Part 5: The Girl On Fire

Chapter 9

I burst through the door. My mom stared at me.

"It's Gale." I cried.

"Get him here." She said. Me and Bri cleared off the kitchen table. Haymitch and peeta laid Gale down on top of it. Gale groaned in pain.

"New head Peacekeeper. Not entirely peaceful." Haymitch said. Bri cupped my face examining it.

"Missed your eye. Doesn't need stitches." She said. Since when did my sister become such a doctor?

"Make a snow coat." My mom said.

"peeta get the snow. I'll get the herbs." Bri instructed. peeta ran outside as Bri went to a cabinet. My mom started pouring liquid onto Gale's back. He whimpered in pain.

"What is that? It's hurting him!" I said.

"He needs morphling." She said. She walked over to the cabinet. Haymitch grabbed the bottle of liquid and sniffed it. He then started to pour it in a cup. I snatched the bottle from his hand and set it back down on the table. Haymitch drank what he had poured into his cup. Gale cried in pain. Bri came over with a syringe in her hand.

"Hold him please." She said. I held Gale's head down. Bri inserted the syringe into his back. Gale grunted in pain.

"That's better." Bri said. I looked at her. I've missed 4 years of her life. She's grown up so much since I've last seen her.

***

I sat down at the table watching Gale. He was fast asleep. I ran my fingers through his hair. I hated seeing him in so much pain like this. Gale stirred awake.

"Hey Maddie." Gale whispered.

"Hey." I said softly.

"I thought you'd be gone by now." Gale said.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna stay right here. Cause all kinds of trouble." I said.

"Me too." Gale breathed. Then we both fell asleep.

***

I heard a door open and the close. I didn't feel like lifting my head up to look.

"Hey." A voice said. I turned my head around. peeta stood in front of me.

"You wanna get some rest? I can look after him for awhile." peeta offered. I nodded my head and yawned.

"I'm gonna go get him some more snow." I said. I put on my boots and jacket and went outside. I started digging snow up and putting it in a bowl. I heard the door open and close. My sister crouched down next to me.

"Hey." I said.

"How's your eye?" Bri asked

"It's not my eye that's bothering me. How can we live like this? How can anybody live like this?" I said.

"It's not living but since you came back... something is different. I can see it." She said. I stopped digging and looked at her.

"What can you see?" I asked.

"Hope." She said.

"You understand that whatever I do comes back to you and mom. I don't want you to get hurt." I said.

"You don't have to protect me. Or mom. We're with you." She said. I embraced my sister into a hug.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too." Bri said. The TV turned on. President Snow's face popped up on the screen. I could hear a crowd cheering in the background. We all sat down on the couch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as you all know by now, we are starting up the Games again. This is the 75th year of the Hunger Games. And it was written in the charter of the Games that every 25 years there would be a Quarter Quell. To keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died in the uprising against the Capitol." Snow said. What the hell is a Quarter Quell? I've never heard of it before. Snow continued.

"Each Quarter Quell is distinguished by Games of a special significance. And now on this the 75th anniversary of our defeat of the rebellion, we celebrate the 3rd Quarter Quell as a reminder that even the strongest can not overcome the power of the Capitol." Snow said. I leaned forward in my seat. I have a bad feeling.

"On this, the 3rd Quarter Quell Games, the male and female Tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of Victors in each district." Snow said. My mouth dropped. No. No. No. No. I heard my mother start sobbing. I got very dizzy. No.

"Who does he mean?" My sister asked. I ignored her. Snow continued with his speech. I stumbled off the couch and started out the door.

"Maddie!" My sister called out. I heard Haymitch yell in anger. I ran into the woods. I kept running. And running. I couldn't breathe. I stopped and fell to my knees. I was panting and crying. No. I can't do another Hunger Games. I can't.