I numbly follow the orders my fake commander is giving me, I'm in the Block taking my test to become a certified soldier to fight against the Capitol. The rumor is that to complete your mission they test each soldier by presenting them with their greatest weakness. In my head my only thought is what is my greatest weakness. I'm snapped back into reality when I hear a piercing, blood chilling scream, it's Katniss's scream. I immediately know that this is my test, but it takes all the will power in the world to keep going and not follow that scream.
She keeps screaming and I know something is wrong, they should know by now that I was able to keep my composure and stop myself. I can't control my muscles, and almost by impulse I find myself running, calling out to her, but when I get to where the sound is coming from she isn't there, instead there is something even more terrifying. District 12 is burning and I can hear all the people screaming as they get burned alive.
"Gale, Gale, wake up," mummers Katniss. I groan and quickly wake up "You were having a nightmare." I must have a pretty bad look on my face because she smiles halfheartedly. "Do you want to talk about it?" asks Katniss. "Not really," I groan, "Seriously, I'm fine." She snuggles up next to me, and I try to focus on anything but the memory. Her head against my chest, the other soldiers quiet snores, anything but the visions flashing through my head. "Talking actually helps, it helps if you let someone else help carry the burden."
I'm sure she knows, she must have told Peeta, instead of me, her best friend. At least we used to be best friends, after the first Hunger Games we grew more distant. I try not to be too jealous of Peeta, but it's hard. She has no idea, how much I love her, what I would do for her. I've loved her for so long and always kept away, knowing she didn't want that from me, all she wanted was to be my friend. So I tried, I tried so hard, just to act natural, to act like I didn't want to grab her, confess my love, and kiss her. Then she goes into the Hunger Games and falls in love with the first guy she sees, and she had no idea she was slowly breaking my heart to bits.
She snuggles into my chest, and I hold her tightly, grateful for the least bit of body contact. "What about you, why are you up Catnip" I question her. She just shrugs, "I couldn't sleep, too much on my mind I guess." "Nightmares?" "Always, I don't think they'll ever go away." I consider this, and really it's true what Johanna said, the Capitol wrecked us all pretty good.
We stop talking, and just sit there, wrapped in each other's arms. I don't move, not wanting to wake her if she's asleep. I'm eventually lulled to sleep by the gentle snores of my fellow soldiers, encased in Katniss's arms. The next morning I wake up and realize for the first time in over two years I didn't have any nightmares.
This is my first fanfic so please review!