A Dangerous Game (A Hunger Games Fan Fiction)

4. Go with the Flow

4. Go with the Flow

       I heard bustling around me. I tried to tune it out, but it was hard. I felt so exhausted that I should have easily fallen back asleep, but I couldn’t, and that really aggravated me. I tried burrowing under the pillow, trying to tune out the sounds.

            “No time for that,” Gale sang as he lifted the pillow off my head. I gave a groan and turned over, my back facing him. I didn’t want to get up. “Rise and shine. You’ll have some time to sleep when you’re in the Victors’ Village.”

            Victors’ Village…? Oh, right! How could I forget the plan so quickly? It had consumed my thoughts last night.

            “You’re going to have to carry me there,” I whined. “I’m not feeling a morning walk today.”

            “I’m okay with that.”

My brows tightened in confusion.

            I gave a yip as Gale pried me off the bed into his arms. Every part of me felt tired and heavy. I didn’t know what time it was, but it definitely was way too early for my taste. I couldn’t even concentrate. If I couldn’t now, how would I when I had to act like Katniss around Peeta?

            Gale tiptoed with me out his bedroom door and managed to slip out of the house with me in his arms.

My eyelids were very droopy, so I could barely see out of them. My head rested comfortably against Gale’s chest. I could hear his heartbeat and feel the slight bounce with each step he took. I was so tempted to go back to sleep, but like Gale said, I would probably be able to sleep once I dyed my hair—if I managed to stay awake that long. I’d probably sleep on the floor first thing and forget the hair dye. Then Peeta would wonder who I was and why I was there. Then I’d have to make a story up.

Long story short: I could sleep when in the Victors’ Village, not when Gale was carrying me, no matter how tempting the idea was.

            “Carrying me to the Village was supposed to be a joke,” I grumbled groggily as we made our way to the village.

            “Well, if it was, I can just set you down—”

            “No, I’m good.”

            “That’s what I thought.”

            I was too tired to roll my eyes at him. “Got any tips for me while we’re walking there?” I asked sleepily, yawning hugely.

            “Don’t slip up.”

            “That’s kind of a given.”

            “Be convincing. If you seem to act too strange around Peeta, he’ll notice and get suspicious.”

            “Great, so I’ll have to be working. First I’m overtired, and now I’ve got to work. Why did I sign up for this?” I complained.

            “Because you—”

            “I trust you, yada, yada, yada,” I snapped.

            “Wow, you really are tired.”

            “Gee, thanks for finally noticing.”

            I didn’t know how Gale did it, walked to the Victors’ Village all while carrying me in his arms. I knew he was capable of doing a lot, but doing this was not something I expected. Then again, I didn’t expect Katniss to be taken by a hovercraft and look how I was proven wrong.