I trail behind, keeping close to the tread from each of his worn hunting boots. We fall into our usual routine in the woods. He sets the snares and we begin prowling the woods to track down the wild animals that live here. If it wasn't for the uneasy feeling in the gut of my stomach it might actually be peaceful.
By the time that the sun is high in the sky, our game bags are nearly full. We make our rounds to each of the snare traps, gathering our extra game. His steps begin in the direction back to District 12 and that's when I stop him.
"Gale, wait..." I say.
He arches one of his eyebrows in question. I notice how evident the lines of his handsome face has become and how worn he appears. The dark layer of coal dust grime has already stained his fingers. Like our fathers, I'm sure the coal will forever stain his skin.
"Follow me," I say as I turn away from him and begin leading us deeper into the woods. He doesn't question me or argue, he only follows. I take this as a good sign for our friendship knowing it must mean he hasn't faltered much in our mutual trust.
I try my best to take him to the area I was in yesterday morning. The dead man hasn't left my mind and I hope confiding in Gale might help clear my thoughts. Maybe he'll be able to reassure me that the man was not in fact dead.
I see the tree I was perched up on from afar. The ripe smell of death fills my nostrils immediately. The closer we get, the stronger the smell. I look over my shoulder at Gale and see that he mirrors me with his arm raised to his face, to cover the smell. If he wonders what the hell I'm doing, he doesn't say one word about it.
The dead man looks worse than when I last saw him. Small bugs float around his body and his rotted flesh looks like it's peeling off his face. Gale takes in the body before his face distorts in disgust. His moment of silence is broken not long after.
"What the hell is this?" His voice is rough and I know he doesn't miss my slight jump of surprise. I hate how on edge I've been lately.
"I saw him yesterday morning."
"You really did him one over, Katnip." His muscles flex when he yanks the arrow out of the eye and holds it up for my view. "Only you could shoot like that. But why'd you do it?"
"He-well, he was already like that when he found me."
"What do you mean?"
"He was limping like he was hurt. But his skin and the smell of rot, the way his eyes look empty...he was already dead, Gale." Through my stuttering, I know I don't sound too confident in my thoughts. He must have been dead, but there's just no reasonable explanation as to why he was still moving. For my own selfish reasons, I hope he was actually dead but I know there's no way I will be able to know for sure.
"Are you sure?" He questions. "How is that even possible if he was still moving?" I sense the doubt in his voice. Great. Only more questions that I don't know the answers to.
"I really don't know," I sigh. "It's just what happened."
He kneels down for further inspection. I wait for him to be done before walking a few yards away atop a small hill. I flop down and cross my legs, tossing my game bag beside me. The close proximity with the smell is churning my stomach. I hear Gale approaching behind me and he kneels down, planting one knee on the ground.
"Where did he come from?"
"Not from twelve," I say as I shake my head. "There's so much the Capitol keeps from every district. But his skin is dark and his clothes look like farmer's." I barely put the pieces together as I spoke. I'm still uncertain but our neighboring district seems the most likely.
"You think District eleven then?"
I nod my head slowly. "All the tributes from District eleven, they have dark skin and hair and dress like him. Thresh, Rue..." I look at him and he seems convinced. "She told me that they have a fortified fence though. The electricity is always on and they're very strict. It just makes no sense." How did he end up in the forest? Did he escape? When did he die? And how? I wish I knew the answers.
"I've been hearing whispers in the mines. Since Rue and the Games, the districts are rebelling, Katniss. District eleven is one of the first to start."
"Do you think they're out of Capitol control? Is that how he ended up out here?"
"Or it's how he ended up dead," he states. I see the wheels turning in his head. I make note to ask Haymitch if he knows anything when I get back.
"They must have overrun the Peacekeepers. There's no other way he could have gotten past that fence!"
He nods his head, agreeing with me. I feel more at ease to have his approval for the first time in a long time.
"We're going to rebel," he tells me.
His words leave a thick tension in the air around me. I feel my back going stiff and that's when I shake my head. There's no way a full rebellion will arise. Snow will put an end to it before it can even start. And I will be punished for it, or worse, my family will. I open my mouth to dispute, but he cuts over me before I can start.
"It's going to happen! We just need to wait for the right time." And he's off on a rant of the injustice of the Capitol and the treatment of the districts. How I'm the reason for the spark of the rebellion...
"Gale! I don't want to be the reason we'll all be punished. If this happens, what will Snow do to them? What will happen to Prim?" My voice is shaking by this point and my breathing is spastic. He grips my shoulder and squeezes. I feel comfort in his touch, but it lacks the gentleness of Peeta's.
"She'll be fine because we're going to win."
My voice is soft and weak now when I mutter under my breath, "I don't want any more blood on my conscious."
We sit in silence for how long, I'm unsure. That's when we hear the snap of twigs breaking. The footsteps are erratic again. My hands immediately reach for my bow. We both stand and Gale hands over the used arrow. The end is gross, but I take it from him anyway. I line it up and take my aim before he holds his hand in front of me.
"Not yet," he says.
The girl's deteriorating skin is dark and she looks young. I feel my stomach drop. An incomprehensible moan escapes her mouth where blood is spilling down the sides of her lips. Her ankle looks twisted and broken, like she fell on it from a tall height. Gale approaches her closer and all traces of doubt leaves his face. He shifts his body slightly to face me.
Her arms extends outward like she wants to grab him, and that breaks any hesitation I have. Gale doesn't seem to notice.
"She really is dead. She looks-"
My arrow shoots into her head and she drops to the ground, motionless. I grip my bow tightly in my hands, making a full circle around me. Gale does the same, but there's no other people, dead or alive, walking around us. The thought of more of them terrifies me.
"Don't get near them," I whisper harshly. "I think they're dangerous."
He considers this before shrugging his shoulders. "How dangerous can they be? They're dead."
"Quiet," I scold. "How many dead people do you see moving around?" He shakes his head in response. "Exactly my point."
I'm reminded of the vicious mutts in the arena. The Capitol doesn't shy away from mutations.
"This isn't right. That girl...remember last year in the arena?" he says. I nod my head and he continues. "The girl tribute from eleven. She died before she even got out of the Cornucopia. I think it's her."
Before I can consider this I hear a blood curling scream in the air. Gale run towards the sound without hesitation and I chase after him. I come to a sudden stop and slam into Gale. When I look up I see the white uniform of two Peacekeepers.