I watched them every single day. The interviews, any announcements, everything. I rushed home from work, dreading that if I got home I'd see someone killing her or her face being blown in the sound of the cannon. Luckily, each time I came home, she was on screen, injured but none the less, still alive.
It was lucky that she and I often went swimming on Sundays and the fact that at the start, they had to swim. Everyone's advice to her had been "Get a bow."
She had, thankfully, and was doing alright.
Mrs. Everdeen and Prim were hardly seen outside and me and mum went to visit them quite a lot. Their eyes were always glued to the television and so were mine.
We weren't unhappy, though. Anxious, scared but usually we'd all sigh in relief that she would be living for another day. As for Baker Boy, well let's just say that I didn't give a shit as to what happened to him.
Then that day came.
I was late for work. I was sprinting towards the mines when I heard them first.
Deafening explosions . The first bomb hit the woods first. It was sickening to see my favourite place destroyed by one push of a button. A huge cloud of smoke rose from the place it fell and caught everyone's eye.
I scrambled up and sprinted towards my house. I was out of breath but kept going. They wouldn't die due to my fitness.
Another bomb fell as I was half-way there. The Seam was turned to ash before my eyes. I shouted to anyone I could to get out as I reached the house.
The four of them were rushing out the door. Posy was crying, Vick had latched himself onto the base of my mother's skirt and Rory, bless him, was trying to act brave and hurry them out the gate.
"Gale!" My mother shouted over the sound of another bomb falling. I rushed forward to them and shouted as loudly as possible.
"Go towards the woods. They have started moving towards the centre of the town so you'll get out. I have to get Prim and Mrs. Everdeen." She nodded but was reluctant to let go of my hand.
"I'll meet you there." I said as they ran towards the woods.
My mother shot me one more terrified look and continued running.
My legs managed to carry me as far as their house without a bomb coming near me. Another one hit the Mayor's house. I hoped to God that Madge was okay but secretely knew that she would have enough sense to get out and so would her father.
I smashed through the door shouting both their names. Some whimpering came from Katniss' room. Prim was curled up beside her bed, crying.
"Prim." I called and she raised her head.
"I thought they were coming for us." She soobed and I picked her up in my arms.
"No. I wouldn't let them. And neither would Katniss."
As I spoke, we ran towards the door. Outside, Katniss' mum was looking up at the sky and screaming.
"Mrs Everdeen!" I shouted at her. Her tear-streamed face turned to us.
"What are they doing?" She demanded and joined us as we bolted for our escape.
People in the streets were screaming and pointing towards the wreckage of the Mayor's house. What disgusted me the most was the smoke covering up a body in the mess.
'Not Madge, not Madge, not Madge.' I chanted in my head. Prim was trailing behind us so I scooped her up in my arms and avoided the mob of people cowering over the ruins of the house.
The woods seemed quieter then usual. The smoke was still lingering. I had no idea where we were going but it would certainly be away from the Capitol and their shit.
"Mum!" I'd call out every few minutes when we were far out of reach and in a place of the woods that I'd never seen before. After a while, Mrs. Everdeen took Prim from me and I kept my eyes opened for any trace of them.
Nothing. We spent the entire day wandering around, desperetely searching for a sign or anything that would at least let me know they were okay. But the Fates clearly don't like me.
After another hour of searching, I stopped.
"It's no use. You're exhausted and I shouldn't be dragging you around like this."
Mrs. Everdeen placed a hand on my shoulder.
"No. We'll keep searching." But I shook my head.
"No. You need to sleep."
"You do too, Gale. We will find them."
At that moment, I never understood why Katniss didn't trust her mother. This woman had been strong through everything ; her daughter's reaping, the first Hunger Games, The second, and now this.
We decided to sleep beside a small set of oak trees in the north of the forest. Near the ruins of District 13.
Prim fell asleep first, with her mother stroking her hair as she slept. Mrs. Everdeen slumped against the tree and snored for a while. I sat there beside them, hoping that maybe suddenly my mother's silhoette would croos the tree and miraculously, we'd all be okay but as I said before, I'm definetely not lucky.
Sleep only came to me out of exhaustion. Were I not so tired, I would have lay awake, hoping to see anything of help. Though I did get sleep, it seemed only too short as someone shook me awake.
"Son. Wake up."
It was a guy.
I spoke groggily as my eyes opened.
"It's him. It's them."
Beside me, Prim breathed in shock.
Four men stood over us. The one who had woken me was smiling down on us.
"Don't worry. We're here to help. Gale Hawthorne?"
I nodded.
"The Mockingjay is safe."
"What?"
"The mockingjay. Katniss Everdeen."
"She's okay?"
"We made sure she got out."
"How?"
"Explanations later."
They shook Mrs. Everdeen awake as I breathed a sigh of relief.
She was safe.
Final Chapter next. Aww. I really likes this story.
Oh, tell me what you think.
