The Boy With The Bread

Chapter 20

Katniss POV

I am lying in a fluffy bed of grass, the green blades hugging my body. I am scarred and bruised and bloody, in my Hunger Games outfit. I am too unfit to be in this beautiful place. The meadow is dotted with pretty little flowers, of all shapes and colors and sizes. I am not alone, someone's arms are wrapped around me, embracing me warmly. I smile and try to turn to see who the person is, but I am unable to. All I know is that the person is strong and kind. The figure holding me stands up, plucks a yellow blossom and hands it to me. I gratefully takeit, inhaling the sweet scent. The sky is blue and painted over with a few white clouds, the sun casting rays onto us. I gaze into the sky as the person tells me, "I love you, Katniss. I love you." Then suddenly, the sky turns grayer and grayer until it is almost black. I can hardly see, except the one yellow blossom in my hand."Katniss! Run!" The figure screeches. I try to stand, but I am immobile. Helplessly, my arms and legs flail around while the stocky strong boy attempts to lift me off the ground. I do not know what is going on, but that we are in danger. Hysterically, I scream and kick. "Katniss! I love you. Come on!" I shake my head no vigorously. The boy shakes me, urging me to come. Now, it is too late. I should have told the boy to run. The sky is falling. Chunks of black pound the once beautiful earth. I am being crushed by the heavy black pieces. The boy says one last "I love you." and the last thing I see is that the boy, who I now realize has blond hair, who held me so dearly and who never left me, is being smashed to pieces under a black rock.

I bolt upright, vaguely aware that I am back in the arena, in a black sleeping bag next Gale. Gale is still sleeping. I am back in to arena. A tear escapes my eye, and I am desperate to know what Snow has in store for me. There are not many tributes left, and I wonder if Rue is still alive. Probably not. And I vowed to protect her. I sigh, and think about the dream I had. The blond boy... I only know two blond boys. Cato and... Peeta... It certainly wasn't Cato. And I never even talked to Peeta in my entire life. He is too popular at school to notice a lowly, random girl like me.

I am in relief when I find my bow, lying next to Gale. I hear him mumble something in his sleep, and it sounds like my name. "Katniss..." I shake him awake.

"Gale! Wake up!" He rolls over, tangling himself in his sleeping bag. "Gale Hawthorne!" I order. He finally rubs the sleep from his dark eyes and sits up.

"Katniss? Katniss!" He exclaims, overjoyed. He jumps up and starts hugging me and kissing me. I guess he sees the horrified and disgusted look on my face, as I stiffen and baack away.

"Um... Gale..." I say. He pushes himself away from me hurriedly and doesn't say a word. He just gets up and suggests we go hunting.

Several hours later, the awkwardness still lingers in the cool morning air. We have come up with two rabbits, a squirrel and some greens. It is eerily silent as we tread through the dark underbrush.Crackle, crackle. I hear a noise, and I glare at Gale, although he would never make that obnoxious noise. He is always so silent, even when we hike through dead, crunchy leaves. Crackle, crackle. Gale shrugs at me. I instinctively whip my head around, but I see nothing. The crackling noise continues, then I hear a small yelp.

"Help!" A squeaky voice cries. "Help!" Rue. I recall her sweet, high pitched voice at the interview.

Gale sees the look in my eyes. "No, Katniss. It's too late. We've got to go." I know what he means. It is too late in the games to get Rue. I kind of wish Gale was dead already so that there will be no chance I would have to kill him myself. If it came down to it, would I really be heartless enough to kill my life long best friend? And if I came home by killing Gale, what would my neighbors and fellow District 12 citizens think of me?