Author's note: Most of the characters belong to Suzanne Collins, writer of The Hunger Games, but I did add a few of my own.
Well, honestly Katniss and Peeta make a good couple, but Gale and Katniss, make an even better couple. (In my opinion) So here it is! Katniss and
Gale stuck in the horrific Hunger Games Arena! Enjoy!
I wish the the sun would never come up, the day never start, and basically pass in a second. But it won't. Just like the Capitol won't stop throwing helpless children into an arena to fight to the death. I want to keep my eyes closed, to savor the moment of peace lying in bed with my sister prim. Oh Prim. Fragile little Primrose. I can't even imagine seeing her thrown into the arena with teenagers five times her size. I open my eyes and find myself looking for my sister, but only finding the coldness of our small bed. Nightmares I guess. She's curled in a small ball huddled next to mother, with her mangy old cat Buttercup at her feet. Gale! I prop myself up on my elbow and take a deep yawn. As I sit up I drop my bare feet onto the cold ground. A dim light pours threw the kitchen window. I walk across the room and find my leather hunting jacket, which I pull on quickly to block the eerie coldness that seeps into my skin. I put on some pants and thick socks and slide my boots on. As I expected, Prim left me a goat cheese wrapped in basil leaves. Nice and fresh from her goat. I put the cheese in my pocket and head out the door. I start walking toward the fence that supposedly is electrified 24/7. Huh. So much for that. The thing is barely alive with energy for a few hours. Max. Even though it's off, I still listen for the low him that means it's electrified. Nothing. I slide under a hole in the fence that my dad found years ago, before he was blown to bits in a mine accident, along with Gale's.
The musky smells of the forest let me know I can finally be myself. I retrieve the set of bow and arrows that were crafted by my father and head out into the arms of the forest. I feel surprisingly happy, considering it's the day of the reaping. I even hum myself a joyful little tune. Then I see it. A beautiful deer, grazing on the dew-wet grass, looking so peaceful. I point my arrow directly at it's eye and I'm about to shoot when I hear an oh so familiar voice behind me that scares off the deer.
"Hey Catnip," says Gale.
The deer gets startled and runs off so I lower my bow. Anger, disappointment, and...a slight bit of amusement burn inside me.
"Damn it, Gale!" I'm sure he doesn't take these harsh words seriously because on the outside I just look like a giggling little girl.
"Whoops! Sorry, didn't realize there was a deer there."
"Oh, definitely, didn't see it."
Gale gives a small laugh then returns to being serious. "Look what I caught," Gale holds up a loaf a bread with an arrow stuck in it. I laugh. It's not the dark brown loaves we make from our grain rations, but a real bakery bread. "What it cost you?" I ask with a grin on my face. "Only a squirrel, the baker was feeling quite generous today."
"Not his best trade'" I say. Gale shakes his head and sets the loaf down on a nearby log.
"What did you bring?" He nods toward my pocket. "Oh!" I say and pull out Prim's cheese. "Wow!", exclaims Gale.
"I'll get some of those blackberries over there" I point toward the bush full of delicious berries. Gale nods and focuses and on taking the arrow out of the bread and slicing it. I walk over to the bush and begin to pluck the berries off one by one. I return with enough berries for both of us and Gale has already sliced the bread, put cheese on , and placed a basil leaf on each. I set the berries down by the bread.
"We really will be having a feast," I say.
"We will." ,Gale agrees.
I take a bite from the bread and so many different flavors flood into my mouth.
"Mmm," I say.
"Oh, don't forget!" Gale makes his voice high pitched with a sharpness that can only be called, a capitol accent. "May the odds -" He tosses a blackberry in the air in a high arch. I catch the berry in my mouth and break it delicate skin. "- Be ever in your favor." I finish. We laugh. Here we are making fun of these capitol people who can easily send us to our death. "Katniss,"
"Yes, Gale?"
"I love you."
These three words that Gale has just spoken, I already knew, but they take me so much by surprise.
"I love you too, Gale."
"You know, with all my entries in that bowl, I have a huge possibility of getting picked for the games."
All I do is stare into his eyes and think about how it must feel for him. Then out of no where and leans over to me and presses his lips against mine. They are so warm. This tingling feeling runs through my veins and the kiss only gets better. Gale cups my face in his hands and I simply lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck. Then he breaks away and gets up. "Bye Catnip" And for a moment I just sit there, thinking about what happened. After Gale is out of sight, I get up and return to my home. On the way I kill four rabbits and a squirrel and find my snares have caught a beaver. This should make a nice hearty dinner.
At home I find a warm bath has been made for me and one of my mother's dresses lying on the edge of the bed. I put down my kills and my mother in the eyes. "Are you sure?" She nods her approval. "Thank you" She nods again and starts preparing my kills. I lower myself into the bath and scrub myself clean, and even wash my hair. I dry my body and put on the dress. I let my mother towel-dry my hair and put it into intricate braids. I look at myself in the cracked mirror that is propped against the wall. I'm stunned by how I look. Primrose walks up to me in the outfit I wore for my first reaping. "Katniss," I look at her. "You look so beautiful." "And nothing like myself" I reply. We smile. My mother calls us to the front of the house so she could touch up our hair and outfits. "Thank you..." I say politely to my mother. Even though it's been a few hours from being in the forest with Gale, the kiss still lingers on my lips. Prim looks up at my mother. " Should we be going now?"
"Yes" my mother replied.
We left the safety of our home to go to the square for the reaping. It's disappointing to know it has to be held in the square, considering it's one of the nicer places of 12. We make our way over and find it already full with all the children ranging from age 12 to 18. I hug my mother and sister tightly and weave my way over to a group of 16 year old girls. We don't wait long before it begins. Well, kinda begins. A drunk Haymitch stumbles onto the stage and knocks over the one empty chair.
"You wan' me ta watch ~ burp~ these poor kiiids get choosed for death?"
Effie and the Mayor stare quizzically at Haymith.
"Well iznot gonna happen!"
Haymitch walks over to Effie and yanks her wig off. The crowd of tributes giggle. Effie puts her hands on her shaggy pieces of hair and quickly snatches her wig back.
"Y'all need to know somethin' the games are justa biig flippin piece of-" Then he falls off the stage. Headfirst. Men in white suits come and rush him away on a stretcher.
"What an exiting day!" Effie shrills. That's the thing about her. She makes every little thing have a good thing. The mayor begins his long boring speech about how Panem rose from the remains of what used to be known as north america and about the dark days, obliterating District 13, and finally, how it resulted in the hunger games. Effie comes over to the front of the stage and exclaims, " Ladies first!" She tiptoes over to the female bowl of tributes and draws a name from the glass bowl. She clears her throat and says in a loud, clear voice, "Katniss Everdeen." My blood runs cold. My body seems to be paralyzed and the world around me seems to disappear. Katniss Everdeen. Katniss Everdeen. My name bounces around the inside of my skull. I start moving, but I don't realize it. By the time I'm back to reality I'm on the stage and Effie has just finished asking for tributes who would like to volunteer. I wipe my face clean of emotions and stand there staring into space. Effie walks over to the boy's bowl and digs in it for a while. I'm wishing with all my might it,s not Gale, but hey, the odds haven't been in my favor. Effie carefully unfolds the paper and reads the name clearly, "Gale Hawthorne" No. No. No! Why did it have to be him, my best friend. Now we'll be thrown in an arena to fight to the death. Unlike me, Gale walks up to the stage, not showing any signs of horror on his face. We shake hands and he looks me in the eyes. What he does now is very faint but I detect it. "We'll work something out."