I woke up earlier than I had all year. The moon still illuminated the ground and the house was dead quiet. I got dressed quickly and grabbed my sack; I was out of the house within ten minutes of waking up. I made my way down the street, I tried to keep my mind off of Peeta but as I passed the bakery my heart sank. Today was the last day I'd ever see him. I'd see his face across a crowd of people as I would step up onto that platform trying to appear calm.
When I shook off the negative thinking I looked over at the tree across from the bakery. Hanging from one of the low branches was a package. I jogged up to it and pulled it down. The package was warm, and as I unwrapped a sweet smell of cinnamon filled my nose. A loaf of cinnamon bread.
A not laid next to the bread read good luck hunter. I smiled looking over towards the bakery knowing the boy I loved was sleeping just inside. I felt an urge to go see him, but I knew I'd be risking too much if I did. I wrapped the bread back up and put the note in my pocket.
I walked into the woods and just smelled the fresh air. I let the cool air fill my lungs, looking around I noticed Katniss's bow in the hallow tree near the edge of the woods. She wasn't awake yet. Walking deep into the woods I decided to check all the traps.
It took two hours to find each trap and reset the ones that had caught some small animal. My sack was full and maybe Katniss and I would end on time to see our families before getting ready for the Reaping.
I found Katniss deep within the forest, bow cocked and arrow ready. I looked beyond her to see what she was shooting, a deer.
"What are you going to do with that?" I called to her. She looked back at me then back at the frightened deer that was about to bolt. She fired an arrow but it just missed as the deer ran away.
"Damn it, Gale." She growled. She slung her bow over her back . She stormed over to me and gave me a shove. "I was going to see that."
"Not with all the Peacekeepers in town, you're not." I received a glare. She sat on a rock and looked out into the trees. I took a seat next to her and pulled out the bread. I tore of a piece and handed it to her. "Here."
"How'd you get this?" She asked surprised, anger had faded from her face.
"Gave the baker a squirrel." I lied but somehow I guess it was true. We sat in silence and ate, Prim had given Katniss goat cheese this morning and Katniss shared it with me. We just sat looking out into the woods. I didn't want to think of tomorrow or of my impending doom of some kind. I just needed my best friend, for the past few years she was my everything. Now some boy came in an sweep my off my feet and I felt like I ignored her more than I should. My days were counted, I knew that, I was going to die. I could already see Effie Trinket pulling my name. "We could run away you know."
"What? To where?" she asked looking at me in a state of bewilderment. I didn't blame her it was an out there statement.
"Out there." I pointed to the woods and gestured beyond. "We could just leave; take Prim and my brothers and go."
What I didn't say was that I would find a way to take Peeta along. I couldn't leave him here to rot forever.
"We would never make it."
"You don't believe that." She looked at me, and she knew the truth. We would make it, it was all a matter of how long but it was better than sticking around here. Anything was better than sticking around here. I sighed I knew we would go to the Reaping today. We would wait like lambs lining up to be slaughtered, we would find out which one of us got a rotten fate. For a moment I let myself dream that neither of us would get chosen. That hope was what kept me going. "Come on we got to drop these berries at Madge's before we leave."
*Authors note: I've been on vacation for the last few days, but no one more than me wanted this story to be updated. It is truly an easy write, it practically writes itself!
I am taking creative liberties so don't be a downer.
The Reaping will be the next chapter!
