We're seated in my family's home in the Seam, enjoying dinner with Katniss and her family. All eight of us are crammed around a set of tables that we pushed together, even though I can't really say they fit well at all. Half of us sit on chairs, while the other half sit on a pair of benches that Rory and I put together with spare boards from an abandoned miner's home and some nails I was able to trade for in the Hob. Luckily my father had acquired a decent amount of functional tools before he died.
I sit at one end of the table with Katniss to the left of me on the left-side corner of the table and Rory sitting on the other side's corner. My mother and Mrs. Everdeen sit next to Rory, conversing lightly, while Prim and Vick entertain Posy, who listens to them with rapt attention. I suggested Katniss bring her family over while we were making our way back from the woods, and she was more than receptive. My reasoning was that we could all leave together to go watch the Victor interview in the Square, and while she agreed with me, I think it has more to do with the fact that she and her mother are still uncomfortable around one another. There's nothing like having three other young kids around to break any family tension.
I use my hand to pull a piece of tender rabbit out of the stew my mother cooked for us and place it in my mouth, savoring the taste and freshness. The rich inhabitants of the District may never have to worry about going hungry, but I know for damn sure that nothing they buy from the market tastes as good as freshly killed rabbit. As I go to pull another piece, I feel a hand under the table tap me on the leg. Instantly I look right, and find Rory's face in some sort of odd combination of forced-nonchalance and suppressed excitement. I stare at him and raise my eyebrows in silent a question.
Rory leans over to me, his slightly too long, dark hair almost obscuring his eyes. "Gale, can I go into the woods tomorrow?" he asks me, his control over his excitement slipping just a touch.
"Why would you need to do that?" I respond with my own question, while also subtly making sure that my mother's attention is still focused in the other direction. I never gave Katniss a specific time to take him, but she must have decided sooner was better than letter-not that I disagree.
Rory's eyes immediately shift across the table towards Katniss, before looking back at me. "Katniss asked me if I would go with her tomorrow since you're working in the mines."
I don't need to look at her myself, because I can feel Katniss' stare on us. "Do you think you're ready?"
"Definitely, yes!" he answers immediately, looking ready to go here and now.
Now I turn to Katniss. "Are you sure you want him with you Catnip? He's been known to be a troublemaker." He's really a good kid, but I am his older brother and that does bring good-natured teasing with it.
She smiles conspiratorially at Rory. "There isn't anyway that he could be a bigger troublemaker than Gale Hawthorne, so I think I can handle it."
"Don't say I didn't warn you." I turn back to Rory who is looking at me expectantly. "If you're going, than you listen to everything Katniss tells you. There are more than just fluffy rabbits beyond the fence-things that bite harder." My words don't faze him. I knew they wouldn't, he's a miniature copy of me.
"I'll listen," he says seriously.
"Then I have complete faith in you," I finish, going back to my food, and ending the conversation before my mother overhears. That discussion will happen later, and most likely loudly. I'm actually glad that Katniss didn't mention that I told her to take him. It'll give him some confidence to think she really needed him out there.
...
Thresh's interview is set for eight o'clock. After we were finished eating we left and joined the horde of other Seam residents making their way towards the Square. If the Capitol thinks we're all supposed to be waiting in anticipation for their broadcast, then they are sorely misinformed. The lots of us trudge through the streets crusted with coal looking like we would prefer to be anywhere else-especially those of us who have to be in the mines nice and early tomorrow. I have to grind my teeth when I see the pristinely white-attired Peacekeepers walking by, knocking on doors to make sure all of their prisoners are complying with orders.
We reach the Square at ten of eight, which is already filled to its outer limits. The merchants all group toward the front of the Square near the Justice Building, while those of us from the Seam gather in the back. The large screens that the Capitol uses to sell us their bullshit aren't showing anything at the moment, which leaves everyone to mutter among themselves. Rory and Vick are talking to friends from school, and I notice they've left Posy on her own behind them, and she looks like she's just about ready to fall asleep standing up. I walk up behind her, and pull her up into my arms with ease. She's startled for a second, but she quickly relaxes and places her head on my shoulder.
"Tired Pose?" I ask her.
"Yep," she answers, although I can barley hear her because her thick hair is blocking the space between her mouth and my ear. "How much longer is it gonna be Gale?"
"Hopefully not too long," I say, although I really have no idea. I look over at Katniss and Prim, and see they have as much enthusiasm as Posy. All of a sudden our attention is drawn, though, there's a slight buzzing, like the sound of electrical current, followed by a few loud thumps. I look up on stage and see Mayor Undersee in front of a microphone, next to his daughter and a crowd of Peacekeepers.
"Attention District 12!" He begins, waiting for any lingering noise to die down. "The broadcast of the Victor's interview will begin momentarily. The Peacekeepers ask that you move forward as much as possible in case there are any...stragglers that need to fill in." The Mayor steps back and stands beside his daughter, Madge.
Sure enough, a moment later the screens flash a bright blue and obnoxious Capitol music begins blaring. I laugh when I feel Posy bring both of her hands up to cover her ears, wishing I could do the same. Looking back on the screen, that eccentric moron Flickerman walks out onto an illuminated stage to raucous applause. He waves and prances around until he takes a seat in an oversized blue-velvet chair.
"Good evening nation of Panem! I am your host for the evening, and for the presentation of the Victor for the 74th Hunger Games, Caesar Flickerman!" I listen to crowd in the Capitol go insane with excitement, while the whole crowd that surrounds me doesn't make a sound. Flickerman talks and talks, and makes stupid joke after stupid insensitive joke, which we're forced to sit through, but finally we get to the main event.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, it's time for what you have all been waiting ever so patiently for. I present to you the winning Tribute of the 74th Hunger Games, from District 11, Thresh!" The crowd erupts once more and a spotlight materializes towards the right side of the giant stage. It looks like nothing is going to happen until Thresh finally steps into the light. He's dressed cleanly in a well-fitted black suit, but he looks like he could care less about what he's wearing. He gives the crowd a scowl, which says implies he wishes nothing but bad things on them. Thresh walks stiffly towards the center of the stage and takes the empty seat. Flickerman had stood from his own chair, I think expecting a warm greeting, or handshake at the least, but that obviously was not happening anytime soon. The host stumbles at the rebuff for a second, but quickly regains his poise and retakes his seat.
"Thresh! Welcome, welcome, and let me be the first of many to congratulate you on your truly spectacular victory in the Games. I trust you have recovered nicely from that amazing final flourish you used to secure your place in history?" It was not a rhetorical question, and I'm sure Thresh was well aware of it, but no words left his lips. Flickerman waited as long as he could, staring at his straight-backed interviewee, but eventually realized he was going to get nothing. The crowd seemed to realize this as well because they began to murmur awkwardly. "Well, well, our Victor is a little nervous, and I'm sure still recovering from his experiences in the games. Why don't we move onto the recap, and then try answering questions a little later."
The screen goes blank again, before video of the Games starts up. It starts with all the Tributes in the arena circled around the Cornucopia, and then the screaming and death commences from there. It's the same every single year, we recap every single death, every drop of blood spilled. I still cringle and feel sick to my stomach every time, and in a way I'm glad. I never want to get to the point where I'm numb to the fact that this is happening, that these kids aren't going back home to their families ever again. I never want to accept that this is the way life is.
The first couple kills pass until they reach the two Tributes from 12. You can't even hear someone take a breath throughout the whole Square. We watch the boy run towards a backpack lying on the ground filled with valuable resources for survival. It's not too close to the Cornucopia, so when he grabs it, it looks likes he's going to make it into the woods. However, the Careers were quick to grab weapons, and the next thing we see is a spear sliding right through the boy's thigh. He trips and falls to the ground, trying right himself, but failing due to his useless leg. Out of nowhere the girl from 12 comes running into the picture, stopping in front of her injured partner. The girl is barely five feet tall and must weigh thirty pounds less than the boy, but she valiantly tries to put him on her back. It was brave, but it also turned them both into one giant target. Another spear came, this one hitting its mark. It traveled through the boy's back and continued until it was protruding out of the girl's front. Just like that, both were gone.
I don't know who starts it, but suddenly all of District 12 is raising three fingers in salute. The worst part of it though, is that the silence is still lingering, and through it everyone can hear the anguish of the families. Yes, as if it wasn't enough that they had to see it live during the games, the poor boy's and girl's families got to experience it all over. Posy clutches me tighter, and although I don't think she completely understands, she feels the emotional wave going through us all. I wish I could shield her from it, but holding her close is all I can do.
The recap continues on and on, stopping on more suspenseful moments or more vicious kills. Then finally it comes to the showdown of the final four Tributes. We watch District 2 mutilate little Rue, taunting her as they do it. We watch Thresh come out of nowhere to punish them. Then it's done, obviously no showing Thresh's meltdown. The screen flashes again and Flickerman is back.
"Wow, ladies and gentleman, what an exhilarating Hunger Games we were witnesses to this year, surely one of the best. Now why don't we get back to the man of the hour?" The crowd cheers and Flickerman leans back towards the emotionless Thresh. "So, Thresh, how does it feel to be the Victor?"
I was expecting no answer again, but to my surprise, Thresh does offer a word. "Empty."
There's an odd moment where I can actually see Flickerman arguing with himself in his head. On the one hand, he actually managed to get Thresh to talk. On the other, he has no clue about what direction this whole things is going to go. With great reluctance he continues. "Empty, in what way?"
Now there is emotion on Thresh's face and it's not anger, but closer to anguish, and it palpable. "I couldn't save Rue."
Again, Flickerman is hesitant. "Yes, she was a real competitor and she should be commended for her spirit. But the games only allow one Victor. I'm sure she would be very happy that it was you who won."
And just like that the anguish is gone, and the pure rage is back on Thresh's face. "How would you know what Rue would feel?" He growls, standing again, looking like a caged animal. "The last thing she felt was pain!" The crowd here and there is absolutely stunned.
"It is unfortunate-"
Whatever Flickerman was going to say is abruptly cut off when Thresh steps forward, grabs him by his shirt collar, and lifts him into the air. "Unfortunate! Unfortunate? You think slaughtering a twelve-year old girl is unfortunate? You think taking her from her family was unfortunate?" Thresh shakes Flickerman forcefully. "Your existence and every other person here's existence is unfortunate. We don't want to play your sick games anymore!"
The next thing we see is Caesar Flickerman flying through the air, up and over Thresh's abandoned chair, before the video feed cuts off again. I knew there was no way that guy was going to put up with the Capitol's show, but he also probably just signed the warrant for his death. The crowd around me is restless, some of them emboldened by the recent display. There are shouts and people are moving about. I think I can hear the Mayor trying to speak, but it's drowned out in the ensuing commotion. People are pushing their way around and I do my best to look for my family.
"Gale! Gale!" I can hear my name being shouted, but I don't know by whom. I turn in circles looking for familiar faces before I see Katniss running towards me. "Gale, our mother's took the others back to the Seam. We need to leave!" I feel Posy shaking in my arms, and I know she is right. I follow Katniss' lead throughout crowd making her way back home. When I'm walking through I can see Peacekeepers, most armed with batons, but others who have drawn their guns. When I see them I pick up my pace.
Fortunately the Peacekeepers seem to think that us going back to our homes is probably for the best because they don't try to stop us. We only slowdown when we can see our houses. My mother is waiting on our porch, and Posy forces her way down and runs to her. I only relax when I see everyone is with her. Katniss is still beside me and we've both stopped. She reaches over and grips my arm. I look down and see her biting her lip, almost shaking.
"Things are changing Gale, that wasn't end of it," she tells me.
"I know Catnip." That's all I can say to her. I knew something was coming, and it's just a start. I want the change, but I can only hope we're all strong enough in the coming days to face it.