The Huntress

Once Gale stopped spinning us, the hovercraft showed up and lifted us up into it. The minute we got into the hovercraft, the gamemakers started separating us.

“Adyrn!” Gale exclaimed.

“Gale!” I responded back trying to grab my hand but one of the heftier gamemakers grabbed me by the waist as I felt the tears start to bubble over because they were separating me from the one thing that kept me stable the last part of the games.

I was then put in a room with glass walls and onto a table and saw Gale put into the same room next to me. Gale quickly ran over to the wall and I looked at the glass as the tears continued to fall as multiple people were fixing my leg.

“You’ll be fine,” I saw Gale mouth the words to me and I shook my head no.

I wasn’t going to be okay this time not with Gale next to me to calm me down. We had went to hell and back and I couldn’t deal with much anymore. I then just looked up at the ceiling and waited for what was going to happen. Before I could say anything, I felt something being stabbed into my leg and I felt sleep take over my body. As I let the black consume me, I started dreaming. First I pictured Gale and I coming home to see Prim, Katniss, my mother, Posy, Vick, Rory, and Hazelle all cheering for us at the train station. Before it could get any better the picture fizzled into one of terror and horror. I was sitting in a chair with my hands bound behind me, and I was staring in the eyes of President Snow.

“How dare you defy the Capitol?” he boomed and I felt the crack of a whip against my back.

I screamed as tears fell down my face and I felt the blood run freely down my arms and back.

“I-I-I didn’t defy the Capitol,” I gasped.

“Liar!” he yelled and then I felt another crack against my back.

I screamed again and felt the blood flow down faster. The door then opened and peacekeepers were dragging Gale in.

“See what you did,” President Snow said, “You killed her for your stupid actions.”

I then woke up in a cold sweat tied down to a bed. I then started freaking out and trying to get up when the sliding door opened to reveal Haymitch.

“You were out for a while their kid,” he said and I noticed he was on my bad side and I my hand went straight to my ear, “Yeah they fixed it for you sweetheart.”

I then noticed that my skin was perfect and my leg had no infection and didn’t look like I was never injured.

“Pretty cool what they do with this stuff huh?” Haymitch asked, “They make you look brand new.”

“It is,” I said looking over at him, “Do I get to sit up and things now?”

“Soon sweetheart,” he said, “You’re almost healed up.”

“How’s Gale? Is he okay?” I asked, “No one hurt him did they?”

“He’s fine,” Haymitch and smiled at me, “You truly love him don’t you?”

“More than he’ll ever know,” I said and then I felt the sleep take over again.

The next time I woke up, I was in my room in the training center. I quickly got out of bed and ran all the way to dining room to see that Effie and Cinna were sitting at the table quietly talking. Effie then looked up at me and smiled.

“Well there she is,” she smiled, “You look good as new Adyrn.”

“Where’s Gale?” I asked as my smile fell.

“You’ll see him soon sweetheart,” Effie said, “Tonight is the final interview and then there is going to be a huge party in your and Gale’s honor.”

“Oh,” I said deflated and Cinna stood up.

“Let’s get you ready for tonight,” he said and then took me back to my room.

Once my door closed, Cinna wrapped me in a tight hug.

“I knew you could do it girl on fire,” Cinna said and I smiled back at him.

“Yeah,” I said, “I did it.”

He then got to work. He made me shower and he did everything from waxing me and painting my fingernails. He lightly curled my hair and put on little makeup.

“You’re going to be playing your innocent side tonight Adyrn,” Cinna said as he pulled out a pale yellow dress from his garment bag, “No heels, no fire, no spunk, just you being as innocent as possible.”

“Why?” I asked as I got into the dress and shoes Cinna laid out for me.

“Haymitch will explain when we get to the stage,” Cinna said.

I just nodded my head and followed Cinna to where I stood a few weeks ago but it felt like years ago. This time there was a wall up between me and I was guessing where Gale was waiting. I was quietly pacing when Haymitch showed up.

“Haymitch,” I said and hugged him.

“Hey sweetheart,” Haymitch smiled at me warily as the trumpets began to blare, “Act natural sweetheart. We’re almost done okay.”

I just nodded my head and soon the stage raised and the wall came down when I turned around to see Gale looking right at me. When I saw him I immediately ran over to him and flung myself at him.

“I thought they killed you,” he whispered in my ear and my eyes started watering.

“I thought they killed you when they separated us,” I said as he let go of me and slipped his giant hand into my tiny one.

“You’re good as new Adyrn,” he whispered in my ear and I smiled and blushed.

Everyone was clapping and cheering for us as we walked to meet up with Caesar to do one last interview before the party tonight. Gale shook Caesar’s hand and I gave Caesar a hug. We then sat down and Caesar started the interview.

“Wasn’t that a great reunion ladies and gentlemen?” he asked.

The crowd went wild and Gale and I smiled at each other.

“Take a seat, take a seat,” Caesar said as we sat down and Gale pulled me closer to him.

“Let us watch the highlights before we begin shall we?” Caesar said as the highlights started.

As we sat there we all watched the killings that went on during the game. They showed me stabbing the boy from District 10, shooting Marvel in the throat, Rue dying, me and Gale separating, the tracker jacker incident, and Gale and me finding each other and fighting Cato and Clove. I knew they would but they cut out me decorating Rue with all of the flowers. Then they showed a few of the cave scene and our famous kiss when Gale and I ended with our foreheads touching. They then showed Gale fighting with Clove when he went to go get the medicine. They then showed our final battle with Cato and the muttations. When the video was over, I noticed that I was curled up next to Gale and Gale had a protective hold on me.

“Well how do you two feel after winning the games?” Caesar asked.

“I don’t know about Gale but I’m happy they’re over,” I said, “I miss my family and want to see them.”

“I would have to agree but I’m also happy that she was able to get out of these games alive,” Gale said looking at me and I felt myself blush.

“About that,” Caesar said smirking, “How did you feel when you found Adyrn crying in the arena?”

“Heartbroken really,” Gale said looking at me, “I knew something bad must have happened because Adyrn tries to be strong for everyone and takes care of them before she takes care of herself. She’s always been like that.”

“And how did you feel when you saw Gale for the first time Adyrn?” Caesar asked me and I smiled lightly and looked at my hands before I looked up at him.

“Relieved, scared, worried, happy,” I started smiling a little more, “I had mixed emotions. I had just watched Rue die in front of my eyes and I was mourning over a friend dying and I needed some comfort and Gale was just what I needed. He ended being the person to save me I owe him my life.”

I then looked over at him and smiled at him and for the first time I saw Gale blush and smirked and looked down at my lap.

“You know we saved each other right?” Gale said looking at me and I just shook my head smiling and rolling my eyes at him.

“And I’m Old King Cole,” I replied and everyone started laughing.

The interview ended shortly after that and we were ushered into a car to where we would be crowned the winners of the 74th Hunger Games.