Ehhh, this is short, but at least it's something right? Keep up with all of the feedback guys (:
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.
Katniss' POV
I sat my alarm extra early for the next morning. During the feast yesterday, Hazel handed me a note from Gale telling me he wanted to meet me in our old meeting spot in the woods. I know it's not safe to go in the woods, I'm not sure how President Snow knew Gale and I hunt illegally, but it makes me worry on what else he could possibly know. No one in the Hob would tell, because we could report each other for also trading illegally. Everywhere in the Victor's homes a bugged, so in a way, the woods are a dangerous place to go, but the safest for talking.
I jolt up when I hear my alarm clock go off. I dismiss it and get dressed in my dad's old hunting gear. His boots are becoming more worn out, even though I can afford to by some, I can't let these go.
The note also said meet him there at sunrise, but because President Snow has his sources, it's safer to leave when it's darker this way I can easily go unknown. I jog out of the Victor's Village and through town. The worse part about living in the Victor's Village is that to get the entrance to the woods, it's all across town and being the Victor of the Games is already has you a celebrity, you get more attention attracted to you than normal. When I get at the fence separating the District and the woods I listen carefully for the buzzing sound for electricity. The fence is supposed to be electric. The Capitol says it's to keep wild and rabid animals out of the District, but we all know it's so we don't go out of the District boundaries and hunt for food. I almost want to think the Capitol wants it's Districts to starve. In the Capitol they eat and then make themselves throw up so they can eat more and here, it's a struggle to find enough food to keep your belly full for one meal.
Nothing. No hum. It's safe to cross. I cross under the hole right under the fence. I still have about an hour before sunrise. So I decide to run the snare trap that Gale normally sets up. Out of ten snares, there are seven rabbits and I manage to shoot down three squirrels. I can see the sun start to rise in the sky above so I run through the woods meeting Gale at our meeting place which is a rock overlooking the vast mountain range. The country here before us, America, called the Appalachian Mountains. But in Panem, we just call them Snow's Mountains. In honor of President Snow. I have no clue what genius thought of that name.
When I arrive at our meeting spot, Gale is already there. "I see you already ran my snare line." Gale says plainly without turning around to look at me.
I take my usual spot next to him. "Yeah. I have the meat if you want it." I say and hand my game bag over to him but he rejects it.. He needs the food, he has his brothers and sister and mom to feed, and me, well, I the Capitol provides my meals. "Come on Gale. You know my family doesn't need this. We have enough food." I say.
But Gale just shakes his head. "Why don't you just give it to Baker Boy. That's my wedding gift to you Katniss." He says. I can hear the hurt in his voice about Peeta and I. But I only feel symphony for him for a minute.
Did he really only want to meet me here to talk about my marriage with Peeta? "Did you only want to meet me here to talk about Peeta?" I ask, because if he did, that's really unfair to me.
"Yeah. Why didn't we run off the morning of Reaping Day? We could be thriving on our own without the Capitol's rules!" He yells in a whisper voice.
The sun is almost up all of the way, it's not as dark as it was this morning and I can see Gale's facial expressions. "Who would have volunteered for Prim? Prim probably would be dead right now. Peeta probably would be dead. I wake up screaming every night from nightmares from the Arena. And normally when you comfort someone about nightmares you say 'it's only a dream. It never happened.' Well, for me, mine did happen. Rue died right in my arms. Cato in pain and being eaten by the mutts. You didn't survive the Games Gale or go through them. And even when you do leave the arena, you never leave the arena because of your mental state. Sleeping with the lights on, crying, sleeping with a knife, getting drunk. Anything to make you forget about the time in there" I'm practically yelling right now. I admit I probably did over react to it, I've been really moody lately. But I couldn't help it. He also knows that yelling in the woods would attract unwanted attention later on.
I don't care. I've been so moody lately. I grab my game bag and leave Gale over there on the rock. I trek my way back to the fence. I listen for the hmm of the fence and carelessly make my way back into the District, not paying attention to my surroundings.. I didn't really think my yelling would have been the cause of what happened next.
Three peace keepers spot me from coming under the fence. By now, it's probably around 10 a.m. I stand stick still by a tree hoping they don't see me. Because if they do, I'm dead meat. I see one of the peace keepers point at me. Great, I've been caught. I'm going to die. I bet President Snow had this specially planed out.
"Hold up ma'am." One of the peacekeepers says and all three of them run over to me. I don't know why, but I freeze up unable to run to find cover. Two of the peace keepers hold my arms, I struggle to break free, but their grip on me is too strong. The other peace keeper looks through my game bag and finds all of the dead rabbits and squirrels.
"I have the perfect punishment for her." The peace keeper says to the other two. I'm being dragged into the Town Square against my will. It's been years since a thing like this has happened in District 12. I'm tied to a pole, they rip off my shirt so I'm only in my bra. My hands are are tied as well so I can't escape.
One of the peace keepers calls the attention to the people who happen to be in town. "Ladies and gentlemen, it turns out we have caught our self a poacher! Why, we all know what the punishment for poaching is, don't we?" He asks. Of coarse we know what the punishment is, it's death.
The peace keeper takes out his, whip. "Now, we would hate to have anyone else go through this pain." He says and lets the first whip crack. I felt it hit my skin and I already know I'm bleeding. I scream in pain, I can feel the tears also streaming down my cheeks. I can't look this weak in front of the whole District! I've won the Hunger Games, I should be stronger than this. I feel the whip hit my bare skin about twenty more times before I can hear a familiar voice yelling.
"Katniss? Katniss? Are you alive?" It's Peeta's voice. I don't have the strength nor energy to reassure him I'm alive. But then again, I think I'm dead. I just hang there probably looking lifeless. "She's dead, let me just have a few words with her!" I hear Peeta screaming. I'm assuming the peace keepers are restraining him so he can't come to my aid. The whip hits me again for at least another ten times before I pass out.
I don't remember much, I remember waking up, going into the woods, I get caught for poaching, got whipped, and now I'm on a kitchen table? No, I have to be dead. But this looks a lot like my house back on Earth.
"Katniss, do you need me to get you anything?" It's Peeta's voice, I turn my head over facing Peeta. I can't be dead, because Peeta isn't dead.
"Am I dead?" I ask, I probably sound all groggily.
"No, Katniss, you're alive and I'm going to take good care of you while you heel." Peeta says and gives me a kiss, "Mrs. Everdeen, she's up." Peeta shouts.
Mom comes walking in the kitchen, "Oh good Katniss, you're up." She says and puts something cold on my back.
"It hurts. It really hurts. What happened?" I ask.
"You were whipped in town square." Peeta says. I nod my head, that must be why I'm in so much pain, well my back is.
"And this medicine should help heal it I think. But we might have to take her to a Capitol doctor, these cuts are really deep." My mom says.
"Katniss, you need to get some sleep." Peeta says. I've been sleeping a lot, maybe even the whole day? But I nod in agreement because fatigue starts to take over my body...