The peacekeepers unlocked the door and led me out of the Justice Building. I walked down the stairs by myself and headed toward home. About halfway to my home, I stopped dead in my tracks. I don't want to go home, I thought. At least not yet. So I turned around and headed toward Katniss's house. I replayed her words to me after she'd help me walk home after my whipping.
"If you ever need anything, just ask."
I needed something desperately, as much as I hated to admit it. I didn't like it when i had to ask people for things, but I needed help.
I walked up to Katniss's door and knocked lightly. After a few moments, it opened up slightly and Prim peaked her head out.
"Oh, hi!" she said, opening the door wider to allow me in.
"Who's at the door?" Katniss called, walking around a corner to see me.
"Hi," I said.
"Oh, it's you!" Katniss said, grinning and walking over to me. "What do you need?"
"I... um... I need your help," I said.
"With what?" Katniss asked.
"It's something, uh, outside," I said, not wanting Prim or anybody else to hear what I had to say.
"Okay," Katniss said, then turned to Prim. "I'll see you later, Little Duck!"
"Quack!" Prim said, giggling.
Katniss and I headed outside. I started to sit down on a bench, but Katniss shook her head.
"The forest is better for talking," she whispered.
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," I said as we headed toward the forest. "I need help."
"With what?" Katniss asked as we neared the fence that wasn't electrocuted.
"My parents can't work at the bakery anymore and we don't ahve any food," I blurted out. Katniss stopped dead in her tracks.
"What?" she said.
"The peacekeepers said that there only had to be one bakery, so they kicked my family out of the bakery," I explained further. "We barely have enough money now to buy food."
Katniss paused for a moment.
"So you want to learn how to hunt?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Alright," she said. "But you have to be very quiet. And you can't tell anybody. I mean, maybe your family, but be careful. Do you know how to use a bow or anything like that?"
"Not really," I said.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you," Katniss said, smiling. "Now come on; we gotta get to the forest. Gale's waiting for me."
She showed me how to get under the fence and then showed me to the woods.
"I hide my bow and arrows in a trunk so that nobody will find them if they ever do come out here," Katniss said, pulling out her bow and arrows.
"Catnip!" a voice said from the distance. I turned around and saw Gale walking toward us. "Who's this?"
"You remember Melany, don't you?" Katniss asked.
"Of course," Gale said, smiling at me. "How could I not? What I meant was, what's she doing here?"
"I'm teaching her how to hunt," Katniss said, handing me her bow and arrows. I slipped the quiver onto my back and pulled out an arrow.
"It's going to take a lot of practice," Gale said. "And a lot of time."
"She'll get it," Katniss said, shooting Gale a look. Gale laughed and sat down on a log. Katniss walked over to a tree and etched three circles on it, the smallest being in the center.
"Try your best to hit the center," she said, stepping away from the tree.
I knocked the arrow I'd pulled out and pulled the bowstring to my cheek. I looked at the center of the target and then at the tip of my arrow. I kept my elbow up and aimed slightly downward. I kept both eyes open. And then I let go of the bowstring. My arrow made a whooshing sound as it flew off my bow and soared straight ahead. Katniss's eyes widened as the arrow dug itself into the center of the smallest circle, a bull's-eye.
"Well," Gale said. "Guess it won't take that much time after all."
"How'd you do that?" Katniss asked.
"I have no idea," I said.
"Try it again," Katniss said.
I took out another arrow and shot it. It went through the arrow I had shot before and I got another bull's-eye.
"Well it wasn't luck," Gale said, looking at Katniss.
"You sure you haven't ever done archery before?" Katniss asked me.
"Never," I said, still staring at the two bull's-eyes I'd gotten.
"You must be a natural," Gale said.
Katniss stared at me for a moment, and then put out her hand. I handed her the bow and quiver full of arrows.
"Guess practice is over," she said, smiling at me. "Now what you need is your own bow."
"Where do I get one?" I asked.
"Oh, you don't get one," Katniss said. "You make it. I can show you how, if you like."
"I'd love that," I said.
President Snow might be after my family, I thought. But I won't dare let him starve them to death.