"Now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"Eh…"
"Now?"
"Now."
The arrow releases and impales itself into the outer ring of a red target painted neatly on the tree. It's times like these that should be lived in forever.
Cool Spring days, light tussling breezes, Mockingjays picking up quiet tunes, a cinnamon bread and goat cheese picnic. Ah, beauty.
"Good job, Zale." Gale laughs, examining the lodged arrow.
Azalea stands there triumphantly glowing in her achievement. She is seven now, long wavy light brown locks flowing down her back. Her smile widens when she turns to me.
"See that Mom?"
I nod. "Good job Azalea."
I sit under the same oak tree. The same old wood that brings back so many memories. Arrows, berries, deals, countless hours hunting. Its been a while since the bombing but no one hardly even notices the oddly shaped holes in the ground where the bombs left their mark so long ago.
A chubby finger scrapes my shoulder.
She laughs. My daughter. My four-year-old daughter.
I grab her by the waist, pull her into my lap and tickle her.
"Mommy!" She shrieks in repeated giggles.
"Madge!" I mock, through laughter.
Gale is the one who came up with her name. He once told me about a girl from 12 who was another life lost in the war. She had played an ultimate role with the preconstruction of the Rebellion, introducing the Mockingjay pin to Katniss. Her legacy needed to be recognized.
I stop and stare down at Madge. Such a short, dark little thing. She resembles Gale more than anything as well as Azalea resembles me. Her skin tans evenly and her eyes are a crisp unrelenting blue.
Gale loves them both dearly. Azalea is the mommy's girl and Madge is the daddy's girl of the family. I love them both dearly.
"Come look at this, Madge!" Gale whispers in that sweet soft voice of his.
She jerks up and runs into his arms. He crouches down and peers through the bushes. Something eccentric must be passing by.
I can't help but smile. Smile at our family. Smile at the memories. Smile at the sweet sight huddled in front of me. Gale and his kids.
His eyes rise above the rest and find mine. Our gaze locks and a new feeling rushes through me. This person, this man, who has been through a lot, has found a way out of the dark. How does he do it? He pushes through each unrelenting day as if nothing bad ever has happened. He is my role model, he is my husband, his is my best friend, and I love him.
The end.
Aw.
I have finally made it. Now that the school year is over, and summer has finally begun, i have revived my writing urge and have finally finished LIFE.
Thank you for reading through this "series."
I HAVE reread the Hunger Games trilogy. Trust me, I have never cried harder before in Mockingjay. It is just so SAD. :( but i have also relized Gale's story is not finished. Over the summer, i will be releasing small little stories of Gale And Rissa's life together. I also have a new story called PAIN coming out that is from Gale's POV from when Katniss shot Coin. It is pretty interesting:)
Please check it out and most importantly...
REVIEW!:D
