Sorry this update would've been done sooner…but I got a little sidetracked looking at pictures of a certain actor... Anyways enjoy the chapter and please review.
The trouble with girls is they're a mystery, something about them puzzles me. ~The Trouble with Girls, Scotty McCreery
Denver's POV:
Slowly I feel myself coming out of the darkness. Returning to the real world, out of my worry-free dream world. Then it hits me. Instant confusion. I go stiff and keep my eyes closed. It's warm here, it's comfy here. It's a new feeling, the warmth isn't from a fire, and it's from something else. It's new and I don't like it. I feel someone has my hand, I study the feeling without opening my eyes. A few minutes later I figure out who it is. Gale.
I remember how his hand felt in mine when we were little. It feels the same now, just harder, larger. I open my eyes and scan my surroundings. I'm in a room, a big room, bigger than the main portion of my house. I'm in a bed, there's a rocking chair in the corner. And there's Gale. He's leaning against the footboard of the bed, my hand in his, his eyes are closed, but I can tell he's awake. I slip my hand out of his and use it to prop myself up into a sitting position. My head doesn't hurt nearly as bad as it did before. I'm grateful for that.
When I look up again I see Gale's eyes are open, watching me carefully.
"Where are we?" I ask him sleepily. A look of surprise crosses his face.
"You don't remember?"
I shake my head, "No, last I remember is watching Trip blow up the wall. Then on the ground. Then my head hurting like hell."
"Oh, well in that case, we're in the Everdeen's house."
"What! Why?" I hiss out, interrupting him. He raises his eyebrows at me, surprised at my reaction. I don't want to be in a victor's house. That explains the heat; they have a heater. Cause they're stinking rich.
"You were hurt, Mrs. Everdeen helped you. Relax, Katniss isn't here." Katniss? Why does he think I care if she's here or not? Okay, I would care if she was, but still, that's the first thing he comes up with!
"Oh" is all I can say though. That's, nice, of her mother. I look outside through the window, it's getting dark out. "I want to go home" I say simply.
"I figured, come on" Gale gets up, I'm utterly surprised when he comes over and starts to pick me up.
"Hey! What are you doing?" I ask, he puts me back down and chuckles.
"I guess you don't remember that. I carried you here, since you kept throwing up whenever you tried to walk."
"Okay, thanks, but I think I'm good now." I say as I swing my legs slowly out of the bed and get up. My knees shake a little, but I find my balance a few moments later. Gale guides me downstairs, into the living room. A middle aged woman sits on the couch. She looks over at me.
"Oh, your awake, that's good." She gets up and comes over, feels my head. She asks me all these questions too. After my interrogation she says I can go home and to take it easy for a while. Gale walks me back home; he even comes inside and helps me start up my fire again.
"Well you're feeling helpful" I chuckle at him as I watch from the kitchen table. He shrugs.
"I heard some good news today." He turns so I can see the wide grin on his face. His grin makes me feel weird inside.
"What did you hear?"
"Things" is all he tells me. Wow, thanks for preparing me for some news and then refusing to tell me.
"Okay?"
Gale stands up and faces me now, the fire is roaring and the house is starting to warm up. "I should get home, I'll check in before I go to work."
Wait what? I'm going to work too. "I'm going to work." I point out, he just stares at me and shakes his head.
"No, you're not. Mining coal isn't exactly 'taking it easy' like you were told to do for a few days."
"I can't afford to 'take it easy'" I snap back at him, he can't tell me what to do. A smirk appears on Gale's face.
"That's what I thought too. But then again, the parcel for this month is coming tomorrow, so you'll be fine."
"Damn you" I sneer, clearly showing that he's right and any argument I make will now be invalid. With that Gale leaves and goes over to his house, I stay where I am for a while before I get up and make myself a sandwich. I'd go to bed too, like everyone else, only I was asleep for the past what, four, five hours? I'm not tired at all. So I eat my sandwich slowly, and then sit by the fire, leaning against the wall.
What made Gale so helpful today? My mind wonders again. What good news did he hear? Oh well.
My thoughts struggle to try and remember what happened. The more I think about it, the more I remember. Not full things, but bits and pieces. Okay, ya, Gale did carry me. I remember Rory's voice, where was he? I remember thanking someone. I remember saying I-
My stomach contorts and I stop breathing when I remember. I told someone I love them. My head goes between my knees as I bring them up to my chest. No, no, no. Who did I tell? The moment I ask, is the moment I know. And it's the truth too. I love Gale.
;;;;:::;;;;
I wake up still by the fire, which is dying down. Only it's to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I groan when I remember who it is. Gale. I get up and stretch my sore muscles before I open the door. He's standing on my crappy porch; I look up at him and raise my eyebrows.
"How are you feeling?" he asks.
"Fine, maybe I should go to work." I muse
"No, you're not, besides, I told Vick and Rory you would be able to walk them to school today." He gives me a smug smile. I sigh; I do like walking the boys to school. I cross my arms across my chest.
"Fine" I growl out at him.
"See you after work." Gale turns and goes to start making his way to the mines. Then I get an idea. I don't have to stay home today; I don't have to stay in the District. The woods. I can go there, I love the woods, but I haven't gone in a while.
"Maybe" I say softly, maybe I won't be home when he gets back. But for now, I get to walk the boys to school. I go over and lean against the house, like I always did. Soon Vick and Rory come out and we chat the whole way to their school. I tell them about working in the mines and they tell me what they've been 'learning' in school.
After they're inside I go to the meadow. I easily remember where the hole in the fence is and go there. Concealed by the bushes I listen for the soft hum that would tell me the fence is live, there's none. I easily slip under, and then make my way to the safety of the tree cover, making sure to cover my tracks until I get there. No one knows I go in the woods, no one but me. It's my special place, where I can be alone, where I can speak my mind even if there is no one to listen. But I know others come here too. Like Katniss and Gale; I've seen his snares, I know where they hide their bows. But I don't take them, I don't take their game. That would be stealing, even if they could never find out; I won't steal from my friend.
Once deep enough in I allow myself to relax. It's hard walking; the snow is deeper here than inside the District, but I don't mind. I take deep breaths of the fresh air. It's hard not to compare it to the muggy air inside the mines. Out here, I'm free.
I find a good tree and scale it easily, I find a nook in which I can easily sit and watch the forest. I sit very still, leaning against the trunk of the tree, and slowly but surely, the woods come alive. Birds come out and fly through the branches above me, singing their songs. Squirrels that have not yet gone into hibernation come out, scurrying up and down the tree trunks. I even see a small family of deer working their way through the underbrush. I let myself close my eyes and bring my knees up to my chest. It's nice here, it's peaceful, no one can bother me. Then I fall asleep.
I wake up just in time, I feel my body tipping over and soon, falling. I shoot my hands up and barely catch the branch. I hang from the branch about ten feet above the ground. At least I think it's about ten feet, the shadows created by the setting sun dance on the white snow, it could actually be a lot farther down then ten feet. I spit, from my saliva I realize it is a lot longer than ten feet, maybe more like fifteen. I use my newly gained upper body strength to slowly lift myself closer to the branch. Once I'm close enough I swing my leg over until I'm sitting on the branch like it's a horse. Great, that worked. I work my way down the tree until I can just leap down and land safely in the snow.
On my way back to the fence I catch sight of one of Gale's many snares set up in this part of the woods. It's been triggered, I can tell since it hangs above the ground, but there's no animal inside. I go up and examine it for a while; I know this kind of snare. Ever so carefully I work on resetting it. I've never actually set one, but I've seen what they are supposed to look like. It takes a while, but soon I have it set so it looks just like the ones I've seen around before.
"I didn't know you did snares" I jump and whirl around at his voice. I didn't even hear him come up behind me, it's creepy, I didn't hear a thing. Gale stands leaning against a tree, watching me. My gaze meets his and he smiles, actually, full out, smiles. I've never seen him smile like that before, well, not in six years; I smile back and then avert my gaze to my hands again.
"I don't, I've seen yours set before though."
"You've got a good eye then" he pushes gently off the tree and comes over. "But, you need to put it like this." He puts his arms around me from behind and takes my hands in his and does the movements for me. All he makes me do is adjust the rope a little more. "Now it will snap faster, plus, they can't see it as well." I just nod; I can feel him against me. It makes me feel safer, I trust him. He moves my hands so the snare is placed on the ground. Then we just stand there, my hands in his. I look over my shoulder and see him watching me.
"I remember what I told you yesterday" I whisper, he raises his eyebrows at me.
"And?" he asks, his gray eyes locking on mine.
"I meant it."
Yes! Okay, this would be longer, but I'm trying to firgure out Gale's reaction...not really sure for this, so it might be a bit out of character for him next chapter. Also, I got a gale poster along with some other HG posters from a magazine and its one of those so it always seems like it's looking at you...which i don't mind, just a bit creepy. and now... I GO TO BUY MY HUNGER GAMES MIDNIGHT PREMIERE TICKETS! PLEASE REVIEW!