Ok, so I'm sad. I still have't gotten any reviews yet :( So...to make me happy just click the review button and drop in a review! It doesn't have to be long at ALL. You don't need an account either! Ok well this chapter is longer than the first one...which is good because I realized how short the first chapter was...don't worry most of my chapters will be about this length. So...here is chpater two of stay strong!
PS. If u find any mistakes plz tell me so i can fix them
Stay strong Chapter Two
"Josh Mellark!" No, not Josh. That's unfair, he's my best friend…I can't kill him!
"I volunteer!" What? Who volunteered? I search the crowd until I see Peeta Mellark, Josh's brother, walking up to the stage. Josh gave me a shocked look and fainted. This is definitely probably the most interesting reaping District 12 has ever had.
"Oh my! Can we have a medic get him?" Effie Trinket called looking into the crowd. Peeta climbed up on stage as a Peace Keeper grabbed Josh and took him away. Effie turned to Peeta and asked him what his name was,
"Peeta Mellark." She smiles and says,
"Well, didn't want the older brother to take all the glory?"
"Nope I didn't" Peeta said but not very convincingly. She smiled and called up Father to give his speech. Father came up with tears in his eyes and mumbled into the microphone about the dark days. Peace Keepers grabbed my arms and shoved me into the Justice Building.
"Why?" Katniss asked as Prim sat on her lap. I smiled and just said,
"It was the right thing to do." Then Prim broke down, tears streaming down face.
"T-thank y-you so much!" I gulped down a wave of tears that was coming up my body. I couldn't come out of the Justice Building with tears on my face; they would count me out for sure.
"Don't worry, and don't get all depressed if I…don't make it." I couldn't say die…I just couldn't. Prim thanked me one more time and hugged me so hard I had trouble breathing. Katniss came up to me and mumbled,
"I didn't really think we were friends. At least not like this." I smile and nodded,
"Don't worry about it." She hugged me and walked out. Next Father came in with Mother. Mother hugged me straight away and moaned,
"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry! This is all my fault!" I grabbed her and looked her straight in the eyes.
"No it's not," I told her firmly "We all know whose fault it is and they don't live in District Twelve." I didn't say it out loud that I was talking about the Capital but she could guess that. She took out a pin that had a Mockingjay on it.
"Take it. It was Mailsey's but you deserve it now." I was shocked. Mother was giving me something that was Maisley's!
"Mother, thank you so much." Father had been quiet up to this point but then mumbled something very quietly. "What was that Father?" He looked at me and this time said four words that changed everything.
"I can't forgive you." That was horrible. The way he said it, I could tell he was never going to forgive me. I didn't even bother to fight for him…there was no point. Volunteering for the Hunger Games, which he hates, and acting like I was happy…there was no going back to our old relationship. But Mother went ballistic. She screamed at my Father and started clawing at his face. Two Peace Keepers came in and sedated her. As he walked out I said one last thing to him.
"Take care of her." He gave me a curt nod than walked away. I had one last visitor…Josh.
He walked in with a cut on his head, I guess from his fall, and sat down next to me. I decided to tell him up-front. "You can want Peeta to win…I don't mind." He looked at me and said something I really didn't expect,
"You will both win." I gave him a puzzled look,
"What? Are you ok? You know that only one of us can win…or neither." He just smiled and said,
"You'll find out when the time comes." I rolled my eyes just thinking he was still a little crazy from his fall. A Peace Keeper came in and told him he had to go. "Oh! And one more thing!" I got up and tried to tell the Peace Keepers to let him stay for just one minute but they wouldn't listen. "Just don't let them-"a door slamming in his face cut him off. I tried to keep a straight face but I could feel the tears coming into my eyes. Stay strong Madge. Don't cry. Effie bounced in and I smiled at her.
"Time to go on the train Madge!" You need to play the part Madge. I squealed in excitement, well fake excitement, and hugged her.
"Oh my! I'm just so excited! I'm going to the Capital!" Effie hugged me and walked me to the train station. A few reporters were in the train station and they asked me a few questions and I just smiled and acted happy. Once we got on the train Effie showed me my room and told me dinner would be at six o'clock. I sat down and sighed. I needed to get my thoughts straight,
"I am Madge Undersee. I volunteered to be in the Hunger Games. My best friend was picked but his little brother took his place. There are 23 children out there that want my blood. My father basically dis-owned me. Everyone thinks I am ecstatic about being a tribute in the Hunger Games. I am probably going to die." That didn't sound any better out loud than in my head. Stay strong Madge, stay strong. I repeated to myself.
I put on a silk blouse and a blue skirt and walked over to the dining hall. Effie sat there with a whole new outfit. Haymitch, the only living District Twelve victor sat there sipping a bottle of wine. He has been an alcoholic ever sense the games. "Hello Madge!" squealed Effie and I waved and sat down across from her. Just as I sat down Peeta came in and smiled at me. He sat down right next to me. Haymitch, obviously drunk, smiled and burst out into laughter. "What is so funny Haymitch?" Effie hissed.
"You believe that she is happy to be here!" Crap. Haymitch shut-up please! Effie looked at me and I looked down at my plate. Thankfully Peeta saved me.
"Effie everyone has different ways of winning the games. This is Madge's" I smiled at him and mumbled,
"Thanks." Effie stood up and said,
"Next time, I would prefer not to be lied to." She started to walk out when I stopped her,
"You won't tell the sponsors will you?" She looked at me and mumbled,
"Don't worry I want to be promoted, and you have a running chance, so no I won't stop you…for now." I gulped as she walked out of the room. Ok, my only hope now is Haymitch. I walked up to him and smacked the bottle out of his hand.
"What the crap? Why did you do that?" He said with a murderous look in his eyes. I held his glare and yelled,
"You are going to make sure either Peeta or I win the games, OK?" He stayed there for a minute than got up and walked out. Peeta looked at me and I smiled timidly. "Sorry." I said in a tiny voice. I waited for him to explode at me for pretty much taking away the help of our mentor and our escort but instead he said,
"Come with me." I look at him puzzled and he groaned, "Just trust me, OK?" I sighed and nodded. He smiled and took me up to stairs that lead up to a wooden door.
"Where are we going?" He smiled and ignored my question,
"When we got on the train I didn't feel like moping around so I explored and I found this." He opened the door. Inside was a whole room with tapes lined up and down the walls.
"What is it?" I asked looking at the huge TV screen at the end of the room. He smiled,
"It's the Hunger Games screening room."
"What's a Hunger Games screening room?" I asked,
"It haves all of the past Hunger Games in here and we can watch the reaping's from here. I'm guessing you don't really want to talk to Effie and Haymitch right now." I smiled and hugged him,
"Thanks." Peeta turned on the TV and we sat down to watch the reaping's. Districts One and Two were the classic careers. Three and Four were nothing special. The girl from Five, Maria, who is fourteen I think…looks just like a fox and seems ready to kill. Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine were just the usual. District Ten's boy was seventeen and had a crippled leg. My heart broke when I saw a little twelve-year-old walk onto the stage for District Elven. Her name is Rue Lilac and she seemed pretty determine to win. The boy from Elven, Thresh, is eighteen and is huge. Ok, so look out for Districts One, Two, Maria, and Thresh. Next up is District Twelve.
My heart is racing. What if I look stupid or weak up there? I squeezed Peeta's hand out of nervousness. I watch as Prim's name is called out and she starts to make it to the stage. The camera focuses on me as I say I will volunteer. I see myself as I talked to Katniss and almost barfed as I say myself being so much like a…career. It shows me grab the microphone from Effie and brag about how I'm the mayor's daughter. Disgusting. That finished the reaping's and they played the anthem and showed the Capital seal.
"Well, we might as well go to bed." Sighed Peeta, starting to get up. I grabbed his hand and mumbled,
"Wait, one second." He gave me a weird look, and then sat down.
"Ok…what's up?" I shifted around so I was looking him dead in the eye. Come on…ask him!
"Why did you volunteer?" I could see he was hoping I wasn't going to ask that question. He groaned then finally gave in and told me,
"Well, right away when Prim was picked I felt horrible. I thought Katniss would volunteer and I guess she would have it you hadn't volunteered. So then I realized how bummed Josh would have been because…" I trailed off so I filled in for him,
"We're best friends." He gave a nervous chuckle,
"Yeah…that." Why did he say it like that? I shook it off and urged him to continue.
"So after you volunteered, which was an amazing thing to do, I looked back to see Katniss run and kiss Gale. I guess almost going to the Hunger Games pushed them together. So…then Josh was chosen and I had nothing at home anymore…so, I volunteered." Wow, that's sad. And before I could stop myself I blurted out,
"Wow, that's sad." I instantly clapped my hand over my mouth. He smiled and nudged me,
"Yeah it is…so why did you volunteer?" I gulped,
"Well, my mother I guess."
"Oh yeah, Josh told me about her…headaches." I could tell he was trying to be gentle about her situation.
"Well, it's not just headaches, that's just what we tell the District Twelve. She is really insane, like Annie Cresta insane, and she has these…fits. She had one the day of the reaping's and told me to, stop being me." By now I was crying, "I guess I look a lot like Maisley, my mother's sister, and she told me to be Maisley. And if I couldn't I-I should just go volunteer. Right after she had said that, she started apologizing but I realized right then that my mom would never get better with me being there with her. So I volunteered." He hugged me and I sobbed in his arms for what it seems like hours. Once I was done I was so tired I just fell asleep in his arms.