Strategical { hunger games }

Chapter One

~ The Day Before ~

      " Here, let me show you," I murmured, gently taking the bow from Prim's hands.

      " I'm sorry I can't get it, Katniss," Prim apologized, hanging her head.

      " No, don't be. You're doing fine. It just takes a lot of practice," I pulled back as I inhaled the cool, spring air. It smelled of flowers and pollen; moisture could be felt. I closed my left eye and aimed. I opened it and fired. My arrow hit the south east corner of the center.

      " I won't ever be as good as you," Prim huffed.

      " No," Prim's eyes widened with shock," you'll be better." Prim laughed a little, and I smiled.

      " Katniss, Prim, dear!" My mother called from the house. Prim stopped laughed and looked at me. I hid my bow in a hole in a tree and held my hand out for her to take. Prim took my hand and stood up from the rock she had been sitting on. Together, we walked to the house. I opened the cedar-wood doors and stepped onto the cold, stone floor. The lights above head flickered faintly, and a nice, cool breeze floated from a window. I heard my mother's voice and let go of Prim's hand. She looked at me.

      " C'mon." I nodded my head towards the kitchen my mother was sitting at the dining table, tapping her fingers nervously. I hadn't see Peeta lately. Bakery, I'd guessed. He jolted from his seat and immediately wrapped his arms around my back from underneath my arms. I hugged him back, but he nearly held me too hard.

      " Ouch..." I muttered as he pushed on my bruised ribs. He let go.

      " Sorry!"

      " It's fine." I gave him a light smile and looked away. With his hand, he brought my face up so my eyes met his. My mother coughed intentionally. I blinked and pulled out the chair next to nobody.

      " Peeta, tell her," My mother urged.

      " Tell me what?" I demanded before he could speak.

      " District 13 are - "

      " They're alive?" I questioned, surprised.

      " Yeah, uh, Haymitch told me," Peeta told me quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. " Well, they're in the Capitol. They're fighting us, Katniss. Um, we have to go to the Capitol."

      " An do what exactly?" I raised my voice. My temper escalated.

      " Katniss-" My mother began.

      " What?!"

      " Katniss, please," Prim's voice sounded. I cooled.

      " I-I'm sorry..." I murmured an apology.

      " It's okay," Peeta forgave me, reaching an arm across the table to grab my hand soothingly. I almost jerked away, but instead, I let him take it. He gently squeezed my palm, and I gave him a little smile.

      " What are we going to do? In the Capitol," I asked.

      " Haymitch didn't say. I don't think he knows," Peeta said. " If we don't leave, he said, Snow," I thrashed inside at the name," will send peacekeepers to ' retrieve ' us. Snow's words."

    " We should leave tomorrow. I'll contact Effie." I rose from the table, and Peeta stood as well.

    " I'll tell Haymitch," He came closer to me, his mouth next to my ear," I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

    " Okay. " H released my hand and walked towards the door, and looked back at me. When he turned, I said his name.

      " Peeta?" He looked again. " Thanks. For telling us."

      " Of course," Peeta said. Peeta smiled and walked out of the door. I helped mom and Prim prepare dinner. We sat down with the food and ate in silence. Until Prim spoke, that is.

      " You have to go again, don't you." It wasn't really a question. I paused.

      " Yes."

      " I trust you." I let it repeat in my head. I trust you... I couldn't muster words, so I took my plate to the counter, scooping the leftovers into Buttercup's bowl. I rinsed my dish off in the sink and turned back to my family.

      " I love you, okay? And whatever happens, be careful We'll be f-" I stopped. I knew we wouldn't be fine. But I continued anyway. " Fine. We'll be fine." Neither of them showed belief. They stood and came to me. I held my arms out. Prim buried her face in my stomach, and my mother put her chin over my shoulder. I bit my lip to old back tears.. Surprisingly, Prim was not sobbing. She's growing up... I thought, feeling proud, yet yearning. I let go of them. They knew I wasn't going to stay there tonight. I bolted upstairs and threw most of my clothes into a black bag. I slung the back over my shoulder and walked over to my window. I opened it and breathed in. I exhaled and climbed out of the window, onto the nearest branch of the tree next to my window. Step after step, I finally made it down to the last branch. Securing my bag, I jumped. The hit of the ground sent a shock through my legs and spine, making me gasp. I'd landed wrong. Slightly limping, I made my way to Peeta's house in the dark. Once I reached it, I walked around to the front door. It was dark red, like mine, but he hadn't installed a hole to see out of the door. I knew he'd still be awake, so I quietly knocked on the door. Only a few seconds later was he at the door. Peeta opened the door and I stepped into his identical house. He walked me towards his stairs, walking slightly different. We passed his kitchen, but not before I noticed red liquid on the floor.

      " Peeta, stop. What's that on the floor?" He turned, looking confused. I pointed at it.

      " Oh, I just got a little cut. I guess I forgot to clean up," He shrugged it off.

      " Show me."

      " No really, I'm f-"

      " Show me," I repeated, with more force that time. He huffed but removed his shirt, wincing in the process. There was a gash below his ribs about 3 inches long and a centimeter wide. " First-aid?" He started up to get it. " I got it, sit down. Where is it?" He pointed to the cabinet in his bathroom. I went to the bathroom and brought back the aid. I pulled out antiseptic to clean it as we sat on the hard, stone floor. Leaning him back on the couch, I put the clear liquid onto a cleaning cloth. I touched it to his skin. He whimpered.

      " I'm sorry," I told him, not looking up from his wound. My hand was shaking, so I put my other hand on his chest to steady both of us. I noticed he was shaking a little from the pain. I finished.

      " I'm done." He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. I took out a tube of the cream I'd gotten in the Hunger Games. I rubbed it over his gash. I don't think it hurt as bad. After it was rubbed in, I wrapped the bandage around his abdomen. I handed him his shirt and, after he put it back on, I offered my hand. He took it and we made our way upstairs. I let go of his hand once we reached his room and began to lay in the floor.

      " What are you doing? Come up here with me," Peeta told me. I stood up from the floor and slid my boots off. Leaving everything else on, I crawled into his bed. He, unexpectedly, tried to pull me closer to him, but his scrape prevented him from bringing me far. I scooted closer to him, believing it would be awkward. It wasn't, and I fell asleep quickly.

       ~ Next Day ~

      " Come on, Katniss," Peeta urged me. I stood at the entrance to Victor's Village, staring at my house. 5 in the morning, I knew mom and Prim weren't up. Then I remembered something.

      " I forgot to call Effie."

      " I know, I called her. It's fine," Peeta reassured me.

      " Okay." He tugged on my elbow. I looked away and followed him to the train station. The train was there, and we boarded immediately. As soon as everything was taken care of, I sat in a booth and stared out the window, in thought, until I saw the architecture of the Capitol.