Catching Fire. Chapter 1. Hawthorne's family home. The shoes pinch my toes as I crunch along the cinder street. Cutting down alleys and through backyards gets me to Gale's house in minutes. His mother, Hazelle, sees me through the window, where she's bent over the kitchen sink. She dries her hands on her apron and disappears to meet me at the door.
She takes the beaver by the tail, feeling its weight. “He's going to make a nice stew.” Unlike Gale, she has no problem with our hunting arrangement.
“Good pelt, too,” I answer. It's comforting here with Hazelle. Weighing the merits of the game, just as we always have. She pours me a mug of herb tea, which I wrap my chilled fingers around gratefully.
My other illustrations:
[link] Do not use without my permission.
Madge will be present in my drawings.