Into the Woods

Chapter Fourteen

The next thing I know I'm moving. I'm not sure how. My head is throbbing, I try to open my eyes, but the world flashes before me and I can't focus on a thing. I think I see light though. I'm being jostled around. I try and open my eyes again and slowly make out the forest floor beneath me. The forest? How did I get here? I try to look around again. I see trees flashing by. Maybe I hear leaves crunching beneath my feet. Wait. Not my feet. My legs don't seem to be moving. But the forest is rushing past me. The forest again. That doesn't seem right. How did I get into the forest? Details are colliding in my brain as I try to piece together the morning. Waking up, walking to town, seeing Cinna, the mine interview, the elevator. And the explosion.

The explosion! I remember a loud crash, flames, screaming. Gale! I know I have to find out what happened to him. I start to thrash, trying to find my own feet. I realize for the first time that someone must be carrying me. My hands feel a body beneath me and I start to kick and punch. The person was unprepared for my attack and we both stumble to the ground. Free, I try to make my escape. My head spins as I try to get up, but I'm not willing to lose the brief advantage I have.

"Gale!" I scream, sprinting off in the opposite direction. "Gale!" Panic floods my brain and my vision blackens. I have to lean against a tree to steady myself. My ears are still ringing, but I hear someone call my name.

"Katniss!" It's Gale.

"Gale!" I scream frantically. I can't tell where his voice is coming from with the ringing in my ears. Someone grabs me from behind. I spin around, ready to swing but stop myself when I see it's Gale. "Oh! Gale!" I throw myself into his arms. He embraces me. "Gale, I don't know what's happened. But something's wrong!" I don't even know how or where to start explaining, and it doesn't occur to me that I shouldn't have to as he was there the whole time with me. "Someone's after me, we have to go quickly."

"What?" Gale seems confused. I grab his hand, pulling him back towards town. "Katniss, no." He stops, I cannot move him.

"Gale!" there's a terrible urgency in my voice. Why doesn't he realize the danger we're in? "We have to go!"

"No Katniss, not that way, follow me," he tries to lead me in the opposite direction.

I suddenly hear my heart pounding in my ear and blink to try and clear my vision, but I can't stop the first few details from clicking together. I remember Gale's shirt is the same one I saw on the man trying to run off with me.

"Gale?" My voice drips with confusion and betrayal. I jerk my head from his and try to make sense of it all.

"There isn't time, Katniss, we have to go!" He grabs for me again, but I wriggle free. I start running from him. I don't know what's going on, and my head is too fuzzy to try and make sense of it all. But I know something horrible happened back at home. I hear the explosion, smell the smoke, see the flames. I don't know what, but I have to get back and see if everything is all right. An image of Prim flashes before my eyes and I panic. I have to make sure she's safe. It's the only thing I know right now.

It takes only moments for Gale to catch up with me. He reaches for my shoulders, but I swing around and stop him, hitting him square in the nose. We're going to fight if he wants to stop me. Red gushes and chokes his mouth. I hear him swear as his spits the blood away. I only gained a few yards, however, and Gale is again on top of me. He dodges my next blow and swiftly snatches me up. He's strong and serious, and I think back to some of the moves I learned in the Games. I claw at his face, drawing blood. He tries to throw me over his shoulder again, but I thrust my elbow in his face and wrench his thumb. This brings him to his knees in tears. I kick him hard in the chest and hear him gasp for air. I sprint off again. I think I might have a good start this time when he suddenly crashes into me. He must have lunged for me. He's on top of me and has pinned me to the ground. He holds my arms immobile above my head. I try to wriggle free but can't. He's too strong for me. But, I'm in battle mode. If Gale wants to fight me, I'm going to take him down. I knee him in the groin. He grunts painfully and falls to the side. He grabs my leg and I fall painfully to the ground. The twists me around and swallows me in an inescapable bear hold. I kick, but cannot do much damage from this position. He easily lifts me and starts to carry me off. I can't make my arms move, and his hold is so tight, it's slightly painful. I keep trying to wriggle for minutes, but it's no use. Gale is just too strong. With no other option, I start to scream. "Prim!" I yell, "Prim! I'm coming!" Gale moves one of his hands over his mouth to stop me. Just what I wanted. I clamp down on his flesh and taste the salt of blood. He tries to resist the pain and holds for a few moments. But I see the anguish in his eyes. Gale curses and finally lets me lose. He's on his knees, but I've underestimated his capabilities. He anticipates my next blow, and deftly grabs my leg and spins me to the ground. My face smacks into the earth. I try to get up, but I think he's angry now. He was apparently going easy on me before and I feel his full fury. He takes my one arm and painfully twists it behind me. I'm nearly paralyzed in pain. He's got his full wait on my legs, preventing me from getting up. I open my mouth to scream again, but he quickly reacts and pushes his other hand over my face. I can barely breathe.