Story Ideas

A Rose's Snare pt 2

I wake up to Effie banging on my door. “Time for a big, big, busy day. No time to be sleeping in Miss Primrose. Get up and come to breakfast.”

I sigh and sit up on the edge of the bed. My hair is a mess from the night before so I pull the rubber bands out and let my brown hair fall around my shoulders. I find a brush and brush it out as I look into a crystal clean mirror.

Once my hair is brushed out I find a set of dark blue clothes and put them on. After putting my hair up in a ponytail I head to the dining room.

Gale sits at the table with his face rested on his arm. Effie frowns at his elbow on the table while Haymitch pokes at a biscuit on his plate. Haymitch’s face is red and puffy from being drunk.

I sit next to Gale and stare at the cup of brown liquid that had just been set in front of me. Effie smiles at me slightly. “Go ahead and take it. It’s hot chocolate. You’re looking at it like its mud. Do you not have that at your home?”

Gale snorts. “For someone who is supposed to know about our district, you’re very stupid. Noone in the district can even afford sugar much less chocolate.”

Effie looks at Gale shocked. Haymitch laughs suddenly. “Looks like we have some fight in the boy. Will be good on the field. Let’s hope this runt is feisty or it’s going to be a bad year for our District again.”

I look at Haymitch, disgusted. “At least I don’t drink my life away only to have a little girl and her mother carry you home every week. But you wouldn’t remember that since you are too dammed drunk!”

Everyone looks at me in shock. Gale smiles suddenly. “You listen to Katniss why too much. Only she would have let you hear her cuss. But angry suits you.”

Effie looks bewildered. “Who is Katniss? Is she your sister? Why didn’t I see her visit you?”

I frown and look at the table. Gale sighs and wraps an arm around me. “Katniss disappeared and it’s not something we want to talk about. And as for you Haymitch,” Gale stands up and digs a knife into the table, “Prim is no runt and one of us will win the Hunger Games for our families. With or without your help, we will make it.”

Gale storms out of the room. I look up to see a smug look on Haymitch. He stands and pats me on the back. “Sorry about your sister. And I will help you guys. Your friend Gale seems to be a fighter and exactly what we need to win.”

I sigh and look at the table, full of food with a knife sticking out of it. Effie tisks and stands up. “Well I guess this meal is a disaster as well. I must get to my schedule for the sake of everything else.”

Effie leaves and I am left alone at the table. I silently pick out a piece of fruit and chew on it slowly as I think about what just happened.

Suddenly Gale appears next to me and picks up a biscuit. “I’m sorry for acting like this. But Haymitch ticks me off so much. And with the way they act it’s like we are objects in a game, not a bunch of kids.”

I sigh. “Haymitch did complement you and said you’re the reason why one of us will win. I’m still too little and helpless to even appear to be any kind of challenge.”

Gale puts a hand on my shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. If he supports us then good otherwise forget him. Like I said we can make a good team and get you the hell out of there.”

The window goes dark suddenly. I stand and look at Gale. “Well then let’s get through this and get one of us home I think we are nearing the capitol.”

Gale nodds and looks out the window. I recognize the distant look in his eyes. He is remembering our fathers who died in those mines so many years ago. But I don’t share the small memory. I was too young to understand when it happened. I just remember the sudden emptiness in my life and how mother began to be very distant. After that was when Katniss began to hunt and take father’s place.