The Ballad Of Melting Snow

What's the plan?

That night I slept with Prim. I held her while she slept. I was too afraid to sleep. I knew what I would see if I did. Last year the night of the reaping Prim had a nightmare that she was in the games. I told her it was okay, that it wasn't real. I can't tell her that anymore. I still have nightmares like that where I'm back in the games and Peeta and I fight to survive.

We didn't eat breakfast that morning. None of us had an appetite and even if we did I don't think we would be able to keep any of it down. Instead, my mother and I sat in silence in the living room while Prim did schoolwork in the kitchen. My mother still had that empty look on her face and I knew that it probably wouldn't go away until Prim and I returned from the games alive. I was going to bring her back. I was going to make sure of it.

A soft knocking came from the back door in the kitchen. Prim got up and opened the door to a very tired-looking Haymitch followed by Peeta.

Peeta.

I haven't thought about how Peeta must be feeling right now. He has two older brothers. Both of us will end up having to mentor our siblings. And only one of them can come home. Snow wouldn't make that mistake again. Peeta knows that.

"Well let's get this over with shall we?" Haymitch slurs taking a seat at the dining table

"Please make yourself at home," I say, slumping into the seat next to him. Peeta nods to me and takes the seat across from Haymitch. Prim removed her school things and brought them to the coffee table in the living room.

"As the oldest mentor of District Twelve I have been informed what the rules will be for the reaping" he informs us. He pulls out a Capital letter from his shoulder bag "Tributes are only to be reaped from relatives under the age of 25. If no relatives meet said age then reaping will be opened to any other biological relations" he reads.

Our parents will be safe. Since Haymitch doesn't have any family Prim is the only female under the age of 25 in either my or Peeta's families. Prim will be going into the arena and there's nothing I can do to prevent it. One of Peeta's brothers will be going in as well. By the end of the games, one of us may have lost a sibling, or both of us.

"Teach me how to hunt." I jump in my seat before turning around to face Prim who is now standing behind my chair. "Take me with you into the woods with you and Gale. you can teach me how to set snares, start a fire, and hunt."

"The last time I tried to teach you how to hunt you couldn't even shoot the bow because you didn't want to kill a squirrel" I reminded her.
"Well, I don't have a choice now do I?" She says "Peeta's brothers can come too. You and Gale can teach us how to survive in the woods. Most of the kids from our district don't have any survival skills going into the games but you did and you won."

"Fine" I agree. "I can ask Gale if he would be willing to help and Peeta would you mind asking your brothers if they would like to join?" I ask

"They will" they're the first words Peetas has spoken since he's gotten here. "I'll make sure they do." It's then that I finally take a long look at Peeta. His hair isn't brushed and his eyes are sunken and red. He has a cut on his bottom lip. His mother isn't the most forgiving person in the world. I can imagine that he went over to his family's bakery after the announcement only to be met with scolding from his mother. I've never met his brothers before. I can't even imagine how they feel right now.

"Then it's settled. You'll start as soon as possible, the more time you have to teach them the better" Haymitch tells us

____________________

Peeta has convinced his brothers to come to train with me and Gale. although it was more convincing to his mother than to his brothers. In exchange for my helping to teach Peeta's brothers, Peeta needs to do their work at the bakery. Because of this, we all decided that we would train every other day from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon. Today is the first day of training. Peeta should be here with his brothers anytime now.