Good Morning everyone! I hope I didn't wake you with this early post of chapter 3!
Anyway, I would like to thank everyone that reviewed, not that I don't apreciate the follows and fav's, I want to list the people who reviewed. Like I said in the previous chapters, reviews mean a WHOLE lot to me, so here are the reviewers :)
DayanAvila, thebakerswifey, StayingAlive223, Finnick is Beast, Buttercupcup and mrsodairmockingjay132 ... Thank you for the reviews!
ENJOY!
Chapter 3
Katniss' POV
It was warm Saturday, here in District 12. This morning, I decided to go hunting without Gale, so we agreed to meet up at the Hob later this afternoon to trade.
Gale is my best friend. We have been friends for a long time now, ever since the accident. Ever since the Cole Mining accident. Both of our fathers have been Cole Miners and … I'm sure you can figure out the rest. And because of that, it brought our families closer together. Like we were all just ONE family. Not just 2 broken families that had no idea how to live without their fathers.
But the Hawthorne's and Everdeen's were fortunate to have their eldest in the family to take the reins. Katniss and Gale.
Both, Gale and me have been taught how to use a Bow and Arrow by our fathers. Over the years, I have perfected my aim. And as of today, I would say that I am a great archer because my father. I am WHO I am today because of him. The thought of my father makes me smile. Gale says that the only way to make me smile is if you take me to the woods …. But that's not the only thing.
I'm sure that father would be proud of how much game I caught this morning.
5 Squirrels and 1 Deer.
3 more of what I would catch on a daily basis. And the Deer … I guess I just got lucky.
It's not a long walk to the Hob. Not unless you have a huge bag of game on your back, then it would be a bit aggravating. Fortunately, I was blessed enough not to get caught by the Peacekeepers and it wasn't that heavy, in my opinion.
When I walk into the Hob, it was crowded, as usual. People requesting every minute for Greasy Sae's famous soup, Men becoming drunk from the hard liquor.
I drag my game bag over to me and Gale's usual meeting place. In the corner of the room.
As I waited, a dark figure walked towards me. Assuming that it was Gale, I spoke up over the noise,
'It took you long enough! Do you know how long it took me to drag this thing over here, just to make our trade today? I ask, pulling the bag up.
'I sure as heck, that you shouldn't be sassing me at during rush hour, missy!' shouted back the dark figure, who revealed to be Greasy Sae.
'Oh … sorry, I thought you were Gale,' I say sympathetically.
'It's alright … Where is that boyfriend of yours?'
'He should be here … And he's not my boyfriend'
Lots of people mistake Gale as my boyfriend. Obviously, he's not. It's just, Gale knows how I feel and …. I know how he feels. He knows that I'm not looking to ANY relationship at all. And I know that all of the girl's fall for him, so it wouldn't be hard to find a girlfriend. Besides, I only see him as my friend …. My best friend.
'If you don't mind, I would like to trade with you. Been eying that bag ever since you walked in the room'.
'But, I'm supposed to trade WITH Gale ...'
'I'm sure he won't mind. Now can I get a little peek at that bag of yours?'
With that, Grease Sae tugged at the open bag, getting a good look at my game with her right eye.
'Not bad ... Not bad at all,' says Greasy Sae, 'I'll give you a full bottle of salt, a small bag of greens and … Half of my left over bread from the baker'.
'Deal,' I say. It's not originally what I wanted but, I'll take what I can get. Beside the offer would have slid right through my fingers. And a FULL bottle of salt is hard to find these days.
Right after my trade with Greasy Sae, Gale came through the doors of the Hob, looking exhausted.
I took an exasperated sigh, as Gale pushed through the crowd of people.
'You better have a good explanation for being late. We were supposed to trade 30 minutes ago.'
'I know, I know. I woke up late this morning and practically took me hours just to LOOK for the 3 rabbits I caught with my snares. And I didn't even use my bow and arrow to catch anything else because I completely forgot that I had to meet you here. And. As you can see, I ran all the way here. Does that count for something?' He said, giving short, heavy breathes between each word.
'No. And that still doesn't make up for being late,' I say disappointed.
As my eye contact with Gale goes elsewhere, he looks at my hands.
'Where did you get that?' He says, indicating the salt, bag of greens and bread.
'Since you WEREN'T here, I traded without you.'
'Nice one, Catnip! Just let me trade my game, and we can get out of here,' says Gale, completely forgetting that I was mad at him. 'Hey, Sae! I've got a proposition for you!'
Taking off her apron, Greasy Sae stalks over towards me and Gale.
'I'm sure that you can't beat what she traded with me earlier', Greasy Sae explains, pointing her index finger towards me.
'What did Catnip trade you?' Gale asked curiously.
'5 squirrels and 1 deer.'
'Wow,' Gale says amazed. 'What can I get with 3 rabbits?'
'Nothing,' Greasy Sae spits.
'What? I've got a family to feed, Sae! At least give me a bag of greens!' Gale pleaded.
'With what you have, I don't think so ….' Says Greasy Sae. 'But …. You could sweeten the deal if you throw in that shiny ring of yours.'
My gaze falls to the metallic ring on Gale's left, middle finger. Gale had gotten that ring 2 years ago and never took it off. I assumed it was his father's since he wouldn't tell me anything. I asked him about it couple of times, but he just shrugged it off like it was nothing. I just kept asking myself questions about the ring that I don't know the answer to.
I guess I'll have to keep guessing, because when Gale doesn't want you to know something … It stays unknown.
'No way!' Gale says, holding his hands together to block the sight of the ring.
'Than, no deal …' Greasy Sae taunts.
'Gale, just give her the stupid ring, it's no big de-'
'IT'S NOT JUST SOME STUPID RING!' Gale interrupts.
And with that, Gale storms out of the Hob.
'Gale! Gale!' I shout, following his lead.
I follow Gale through town and into the woods.
'Why are you so defensive? It's just a ring! We can catch a few deer's and get you a new one!'
'No!' Gale shouts back at me angrily.
'Really? So you're going to starve your family to death? That's what you're going to do? Do you even REMEMBER who is the only one that provides for your family? Oh yeah! YOU!' I scream back.
'Can't you just give me some of your greens and bread?' Gale asks, hopeful.
'That's not enough for BOTH of our families, Gale! And I won't always be your back up for food when YOU screw up! Besides! It's not about that anymore!'
'Than what?! What is it about?' Gale says, running away from me now.
'It's about your dumb ring now! You did this on your own … If you would only give that ring to Greasy Sae, then your family would HAVE something to eat AND we wouldn't be fighting right now!'
'I won't give this it ANYONE!' Gale, then, turns around to face me.
Were in the edge of the Seam now. No one can hear us …
'You wouldn't tell me anything about that ring, ever since you got it a couple of years ago.' I say quietly. 'I know it's your father's, you could have just told me …'
'It's not my father's!' Gale screams.
Pure silence passes between us.
'I'm sorry! I take back everything I said … I don't want to fight, Gale! Especially now …
'Oh, so you're only apologizing because the day is coming closer and closer ... Yeah, I get it. You only care about us, 'Sticking together'. You think that's going to help our odds at all? The odds of us getting picked?' Says Gale, obviously annoyed with me.
'Gale, you can't leave me like this! Our families need us! As in BOTH of US! We have to stay together, ESPECIALLY at a time like this! And you know the Quell Announcement is just DAYS AWAY! Fighting over something as stupid like this is just going to get us NOWHERE, Gale! What if were chosen? Then what are we gonna do? Huh? I know very well that NONE of us want to be chosen … No one does …'
'What if I want to be chosen? What if I want to be in the games?'
With that, Gale walks into the woods alone
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Whoa! Cliff hanger! Why does Gale, 'all of a sudden', want to become part of the cruel event we like to call THE HUNGER GAMES? Why is the ring so important to Gale? Is it really his father's? Or is he lying? Tune in next time for the next chapter, but to be warned, I will be alternating every time with Katniss' POV and Peeta's POV. We might even do Gale's …. Johanna's ….. Finnick's …. Or Haymitch's ….. Just depends on what YOU GUYS want to hear and will it incorporate into the story well. Thanks for the Reviews, Favs and Follows guys … Really I appreciate every one of them