Hey guys! This is my second story for all of you who have read Rue's Hunger Games Nightmare. For all of you who haven't read it! Read it! Read it! Also Review on this! I see a bunch of people adding it to their alerts or favorites but they never review which makes me feel sad like you guys don't like it =(
Chapter 1:
I'm holding Posy's hand. I watch as the train pulls into the station. I see a shadow which I am guessing is Katniss' frame. Katniss. Oh how much I've missed her. It was almost unbearable to watch her fight for her life in that wretched arena. Then it was even worse when that Peeta had won her over. When they first kissed, it felt as if I would lose it and show my true emotions for Katniss in front of my whole family and Katniss' family. I hated Peeta ever since he announced his love for her, but once Katniss showed that she loved him too, I couldn't stand it and spent most of the time avoiding the TV.
At least she came home. I don't know what I would do if Katniss had died in the Games. Suicide wasn't an option because I had to feed my family and also Katniss's as well.
All eyes turn towards the train. I watch as Katniss, looking so beautiful in those filthy Capitol clothes, walks down. Of course. She is holding Peeta's hand. Then she runs to embrace Prim. Prim. The whole reason Katniss was in the arena. Katniss loves Prim so much that she had sacrificed herself to go in Prim's place. I know how she feels. I would too if Rory was chosen except now that Rory is old enough, I can't volunteer for him, which I hate because now I am too old to compete in the Games if Rory or Vick were ever chosen. At the time Katniss thought she would die, but she was quickly proven wrong and had returned home.
Katniss' mother smiles brightly and says, "Look Katniss! Your cousins are waiting for you." Oh yeah. Some idiot told the whole nation that I was Katniss' cousin. Now that everyone thinks I am her cousin, I'll have no chance in trying to make Katniss fall in love with me. Now that Katniss has Peeta though, I should give up, but I don't. I will never give that small slim hope that Katniss will ever love me as I love her.
Soon my whole family returns home. My mother cooks our lunch and Rory grins. "What?" I snap. Rory looks down and says, "Nothing. I was just thinking about something that happened a few days ago." I roll my eyes. Rory can be so immature.
No one speaks during lunch. I think about that day that I said goodbye to Katniss. I remember how close I was to telling her that I loved her. I was cut off by the stupid peacekeepers. They had slammed the door in my face. I barely taste the food and realize that I'm completely done and have just been chewing on my tongue for the past 15 minutes. I taste something salty and a lot like iron in my mouth. Oh, my tongue must be bleeding. I ignore it and get up. The only other person at the table is Rory with an odd expression on his face. He looks like he isn't thinking and is daydreaming. He looks lovingly up at the ceiling and I shake him. He suddenly snaps up, alert. He blinks several times before realizing that he was at home. I laugh and ask, "So who is she?" Then he looks embarrassed and says, "What do you mean?" I smirk and say, "The girl that you're in love with." Rory looks at his feet and says, "No one." Then he quickly runs off. I laugh and help my mother clean up. My mother looks up with sad eyes and says, "I really thought you two would end up married someday. I guess I was wrong." I think she's talking about Katniss and me. I hate to admit it but I did too. I was also hoping we would. I nod to my mother and I go out hunting for dinner.
In the woods I check my snares and I find that I caught 3 squirrels and a rabbit. This is a pretty good haul since I don't have to split it with Katniss' family anymore now that she's home with all that money. I feel glad for Katniss but I also feel pain. Now that she has money, Katniss won't want to go hunting with me anymore. I feel a pang of reminiscence as I remember that day that I had met Katniss. I was so hungry but I still set up 5 snares. Then I walked around looking for edible plants. I had heard walking and I hid behind a tree. That was when I saw Katniss. She was touching my snares. At the time I had thought she was stealing my rabbit. I said, "You know, stealing's punishable by death." It was supposed to be a joke but she didn't even smile. I recognized her. Her father had also been killed in the same mine explosion as mine. I remember that I had actually respected her because she was only 12 and had taken over her family.
I walk around the forest and rest at the spot Katniss and I used to meet at every Sunday. I think about all those moments we spent here and my hatred for the Capitol increases. They took away everything I ever held close to my heart. They killed my father in those wretched mines which I am forced to work at starting in four days when I turn 19. It was the Capitol that took Katniss away from me. What Katniss and I could have had, now stands no chance against the "star crossed lovers from District 12." That just makes me sick. If Katniss and I had indeed fallen in love, we wouldn't coo at each other every 5 minutes like her and that baker boy. Suddenly tears fill my eyes. I wipe them away angrily. No I have not cried since my father died. I get up and stalk away back to the fence.
When I arrive at home, I spot Katniss there. What does she want? I walk away to the Hob before she can find me. When I arrive, I trade 2 squirrels for some money, oil, broth, and 5 fish. The fish isn't as good but there are larger quantities of it. This is a pretty good trade. Greasy Sae gives me a better deal than most of the time. She winks at me and says, "Lucky your 'cousin' made it home eh?" I nod without looking at her and then I walk out. When I arrive home, my mother says, "Katniss came here looking for you." Then she waits for my reaction. I nod and say, "Great." But it isn't very enthusiastic. My mother raises her eyebrow and says, "So you want to go give her a visit?" I shake my head and say, "Nah she probably has lots of 'work' with the reporters." My mother nods and goes to check on Posy. Tonight there is a huge banquet for the entire District. I hope Rory, Vick, Posy, and my mother will stuff themselves full. They might as well enjoy the food.
Night arrives. My mother and my siblings walk to the Justice Building where we will be having the banquet. My mother looks at me and asks, "Are you sure you don't want to go?" I nod and go back inside. I sit down and eat a fish. Then I walk around and fall asleep on my bed that I share with Vick and Rory. I fall asleep and dream of something that would never happen in real life.
I'm knocking on Katniss' door. She opens it and pulls me into a hug. Then I whisper in her ear, "I love you." Katniss smiles and says, "I love you too Gale." Then I smile and we go into the woods. We go fishing and I give her a light kiss on the cheek. Then we head back to her house. Her mother smiles when she sees us. Then she says, "You know Gale, Katniss has been talking about you for a while."
Then I wake up. Rory and Vick are next to me asleep. Rory is mumbling. He says, "No…Of course….. Maridel… Sorry….. Noooo…. Prim…. Stop…." I wonder what Rory is dreaming about. It sounds like an interesting dream. So was that girl that he was in love with named Maridel? Or… did he like Prim? That would be a bit awkward considering the fact that Prim is a year older than him. I see the hint of dawn break into our window. I get up and go outside. I leave a note on our door that says
Mom, I'm out going for a walk. I'll be back by sundown.
I think my mother will know what "walk" means. I'm going to the forest. I put walk just in case someone else saw the note. I slip under the fence and walk around. Just being in the fresh air clears my head. I love how much the forest can always lighten up my mood. It's also the one place that I can be alone. I walk along until I hear deep breathing behind me. I stop, frozen in my tracks. I slowly turn around with a knife ready. There behind me is a wild dog. These used to be so easy to take down with Katniss but I'm not so sure I can kill it by myself.
The wild dog lunges. I run up a tree. It's better safe than sorry. If I'm not sure I can take it on then I better just stay up here for a while.
The sun starts setting. I've been up this tree for the whole day and the wild dog hasn't left yet. I decide to take my chances and climb down slowly. I hold the knife up, ready to strike when the dog whimpers. I notice how it's very small. It must be around 2 or 3 months old. It drops to my feet and sleeps there. I pet it and I think I must be insane because its mother could come out at any moment and kill me. Still, I continue petting it and then the wild dog wakes up. It slowly walks off into a mass of trees. That was odd. Perhaps the most strange encounter I've ever had in the forest. I walk back to the fence. When I arrive home, my mother looks very worried. I ask concerned, "Mom, what's wrong?" She looks up and says harshly, "Gale! Where have you been all day? Do you even know how worried I have been?" I'm really confused. She had to have seen that note. I look at the door and say, "But mom, I wrote a note and stuck it on the door." She looks at the blank door and says coldly, "I'm afraid I didn't get the message." I look down and say, "Well I'm here now so what's the problem?" My mother glares at the table and says, "Rory was so worried about you that around lunchtime he left to look for you in the Hob. Apparently Vick knew all along and never spoke up. Rory hasn't returned yet."
What? I run out the door, heading straight for the Hob. When I arrive, I see a drunk Rory on the ground. I scoop him up and yell at the man at the table, "What the hell did you do to my brother?" He glares at me and says, "What do you mean?" I return the glare and yell, "You gave my 12 year old brother wine!" He says, "He was like that when I arrived." I ask, "Then why didn't you help him?" The man says coldly, "That wasn't my problem." I grit my teeth and run back home.
My mother is relieved to see Rory home but takes him to Mrs. Everdeen in case something bad had happened. I glare at Vick and say, "Why would you let Rory go to the Hob all by himself if I wouldn't even take him with me?" Vick looks down and runs into our room. I sigh and suddenly feel so exhausted. I lay down on the couch and fall asleep.
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