Not real.

Chapter Fourteen: Attacked

*Katniss*
   The future has a funny way of laughing in my face sometimes. Like right when I think that things might get better...everything goes wrong. Honestly now, I start to expect it to happen. No. I dread the day that this happens all over again. But this time it comes when I am least prepared. When I'm not expecting it. When I think I'll finally catch a break.
   It's been a couple of months since Gale moved back to district twelve. Thought I'm fully recovered he insisted it was best that he moved in with me for the time being. I was happy to oblige because he seems to be the only thing that can calm me down from my night terrors.
   A new trade center, somewhat like the Hob, has been set up. So Gale and I have passed the time by hunting together again. Although it's different now. It's like some of the excitement is gone because now it's legal to hunt and trade. But we also don't have to be afraid of being caught or letting our families starve to death. So I guess it can go both ways.
   One day as we sit in our spot after a full morning of hunting, Gale and I decide to split up so that he can set some more snares, which I've always been terrible at, and I can go get some more squirrels to trade at the new Hob.
   We rarely ever split up, especially now. But this time I don't really take time to think twice about it. What could go wrong right? But I can't help but feel this pit in my stomach that something isn't right. And I wish I would have listened to it.
   I walk down my regular route, thick with trees and bushes. The perfect habitat for squirrels. I walk silently as not to disturb my prey and before ten minutes is up I have three strapped to my belt.
   I continue to walk, but as I get to a section of my route alarms go off in my head. There are no more animal noises. I reflexively notch an arrow into place and scan my surroundings. A bush in front of me starts to shift, and at first so think it might be a wild dog or some other large animal because no one has traveled this far into the woods. How mistaken I am.
   I take a step closer and squint to see if I can make out the shape through the leaves when a human figure body slams me into the ground, knocking the wind out of me. Black spots appear in my vision for my head colliding with the ground. As my eyesight clears and I gasp for air I see the one face I'd never expect.
"Peeta..." I choke out.
"Mutt!" He yells, and slaps my face so hard I can't feel my jaw.
"Peeta this isn't you. The Capitol they,"
"You killed the Capitol citizens. They were protecting me, they were my friends, you slaughtered them like a monster. Like a Mutt."
He hasn't had a breakdown like this in almost two years, what on earth could have triggered this?
   My question dissipates when he draws a tiny knife from his pocket and places it on my throat.
  "And now, your going to pay for what you did." I draw a shaky breath and frantically try to choose my next words "Peeta, listen to me,"
"Never! Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie!" I start again.
"Peeta, the Capitol abducted you. They tortured you and they hijacked you remember? They made you forget who you were and then they made you a weapon, a piece in their games."
He looks confused for a moment but then his icy glare returns.
"No, no no you're wrong, you're wrong. They enhanced me. They made me smarter and stronger and better so that I could help them win the war. But then you killed all of them and now there's no one around who can save you." He smiles menacingly as he raises the knife above his head, aimed for my chest.
   I let two tears escape. I never thought I would die by the hands of my best friend. Goodbye Gale, goodbye mom, I'm coming Prim.
   I watch my whole life flash before my eyes when suddenly Peeta's weight disappears from on top of me. I open my eyes and look around confused until I see Gale tackling him to the ground.
"Katniss RUN!" He yells. Who does this guy think I am? Hell no. I grab my bow and aim for Peeta's ankle but he and Gale are moving so quickly I'm afraid I might hit Gale. I try to concentrate and aim but my heart is pounding in my chest, I hear my blood rushing in my ears, and all of a sudden it's like I can't breathe.
   Concentrate Katniss! I tell myself. I take a deep breath and am about to shoot when Peeta throws Gale against a tree. My mind forgets all about shooting and I lunge for Peeta's back. My self defense training kicks in and my arms wrap themselves around his neck in a choke hold. If I can keep him here for thirty seconds he'll pass out and Gale and I will have enough time to get to safety. One, two...I pinch my eyes shut. Peeta stumbles around, confused at first as to why there's a sudden weight on his back and why he can't breathe. Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen...He frantically starts to claw and my arms, drawing blood. Nineteen, Twenty...In a last effort he slams my back against a tree, I wince but hold on as he tries again, and again, and again. Twenty eight, Twenty nine, Thirty. Peeta's body slowly pitches forward and lands face first into the ground.
   I check his pulse to make sure he's still alive before rushing to Gale's limp body. And what I see before me strikes a fear into my heart that I've never experienced before in my life.
   His head is bleeding profusely where Peeta slammed it against the tree. His side is also gushing blood where Peeta had apparently stabbed him with a knife. His pulse is barely there and his breathing is labored. But I have no time to be overcome by fear. I will not lose him again.
   "Don't you dare die on me Gale." I whisper to him, "I'm going to get you help."
   I quickly take his arm and hoist him over my shoulders military style. With my first step I almost collapse under his weight. I re-adjust and try to go as quickly as possible to the gate. Even so, we're at least a mile from the gate, and by the time I get the my shoulders I'm convinced are breaking and my lungs feel like they're on fire. But no time to think about this. I set him on the ground as lightly as I can and hop over the gate myself before dragging him under it.
    Tears of relief flood to my eyes when I see people walking along the road next to the fence. I cry out for help and they rush to my aid. The two men, I recognize from when they helped carry Gale from the whipping post three years ago. You can't help but notice the irony.
   They carry him much more efficiently than I have and finally we are at the hospital. Gale is put on a stretcher and the nurse searches for a pulse. She finds one thank God, and she starts barking out orders and suddenly they are rushing him away from me. I sprint to catch up with them down the hallway and grab Gale's hand. It's cold and his skin is as white as paper. The nurse calmly but firmly tells me he's going into immediate surgery and I'm not allowed in the O.R.. I nod my head.
"Don't you leave me." I whisper against Gale's fingers. With a kiss on his hand he his ripped always from me and doors are slammed shut in front of me.
   At that moment all the world seems to come crashing down. I slump to the floor and my hands come up to my face as I begin to sob. Why do these things happen to me? Why did it have to happen to Gale? Why would Peeta do this? I know somewhere deep down that Peeta is not in control of his outbursts and that the Capitol did this. But right now he is the one to blame. He might have killed Gale for all I know.
  Suddenly a pair of hands grip my shoulders and I jerk my head up from my lap thinking its Peeta again but instead I find Haymitch's eyes. He stands me up and hugs me tightly. I cry into his shoulder.
"Shh, sweetheart it's gonna be alright what happened?"
The only word I can choke out is,"Gale." But I think Haymitch understands.
"Who?" He asks. And suddenly my mind clicks into place.
"Peeta, he had a meltdown, he attacked us in the woods and I knocked him out but he's still out there, we,"
Haymitch interrupts me and tell me he'll take care of it. He runs off to make a phone call and I'm left alone again in the hospital waiting room. I wipe my eyes with the back of my wrists and notice that I'm covered in Gale's blood.
   As if reading my mind a nurse calmly comes over to me and places a hand on my shoulder.
"I think we should check you out honey, just in case?" She asks. I give her a small nod and let her lead me into a room with curtains for walls. She cleans the majority of the blood off my skin and inspects me for injuries but save a minor concussion and a gash on my lower back from hitting a tree root, I don't have anything serious.
   Once I'm permitted to leave inspection I return to the waiting room. Haymitch is there waiting for me. I take a seat next to him.
"Peeta's okay, patrol got to him before he regained consciousness. Just know he won't be allowed around you or Gale for a while."
Good. I think to myself. I nod my head in acknowledgment before looking at him worriedly, questioning him with my eyes.
"No word on Gale yet." He sighs, and leans back in his chair.
"Then we wait." I reply. And I'm glad Haymitch knows me well, because I know he can sense that I have absolutely no intentions of leaving. I will wait.