Chapter 2
(Gale POV)
God, Catnip. What am I gonna do without you here? I wipe the tears from my cheek but it's useless since more just fall in their place. How can this happen? How in the world did Prim's name get pulled? One slip. The girl had one damn slip in that bowl! And of course Katniss had to volunteer. I mean, what else was she supposed to do, huh? She had to volunteer. It wasn't a choice for her. I'd of done the exact same for Rory.
But now, I've got two extra mouths to feed. Two more people I'm responsible for. And it isn't that I don't want to take care of them for her, I do. I just have no idea how to make that happen. I'm stretched so thin as it is. Hell, half the time I can't feed myself once I've fed my own family and now it…well now it's just even more impossible.
And Katniss. What the hell's gonna happen to her? I want her to win. I hope that she can. But I'm also realistic. I've watched the games play out on the town screen for years now. I've seen the brutal fate that awaits her inside that arena. And she has too. She's fully aware of what's waiting for her there. But again, what choice did she have? She's tough. She'll do her best, I know she will. I just worry that it won't be enough. Not nearly enough.
I said goodbye to her at the visitation. Even hugged her which isn't our style at all. Despite the rumors, we've always just been friends. But damn, saying goodbye to her…it was rough. Afterwards, I'd wanted to get out in the woods where I could breath and not feel like the world's caving in on me. Got all the way over to the fence and wouldn't you know the damn thing's turned on. So I went to the meadow for awhile but my restlessness got the better of me after a while and I ended up aimlessly walking around town. It's late so the streets are pretty much empty. Eventually, I ended up here. Sitting on the steps of the stage in town square, alone with my thoughts. Alone with my fears. And I hate it.
I'm gonna have to find a job. It's the only way I'll ever be able to make the ends meet. I'd promised Katniss that I'd take care of her family. I won't let her down on that. I can't break that promise. I'll just have to find some work. I'm too young still to work in the mines so that's out of the question. Most all the businesses in town are family run only and even if they weren't, I'm not sure I'd be a candidate for hire. Not with my reputation. But what? There's got to be something. Odd jobs maybe. Maybe if I can get enough of those lined up, maybe, just maybe I can keep everyone fed and clothed. Right now, it's the only hope I have.
I stand and get ready to head home when I notice something. Up on the hill, at the Mayor's house. Someone's watching me. From a balcony. It's too dark to make out who it is. They see me and dart into the shadows. Paranoia shoots through me and I freeze. Who was watching me? And how long were they there without me seeing them? And why?
I head towards the path to the Seam but I keep a watch on the house as long as I can. Whoever it was, whoever was watching, they don't step back out into the moonlight. If they're still watching, it's from inside the house.
Maybe it was nothing. Maybe I'm so tired I imagined it. My mind playing tricks on me. And even if I didn't imagine it, what does it really matter? It wasn't as if I was doing anything wrong. Just sitting on the steps of the stage thinking. No harm in that. No laws being broken. Still, I can't shake the eerie feeling that comes with knowing I was being watched. All the way home to the Seam, I keep checking behind me, making sure no one's following me. And they aren't.
I'm up before the sun the next morning in the hopes that I can slip out into the woods and set some snares. No such luck. I hear the buzzing of the fence from several feet away. Annoyed, I grab a stick and angrily throw it at the fence. Stupid move, it hits, sparks fly and the stick sizzles as it falls to the ground. I go over and stomp it out with my boot. Certainly don't wanna go starting a Seam fire.
So what now? I sigh aloud as I look around. The miners are getting up, a few have already begun to head towards the entrance to the mines. I'm not sure what time the merchants in town start working in their shops. Perhaps they start early too. May as well go see if I can find some work.
In town, I see that the lights are on in the bakery. I hesitate to knock though. The baker's son was the boy tribute reaped yesterday. Might not be the best time to go bothering the family. But on the other hand, with him gone, maybe that leaves them short handed in the bakery. I don't know squat about baking stuff but I could clean or something. Still, is it too soon to ask them for work? Their son hasn't even been gone a full day yet. Too soon. I decide to pass for now. If I can't find something else, maybe I'll come back tomorrow.
I do knock on a few doors of shops. Most turn me away. Either they haven't got the work or they haven't got the money to pay me to do it. Or possibly they don't want Seam trash working for them. I score a one time quick job of fixing a gutter at the butcher shop. Pays in the form of ham hocks. Not exactly what I'd hope for but I'm sure Ma can use it in some soup. And at this point, I'm grateful for anything I can get.
Back at home, I find my family all awake and getting their day started.
"Morning." My mother says as I walk in.
"Got you something. Think you can use it in a soup or something?" I ask as I hand over the cloth wrapped ham hocks.
She opens them and nods. "Yes, I can. Thank you. How'd you get them?"
"Fixed a gutter for the butcher." I tell her as I grab my bowl of mush. It's technically oatmeal but we have to water it down to stretch it out so much that I've long since just considered it mush. It's tasteless and well, mushy. But it's temporarily filling. And it's all we've got around here.
"You think she'll make it back Gale?" Vick asks me from across the table. Rory shoves him for it.
"Katniss is a tough girl. I hope she can." I tell him as I glare at Rory for shoving him. It's only natural he'd be worried. Katniss is practically family around here and of course he'd be looking for reassurance that she's gonna make it. I wish I had more hope to offer him.
He nods but doesn't look to be any more comforted or reassured. Rory doesn't say anything, just pushes his mush around. He's worried to. I know he is. Just won't admit it.
At school, I get the expected whispers and looks. Everyone wanting to see how I'm dealing with her being gone. No one seems to have the balls to actually ask me though. Not that I want them too. Still, the whispering and shit…it gets old real fast. So, I figure the best way to get them to shut up is to just be the Gale they all know me to be. At lunch I plop myself right down at a table full of girls and turn on the charm. Flirting is one of my best talents. Seriously, it's like I have a natural knack for it or something. It's funny to me how girls, be they from town or Seam, fall at my feet when I feed them a few lines. And it works. I rarely ever spend a Saturday night alone. Nope, not me. I always manage to find the company of some pretty girl or another. It's never serious though. I'm just having fun. I'm 17. That's what I'm supposed to be doing.
At lunch I catch wind of a Seam party that's happening tonight. Good. That'll be a welcome distraction from the games and the viewings. Ugh, the viewings. They'll start tonight and continue every single stupid day until the end of the games. I hate them and if they weren't absolutely mandatory, you'd never catch me there. But they are mandatory so I'll go. This will be the worst year yet though. This year, my best friend is the one I'll watch fighting on that screen. That damn screen.
After school lets out, I make my way over to the meadow and towards the fence. Need to see if it's on or not. I'm not even close when a voice calls out to me.
"It's on. The Capitol guests are here until tonight so it stays on until they leave."
I look over in the direction it came from and to my surprise find the Mayor's daughter sitting in the tall grass, book in lap. I stare at her for a minute. We aren't friends. Sure, we know each other but we're so drastically different from one another that never in this lifetime could I picture being friends. Katniss seems to like her a bit but I'll never understand why. She isn't like us. She's different. A straight up princess if you will.
"What?" Is all I say back to her. How does she know what I'm doing? How did I not see her sitting over there?
"The fence. It's on until late tonight. That's what you were going to check on wasn't it?" She asks in loud whisper.
"How would you know what I'm about to do?" I snort at her and then turn, walking away before she can say anything else to me. Just talking to her makes me uncomfortable.
Since I can't get in the woods, I spend the rest of my spare time chopping wood. The stoves in the Seam houses are all wood burning and we have to always have wood on hand. I carry a cord of it over to the Everdeens. Prim comes out to thank me.
"Need me to start the fire in the stove for you?" I ask, suddenly unsure if she knows how or not. Mrs. Everdeen is here but she's always been sort of absent. Blank. Been like that ever since her husband died in the mines. If it weren't for Katniss, they'd of starved to death long ago.
"No thanks. Katniss taught me how. I can do it." She tells me.
"You guys got enough food for now?" I ask though if she says no, I don't know what I can do about it just yet.
"We're okay."
I nod. "I'll bring you some food as soon as I can. I promise."
"I know you will. Katniss said you'd take care of us." She tells me quietly.
"Hey, hang in there, alright? She's tough." I tell her as I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. It's hard. It's so hard to feel like I should be comforting everyone when I'm struggling to hold it together myself. It's even worse when she wraps her arms around me and hugs me. Poor kid. She's practically all alone now. I pat her back, not knowing what else to say. And really, what good are my words to her right now anyways? They won't bring Katniss back. They're just words.
After leaving the Everdeen's house, I head home to get washed up before going into town to get checked in for the viewing. Today, we'll get to see replays of the reapings from the other districts and then they do a whole parade presentation sort of thing of all the tributes. That'll be all they do today.
In town, there are people everywhere, both Citizens of 12 and Capitol Citizens. It's easy to tell which are which. The Capitol folks are the ridiculous looking ones. They dress in crazy looking outfits and paint weird colors on their faces and dye their hair to match. We're talking purple haired men in velvet suits and orange haired women. How anyone could possibly want to look like that on purpose is beyond me. Looks more like a form of punishment than a freely made choice.
I spot my family, sitting up front near where the tribute families and town officials always sit. My family isn't really a tribute family but my mother likely sat us there to show support for and for Prim. I'll sit with them but I do wish it wasn't front and center like it is.
"Hey Gale, you coming to the party tonight?" Esper Whitlock asks as I make my way towards my seat. Her fingertips graze over my elbow and she leans in close.
"Yeah, I'll probably be around." I tell her all nonchalantly, giving her a flirtatious grin. She's a year or two younger than me but I've seen her around plenty. She's Seam like me and not afraid to make a move for what she wants.
"Well, make sure you find me for a dance or two." She tells me, running her fingertips over my arm again.
"Maybe you should be the one finding me." I continue to flirt. I wink at her and then continue on my way over to where my family is seated without looking back. I don't know if I'll actually hook up with her tonight or not but I figure it's nice to keep my options open. And again, any distraction is welcome right now. Unfortunately, the Panem Anthem begins to play signaling the start of the viewing and there's no distraction from that.
As they play the reaping footage from yesterday, I have to bite my lip to keep from swearing out loud. I knew it would be tough watching Katniss's volunteering again but it just infuriates me to no end. Prim and her one damn slip. I shake my head to myself. It just isn't right.
The parade or tributes brings forth the biggest surprise. Instead of being costumed in the standard mining outfits they usually put 12 tributes in, this year they freaking lit them on fire. Katniss was literally on fire. Like full on flames coming off her. Must be some sort of trickery with the costumes or something. But the biggest shock of all comes from Katniss herself. I watch as she does something I've never seen her do in my life. Something I don't like seeing. Not one bit. She's freaking holding hands with that baker kid. And smiling about it to boot! The viewing comes to an end and we're dismissed. I'm too pissed to talk to anyone right now so I head for the meadow, jaw clenched, ignoring the stares and whispers as I make my way through the crowd.
What would cause her to do that? She isn't a flirt. She's never been one to take an interest in dating or romance crap. And somehow she picks now to take notice of the opposite sex? And with a townie at that? What is she thinking? It's nbot the time for that! Right now, she needs to have her head on straight, have some focus. Does she not realize that she's about to fight for her life? It infuriates me.
The fence still being on only furthers my anger and I decide the only thing for me to do right now is to go blow off steam at that party which should be getting under way right about now. On the way, I stop by the Hob and get some white liquor from Sae. She gives me only a knowing look as she hands over the bottle. I spend my last bit of money to get it which in the back of my mind, I know is stupid but all I can think about right now is taking the edge off and this is the fastest way I know to do it.
I don't drink often. Just at parties and such. I'm no drunkard. I've got the bottle open and several swigs down by the time I reach the far edge of the Seam where the parties are held. We do it bonfire style down here. Make our own music. Do our own dances. Townies don't usually come. It's mostly a Seam folk kinda thing.
Right off, I find Thom and some other guys from school. They hold up their bottles in greeting, I hold mine up in return. A toast to the night and whatever it brings. An hour in and I'm feeling it good. Esper comes to mind and I go off in search of her. She's probably here by now. And if I can't find her, I'll just find someone else. Right now, just about anyone will do.
I spot Esper over with her friends, laughing and having a drink herself. Perfect, I think to myself and I start making my way over to her. I've just come up right behind her and I lean over to whisper in her ear.
"Thought you wanted to dance."
She spins around, eyes wild and full of fun. "Hey there Hawthorne."
And with that she takes my hand and pulls me towards the fire. We're dancing and I should be distracted by this girl but I'm not. Not enough anyway. For all the drinking and flirting and dancing I'm doing, I can't get Catnip out of my head. I just can't. After a few rounds with Esper, I decide to call it a night. This distraction isn't working like I thought it would and I've drunk enough to hit that sad level of drunkenness. Time for me to get outta here.
I don't bother saying goodbye to my friends, just sort of disappear off into the night leaving the sounds of the party behind me. The rest of the Seam is quiet. Sound asleep. I don't want to go home yet though so I keep walking right passed my house. My feet carry me right out to the meadow. It's dead quiet here and I can be alone with my thoughts and what's left of my liquor. I lay down in the grass, out of sight and turn back my bottle again. I keep it up until the damn thing's empty and toss it aside. I'm flat out deliriously drunk now and I still can't get her off my mind. I close my eyes but the tears fall anyway.
