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• • • • • SECRETS AND BLOODSHED • • • • •
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• Chapter Six •
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[Katniss Everdeen]
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He robbed my secrets right out of my mouth. I can't forgive him. He's being too close. The promise I gave to Delly was to take care of him, how can I do that if I'm not used to new people. Trust is something I just don't give away. I kind of hate it. I know I owe Delly Cartwright her life. The only thing she wants from me is to protect this boy. Peeta. Isn't he capable of doing that for himself? Then I remember what she said. "Refrain him from doing stupid things." Maybe he has the capability to be impulsive, or maybe he does things out of his line. I still don't know this boy, cautiousness could be of utmost importance. I gave Prim her milk at the counter of the shop. "Thank you," she takes a sip. "You're not going hunting?" she asked. I shook my head as a response.
"Gale's not here, so what's the point" I say bitterly.
"Did you have another nightmare?" her eyes looking at mine, anticipating.
"No" I looked down at the purring Buttercup at my feet. I wish she didn't see my lie. Then I hear the anthem on the television. They're televising the Hunger Games. Maybe they're going to show the interviews now that the training is probably over. But which way, I don't prefer watching the games.
"I'm going to the butcher's" I walked out immediately before the program on the television starts. I carefully, walked away, trying not to kick Prim's tomcat. I didn't see the opening ceremonies, I didn't see the training scores and I don't want to see the interviews. I may not be fully aware of the consequences that await me by not watching the games, but honestly, I'd accept any kind of punishment that the Peacekeepers will do to me than to watch him. I know I am violating some Capitol laws by not watching the games. I am not scared of them.
Tomorrow I'll see more blood, the fear that Gale might own a pint of what smothers the grounds of the Arena. Or Delly. The start of the Hunger Games is tomorrow. What good am I really? I don't even want to witness my friend on T.V. but I don't see the idea. I'll watch him beg for his life, see him suffer and watch the life drain out from his dead corpse. I don't plan witnessing all that. All the better if he wins, but that's the very least that could happen. I am not prepared to see the opposite of that. One other thing I am not prepared for is the chance that he might turn into an ultimate killing monster that the games make of some tributes. I have little faith that he'll be a composed and patient Gale that I know of. I hope he will not treat other tributes as preys in the woods. They're still people that barely have faults to deserve death.
The Hob is deserted. Probably at the City Circle watching the interviews. Am I really violating any law if I refuse to watch the Hunger Games? 'Cause I think I'm the only person in town that resent to see the dreadful pageant. I told Prim that I won't go to the woods but I went anyway. The woods, the place where I run to whenever I feel alone, but it will be lonelier going there today. There's no Gale Hawthorne to wait for me there. I will just playback all the memories that we have in the woods. I try to be cautious that I won't jerk a single teardrop.
I put up some snares and climbed up a tree. I think I won't shoot anything for today. I'll just depend on luck if a squirrel or a rabbit gets caught up in the snares. I keep my bow loaded in case an unwelcomed wild animal comes out of nowhere and flashes its blood thirsty teeth. Hours pass and I hear no crying rabbits. Out of boredom, I positioned my target at an apple. Maybe I'll just practice shooting. It can get my mind off things. I shot the red fruit in one release. Good. The apple is pinned into a tree adjacent to it. I think I no longer need to practice. And just for the sake of killing tediousness, I shoot another. Again, it flies to another tree.
"KATNISS!" I hear Peeta's voice. His voice sounds distressed. There was no doubting that he's in serious trouble. "KATNISS!"
I follow his voice, it's nearby and the voice isn't the only noise that I hear. I hear growling and snapping of teeth.
"Katniss!" I went to find the owner of the voice. I don't want to give any kind of response, I might attract the animal that was the cause of his whining. I remember this place as I draw nearer to the blond boy. I placed some of my snares here.
I hide in the bushes near the snare. I see now that Peeta is dangling with one foot caught up on a tree. Two wolves are trying to reach his head. Snap. Snap. The sound came from their teeth, then growling and barking, as if the two wolves are saying, "For infiltrating our territory, you will be our meal." The gray wolf almost reach the tip of his hair.
I position my loaded bow. After carefully locking on my target, I sent an arrow flying right through the gray wolf's eye. The other tried to make a run for it but I loaded the bow again and it darted on its neck. Good. More meat to sell.
"Thank you, Katniss" he tried to find me at the direction from which the arrow flew from. I stepped out of the bush.
"I don't know you make a good bait." I mocked him. "And I see my snares are so efficient that it can noose people too, not only rabbits" I can't hide the amusement at his condition. I walk closer to him. "Haha, my snares catch both rabbits and humans. Or in your case, a rabbit-like human."
"I'm getting dizzy, I feel like I'm going to throw up. Can you at least hand me my spear?" he pleaded.
I laughed. "No, I think I kinda like this. So you wouldn't go hunting alone without telling me. I thought we're hunting partners now."
"You were watching the Games, I didn't bother you," he breathed heavily, struggling for air. "Please get me down" I saw the same look when he was lying on our table at the shop. Tame and afraid.
I looked at the spear just below him, he must've dropped the weapon when he was startled at the rope on his ankle. I hate to see him pleading. I see now that those are the same eyes that my aunt almost killed. Somewhere in that pont in time, he wanted to die from the pain. At the corner of his eye, I see a bruise. A small circle of purplish skin.
"What happened there?" I ask.
"Where?" his face rearranged to a wondering expression.
"Here" I touched the discolored skin, he cringed at the pain. "Sorry" I can feel it's a deep blow.
"The tip of the spear hit me when I dropped it" he smiled, appearing to drain all the pain that was on his face earlier. "Don't worry. It's the other end, not the sharp one."
I took an arrow from my quiver and loaded my bow in my hand. "Stay still"
If I cut the rope with arrows, he'll land face first. I lowered my bow.
"Try to land on your back. Protect your head"
He curled up to try to soften his landing. I darted two arrows to cut the rope. I looked down and saw the spear. I didn't notice until now that the blade of the spear is positioned on his head. He didn't fall immediately because I missed the first try. The rope is just breaking. I caught his back and he landed on my chest then pulled him away from the spear. Stupid. I should have moved the spear instead of moving him. The spear is lighter compared to his weight. He moved immediately away from me. He panicked when he saw me unmoving. He leaned down to my sundrenched face. "Why did you do that?" his tone was anxious.
"You almost cut your head" that will be worse than the bruise on his eye. I'd rather be hurt than he is. He held my waist and helped me stand. "Your spear is right in your landing spot"
"Sorry," he placed my arm on his shoulder. "Is anything broken or hurt?"
I shake my head "No, I'm okay" I tore my body away from him. He grabs his spear, then headed home.
The preview of the games is over. I wonder what's happening to Gale and Delly. Peeta didn't head to the Hob to sell the two wolves. He wanted to make sure that I'm safe in my house before he dragged the two meats to the Hob. I appreciate it. But I didn't say anything I don't want him getting the wrong idea. I should be the one protecting him. Why do I end up being the one being protected? It's kind of odd for that boy to worry about me like this, knowing that he just formally met me 4 days ago. This is a bit too sudden. Sudden for me because he's already kind to me when I'm harsh to him most of the time. Most of the people I've been with, will just give up on me. He never gets bored when he's with me, and as surprising as it is, I am too.
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• • • • • ~ FanFiction by: MsDayDream ~ • • • • •
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