The Quarter Quell

Chapter 7:

Katniss's POV:

As I watch more blood come from Gale's back and he screams in pain even though he's unconscious, I see Posy struggles even more to free herself from the 2 men that hold her back. Tears stream down her cheeks and one of the men force her to her knees. The man with the whip throws the whip back to hit him again and I spring forward to cover Gale from getting hit.
"NO!" I scream, and I get hit. I fall to my knees with one hand covering my wound and the other keeping me from falling forward. People that watch gasp.
"Katniss!" Posy yells. I look up and my vision in the eye that starts to swell up is blurry. Posy is on her knees. I feel my blood fall down my cheek. I would scream of the pain but I keep my mouth shut. I look up, and with my good eye, I see the man with the whip is about to hit again. I hear Haymitch and Peeta coming my way.
"Hold everything!" yells Haymitch. Haymitch walks forward up to the man with the whip.
"What business is it of you slashing her cheek?! She is suppose to model wedding dresses in a week!" says Haymitch to the man. Peeta walks up to me and checks my cut by lifting my chin up. Nobody has told me I was going to model wedding dresses. Now I know.
"She has interrupted the punishment of a confessed criminal." says the man coldly. He still keeps he's hood on; an unknown man that may work for the Capitol.
"Do you really think I care?! Even if she set the blasted Justice Building on fire, with that cheek of hers now, the camera won't be able to come until it heals and do you know how long that will take?!" yells Haymitch.
"Not really my problem." says the man coldly.
"It's about to be, my friend. Just wait until I contact the Capitol." says Haymitch.
"The guy was poaching and what business of hers is it to interrupt he's punishment?" the man says coldly.
"He's her cousin and my fiancé." Peeta says staring at the man. Peeta helps me up and we walk up to Haymitch. "If you would like to get to him, then you will have to go through us first." It's official that we are the only 3 in the District that can stand up like this while others just stand there and watch. A group of Peacekeepers approach the scene with their Head-Peacekeeper in front. A woman that's in the group with the Peacekeepers glances out front and walks forward to the Head-Peacekeeper and speaks. In her uniform I see her name tag. Her name is Purnia. When they are done talking they turn around and speak to me, Peeta and Haymitch.
"Very well, then. Why don't you get your cousin out of here, girl, and remind him that I'll assemble that firing squad if he poaches off Capitol's land." says the Head-Peacekeeper and I nod. The Peacekeepers leave in a weird form behind the Head one. People also start to leave.
"And why don't you let that little girl go, huh?" says Haymitch at the man. I turn around and remember Posy, who is still crying.
"Let the girl go." says the man coldly and they do. Posy gets up slowly and the 3 men leave. I kneel besides Gale and cut the rope that holds him to the pole. He falls to the ground and a woman from the Hob sells us her board that she uses as a counter top.
"Is he going to be ok?!" Posy asks terrified.
"He's going to be if we get him to my house in time." I say drying some of her tears carefully without opening her wound that the men left in her face.
"You have to get him to your mother fast, Katniss" says Haymitch. We all carry Gale to the board and laid him face-down. Some miners that are in the same crew as Gale help carry him. I grab hold of Posy's hand and we all, quickly, make our way to my house; where I find my mother and Prim in the kitchen.
"Mom, help!" I yell when I enter. My mother quickly comes and tells the miners to set Gale in the kitchen; and orders me and Posy to get a snow coat on our wounds. As my mother and Prim work to stop the bleeding the miners start to leave.
"Would he be saved?" Posy asks my mother.
"Maybe, honey. It's going to take some time." My mother answers. More tears go down her face.
"It's going to be fine, Posy. We're doing the best we can." Prim says and hugs her. After a few minutes on trying to stop the bleeding, which it works a little. I ask Peeta to take Posy back home.
"Sure." Peeta answers.
"What? No! I'm not leaving Gale." Posy says.
"I know you don't want to, but it's starting to get dark and your mother will be wondering for you." I say. Posy nods and they both leave. I quickly remember something and run after Peeta.
"Peeta! There aunt lives 3 houses away, tell her to watch them." I say.
"I will." Peeta says. I walk back inside and I tell my mother what happened along with Haymitch as she orders Prim to get stuff. After a while Peeta comes back with Hazelle. Hazelle extremely worried enters the kitchen and holds Gale's hand while my mother explains her the situation. I sit in a chair with the thick layer of snow that makes my vision even worse. Seconds turn to minutes, and minutes turn to hours. My mother and Prim still cleaning the flesh and putting bandages, Hazelle strokes Gale's hair and whispers that he loves him and that she'll be back tomorrow, and leaves to attend Posy that's back home with a cut face. She thanks my mother and Prim for taking care of Gale, and me, Peeta and Haymitch for stopping the man, and she leaves. Every time my mother puts a new bandage a moan escapes Gale's lips. They give him the medicine and all he needs.
"That's all we can do. We'll see how he wakes up in the morning." My mother says. "I'll go over to Hazelle's house and tell her that Gale is gaining conscious, and check on Posy." She grabs her coat and leaves. Prim finishes adjusting some bandages while I get another layer of snow for my wound. Haymitch leaves reminding me of the photo shoot, which I forgot entirely about. Then Peeta leaves, kissing me goodnight. Prim puts a bandage in my wound when the last layer of snow melts.
"Thanks, Prim." I say.
"You're Welcome." Prim says, "Katniss, can I talk to you?"
"Sure, what is it?" I say worried.
"It's about the reaping." Prim says "I'm terrified to death."
"Prim," I start; I don't know what to say. How would you feel if your little sister comes up to you and tells you that she's scare to death when you are also? And they are the ones who expect you to be brave. "Come here." We both sit in the couch and I put my arm around her.
"Prim, I know what your feeling is really hard. It's like nobody can help you; and, it's like, you're a little fish in a big pond without help." I say "But, you can't let fear rule your life. You have to stand up to it. Show it that you're the boss, and nothing can change that, ok?"
"Ok." Prim says happier, "Thanks, Katniss. You really are the best sister ever."
"And you are my best little sister that I always wanted and got." I say.
"I love you."
"I love you, Prim" We hug each other and I stroke her back slowly. We stay there for a few minutes until I realize she has fallen asleep. I pick her up like a baby and carry her to her room upstairs. I turn on her lamp so I'll be able to see and change her into her pajamas. I let her hair go from her French pigtails.
"Good Night, little duck." I whisper and kiss her in her forehead. I turn off the lamp and quietly, exit the room. I walk downstairs and sit next to Gale in a wooden stool. I find myself holding his hand. I stare at him. I think of the happy moments I had with him before the games. They're all happy actually. That all has changed. How I thought it was Gale, but know it has to be Peeta. I lean closer and a tear escapes my not-swollen eye.
"I'm really sorry." I whisper to Gale. I give him a kiss and he wakes up.
"Hey, Catnip." The nickname gives me pleasure.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" I ask.
"Painful." he says, "How's Posy?"
"She's fine." I say, "Would you like to explain to me what happened there?"
"All I remember is saying something and then I was grab by some men and Posy by others. Then I find myself tied to a pole and Posy was hit by one of the men. My body was on fire so I couldn't move. Then everything went dark and all I could hear was Posy screaming and people gasping. The pain was horrible. Then I opened my eyes and here you are." says Gale explaining almost breathing through every word. "I thought you be gone by now."
"I'm not going anywhere." I say smiling "Not yet."
"Good." says Gale, he grabs my hand, not wanting to let go; and then falls to a deep sleep. Like he just died in my arms and I too he's.