It's time. I say my final goodbyes to Cinna, and I'm in the tube.
We have a 60 second countdown. I look around. We're surrounded by trees. This is where Katniss would go. There's a lake to the side. That's where the careers will go. Rue and I look to Gale for confirmation. He nods and points to an area in the trees. We nod. This is where we must go. I point towards packs. We're all near one.
The buzzer sounded.
The games have begun.
We all run towards a pack. Gale is fairly close to me. I grab my orange pack, but I'm stopped by a boy from district 4. He has an axe already. He's about to chop my head off, when Gale pushes him away. But Gale won't kill yet. We run towards the spot in the trees. Rue is already there with a pack.
We run pretty far before we check our packs. In Rue's is a water skin, bone dry, a knife, a small wire, and an extra pair of socks. In Gale's is a first aid kit (SCORE) three knifes, a bottle, jerky, plants, a blanket, and more wire. Good pack. In mine, there's a packet of jerky and crackers, a wire coil, glasses that Rue identifies for night time, a water bottle, matches, and a sleeping bag. My pack was the largest.
While we had time, Rue taught me to climb trees, and Gale taught us both to set a trap.
It would be safer to camp in a tree, but Gale and I were uncomfortable with that so we found a kind of buried and hidden cave to stay in. It's hard to spot so we were fine for the night. The sleeping back was warm for the cool nights.
Rue and I snuggled up against Gale. He gave us each a little kiss on the cheek and fell asleep.
We wake to the sound of a branch snapping. Gale grabs a knife and creeps towards the entrance. I can here the person getting closer. They aren't very good at sneaking around because it's easy to make out the sounds. Maybe they're confident. Maybe it's the careers! They get closer and closer and closer. I hold my breath and in hops a waterfowl bird.
Great! I got all worked up for nothing. But, it's the hunger games. You can't be too careful.
Gale makes it into a meal. I don't look when he kills it, but it's very delicious.
Gale's POV
I look at the girls eating away. Good thing we found this waterfowl. I was getting hungry. I'm too used to eating in the capitol. But I'm sure I'll adjust.
Wait a second... waterfowl? There must be a source of water nearby.
I tell Prim and Rue to wait in the cave and I go out to look.
I take the water bottles, too, just in case.
I think I walk like two miles before I find any water. How did that waterfowl bird get so far? Still, at least I found water. I fill up the bottles and start to head back. That's when I realize I have no idea where I am. It all looks the same.
The girls are on their own. What have I done? I can't call out to them because A. I'm two miles away and B. That would totally guarantee a spear in my head.
I soon realize that I'm not a light walker and I left a pretty obvious trail. I start heading back.
I can't believe I was so stupid!
That's when I hear the scream.