Chapter 9: The Beast Within

I'll be posting on Mondays until the end of summer. My nephews are on summer break, so I come to

the library more than I usually do. Thanks for reading, following, the support, and for reading! "Home

is behind you, the world is ahead." (Gandalf v.) Let the praises to our God be like arrows to our

enemies.

If you die, I die. Those words rang in Gale's head, as he woke up the next morning. He found it hard to be

in the Capitol. He always did. They seemed so aloof and detached from what was really going on. He

pulled the covers off of himself and sat up in bed. He was startled by Haymitch, who was sitting in the

chair in the far corner of the room.

"What are you doing in here?" Gale demanded.

"You may actually have worse manners than Katniss." Haymitch said, with an amused look on his face.

"Get out, please."

"That's a little better. Effie just found a Bible in Katniss' room. Is it yours?"

"Are you interrogating me?" Gale asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Answer the question, please."

"No, she said a little girl gave it to her."

"You seem calm about all this."

"It's easy when you grow up around it."

Haymitch's eyebrows raised.

"You're more trouble than she is."

"I guess that makes us double trouble." Gale said, with an amused look on his face.

"Do you know, or even understand that your life is on the line here?"

"No, Haymitch. I thought I was on vacation. Of course, I know my life is on the line. Hers is too! I told

her to hide it or throw it away. She told me that if I die, she dies too. I know the trouble that book can

bring, but I also know that forcing Katniss to be anything other than who she is, is even more

dangerous." Gale snapped, running his hands through his hair frustratingly.

"You will have to compromise to survive. We're burning that book, Gale. It's for our own good."

"No!" Katniss burst into the room.

"Why not? With it, you two are as good as dead. You two are survivors, right? Be smart enough to know

what it takes to survive." Haymitch didn't even flinch.

"I was reading some of it this morning. This book has hope I've dreamed of having. I read one of the

books called John," Katniss turned to Gale. "Who is Jesus?"

Gale sighed and looked at Haymitch. Haymitch's eyes and Effie's trembling warned him not to say

anymore. He pulled out his hidden cross necklace. There was a purpose and need for this after all.