The Odds {Hunger Games}

Chapter Three

Heey everyone. I just wanted to remind ya'll to read my other HG story, Tribute Misconceptions. I would really appreciate it. Also, could I have some honest feedback below Read! Comment! Vote! Enjoy! Thanks!

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XOXO, Emmy

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Chapter Three

I took a step back. Peeta looked at me confused.

“What’s wrong, honey?” he asked.

“The fence. It’s on,” I said in a scratchy voice.

 “How do you know?” he asked in disbelief.

“I can hear it,” I explained.

“Really? I don’t hear anything,” he said.

“Me neither,” Rose commented.

“It’s happened before. I got stuck in the woods once. I could hear the fence. It’s on for sure,” I explained.

“What!? When was this?” Peeta asked with concern.

“Before the Quarter Quell,” I said.

“Well how did you get out?” he asked.

“I climbed a tree and jumped over the fence. But that’s out of the question now,” I answered.

We would have to find a new way, because Peeta could never really climb trees and the jump would be too high for the kids.

“I can fit under the fence,” Finn suggested, “then I can go get help.”

“No way!” Peeta yelled. “You could die.”

Finn went towards the fence but I quickly grabbed him back. I handed him off to Peeta and he propped him up on his shoulders. I started to pace in front of the fence. How were we going to get back? We had no food and I didn’t have any supplies with me to hunt with.

"I guess I could do it again. Climb the tree, I mean. I've done it before. That way I could go get some rope or something," I suggested.

"It's too risky. You've done it before but that was when you were younger. You could hurt yourself coming down," Peeta elaborated.

"Well what else can we do?" I asked.

"Maybe I could be of assistance," a voice said. A familiar voice.

Peeta looked angrily behind me. I turned around and gasped. He didn't look a day older. He was defiantly taller, bigger and older than how I left him, but he still looked around 19 to me.

"Gale?" I asked in a shaky voice.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. It's me," he said in an irritated voice.

I glared at him and waited. "Well? What are you waiting for? Are you going to help us out here? Or just stand there?" I spat.

"Hey, is that anyway to talk to someone who's trying to help you?" he mocked.

"Just do it," I sighed.

He pulled out some rope from behind his back and tossed the end over the fence so that it caught in the tree.

"Catnip, you climb up and tie it to a stable branch. I just need something for you to slide down on," I explained.

"We've got a picnic blanket," Peeta suggested.

"Yeah I guess that'll do it," Gale said, not looking at Peeta.

I followed Gale's instructions and climbed the tree to where he threw the rope and secured it to a thick branch above. Peeta tossed the blanket up to me and I tied the ends together above the rope so it looked like a swing. I climbed backed down.

"Okay Rose. You first. Start climbing, I'll be right behind you," I instructed.

  Rose was a natural, like me at climbing trees. She scurried up the tree like a squirrel. I followed right behind her. When we both reached the right branch she leaned in close to me and asked, "Who is he?" and nodded her head at Gale.

"I'll explain later," I said as I helped her adjust her body on the blanket.

She flew down along the rope and I watched as Gale caught her in his arms and gently placed her on the ground. I saw her flinch and step away from him. Rose didn't trust people she didn't know and I could tell she was scared to let Gale handle her.

I went back down to get Finn. He couldn't climb like Rose and I could. I guess he was like Peeta that way. It took longer, but I got him up the tree and watched as he slid down and Gale caught him at the bottom. Only Peeta was left. I went down and started to help him up. It was hard because he had an artificial leg. What I was really concerned about was Gale at the bottom. What if he didn't help him or they started to pick a fight?

When we made it to the top, I stopped Peeta from going down and called down to the kids, "Rose, Finn, you two be good and help daddy get down alright, okay?" I hollered.

"What? You don't trust me?" Gale snorted.

I glared at him, "Should I?"

He brushed me off and I saw the kids ready to help Peeta. I have Peeta a peck on the cheek and let him go. Rose was the first to grab a hold of him and Gale steadied him as he hit the ground. Peeta smiled up to me and waved me down. I slid gracefully to the ground.

I picked Finn up and Peeta took Rose. I turned to Gale, "Thanks," I said to him. Then we headed down the road, leaving him behind us. I wanted nothing to do with him.