Katniss: Sagittarius the Archer
-1-
Into the woods
The light of dawn conquers the porch. The golden rays paint the steel-gray sky into a pacific one. Katniss's beauty glows in the beam of light. The beauty of my daughter glows even more as she follows my footsteps towards the woods. My concern grows when I see her conflict to tie a simple shoelace. Can I expect Katniss to go on hunting to be the next bread earner in the family? Am I taking her feminine traits away from her? While I am misplaced in my thoughts, my girl manages to put on her hunting shoes. She trips over the knots, but I manage to hold her into my arms before she gets hurt.
I take her on my lap and teach her how to tie the knots and get ready for adventure. Her face lights up innocently and the curious little bud jumps up and holds my hand. I think it wasn't a bad decision on my behalf to teach and acquaint Katniss with hunting as it is a survival skill that will rescue her.
We are on the edge of District 12, which separates the Meadow from the woods. I close my eyes and listen to the wires. Fear claws up through Katniss's throat, her voice is full of fear, and she asks softly, "Father, what are you doing?"
I answer her, "These wires are electrified, you must, I repeat you must listen to them. It is safe to trespass when the wire doesn't make hum sounds. It is as silent as stone when deactivated." "Aah!" She answers and imitates me. Her eyes crinkle, the corners of her mouth widen and a refined smile glows on her face.
We advance towards the woods. I search the hollow log for my rarity bow and sheath of arrows. I clean the equipment and tell Katniss how they were handcrafted a long time ago, even before I met her mother. Over the years, it has filled our stomachs from time to time. It has protected me from venomous snakes and rabid animals.
As we carve our paths, the birds start chirping like they're singing a choir, and I add my notes:
"Are you, are you
Coming to the tree?
They strung up a man
They say who murdered three
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree"
"Why this song out of nowhere?" Katniss stops me. "It gives me chills."
"This song has a deep meaning," I snap, "Truth always has a bitter essence, that's why people want to avoid it by banning it." 'The Hanging Tree' is banned in Panem and the woods are the only place where I can sing it openly. Katniss nods as if she understands, and we continue singing without further questions. Many people say we have a similar voice, our notes are difficult to distinguish. I have to proudly say that she resembles me. Regarding beauty, we can say that these are the genes of Clara (her mother), otherwise, she majorly takes after me.
Today, the main lesson is to use a bow and arrow. I teach her to stand up straight and point the target I have marked onto the tree. I help her understand how to make her grip strong, firm, but relaxed. She follows every instruction perfectly, by placing the bow horizontally and pointing arrows up. Her eyes shrink, and her bow rises 90 degrees to the erect position. Her arrow darts close to the goal.
"What? Did it hit the target?" shockingly, she rubs her hands over her eyes.
"Great job bud," I say, picking my daughter in my embrace. I have always seen an inquisitive child within Katniss. I never thought that Katniss would be able to grasp this fast, but she broke my hesitation to lead her into the woods. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to bring Katniss over for hunting. I feel elated that in one go Katniss was able to achieve her goal in one fell swoop. I hope that Katniss will be able to achieve her goals and aspirations, at this pace. "We'll come more often," she said.
Weeks passed. We both have started coming here often hunting for animals, roots. Katniss has developed her hunting skills in no time.
Time slips past.
-2-
Blackout
It's a typical summer Monday, but the sunlight seems to be blocked behind those dark gray clouds. Katniss, who is usually up around this time, snuggled into her mother's embrace. For some reason, the clouds look mournful, as if it's the bridge between life and the afterlife. I could sense the calmness before the storm in the air. I shake my head, and eliminate all the thoughts, after all, it's a myth and wakes Katniss.
As soon as Katniss has finished her breakfast, I stop her and say, "Wait, let me drop you at school. Today we are going to work in compartment 5 of the mine, which is near your school building." As soon as I finish my breakfast, we head towards the mine. Today, we are accompanied by Mr. Hawthrone and his son, Gale.
We drop Katniss and Gale in front of the school gate and head towards compartment 5, this coal mine is much deeper than we are familiar with.
Suddenly, the siren blares, we all look intently at our officers for more information. "What is this siren about? Is there a gas spill?" asks one of the workers. The officer says, "There must be a mistake" and hurries away. I know that there has to be a spill, and we must also rescue ourselves from the cave before it explodes. All the workers shouting, moving aimlessly, trying to get their way out. In the absence of light, I can't see my fellow workers but can hear their wailing. I hope the holy deity listens to our prayers and is able to hear our cries. We are all deep down, it is easy to dig holes, but it's hard to come up, who knew today we were digging our own grave.
In the midst of the chaos with people around me screaming hysterically, I stay still and feel my legs full of thoughts, which makes it even harder for me to move "Will Katniss be rescued with other children? Will Katniss come here to find me? Will she wait for me and for how long?" I close my eyes, which are filled with droplets of my tears. I hope Katniss, far away, can hear me: 'Katniss, my girl, your father is strong, please don't come and look for me, because I don't know if my breath will hold long, so save yourself and go home, your mother needs you.'
Is my journey complete? If so, I can only rely on Katniss filling in my space because I know my wife can't stand my absence and the fact that I won't be there anymore. She left her merchant life for a person like me and if I am no more she will be scattered to bits. I want to see her, Katniss, and Prim for one last time, not in reality, but I want to cherish all of my moments now.
I want to get hold of those moments when I had picked my daughter Katniss for the first time. The hands that once held a bow and arrow were holding a child, my child, and the moment I whispered "Katniss" and her mother said, "Let's call her Katniss". I want to go back in time and relive all the moments when Katniss learned to shoot arrows, those summer baths we took in lakes, those songs we sang together. I feel sorry for my dear Prim because I have never spent time with her. Not only that, I just hope my kids will cherish these few memories and remember their father.
I am grateful to have taught Katniss to hunt and live. My only regret is that I did not clarify the poem 'The Hanging Tree', the brutal truth. Furthermore, I know one day all grown Katniss will understand it. I close my eyes knowing that the struggle between life and death is of no use. Within minutes, we will all be burned down to ashes.