Five Things Madge Thought Before She Died
5. Madge sat in a dark living room by herself for five minutes; her father was upstairs with her mother, probably wondering why the power went out. She couldn't tell for sure but it looked that all the power in at least the merchant class was gone the second Katniss had fired that arrow into who knows what. Madge was in on it all. Haymitch let her in the loop because of her connections. He knew she would be on board. Anything's better than this, she thought. That seemed to get here a lot of things. Being the Mayors daughter and all. Was that all she was? The Mayors daughter? She felt terrible for not being able to tell Katniss or Peeta or even Gale anything. But Haymitch had warned her against it. He told her that its best they didn't know till afterward. She trusted that drunken Victor for some reason. Haymitch gave her this look. Like he knew her before, in another life. But deeper than that. The look held something with more pain, a more knowing look. Like Haymitch knew her fate before she did. Madge knew she was a dead ringer for Maysilee. She had seen pictures. Her father's voice trails from upstairs, slightly muted, afraid of provoking his wife's migraine. "Madge? Are you OK?" Asks Mayor Undersea. "I'm fine, really." She answers in the same muted tone. Soon, we'll all be.
4. The servants come a minute later, lighting up candles all around the house. Everyone joined in the living room in a huddle. It's an eerie sight. The flickering orbs of flame trickle around the room like sea waves. They create shadows over dressers and mindless center pieces that mimic ferocious beasts lurking in the shadows. They remind Madge of the mutts President Snow seems to be so proud of. She gives a soft smile, knowing that these too will be gone soon. This was the part that Madge wasn't expecting. Her guess was as good as anyone's as to why the power went out. But, something was definitely wrong. Best to stay put though, Madge thought. Yah, I'll give it ten more minutes. Then start worrying.
3. It's been a full fifteen minutes. Madge was starting to worry, it still wasn't ten minutes. But ten minutes was just too long when it came to rebellion. Or just about anything when it comes to a drunken Haymitch, a rebellion, and a certain Mockingjay. Panic sets in, uncertainty. Was she relying too heavily on Haymitch's promises? Too little? Madge was the calm one, the quiet one, the steady one. Or she thought she was. How did she get involved in a rebellion sitting in a dark room, waiting for the electricity to flick back on? Yah, that was steady.
2. Madge knew a lot of things. She wasn't the one to underestimate the cruelty of the Capitol, or the audacity and unpredictability of their punishments. But what she didn't know was that the fire bombs would hit the Mayor's house first. Madge is blown aback by the blast. She cursed under her breath as she saw the blow in the kitchen, smearing the dirt and ash all over her face inna failed attempt to wipe the substances off. There was a strong fire going. The two servants, Abdul and Camilla were blown out. Dead. Madge couldn't feel her left leg. There was no time to comprehend it. Her mother was knocked out a few feet ahead of her and she couldn't even find her father in the rubble. There was no time to think, there was too much to take in.
1. She knew it was the end now. A sharp pain shot up her leg, replacing the emptiness that was there a second ago. The flame was crawling towards her. She wasn't going anywhere. Madge turned to the side, seeing the huge gash in there once magnificent mansion. There were people running frantically around. Not sure of where to go, what to do. Glimpses, quick sights of people she knew. Knows. Your not dead yet, she thinks. Young screams fill her ears. Her breathing picked up. Things were shutting down now. All Madge could do now from her rubble death bed was hope that Katniss and Peeta and the others would have a painless death. Who was she kidding? They were being tortured, limb from limb as she thought this. Madge's face contorts to pain. Not because the flames reach her feet. Because they wouldn't have a clue why. Well maybe they would. Was there any hope? Maybe. There had to be. Madge could have sworn she heard Posy scream. Could screams carry that far? There were a lot of shrieks and cries right now. Some moans. It was getting closer. She had a slight smile on her face though as her home burned down to pieces. Her parents may be dead right now, she was bleeding out on the floor, burning in the ruble now thinking the worst. But, that can't be it. The Capitol just burned down an entire District. And if anything, Madge wasn't going to die moaning in pain. She thought of Katniss, almost bug eyed as Clove was about to kill her. And somehow, Madge knew. So, with tears down her face, she smacked her eyes shut and pulled on a smile. Think of something happy. Anything, she thought. The first day of school. Watching the kids, including Katniss sing folk songs and revel in District 12. Not the Capitol. Her mother, that one day when she wasn't pulled down by drugs and head pain. Smiling for once in her life. Not chained to a mattress eternally living through Maysilee's Games. Giving Katniss the Mockingjay pin. Not knowing the peace and courage it gave the both of them. Madge stops thinking for a moment, all she can do is sharply inhale and exhale. Did her life just flash before her eyes? No, too short. That can't be it The fire burned slowly up her body. Not quick by any means. She couldn't move her lower half. Stuck to burn. With no wings like the Mockingjay's. But, she still had a smile, until the final bomb took out the rest. There wasn't anything left after that. Nothing but ashes and smoking embers and skulls and lost humanity. And one Mayor's daughter. Burned to crisp, grinning with some new found pride.