his collar bone, and there isn't an inch of skin that isn't covered in bruises. "Homes! Darren! Come here quick! I've found Mellark but he's unconscious and badly wounded. I'll need help carrying him out!" The two men come bursting in through the cell and are soon followed by Annie and Johanna. We haul Peeta's body over our shoulders and run, as fast as we can, out towards the hovercraft.
When we arrive at the base of our only escape, several peacekeepers burst in. The ladder suddenly drops from the hovercraft and I push Mellark's body along with Annie and Johanna (both of whom are holding onto Peeta so he wouldn't fall) onto the ladder. Homes and Darren soon follow. "GALE! Come ON! Climb on!" But instead of climbing I pull out by bow and arrows and start shooting. "I can hold them back! I'll jump on when there aren't as many Peacekeepers on our tail!" They know that any attempt they make to get me onto the ladder is futile, so they stay silent. I manage to get five of the seven peacekeepers down before Holmes calls out again. "Gale! You've done enough! Come one!" I know he's right so I start running. As fast as I can and then I jump. Higher than ever before and I suddenly land on the ladder, and were being whisked up towards the sky. It's then that a bullet decides to lodge itself into my arm and I scream out in pain. Blood runs out of the wound and when I finally get into the hovercraft I fall. Flat onto my face where I curl up, and let the dark take hold on me as I'm pulled under into unconsciousness.
{this is where it'd cut back to the book and Katniss' point of view so just as she's coming to see Peeta.}