you see? It can't be about just saving us anymore. Not if the rebellion's begun!” Gale shakes his head, not hiding his disgust with me. “You could do so much.” He throws Cinna's gloves at my feet. “I changed my mind. I don't want anything they made in the Capitol.” And he's gone.
I look down at the gloves. Anything they made in the Capitol? Was that directed at me? Does he think I am now just another product of the Capitol and therefore something untouchable? The unfairness of it all fills me with rage. But it's mixed up with fear over what kind of crazy thing he might do next.
I sink down next to the fire, desperate for comfort, to work out my next move. I calm myself by thinking that rebellions don't happen in a day. Gale can't talk to the miners until tomorrow. If I can get to Hazelle before then, she might straighten him out. But I can't go now. If he's there, he'll lock me out. Maybe tonight, after everyone else is asleep ... Hazelle often works late into the night finishing up laundry. I could go then, tap at the window, tell her the situation so she'll keep Gale from doing anything foolish.
My conversation with President Snow in the study comes back to me.
“My advisors were concerned you would be difficult, but you're not planning on being difficult at all, are you?”
“No.”
“That's what I told them. I said any girl who goes to such lengths to preserve her life isn't going to be interested in throwing it away with both hands.”
I think of how hard Hazelle has worked to keep that family alive. Surely she'll be on my side in this matter. Or won't she?
It must be getting on toward noon now and the days are so short. No point in being in the woods after dark if you don't have to. I stamp out the remains of my little fire, clear up the scraps of food, and tuck Cinna's gloves in my belt. I guess I'll hang on to them for a while. In case Gale has a change of heart. I think of the look on his face when he flung them to the ground. How repelled he was by them, by me ...
I trudge through the woods and reach my old house while there's still light. My conversation with Gale was an obvious setback, but I'm still determined to carry on with my plan to escape District 12. I decide to find Peeta next. In a strange way, since he's seen some of what I've seen on the tour, he may be an easier sell than Gale was. I run into him as he's leaving the Victor's Village.
“Been hunting?” he asks. You can see he doesn't think it's a good idea.
“Not really. Going to town?” I ask.
“Yes. I'm supposed to eat dinner with my family,” he says.
“Well, I can at least walk you in.” The road from the Victor's Village to the square gets little use. It's a safe enough place to talk. But I can't seem to get the words out. Proposing it to Gale was such a disaster. I gnaw on my chapped lips. The square gets closer with every step. I may not have an opportunity again soon. I take a deep breath and let the words rush out. “Peeta, if I asked you to run away from the district with me, would you?”
Peeta takes my arm, bringing me to a stop. He doesn't need to check my face to see if I'm serious. “Depends on why you're asking.”
“President Snow wasn't convinced by me. There's an uprising in District Eight. We have to get out,” I say.
“By 'we' do you mean just you and me? No. Who else would be going?” he asks.
“My family. Yours, if they want to come. Haymitch, maybe,” I say.
“What about Gale?” he says.
“I don't know. He might have other plans,” I say.
Peeta shakes his head and gives me a rueful smile. “I bet he does. Sure, Katniss, I'll go.”
I feel a slight twinge of hope. “You will?”
“Yeah. But I don't think for a minute you will,” he says.
I jerk my arm away. “Then you don't know me. Be ready. It could be any time.” I take off walking and he follows a pace or two behind.
“Katniss,” Peeta says. I don't slow down. If he thinks it's a bad idea, I don't want to know,
I look down at the gloves. Anything they made in the Capitol? Was that directed at me? Does he think I am now just another product of the Capitol and therefore something untouchable? The unfairness of it all fills me with rage. But it's mixed up with fear over what kind of crazy thing he might do next.
I sink down next to the fire, desperate for comfort, to work out my next move. I calm myself by thinking that rebellions don't happen in a day. Gale can't talk to the miners until tomorrow. If I can get to Hazelle before then, she might straighten him out. But I can't go now. If he's there, he'll lock me out. Maybe tonight, after everyone else is asleep ... Hazelle often works late into the night finishing up laundry. I could go then, tap at the window, tell her the situation so she'll keep Gale from doing anything foolish.
My conversation with President Snow in the study comes back to me.
“My advisors were concerned you would be difficult, but you're not planning on being difficult at all, are you?”
“No.”
“That's what I told them. I said any girl who goes to such lengths to preserve her life isn't going to be interested in throwing it away with both hands.”
I think of how hard Hazelle has worked to keep that family alive. Surely she'll be on my side in this matter. Or won't she?
It must be getting on toward noon now and the days are so short. No point in being in the woods after dark if you don't have to. I stamp out the remains of my little fire, clear up the scraps of food, and tuck Cinna's gloves in my belt. I guess I'll hang on to them for a while. In case Gale has a change of heart. I think of the look on his face when he flung them to the ground. How repelled he was by them, by me ...
I trudge through the woods and reach my old house while there's still light. My conversation with Gale was an obvious setback, but I'm still determined to carry on with my plan to escape District 12. I decide to find Peeta next. In a strange way, since he's seen some of what I've seen on the tour, he may be an easier sell than Gale was. I run into him as he's leaving the Victor's Village.
“Been hunting?” he asks. You can see he doesn't think it's a good idea.
“Not really. Going to town?” I ask.
“Yes. I'm supposed to eat dinner with my family,” he says.
“Well, I can at least walk you in.” The road from the Victor's Village to the square gets little use. It's a safe enough place to talk. But I can't seem to get the words out. Proposing it to Gale was such a disaster. I gnaw on my chapped lips. The square gets closer with every step. I may not have an opportunity again soon. I take a deep breath and let the words rush out. “Peeta, if I asked you to run away from the district with me, would you?”
Peeta takes my arm, bringing me to a stop. He doesn't need to check my face to see if I'm serious. “Depends on why you're asking.”
“President Snow wasn't convinced by me. There's an uprising in District Eight. We have to get out,” I say.
“By 'we' do you mean just you and me? No. Who else would be going?” he asks.
“My family. Yours, if they want to come. Haymitch, maybe,” I say.
“What about Gale?” he says.
“I don't know. He might have other plans,” I say.
Peeta shakes his head and gives me a rueful smile. “I bet he does. Sure, Katniss, I'll go.”
I feel a slight twinge of hope. “You will?”
“Yeah. But I don't think for a minute you will,” he says.
I jerk my arm away. “Then you don't know me. Be ready. It could be any time.” I take off walking and he follows a pace or two behind.
“Katniss,” Peeta says. I don't slow down. If he thinks it's a bad idea, I don't want to know,
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