but I know it by heart. My memory has improved vastly since I found that place. They train me to remember, to take in everything, to not simply see, but to observe. It's doing wonders for me.
Stumbling through the knots of grass, I eventually reach the joining of The Seam and The Merchant, and see Gale waiting for me. I smile, and he smiles back, though I can tell that it's forced.
"Let's go." He says, stepping into the grass behind the houses and towards the fence.
I nod, and follow a few steps behind.
We pause at the fence, listening for the lively hum of electricity through the metal wire. The fence is only ever wired up a few hours a day,
usually in the afternoon, though it's meant to be on 24 hours.
"Ladies first." Gale, says, holding out his arm to the fence.
I roll my eyes, smiling slightly as he laughs and duck under the fence. I go between two of the wire, throwing one leg through first, and the flattening out my back so that I only have to step through. Gale follows suit, using the same method as me, and together we move into the forrest.
There's no path to lead us to the lake, but we know the way. We move quickly, knowing that it will take us a while to get there and we have other places to be. I stumble once, hitting my foot on a rock hidden in the grass, and feel a strong arm around me, propping me back up. I smile at him,
and we carry on.
As we reach the lake, we look for signs of smoke coming from the small, concrete cabin by it, though Katniss would be smarter than to let smoke out from the cabin, were someone could find it, and come looking for her. So we continue the small journey to the hut, and I allow Gale to go first.
He presses open the door, gently, in case they may be sleeping. But when I peek into the hut past his arm, I see that it's empty. I sigh. Gale holds the door open for a moment longer, as if wishing them to appear. But they don't. And he closes the door.
"We'll have to get back, then." He says.
I look at the sky. "Reaping's not till noon." I say. "It's only ten o'clock. We could go somewhere? Or atleast take our time?"
Gale looks at me, and for a moment, I feel stupid. Why would he want my company? I'm just Peeta's friend, the girl who wants to find his best friend's boyfriend. Just a girl from the Merchant who mends dresses. Just a frequent client of his mother's. Nothing more. Not his friend.
But then he smiles, and nods, and every previous thought is blown out of the water. "Sure." he says, and holds out his hand to me. I take hold of it, smiling, and begin the walk back to the fence slowly.