The Mayor's Daughter: The Catching Fire Chapters
(a continuation from The Hunger Games Chapters)
Disclaimer: This story has been written as fan fiction only and is for entertainment purposes. I do not claim to own any property of The Hunger Games trilogy nor do I have any relation to Suzanne Collins. Any copyright infringement is unintentional. Please note that while I am not associated with Suzanne Collins, I deeply respect the universe that she has created. Therefore, all fan fiction written by myself are written with the intention of staying true to that universe and would be considered cannon in my own respects. I do not bring back the dead or change the course of history (affecting what would happen in the epilogue). Please enjoy and feel free to comment!
Chapter 1: Never a Weapon
I'm in that white dress again. Not sure exactly why, since I have my pick of dresses. Any colors I want, from red to green to purple. I think I just feel comfortable in this dress, it feels lived in. I experienced one of the most emotional days of my life in this dress, and although I'm not particularly fond of those memories, part of me can't remember what life was before them.
Today is the day of the Harvest Festival. Katniss and Peeta have made their way back to District 12 for the last stop on their Victory Tour. I'm not really feeling all that celebratory today, but I am excited to see Katniss again. She stopped by to see me for just a minute earlier to give me a hug, but couldn't stay long as Effie was rushing to get her prepped. I've been eager to hear about her experiences in each District, hear more stories about the Capitol. And, I've got to admit, I'm a little curious to hear about her wedding plans as well.
I've never been one to be interested in girly things like weddings, but this would be Katniss' after all. Plus, if she married Peeta, that would mean two things for me. First, I'm going to have to write a song to play during the ceremony. I know District 12 has a short ritual, but I have no doubt in my mind that the Capitol would find a million ways to jazz it up. Just to make sure she had some input, I know she'll ask me to play something for her. It might be my only chance to visit the Capitol as well. Secondly, this will officially take Katniss off the market, and maybe, just maybe, Gale will look my way once he knows that he can't have her anymore. I'm not stupid, I can see the way he looks at her, I know he loves her. Sadly, this does not make me love him any less. With her out of the way, I might actually stand a chance. I know, it sounds like a mean thing for a friend to say, but when it comes to Gale, I'd be no competition against her. I bet he'd wait it out for her as long as he had to, except if she married Peeta.
I was sitting at my vanity brushing my hair when I caught a glimpse of something silvery and sparkly in the mirror behind me. I turned to see what it was and there she stood, in a full length silver gown. Her hair was put up and banded with a sequined hair piece. She was stunning. And I was reminded again that I was no competition against her.
Plus, and I'd never tell her this, but I think she really has feelings for Peeta. Maybe she's not sure exactly what he means to her, but it's funny what people around you can notice. And as much as it pains him to see it, I know Gale hasn't ignored it. He can see it, too. She confided in me that the whole star-crossed lovers thing was just a show for the Capitol, but that didn't mean that there wasn't some truth behind it. For Peeta, I could tell it had always been real. I've seen the way he's looked at her for years now. He wasn't very good at subtlety, in fact, she was probably the only one who never caught on. That is, until that interview. Somewhere, deep down inside of her, she returns some of those feelings.
"Look at you," I said to her, "like you came right off the streets of the Capitol."
She shot me a crooked sneer and read something like oh very funny, you're lucky you don't have to wear this thing! But I think she secretly liked being dressed up like this. She never said it, but I could see it in her face when she thought I wasn't looking. Or maybe she had learned to play the part so well that even I was becoming convinced. Often enough, when I try to interpret Katniss' feelings and actions, I have to ask myself this question. Is she for real or has she just learned her role entirely too well? We might be best friends, but she still keeps up quite a wall, one that I'm not sure if I can climb or break through.
"Oh yes! Even my pin, mockingjays are all the rage in the Capitol now, thanks to you!" Katniss teased. "Are you sure you don't want it back? It's ever-so stylish!"
"Don't be silly, Katniss. It was a gift. Plus I'm not the one who needs to be stylish," I replied.
She looked down at the pin, placing her fingers around the edges and adjusting it to get a better look. It wasn't quite as shiny as it used to be, but it certainly had been through hell, it had its own battle scars to prove it.
"Where did you get it anyway?" she inquired.
"It was my Aunt's, but I think it's been in my family for a long time."
"It's a funny choice, a mockingjay, I mean because of what happened in the rebellion, with the jabberjays backfiring on the Capitol and all," she added.
I looked at her, confused by this remark. I don't think it was an odd choice at all. This pin had no idea it was to be famous, it had no idea that it'd become a symbol of high fashion. It had no idea that it'd serve any purpose higher than just being a beautiful pin. I was unsure of what Katniss was questioning; why someone would make a pin of a mockingjay in the first place? To my family it had been something wonderful, something magical that resulted from a terrible and destructive time. To us, it was a rarity to see light be born from the darkness. At least that's what my mother told me when she gave it to me, like her mother told her and my aunt when it was handed down to them. It might be hard to believe, but my family hasn't always been as well off as we are now.
"But mockingjays were never a weapon, they're just songbirds, right?" I responded back.
"Yeah, I guess so," she replied glumly, as if refuting her point had hurt her feelings.
It was an odd sensation, wondering if I'd actually hurt her feelings or not. Katniss felt emotions, that was certain, but she never seemed offended by or hurt by anyone or anything. She was always strong, at least in front of most people. Course, she had a point, it was a bit of a slap in the face, the mockingjay being the newest trend throughout Panem. I had a feeling that it was beginning to be more than just a fashion statement for some.
I've overheard the news from time to time when my father left the television on in his library. Sometimes, when something caught my attention, I would stand outside the door and listen through the crack between the doors. I knew that something was happening in a few of the other districts. Beatings. Executions. Uprisings. Revolts. I had a good idea that Katniss' actions had ignited something, whether she intended for it to happen or not. I knew what it meant that they both were victors of the Games. It was unprecedented. Only time would tell how far things would go. Only time would tell if we'd see that mockingjay be turned into a weapon.
"Well, guess we better get out to the festival," I said, "I'm sure everyone is waiting on you!"
Katniss took a minute to come out of her thoughts before she nodded in agreement. She met my eyes and tilted her head, motioning towards the door. I followed her out of my room, now wondering what exactly was on her mind. She descended the stairs in front of me, slowly, probably still in thought. I took a deep breath and decided to ask her.
"Katniss?" I began. "You alright? Seems like something might be bothering you."
She was on the main floor before she realized that I'd spoken to her. She turned around and looked up at me with a furrowed brow.
"What?" she asked.
"I asked you if you were alright. Is something bothering you?"
"Oh. I'm sorry, I guess it's pretty obvious isn't it? But now is not the time to discuss it, I promise I'll fill you in later," she finished with a half-way reassuring smile. "Let's go."
For the rest of the evening, throughout all the celebration and merriment, I could tell Katniss was still distracted. She played along well, conversing with important people, putting on a show for the district. I knew I wasn't the only one who noticed when I caught Peeta giving her a couple of concerned glances. This also meant that I wasn't the only person in the dark when it came to what was bothering her. I wondered if we'd ever have that talk, the one that would fill me in.
Chapter 2: Mother's Morphling
It was mid-afternoon when the snow started falling from the sky. The morning had been unseasonably cold and windy, I could tell a storm was about to blow through the district. My windows were fogged from the warmth that radiates from the hearth in my bedroom. The embers in the fireplace glowed, begging for more kindling to reignite the flames. I was reading a book, enveloped in a fuzzy blanket, when I heard a commotion downstairs.
All I could make out was a few words here and there. Things like "down at the Hob," "the Peacekeepers said" and "all for a turkey." I set my book down and snuck quietly out to the staircase, intending on eavesdropping further. My father was rushing around, gathering his winter outerwear and dressing himself as fast as humanly possible. A few of my father's aides were huddled together, chattering back and forth. I sat on the top step, hoping to hear something that would clue me in on the situation. Finally my father spoke before he rushed out the front door.
"Just make sure Hazelle is informed of the situation and I will talk with the Peacekeepers. I assume that Gale will be taken to Mrs. Everdeen, as he'll be needing immediate care."
Gale.
My heart leapt into my throat. I was paralyzed where I sat. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I didn't know what had happened but the very thought of Gale being hurt broke my heart. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I clutched the spokes of the railing and attempted to make sense of it all. I knew that the Peacekeepers had increased in number since the Harvest Festival. I'd also heard that they've been punishing for minor crimes that used to be ignored. Gale had done something to break the law and the Peacekeepers undoubtedly had made an example of him. When I pieced it all together, I was horrified with the thought.
My mind ventured into the darkest place it's ever been. I imagined Gale's arms secured by rope, burning into his wrists. I visualized his exposed skin, dripping with blood, searing whip marks split open on his back. I could see his face, crippled by pain, covered in dirt and sweat. My eyes burned from the endless flow of tears that were now running down my cheeks. This was the last thing that I wanted to envision but I couldn't help but see the worst. If there was anything I could do to help him, I'd have to do it.
I jumped up in a hurry, but for what, I did not yet know. I paced quickly back and forth in front of my bedroom door, searching my brain for any way that I could be of assistance to Gale. Think, Madge, think. I circled the floor for maybe five, ten minutes, desperately hoping that something would pop into my mind. I was ready to pull my hair out because I had absolutely not one good idea. I could just go to Katniss' house and offer a helping hand, I thought. That's all I had. It was better than doing nothing, really.
A few minutes later, I was dressed in my winter gear and ready to go. The snow outside was falling more heavily than before and the trek to Victor's Village would be a bit longer than I would've preferred under normal pretenses. But today, it could've been negative fifty degrees, raining ice pellets and it wouldn't have kept me from Gale. As I shut my bedroom door, I heard a cough from down the hallway. My mother had been battling a cold for a few nights now. In fact, I've not seen her up for a few days now. All of a sudden, I thought of what I could do for Gale. Of course, mother's morphling!
My mother suffered from head-splitting migraines and rarely got out of bed. For quite some time now, the only thing that would ease her pain and allow her to sleep was the morphling. We were able to afford special shipments from the Capitol twice a month, so I ventured to think that she might be able to let me have a couple vials. I hesitated for a moment because I didn't want to wake her, but I took the chance that she might already be up, remembering that I just heard her cough.
Luckily, my mother was more than willing to share her morphling with Gale once I explained the circumstances. She didn't inquire for any more details than the few I had afforded her, but I'm sure she was persuaded by the tears that welled up in my eyes when I spoke Gale's name. She allowed me the rest of her supply, telling me to just take the whole box. She had no idea how grateful I was, but I couldn't quite form the words to say thank you. All I could do was kiss her forehead gently and rush out of the room.
The walk to Katniss' house was just long enough for me to realize that I couldn't handle seeing Gale in the probable condition he was in. I trekked through the snow that had fallen, there was probably about a foot on the ground by now. My cheeks were frozen, my tears turned nearly to ice. I tried to contain myself as best I could because I knew that I could not show up on Katniss' doorstep in such a state without raising some sort of suspicion. In fact, it was probably odd enough that I was delivering medicine in the first place. But it mattered not what anyone thought, what was important was helping Gale. As I approached Katniss' house, I could see silhouettes through the windows, a couple people rushing about the house, probably attempting to find the proper supplies to treat Gale's wounds. The footprints in the snow I followed there were somewhat fresh, so I knew that he'd they'd all arrived just recently.
Katniss appeared in the doorway when I knocked, more like pounded, on her front door. I heard a commotion inside the house and could see Peeta and Mrs. Everdeen hovering around a limp body on the table. It was Gale. His lifeless arm hanging off the edge, blood stained rags lying on his back. I heard a stifled groan and knew it was his. I looked at Katniss and instantly I could tell she was confused. I could feel the tears returning, I don't think I could've crossed the threshold if she'd invited me in. I handed her the cardboard box of morphling, my hands trembling.
"Use this for your friend, they're my mother's. She said I could take them. Use them, please," I urged her.
The look on her face twisted from confusion to appreciation and back to confusion. I couldn't stand to look at her, I couldn't stand to see Gale behind her. I lifted my hand and waved a silent goodbye and disappeared back into the snow. I felt weak and useless, like I'd failed Gale because I couldn't stay and be there next to him. Knowing that he'd be satiated by the morphling was my only solace.
Chapter 3: Not Scared Anymore
Things had changed in District 12. A year ago, I was glued to my television, watching Katniss and Peeta win the 74th Hunger Games. A year ago, I could walk outside without fear of being approached by a Peacekeeper for doing, well, anything. A year ago, I wasn't scared to go to school. A year ago, my only concern was a stupid crush on a boy that didn't know I existed. It's strange, what can happen in a year.
It's been a month since Katniss and Peeta left for the Quarter Quell. They'd been reaped again, as this year the tributes were to be chosen out of a pool of existing victors. I was terrified for them. Hell, I was just plain terrified. Peacekeepers flooded the streets in District 12, monitoring every action. The most minor offenses were being punished on a daily basis. People were publicly tormented for breaking laws that most of us didn't know existed. This is probably because they actually didn't, but there was nothing we could do. People from the Seam, from Merchant's Center, no one was safe. My poor father had all but lost control of his District, as he received orders from President Snow daily, with no choice but to follow them. The boundary fences were electrified 24 hours a day now. There was literally no escape, not even temporarily.
The area in the square has been transformed into a center for punishment and death. There was usually at least one person on a daily basis receiving their "sentence" from the Peacekeepers. They kept the post and ropes available for whippings and added a couple stocks. There was a section along the front of the Justice Building that was used explicitly as a firing wall. They even erected a gallows. It was sickening to see what had become of my District.
Between my fear and disgust of the world outside the safety of my bedroom and the constant streaming of live footage from the Quarter Quell, I'd returned to full hermit mode. My father was too busy to ensure that I went to school and my mother had fallen so ill that she had not been out of bed in months. No one was around to tell me what to do or babysit me, so I took care of myself, on the rare occasion that I ventured out of my bedroom. Mostly, I just watched the Games.
One day, I was woken from a restless sleep by a pounding at my front door. I chose to ignore it at first, since I was extremely annoyed that my nap had been interrupted. Soon, the sound of the door being hammered by someone's fists was enough to instill more fear in me than annoyance. I wasn't sure who would be hammering away like that, but I was sure that I didn't want to know. Regardless, I knew my mother wouldn't be getting up to find out and my father wasn't home. If anyone was going to answer the door, it'd have to be me. I crept downstairs quietly, making sure that I wasn't heard. If I didn't like who I saw on the other side of that door, I was going to pretend I wasn't home. Chances of this were extremely likely.
What I saw through the peephole was the very last thing that I expected. Gale. To be specific, a very panicked Gale. He was so covered in coal dust and sweat that I could see every wrinkle on his worried face. Without hesitation, I open the door and motioned for him to enter, in case he was being chased.
"What are you doing here, Gale? What's happened?" I huffed.
He grabbed my shoulders and looked me square in the eyes. He attempted to speak but clearly had to catch his breath first. After a moment and a strong cough, he proceeded.
"There's been an explosion at the mines, it was the Peacekeepers. Probably on orders from the Capitol. They set it up to look like an accident, but I know better. I've received word from Haymitch that planes are on their way to our district as we speak. We're going to be bombed," he blurted out faster than I could follow. "Look, Madge, you need to get out of here. Pack some things, quickly! A bunch of us are escaping before it's too late. Someone is trying to reach your father at this very moment."
I looked at him, completely dumbfounded. I tried to take it all in before I spoke.
"Madge!" Gale screamed as he shook me, attempting to pull me out of my cloud of confusion. "Go get your things!"
"But..." I stuttered, "where are we going? How do you know we'll be safe, that we won't be found?"
"We're going to District 13. I don't have time to explain, just hurry!" he urged.
Now I was really rattled. District 13? I just stood there, jaw dropped, still trying to make sense of it all. Obviously, it wasn't registering fast enough, because Gale turned me around by my shoulders and pushed me towards the stairs.
"Seriously, Madge, there is no time to waste. Go!" he pleaded.
Finally I snapped back to myself. I spun around to face him again.
"Gale, I can't. I just can't leave. My mother can't get out of bed. I won't leave her here!"
"Madge, please! I'm sorry about your mother, but maybe your father will come back for her? I just need you to come with me. Please?" He was practically begging me at this point.
"I can't. I'm sorry. You wouldn't leave your mother would you?" I retorted. I took a deep breath, hoping to inhale some bravery along with the oxygen. "I'm not scared, not anymore. Don't worry about me, just go, save someone else."
He looked at me with utter disappointment. But deep down he must've seen my point because he didn't argue with me further. He approached me slowly, closing the gap between us, and brushed the hair out of my face.
"I understand. I'm going to miss-" he began, but cut himself off. "I mean, take care. Try to find a place to hide, to ride it out. I'm sure we'll come back for you. And your mother."
He reached for my hand and squeezed it tight, lingering for just a moment. I could see pain in his eyes but the rest of his face was now emotionless. He was holding back. And then he was gone. I stood in the foyer for some time, perhaps a few minutes, maybe more. My mind fluttered with all this new information. Bombs. District 13. Gale. My mother. I knew that staying with her meant that this was the end for me. Perhaps I should've gone with Gale, should've just saved myself. Part of me wanted to run after him, tell him to take me along after all. But I couldn't.
I walked back upstairs, still in a bit of a daze. I had questions, so many questions. But I knew I'd never have them answered. It didn't matter. I passed my bedroom doors, continued beyond the library, and found myself in the doorway of my mother's bedroom. She was in a deep sleep, under the spell of the morphling. It was lucky for her, she probably wouldn't feel a thing. I slipped under the covers and cuddled up to her like I did when I was little. She didn't stir. I didn't cry, I didn't worry, I was more calm than I've ever been. I just put her arms around me, stared into the dim room, and waited.