Gale (P.O.V)

I was walking through the forest with the other survivors around me. We had started to walk slower now that we seemed to be safe and tiredness affected everyone. The smoke had started to clear but it was still in the air…and my lungs. I had my arms around Ma so she would keep walking while Vick had Posy and Rory had Prim.

This is it… the only survivors of District 12…

Everyone was quiet and mournful and the only sounds were those who were coughing out the smoke and the birds singing.

Even through the bombs of District 12 the birds had still managed to sing there beautiful songs as the sun rose through the trees on the forest floor. I could still hear the yells as everyone looked for safety and the screams of those who were burning.

Those who I couldn't save…

Almost as if she had read my mind Ma turned to me and whispered: "You saved all of us Gale."

"It wasn't enough."

"You're a hero."

I was about to reply but then I heard Posy, who was clinging to Vick, whisper something for the first time since we made to the forest.

"The angel is limping."

Vick was coughing so he couldn't hear her but I did. I turned around to see who she was talking about and then I saw the angel…Madge Undersee.

Her blonde hair which was usually held back was falling down her shoulders and her once flawless skin was now dirty as well as the dress she was wearing.

"Pretty dress."

Everyone around her was ignoring her and she was ignoring them.

She had no one…

Where were her parents?

That's when realization hit me: They hadn't made it out. I couldn't see her eyes but I knew they were going to be full of sadness. She usually had the most beautiful blue eyes in the whole of District 12.

The Capitol did this to her…it took her family…and now it's taken away her innocence. Madge didn't deserve this, she was the nicest person he knew. But obviously he was a complete jackass to her because she had money. He just couldn't help it, whenever he saw her in her expensive dresses and with a care-free smile I would suddenly feel so angry at her for and just snap at her and make her feel guilty for something she couldn't help. Nevertheless whenever he delivered strawberries to her she always opened the door with a breath-taking smile.

And now she had no family.

And was limping.

"Ma, I need to help someone I'll just be a bit behind, okay?"

She nodded at me and I walked towards Madge and against the current of human bodies.

"Undersee that limp looks bad."

She looked up surprised at me. I was right. Her eyes were full of sorrow but also had determination in them.

"Hawthorne." She acknowledged me with a nod but no smile.

And she carried on forward but I caught her arms as she passed me. I looked down at her leg and noticed her blue dress was singed and ripped at the side.

"Let me look." I whispered.

"Why do you care?" She yanked her arm away from my grasp and carried on limping.

I walked after her. "Because you're holding everyone up." It was a point we were near the back of the group.

"Then carry on without me." She said nonchalantly.

"I'd never leave you out here on your own. Please let me look…it looks painful from the limp."

She looked at me and then slowly nodded. By this time we were at the back of the group.

I knelt down on the floor and lifted her dress side up slightly so I could just see her leg. Her skin looked so smooth and soft and I just wanted run my hand along it but when I looked at her thigh my heart stopped. There was a deep burn running from mid-thigh to the top and it was bleeding at a rapid pace. Parts of it looked like charcoal, layers of her skin was peeling off and I could even see bone.

I looked up worriedly. "How have you been walking on this for so long?"

She shrugged. "I didn't want to bother anyone." I looked into her eyes and she looked into mine. "Undersee you should have told someone, this could get infected quickly."

"A bit late to be worried about me now isn't it." She said bitterly and I'll admit it hurt.

"You're right. I have no right to be worried about you especially how I treated you but you are obviously in pain now so let me help." She looked down at her dress which I was still holding up so I let it go quickly.

"How can you help me?" She finally gave in with a sigh.

"I didn't actually think about that?" I laughed awkwardly and the coughed from the smoke that started to surround us again.

To get away from the smoke I quickly picked Madge up bridal style and hurried away from the smoke.

"I'm going to make sure you won't be in anymore pain."

We were both silent for a couple of minutes and just listened to the birds sing as we made our way out of the smoke.

"Thank you." I heard her whisper.

"It's okay Madge." And that was the first time I'd ever said her name out loud.