Collectively, everyone seemed to expect this type of behavior from Katniss Everdeen. I was not fully prepared for it, but the expressions of the people standing in our group inform me that everyone else was. Primrose turns to me and smiles softly.
"Sorry about Katniss, she isn't good with new people. I'm Prim. It's nice to meet you."
The small girl seems entirely too put together for her age. I shake her pale hand and try to keep my blush from reappearing. I've never blushed so much in my life than on this day. Her mother leans forward and attempts a smile, though her face is tense after the departure of her elder daughter.
Healer Everdeen has somewhat stern features, but her eyes are tired and friendly enough. The open and kind expression she gave me moments ago was pleasant. She shakes my hand, "Welcome to District 12. I'm Poppy Everdeen. I'll be your mentor. We'll get started in two days time. I hope that you are ready for the adventure." I nod and try to smile in return. The expression feels false though. Hazelle coughs beside us and says that we should get going if we want to tour the district.
Gale unenthusiastically begins to lead the way down the platform with my luggage gripped tightly in his fist. His tall figure looms over many of the people who are still milling about. The train platform is made of a glossy wood that's covered with dust. It's much larger than my own district's. The far end seems to be some sort of loading dock, probably for coal, which is the main industry of District 12. Seeing the workings of coal production might prove to be interesting. I'm sure I will appreciate learning about it when the time comes.
Gale weaves a path through a group of people chatting loudly near the stairs. I murmur a soft apology to a woman who gives him a seething look. Posy shoves past me as we reach the precarious looking steps. She beckons Gale to hold her hand as she gingerly maneuvers them. He grasps her tiny palm in his free hand and smiles down at her as she happily reaches the less treacherous ground below. He doesn't release her hand as they begin moving forward down the path.
As Hazelle and I traverse down the steps, the heel of my right shoe catches on a knot in the wood and I stumble forward. My ankle twists sharply, making me hiss in pain. Hazelle grips my arm to right me and laughs lightly. Her hand is worn and rough.
"Thank you," I choke out as I try to quell the jump of my heart. She nods and I catch Gale's gaze over her shoulder. I blush slightly with the knowledge that he will probably see my clumsy streak quite often.
Vick and Rory take the stairs two at a time and continue to fool around as we walk toward the town. I wonder how old they are. Rory seems lanky as though he is growing into his limbs, but his face is still boyish. Vick seems to be around Tomik's age with wiry, olive-toned arms. Vick frowns as Rory ruffles his dark hair roughly.
I watch their banter for a moment before setting my eyes on the town before us. The houses that we reach first are lined with fences and scraggly bushes. Some of these homes seem twice the size of my parent's farm house. They are painted in various shades of grey, blue, and brown. The rusty bronze numbers marking their homes are tacked to the doorframes.
The biggest house in my district belongs to the mayor. It's a large white plantation home that has a long driveway lined with trees. They are practically the only trees in my entire district, save a few that dot the fields here and there. Some of these houses seem half the size of the mayor's home. They are all so big. Bigger than most of the farm houses back home.
Hazelle examines my wide-eyed expression and smiles, "This is where the Merchants live. Though some live in the town square over their shops."
"That's the mayor's place on the right," Gale says. His face settles with a look of contempt as we pass it. Large isn't an accurate description, gigantic would be more precise. The windows stand at least 10 feet tall and it has three stories of them.
"Before this became District 12, this was the home of the man who owned the mine. Or at least that's what people believe," Hazelle explains as we pause for a moment to peer up at the colossal building. A young woman with shiny blond hair is perched on a swing that sways from the side porch. She is reading a book as the toe of her shoe propels her swing back and forth.
She looks up when Posy screams, "Hello Ms. Undersee!" The young woman smiles and waves. The Hawthornes wave back, except Gale who clears his throat and tugs Posy along the path.
"Madge is Mayor Undersee's daughter. She's a lovely girl, she tutors children after school. Posy gets some help with math," Hazelle chats as we follow her brood further into town.
The houses are closer together here. An open archway leads us onto a cobbled street that sweeps in a wide circle. The shops here are made of brick and stone. Some of the storefronts have signs and others have letters painted in the glass of their windows. This area is very similar to my town-square. Gale halts at the base of a large granite statue that is the centerpiece of the bustling square.
I shield my eyes from the sun as I peer up at it. It depicts a man and woman kneeling together. I walk around it to examine further and see that the couple is embracing a small child. The faces of the family are carved intricately. Nearby a pick axe and hardhat await the man, who is surely a miner. The woman has a basket beside her; full with something that probably represents coal. The child smiles happily. It's a depiction of what the Capitol wants of this district; continuous production of their precious heat resource and an uninterrupted supply of children. A plaque below the family reads, "Life and rebirth of a nation".
"Did you have one of these in District 9?" Gale asks. His presence startles me. I didn't hear him approach.
"No. The Justice building is made of granite though. There is a poem carved into the steps there that talks about the children building the foundation of what will come." Gale nods at my words simply before turning toward the shops around us. He points out some important locations such as the apothecary shop where I will purchase herbs for my healing vocation. He shows me the bakery, the flower shop, the shoe shop, the grocer's, the metal-smith, and the clothing shop.
"What about the butcher?" I ask as my eyes fall on the last shop on the left. Gale pauses for a moment before he turns to me.
"Meat's too expensive, so we won't be there often. I'll do the dealing," he says.
I concede his wishes and will never go there unless he bids me to. As my husband he is the master of the house now and I will only go where he desires me to go. The thought makes my sick. I hope that he doesn't demand things of me, like some sort of slave. I've heard about women being treated as such by their contract partners.
Hazelle shifts strangely beside me as though she is trying to avoid the subject of Gale dealing with the butcher, "Oh Gale, you forgot the Odair's Furniture store. That's the large building at the end of the block, Arwen. After you've saved up some money maybe you two can buy a nice sofa there."
I follow Hazelle's pointing gesture with my eyes. The building at the end of the block is indeed much larger than the other shops, but it needs to be if the furniture must fit inside. A tall man with shimmering red hair is sweeping the storefront there. My mind catches on Hazelle's words about purchasing a sofa.
I hadn't given much thought to what types of furniture and supplies the Capitol had provided us. In school, we learned that each couple is given a mandatory amount of food and supplies to start them off, but couples who have more meaningful vocations often get extra bonuses. Perhaps the monetary gift that my mother tucked away in my luggage will help provide for some furniture or other household items.
"Well, that completes the tour of the Merchant Quarter," Gale says as he swivels toward a dirtier path that leads the opposite way out of the village.
He grimaces as he begins to shepherd our group out of the square. The homes on this side seem smaller and more tightly packed. The cobbled streets of the Merchant Quarter quickly yield to a dirt-crusted path. The grey presence of coal dust seems to permeate this part of the district more heavily. Gale points to a darkened path about a half mile out that leads toward the mines. The tall trees shield the mine's presence, but I can see the soaring smoke stacks and machinery over the treetops.
As we travel further out of the village, the houses appear more rickety and worn. This is where the miners live. It reminds me of the portion of District 9 where the lowliest field hands reside in shacks. These homes are bigger than those, but the ambience is the same. Run-down and depressing. When we reach a group of kids playing kickball, Rory and Vick plead with their mother to join the game. She allows it, but reminds them to be home on time for supper.
The street forms a "Y" that breaks off into multiple squared off rows of houses. Most of the homes look identical, save a few characteristic differences like blue shutters here, or a rose bush there. When we reach the division Hazelle grasps Posy's hand and smiles at me warmly.
"Well, this is where we part. Let me know if you need anything," Hazelle warmly reminds me that she is here to support me. I flush slightly and nod. What luck it is to have such a fortunate situation as a family connection. Some people are contracted to each other and both sent to districts where they have no connection. Being alone and only having each other to rely on is a daunting thought. My fortune to have Gale's family is truly a blessing.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" Posy asks us, her delicate features saddened by our parting. She looks positively torn to spend a night without Gale.
Gale smiles at his small sister, "Rory knows all the bedtime stories now, Pose-nose. He'll be able to do them for you." Gale's assurance seems to set her at ease. She murmurs a soft goodbye and allows her mother to pull her down the road that turns to the right. Gale clears his throat as he watches them go.
"Since my father died, I always tuck her in at night," Gale tells me softly. My heart skips a little at the thought of him being the father in her life.
"I'm sorry about your father. Was that recently?" As I ask, Gale pierces me with his silver hued eyes. He blinks for a moment and shakes his head.
"No, Ma was still pregnant with Posy when it happened." Gale finally begins to walk down the road to the left. I follow him quietly as I allow him another opportunity to speak.
"It was a mine explosion. An accident that killed a lot of miners, my father and Mr. Everdeen included. Healer Everdeen was forced to remarry after that," he continues as we walk side by side.
We pass a contract couple entering their house for the first time. The man whistles lowly as he ushers his wife through the doorway with their luggage. Gale and I both turn our eyes away from them and meet each other's gaze. I try to swallow a lump that is forming in my throat. Gale looks down at the dirt path as we walk further.
"She was re-contracted to the town drunk. He'd lost his wife to fever a month before. He had one son from his previous marriage, so between the two of them they had three kids. The Capitol didn't care though, they still want them to have a fourth child to meet quota. It's been five years and they haven't had one yet. Katniss worries that her mother is getting too old." The thought of them possibly having been in love with their own spouses before is sad. I wonder if Healer Everdeen loves her new husband.
Gale slows as we begin to reach the end of the road. I look up and notice the large forest before us. I gasp and take a few steps toward it. It's even more beautiful and mysterious up close. The sheer height of the trees is mind-bending. They are taller than most buildings in this district and my own district as well.
"My mother was from District 7. Whenever she told us stories about forests they always seemed so unreal and mystical. She was right though, it's all very beautiful." I try to soak in the vast expanse before us. The colors of the leaves and the sway of the branches in the breeze, reminds me of rolling wheat.
I stand for a long while just staring into the tree line until finally Gale's body heat disappears from my side. I turn toward him and see that he has approached the last house on the block, "I'm just going to take your things inside."
Our assigned home is on the corner nearest to the forest. I watch his back retreat into the doorway. Our house is modest like the rest of the homes in the Seam, but it seems to have a large yard and a little stone path to the front door. I tentatively walk toward it. This is it, I tell myself, from now on this is my home. I stand outside the door trying to steel my nerves, but the feelings inside me don't seem to ebb away. Gale left the door ajar for me. I make my way onto the small porch and push the door open lightly.
The house has a hallway extending down the middle of it with a large archway on the left and several closed doors on the right. The entryway has a small alcove for coats and boots. Gale has a thick coat hung on the first wooden hook. I gingerly remove my sweater and hang it on the next hook. On the ground, Gale has placed a pair of boots next to a wooden box that doubles as a bench. He must still be wearing his dress shoes. I release a shaky breath as I peer down the hall where I hear Gale rustling around through the open door at the end. I venture through the archway on the left.
The large room seems to be multi-functional. One side is devoted to a kitchen area and the other side seems to be some sort of living area, much like my own home. The kitchen has a black coal stove. The large belly of it has a door with a strange spiral handle. The top surface is flat with areas for cooking and a compartment on the right appears to be an oven for baking. The stove probably heats the whole house. It seems big enough to, at least. I lift the lid of the crate beside the stove and discover that it is filled to the brim with coal. I wonder if miners get it for free or whether they must pay the company with their earnings.
A water pump and a large basin sink are nestled in a countertop beside the stove. I run my fingers over the smooth surface. There is a series of cabinets on the left side of the sink and an icebox between them. It is small inside, but already has multiple food items packed neatly within it. I feel Gale's presence behind me and turn to see him leaning against the frame of the archway, watching me. He clears his throat, which must be a habit; he's done it so much today.
"I moved in yesterday, so they issued some of the supplies already. Standard set of silverware and dishes, food, the kitchen table and chairs. There isn't much to furnish the place."
He chews the inside of his cheek for a moment and nods his head back over his shoulder as though he wants to show me the rest. I follow him back into the hall where he proceeds to open the first door. It's a closet lined with shelves. The second door is a small bedroom. It's completely empty except for a box of Gale's belongings.
"I need to finish unpacking," he confirms as he shuts the door and leads me to the third room.
My heart immediately drops into the pit of my stomach when I realize there is only one place to sleep in this entire house. The rear room is much larger than the other bedroom. It has a big bed and a single dresser. Gale makes a sweeping gesture with his palm that is a little more grand than necessary. He means for it to be sarcastic, but it only makes my heart more agitated. My luggage rests on the quilted blanket of the bed. I step forward and rest my palms on it for a moment before I speak.
"I could unpack now, if that's alright," I look to him for an answer. He nods and points toward a door in the corner that I hadn't noticed before.
"There's a closet in here and the dresser has room still. Do you need anything else?" His face is still calm, as if being here in our shared room isn't strange and agonizingly scary. As if he isn't thinking about our sleeping arrangements for the night.
I nod and bite my lip, "Is there a bathroom?" Gale smirks and walks towards the window that faces the back yard.
I notice that there are two windows in our room. One has a view of the forest and the other yields to the backyard and the neighboring house. Gale points toward a little brown shack in the middle of the space between our house and the neighbor's. I wrinkle my forehead in confusion, unsure what he means. He leans back and tries to stifle a laugh.
"We've got an outhouse that we share with two other families. You go there to do your business," he smirks knowingly at me once more.
Having to go outside to use the bathroom is strange. Though I suppose if I think about it, it isn't any stranger than the portable bathrooms that are used in the fields when you work in District 9. I grip the windowsill and peer in all directions, looking at the backyard. Just as Gale said, a neighbor emerges from the outhouse after a minute, zipping his pants as he walks across the lawn.
"Well, I've got some meat to be cleaned and prepared if we want to have an actual meal tonight," Gale says as he starts out toward the hallway. For a moment I think about the weird attitude he got when we discussed the butcher shop earlier. I follow him into the kitchen where he pulls a wrapped package from the icebox. I mentally kick myself for not thinking of my household duties before thinking of myself. They taught us to always yield to your duties as a wife and mother first. I can't believe I'm already messing up.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking straight. I'll prepare the meat first and start our meal before I unpack," I feel the twinge of heat spreading across my face for my own stupidity. Gale looks at me strangely before he laughs.
"No, that's fine. I've got it. You go unpack."
He rolls up his sleeves and grabs a leather bag that I didn't notice before. I watch him dumbly as he heads out the door, "I'll be back in a minute."
I stand in the hall for a few minutes trying to get my bearings. I feel as though this new world and life is unreal already. I wonder what my family is doing at this very moment. In a daze, I enter our bedroom to begin unpacking my belongings. Now alone in the room, I allow myself to release the false air of confidence and happiness I was attempting to have earlier. I dread opening my luggage, but I must begin to acclimate myself to this new life.
I open the drawers to the dresser to discover that Gale has left all the top drawers empty for me. The bottom drawers are filled with his clothing and a leather pouch that I don't dare to look in. I quickly snap that drawer shut and return to my luggage. With a reverence for my past life, I softly place each item out on the bed. I put my boots in the bottom of the closet. It is bare, but for a pickaxe leaning against the inside wall and a miner's uniform hanging on the right side.
I hastily hang my dresses and a few shirts in the closet, before shutting the door to hide the menacing pickaxe. Something about the tool fills my heart with a clenching feeling. Perhaps it was the story that Gale so nonchalantly told of his father dying in the depths of the earth. Tomik would probably cry if he knew. He was so convinced that Gale himself would be blown up. I grit my teeth at the thought and return to the pile of clothes on the bed.
I place the remainder of my clothing in the top two drawers, along with the small box that contains the pearl earrings, white kerchief, and coins. Lastly, I pick up the little framed picture of my family. I sit on the edge of the bed and stare at the faces of my old life. This picture is old, so Tomik is no more than four or five. My sisters look very young as well, but still virtually the same. I am standing behind them, with a hand pressed to each of their shoulders. My parents flank the four of us on either side, both smiling broadly.
The vision of them fills me with so much love and sadness that the thin veil covering my emotions is blown aside. I press my fist into my lips to stifle the onslaught of cries as tears stream down my cheeks. My other hand presses the picture tightly to my chest as I allow the sensation of release to overcome me. My lips continue a whispered phrase, "I'll never see you again. I love you, I love you." It is a continuous mantra that dies after a short time when my tears finally cease.
I wipe my tired face on the edge of my dress and clear my throat as I stand. I place the frame on the dresser and turn toward the window. Gale is sitting in the grass behind the house. He seems to be surrounded by fur and piles of meat. His fingers are slightly tinged with something I can't quite identify. He has a large knife in one hand and some sort of hairy animal in the other. I gasp aloud when he slides the knife beneath the fur and begins to skin the brown fur off the meat.
I stare transfixed as he cleans the meat, slicing the belly open to pull the entrails out. His hands quickly stain a crimson shade with the animal's blood, which helps me realize why his fingers seemed tainted before. He places the entrails in a tin pail that rests at his side. I watch as he wipes the hide of the animal clean with a cloth and stretches it over some woven sticks to dry. He wraps the meat in the white packaging paper that I saw him with before he left the house.
When he rises, I busy myself with straightening the clothing in my drawer. I try to erase the images that I've just seen. The meat I'm used to eating is usually cut and cleaned already by the butcher. I wonder if this is what Gale was trying to keep from me. He didn't want me to do the dirty work of cleaning an animal myself. I feel a sense of relief that he's willing to do such things.
As Gale reenters the house the door clicks loudly shut behind him. I come to the kitchen area to see what help I can provide. He smiles slightly when I come beside him, but gestures for me to move aside. I watch him produce a pan from one of the cupboards and begin to prepare the meat. That particular cupboard is bare except for the pan and a mixing bowl. As I peer into some of the other cupboards I discover that the Capitol has provided us with four plates, bowls, knives, forks, and spoons. There are no glasses or cups. I note that between the two of us we have very few possessions.
I watch Gale wash his hands and forearms clean of the blood. He uses a rough bar of soap, when he sees me watching he speaks once more.
"My ma runs the laundry business in the Seam. She's the one who makes this soap." I nod and continue to examine the cupboards, trying to busy myself while he prepares the meat.
Gale salts the meat before placing it in the frying pan on top of the stove. I watch him use a small shovel to scoop coal into the broad belly of the metal beast. I decide to set the table as Gale cooks in silence. So far, Gale is much like the type of man that my Papa is; silent, unless it is necessary to talk. I arrange the silverware and dishes across from each other on the wooden table top. There is a circular burn in the middle of the table where someone had once probably placed a hot pot. I rim the dark mark with my finger absentmindedly.
"There's a brick of cheese made from Prim's goat's milk in the icebox. We can have that too," Gale says without turning to me. I retrieve the small square of cheese and a loaf of stiff bread to spread it on. I wonder briefly if Primrose's goat is similar to the goat that stays in our barn.
"Do a lot of people have animals like Prim?" I ask as I place the cheese and bread in the center of the table.
Gale turns to hand me the bloody knife that he used earlier. I wince before washing it. One of the edges of the blade is jagged. I slice three pieces off the loaf before rewrapping it and placing it back in the icebox.
"Well, a lot of the Merchants have animals. The baker has pigs and the florist has some chickens. Not many Seam-folk have animals though," Gale says as he works a spatula through the pan. The constant sizzle of the pan is the only noise for several minutes as I sit patiently at the table.
"I guess Prim is special with healing things. She'll be like her mother someday," Gale breaks the silence. His expression has softened slightly. The Everdeens mean a lot to him. He holds them dearly to his heart just as he does his own family.
I wonder if this was the way it always was, or if he only developed that love from being with Katniss. The thought of her makes my skin crawl slightly. I don't want to be the thing that has come between them. If that girl loves Gale, I don't want to keep that from her.
Yet, every lesson I've been told in school and in life said that you should never place your heart with another until you are contracted. What if they were meant to be together? Just because the Capitol says that my genetics match his, doesn't mean that my heart and his will find each other too. The whole idea of this consumes me with dissension. I don't want to hurt the only people I have ties to here.
Gale breaks me from my reverie by bringing the hot pan to the table and divvying the meat between our two plates. He grimaces slightly at the sight of it and I get the impression that this is more food than he typically allows himself to consume. We begin to eat our dinner in silence. I give him two of the bread slices and keep the third for myself. We both spread the cheese generously over our bread.
I have a hard time looking him in the face after the thoughts of Katniss have resurfaced. I allow myself to notice other things about him though. Such as the way his hands are rough, cracked, and calloused. I wonder what type of labor assignment he was given during school. Nana had spoken about the curve of his shoulders, how they had looked set with muscle from work. Gale's hands are wide, with long thick fingers. His arms are a rusty olive-toned tan.
Gale chews loudly as he eats and examines my face. I try not to blush under his scrutiny. He keeps staring at my mockingjay necklace. It makes me fiddle with it nervously.
"That's nice. You didn't wear that in your picture," Gale says as he swallows another mouthful of the tangy meat and nods toward the bird dangling from my neck. I flush at the thought of him examining my picture thoroughly. I look down at the delicate chain for a moment and examine it myself. I smile and allow myself to finally look him in the eye.
"My birthday was a few weeks ago, my family saved up for a long while and bought it for me. It's a mockingjay." He leans forward and reaches across the table. I blush as he fingers the necklace gently, admiring it. The smell of meat and something else wafts from his skin. I notice it just before he releases the chain and drops his hand to the tabletop.
"There are mockingjays here. Maybe you'll see one soon," Gale nods as he looks back down at his plate. I release a breath that had caught up in my throat as he examined the necklace. I force myself to push another forkful of meat into my lips. I chew for a moment before I get the nerve to respond with a nicety.
"That would be lovely. I've never heard one sing before. I heard that they will follow the tunes that people produce." Gale grimaces and I'm not sure why. He nods in agreement that they do indeed copy humans, but he continues to have a stony visage. I try to ignore it and finish my meal.
After some time, we both finish eating. I wait for Gale to rise before I begin removing the dishes. I know that I will need to boil water to wash the dishes, so I retrieve the metal mixing bowl I had seen earlier. Gale retreats to the spare room to rummage through his box of belongings. I work the pump for several moments before water begins to pour into the metal mixing bowl, then set the pot on the stove to boil.
Gale emerges with an item wrapped in a faded dishcloth. We stare at each other for a moment and I realize that he is presenting me with my wedding gift. It is customary of contract partners to present each other with gifts. The nature of a contract partner's gift can sometimes indicate the type of person they are. Gale nods toward the table indicating that I should sit down. I clasp my hands together in my lap as he sets the gift between us.
"I haven't been able to get your gift yet," I say sheepishly. He just nods and chews on the inside of his cheek.
He eyes me warily; his expression exhibits a feeling of uncertainty. With quaking fingers, I untie the ribbon that he has fastened around the cloth. A clinking sound meets my ears as the cloth falls away. He has given me a small box of vials and tools for my healer vocation. I look him straight in the eyes as I thank him profusely. He rubs his right hand across the back of his head as he exhales.
His voice is gruff as he speaks, "You're welcome. Healer Everdeen and her daughters helped me pick them out for you." I nod and examine the vials further. There are all sorts of creams and medicinal concoctions. I read the label on one of the small jars, it contains mandrake root.
"I've read about mandrake root, but I haven't seen it before. Thank you, really. This must have been expensive," I breathe out. Gale furrows his brow and shakes his head as if it was no trouble at all.
"We'll be providing for each other in every way that we can. It was no trouble to do this for you."
He says the words, but I can sense that he doesn't feel them entirely. It is also customary to assure your new partner that you are devoted to them and to the country. I nod and look down at the grain of the wood on the table. He's only doing what he is supposed to do.
"I promise that I will abide by that oath. I'm sorry that I don't have a gift for you tonight," I whisper back.
The sharp bubbling noise of the water boiling on the stove alerts me that I have waited too long. I use the dishcloth and an oven mitt to carry the boiling pot of water back to the basin sink. Gale rises to put a plug in the drain. I pour the contents into the basin, careful to pour it away from my face. Steam billows up as the water fills the white sink bowl.
"Why don't you go unpack some more while I wash these up," I say to Gale without looking toward him. He murmurs his agreement and leaves the room.
Once he is gone, I slip the dirty dishes into the hot water and let them soak. I allow myself to release a heavy sigh as I turn back to the gift he presented me with. Gale is a good man, I can tell already. He loves his family, he is quiet but he is steady in nature. I hope that we can become friends. I feel as though we can. Then perhaps someday we can fill the duty that we have to our country.
As I stand over the sink and watch the steam float in the air, I feel the heat of it permeating my face. The sensation is lovely in its simplicity. As I relax and wait for the water to cool enough for my hands, I ponder tomorrow's Ceremony. The Recitation of Vows Ceremony takes place one day after Contract Day and involves all contracted couples being presented to the nation. All vocations and any notable characteristics about the couple will be announced to the entire country.
When the water cools enough for me to slip my hands in, I begin to wash the dirty dishes. I use a cloth and the soap that Gale's mother has provided us. The activity keeps my mind entertained. Gale brings some of his belongings to the kitchen, a few towels and a set of knives. I hear him rummaging in our room for several minutes and then he is quiet again for a little while. After some time Gale returns to the table to read his pamphlet packets regarding his vocation. We sit in silence with the soft plopping sounds of water filling the void. I use the hand towel that he brought out to dry the dishes before I return them to their rightful places.
Rather than deal with the fact that I will soon be sharing a bed with this man, I decide to continue cleaning. I use the dishtowel to wipe al the surfaces in the room, cleaning them extensively. There is more coal dust than I thought. Gale watches me over the edge of his pamphlets. I try to ignore him as I begin to wipe the window sills. The sun has almost set in the sky. I find myself distracted by the glimpses I have of the woods. I wonder if the fence lines are very close to them. I can't quite see them, but they must be nearby.
"So, what does your vocation entail?" I ask as I wipe the tabletop in front of Gale. He smirks and raises his eyebrows as he holds his papers up for me to clean beneath him.
"Explosive experts blast rock formations so that tunnels can be formed further down or in new directions. I will be doing regular mine work most of the time though. They've made a lot of tunnels already down there. You can't get too many or it will cause a collapse. There's talk that they may try to make a mine shaft further out toward the woods though." I nod at his explanation, slightly thankful that exploding things won't be a daily activity for him.
"I'm a little nervous about starting with Healer Everdeen," I say as I finish wiping the tabletop.
"Don't be. She's a smart woman; she'll have a lot to teach you," he immediately declares.
The Healer vocation is one of the top jobs within any district. You are important to the health of the citizens. There are typically at least four or five healers within a district. Healer Everdeen and I will be in charge of the Seam, while Healer Gordon and Healer Wexler will be working mostly in the village.
I will be subject to four years of daily education. Over the next four years, I will learn everything from anatomy and physiology to medicine assembly. I will see patients alongside Healer Everdeen and eventually be allowed to work on my own after I have completed the mandatory education. If you receive the best education that you can, you will be ready to work alone with patients after six to seven years of service. Gale must be familiar with the stipulations of my vocation because he doesn't ask about it.
Eventually, Gale and I cannot stall any longer. He stands, awkwardly stuffing his hands into his pockets as I yawn for the third time. He gestures for me to enter the bedroom first, but I shake my head softly.
"I think I am going to try to use the outhouse. I'll be back in a few moments," I say as I slip into my shoes and sweater at the door.
Gale laughs and tells me not to 'fall in' as I close the front door behind me. I wonder what he means about me, 'falling in'. I trudge toward the outhouse in the dark. The little brown shack emanates a strange odor. I knock on the door when it doesn't open and a little boy shouts back, "In a minute!" I sigh and stand back a few paces waiting my turn. My bladder feels fit to burst, but the little boy finally emerges with a sheepish grin after a few minutes.
"I'd wait if I were you," He laughs as he skips back toward his own home.
I take a few tentative steps toward the outhouse and discover that it smells horrific. I plug my nose and lock myself in the cramped dark space. I have a hard time fumbling with my dress and stockings. Eventually I free myself and look down into the dark hole beneath me. I see what Gale meant about falling in…
I hold my breath against the putrid stink and relieve myself. Hurriedly, I slip my clothing back into place and exit as quickly as possible. I release a large breath of air from my lungs as I explode out of the confined space. I'll have to get used to this public form of horror. As I return to the house, I see that Gale has extinguished the oil lamps in the living area. I remove my outerwear and head toward the beam of light emanating from our bedroom. Gale is standing at the dresser wearing a matching set of flannel pajamas. One of the oil lamps from the living area is perched on the dresser. He is examining the picture of my family in the soft light.
"Your family looks nice," he says as he fingers the frame.
"Yeah, they are. That was taken about five or six years ago. They look different now," I say as I stand stiffly beside the bed. Gale smiles as he examines their faces some more.
I tentatively approach and peer at the photograph from over his arm. I point each person out and name them for him. I tell him about how my sisters are more different than night and day. We sit on the edge of the bed as I speak. Gale watches me animatedly describe them. I tell him that Tomik is like a second part of me and that he and Vick appear to be around the same age. Gale smiles as I talk. It seems strange that we are connecting in this way over an image that is all I have left of my parents and siblings. I explain my parents contract, how my mother came from District 7 and my father was born in District 9. I convey how my grandparents came together and the fortune I had of remaining with them my whole life.
Gale tells me that his father's parents died quite a while ago, but that they both lived in 12 too. He was only five when they both passed in the same year. His eyes light up as he talks about his mother being from district 12 as well. His parents knew each other growing up. It's funny to think that he had so many binds here. His mother's parents died in a mine accident when she was very young, but she was taken care of by an older sister who was later contracted to District 3. When Gale talks about his family, he is livelier than I have seen him yet. He makes me smile and I laugh as he explains his relationship with Rory and Vick.
As our laughter dies down, Gale stands to place my picture back on the dresser, "I'll let you change," he says as he steps out of the room.
My hands shake as I pull my second drawer open to retrieve my nightgown. I undress with quaking limbs before I slip the nightgown over my head and feel a violent shiver from the cooling air. District 12 is a lot colder in September than my own district. I smooth my hands over the gown and go to stand on the other side of the bed before I call to Gale.
"You can come back in," I say weakly.
In the cold air I grip my hands over my half-bare arms and wait for him. Gale silently closes the door behind him and stands on the opposite side of the bed facing me. We both stare down at the neatly made bed coverings. I can no longer ignore the intense feelings of nervousness coursing through my body. It's a steady thrum of fear.
"My mother made this quilt as a gift for us," he tells me. I watch him thumb the fabric, inspecting it. His voice sounds scratchy as though he is talking with something stuck in his throat.
"If we had that sofa, I would sleep out there and give you privacy…" he trails off as he tries to explain himself. I know that sleeping on these rigid wood floors would be painful, so I dismiss the thought entirely.
"It's okay. I don't want you to sleep on the floor, that wouldn't be comfortable in the least," I assure him.
He looks up at me then, his eyes seem dark in this light, but the silvery grey stands out against his features. I nod at him firmly and pull the covers down. He releases a sigh and turns to snuff the lamp. The room bathes in darkness and hides the anxious emotions that are likely visible on my face. I gently slide myself under the heavy bedding. I feel Gale grasp the blanket and slide his own long legs beneath. The bed sinks slightly under his weight. We both lay staring at the ceiling in silence.
"I used to share a bed with my sisters until I got older. Then I got my own cot," I whisper.
I feel the movement of Gale turning his head to face me, so I turn my own eyes toward him. I've adjusted to the darkness and I can just make out the line of his jaw. Each time that I inhale I catch that unidentifiable scent that I am beginning to associate with him.
"I shared a bed with the boys, Ma and Posy had the other. We all slept in one room. It's nice that we have two bedrooms here," Gale whispers back. I smile, imagining the whole Hawthorne family crammed into one room.
Gale begins to whisper something again, but he pauses, "It's too…" He releases the word "quiet" at the same time that I insert the same word for him. We laugh once more.
"Yeah, too quiet. I'm used to snoring," he says through his laugh. His laugh is deep and shakes the bed slightly. I like the sound of it greatly. I think about how my grandmother knew he laughed often. She'd seen it in the lines by his eyes.
"Goodnight," Gale finally breathes as he turns his back to me. I murmur my soft reply.
He rolls onto his side and faces the doorway. I stare at the broad expanse of his shoulders for a moment before I roll to face the opposite side. After a long while, I hear the steady flow of his even breathing and allow myself to drift off. I feel strangely peaceful, even knowing that this is the first night of my new forever.
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. It means a lot to me!