Arrows in the Dark

The Fateful Day

I can't breathe again. My heart, what's left of it, is pounding out of my chest. I'm sure my jaw dropped. I quickly close it and regain my composure. Peeta has locked his jaw. His hands are in fists at his sides. The boys in front of him start to make room. He slowly makes his way through them. I try to catch his eye but he's not looking at me. I watch the muscles in his arm as he unclenches his hands. His face is expressionless. He was always good at that. He looks at me now. His blue eyes show little fear but are a bit shocked. Then he furrows his eyebrows. I can practically read his mind, he wants to know why i volunteered, but he knows why. We've never talked about that day but i know he remember's it just as well as i do. That was the day i fell in love with him.

"Well now. Any volunteers?" Effie asks looking out. Her hands are clasped again. Peeta puts his hands in his pockets. He stares out at the crowd. He's not looking out expectantly. I stare out with him. He has two older brothers. I know, i've seen them. One is too old to volunteer and the other.. Well. Family only goes so far. What i did was the unthinkable. volunteering for my best friend? Everyone must think I'm a lunatic. Effie steps back. It is done. We are the tributes. Mayor Undersee steps forward to read the Treaty of Treason. It's required but i'm not listening. I'm planning.

We could team up. I mean he knows i hunt. I've never told him specifically but his father has bought some squirrels from the three of us. I used to think of Peeta and his family sitting around the dining table eating squirrel and it would make me laugh. I don't know if Peeta eats them. Somehow i can't picture Mr. Melark eating them by himself secretly. I glance at him again. He's staring off. I think of the first time i saw him. I'd seen him around school of course but i had never talked to him. We hung out with different people.

It was January. Shortly after Katniss' dad, my hero, had died. She was still a wreck and her family was slowly withering. The District had given them a small compensation for his death. Only enough for a month. I know. I counted it. Her mom was suppose to find a job but by the end of the month she hadn't done anything Second month still nothing. Katniss mom would just lay un-moving for hours in her bed. It was unnerving. I was starting to get desperate. I watched Prim and Katniss grow scrawnier with each passing day. I couldn't let this happen. So i started to sneak out small amounts of food. They would eat it up but it was never enough.

I started to trade some of their things at the Hob. I had been their before with Katniss and her dad but never alone. Eleven years old and i was haggling a forty year old for vegetables and bread. Katniss came with me sometimes when she felt up to it. The Hob scared her without her dad there. Katniss kept herself and Prim presentable. If anyone found out the state their mother was in they would've taken them away from her, but what we were doing just wasn't enough.

Katniss was even desperate enough to go through trash cans in the merchant area. Some of them shooed her away, shrieking things at her like filthy child or dirty rat. Katniss never took them to heart. I don't even think she heard them half the time. She was always so wrapped up in her own little world. The money ran out. With three weeks til Katniss birthday. What food i could sneak away just wasn't sufficient enough though i tried as best as i could. Three weeks. I kept telling them. Hold on for three weeks. When Katniss turns twelve she could sign up for tesserae and be able to get by. I was already twelve but if i took out tesserae their would be questions from my parents.

The day i met Peeta was one i'll never forget. It was pouring rain. It hit the pavement so hard it seemed to jump back up at you. We had been trying to trade some ratty old clothes but nobody would take them for anything. We were staggering back through the merchant area when the fresh scent of bread hit me. The bakery! I wanted to slap myself silly for being so stupid. I had some money. I had been saving it up to get some sort of food for Katniss. I pulled it out now. I didn't have enough for a loaf, but maybe at least a couple slices of bread.

I had been practically carrying Katniss. I could've swept her up in my arms bridal style, I'm not strong she was just thin. She was so skinny i could see her bones. I set her down along the side of the bakery near the open kitchen door. Light was pouring from it and the smell of baked goods floated out. I rushed through the front door my clothes dripping wet. There was a boy my age peering above the counter. He took in my wet clothes and hair as i rushed toward him. I was shaking from the cold. "Can you get me anything for this." i pleaded putting the money out in front of him. He slowly counted and i remember tapping my foot anxiously. Then he shook his head.

"Sorry i can't. My mother won't let me sell anything less than a full loaf of bread." i remember my face fell. The look on his made it seem like he wanted to take it back. But then the look was gone.

"Are you sure." i pleaded. He nodded. Scooping up my money i rushed back out into the rain without even a goodbye.
Katniss wasn't where i left her. She was instead leaning against an apple tree beyond the Melark's pig pen. I rushed over to her.

"Katniss!" i shouted over the rain. She looked up at me lazily. She was dying. I started shaking her almost violently. "Katniss!"i shouted again.

"I want to go home." she whispered. I nodded fiercely.

"Yes. I'm taking you home." i said putting her arm over my shoulders and pulling her up into a standing position. "Katniss please." i begged as she tried to remember how to work her feet. I jumped out of my skin when i heard the crashing of pans. Then the screams and Peeta was being pushed out into the rain. He was staring up at his mom half scared.

"Feed it to the pigs you stupid boy! No one sensible will buy burned bread!" she screamed. He turned and faced the pigs. I tried not to gasp at the red mark that was appearing on his cheek. His mom had struck him. He began to tear pieces of the bread off the loaf and threw them at the pigs. He made a motion at me. One i could've sworn was a come her gesture. I staggered forward a bit. He wasn't meeting my eyes. Then suddenly he tossed a loaf at me. I was so surprised i almost didn't catch it. The second quickly followed. Then without a second glance at us he went back into the bakery and shut the door behind him.

"Katniss!" i shouted. "Bread." i said with joy, showing her. She was half conscious, but i heard her mummer something that sounded like bread. Clutching them tightly i zipped them up into my jacket and practically ran Katniss home. We came crashing into her house scaring Prim half to death. I dropped the bread on the table and pulled a blanket around Katniss shoulders. Her eyes were open now. She was staring at the bread on the table as if it would magically disappear. It didn't. I warmed some tea and brought Mrs. Everdean to the table. Katniss started cutting into the bread unaware of my presence. Prim looked expectantly at the bread. Her mother seemed more alive. Then like the wind i was gone.

I don't know if Katniss knows what happened that day. She may think i bought the bread but i didn't. It was all Peeta. I saw him at school the next day and i couldn't help but feel a fondness for him in my heart. The sun was shinning and Katniss was smiling. I knew everything was going to be ok from then on. He glanced at me on the play ground. I gave him a smile but he just looked away. I watched him grow and mature. That small fondness I had for him developed into a crush and slowly built up until i was where i am now. Falling completely head over heels. He doesn't feel the same way that much i know. Not that he has a girl i just know the love i give him will never be returned.

After that day things got better. Katniss and i had decided to become hunters. Like her farther had done part time. We had been outside the boundries before with her father, but never alone. The first day, just the two of us, was scary. We had our small hand crafted bows ready and waiting. We didn't ventrue to far in that day. We managed to kill a bird each though. They learned how to make a small thing go far. I brought myself back into reality. The mayor is finishing up reading the Treaty of Treason. Effie steps up.

"Now both of you shake hands." Effie says doing a little clap and smiling. She steps back and we turn toward each other. I had dreamed of holding his hand. Imagined his big hand enclosing mine. I just wished this was on better terms. I slowly moved my hand up to where his hand was waiting outstretched. I slip my slim fingers into his palm. He graps my hand. He feels solid and warm. I meet his eyes. They're piercing through me and I'm sure i would collapse if i wasn't on camera. Then he lightly squezzes my hand. I blink and before i can do the same his hand is gone. I drop my arm and face the crowd again. The anthem begins to play and i hold my breath. Maybe he'll die before i have to kill him. I blink again surprised at the harshness. Maybe you'll die first before him. My mind softens. Whichever way it was it would end with both of us dying.