So, it's a snow day and I got locked in my room because the door knob broke… Yeah, I'm not joking, I'm literally stuck in here. Therefore, you guys get another chapter! Woohoo! Anyway, before we get to the story, I would like to thank SandyXX, TheScottishLegend, THatGurlx3, AVG18, FinchelEverlark4ever, and UrbanFreeKid for the story follows, and Lemon-Drop24, ForFutureReference, Jasmine, iheartliamhemsworth, taytertarts, and GoChlollie for the fantastic reviews. I'm glad you guys liked the Gale POV, I think another one is coming up in two or three chapters. I hope you enjoy, and please remember to leave a review telling me your thoughts. Oh, and thank you for all your suggestions of stories to read, I've finished one and have started on a second.
(Disclaimer: I only own my own characters and ideas, everything else belongs to Suzanne Collins. Oh and to avoid confusion, this chapter is back to Madge's POV.)
Chapter Seven: Let the Games Begin.
Sleep apparently wasn't an option for me tonight. I kept tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable on my old and warn mattress. But getting comfortable wasn't the only thing preventing me from falling asleep. The words exchanged between Gale and I earlier wouldn't stop echoing through my head. Even though he didn't know me well enough to know, Gale managed to hit some of the worse spots possible. The district divide was a tough blow, but when he called me out for being a coward, that jab was the worst one.
"You had the chance to do something and yet you just stood on the sidelines and watched."
I hate myself for the way I froze up after Prim's name was called. I just stood there, didn't do anything, didn't say anything to help Kat as she ran up to block her sister from the stage. All I managed to do was stand there, like some helpless little girl and watch. When I finally came to my senses I ran up and pulled Prim away from Kat, taking her back to their mother. I may as well have agreed to let my friend die, and told Prim that she wouldn't see her sister again. I confirmed the notion that we could do absolutely nothing to stop this from happening.
That one sentence echoed throughout my mind, haunting my thoughts and preventing me from getting any sleep at all. So, for the second time in the past week I made my way into the woods at night. I sat at the base of a tree, waiting for the game to come to me- after all, I did have plenty of time. After several hours of hunting, my game bag was filled to the point that some animals were about to fall out. But, the only place that would be open for a trade at this time in the morning would be the bakery. Instead of going back over the fence, I stayed out in the woods. I wondered over to the same bluff Kat and I sat on back on reaping day. I laid down on my back and looked up at the sky, watching the stars slowly disappear into the light rays from the sun. I found myself almost drifting off into sleep several times. I had to force myself back into reality as I got up off the ground and dreadfully started the walk back into the district.
Today is the day the Games begin. Today is the day that Kat could die, the day Prim may lose her older sister, and I could lose my friend. Hell, I could lose both friends today. I try to force the gruesome thought out of my head and I carefully maneuver through the ever present snare line. I do not want a repeat of the other day, more so now that the cut around my ankle finally managed to heal.
The walk into town is very uneventful and trading today is an extremely quiet experience. With the Games starting today the entire district is somber, and is dreading the moment the bloodbath begins. The Games begin in a couple hours, and after the mandatory viewing, I start my new job. I dread going back to the Hawthorne's shop today in fear of having to face Gale again after our little conversation last night.
Today I make more trades at the Hob than usual. Meat in exchange for goods, not money. I take half of the sixteen coins Stonerick gave me yesterday, and put them in the collection jar Greasy Sae leaves on her counter.
"That jar's 'bout full, you better take it in to the Justice Buildin' tomorrow, or else it might overflow." Sae informs me as I trade some greens for a bowl of her soup.
"Thanks for helping me get the collection for Katniss up and running Sae, I don't know where else I could put it." I say between sips of the soup.
"Eh, better the money go to helpin' your friend than goin' to waste." She shrugs as if it's nothing, but in reality I think she knows how grateful I am for her helping me raise the money. When I get up to go, I make sure to leave a couple extra coins on Sae's counter.
By the time I get out to the Town Square, it's full of people awaiting the dreadful airing. I can't help but wonder what Kat and Peeta must be thinking right now. I know I would be terrified if I was in their position. Before I can think on the thought for too long, Charm finds me in the crowd.
"Hey, you doing alright?" I can tell by her question that she's genuinely concerned about me, and can probably tell I didn't get any sleep last night.
"Yeah, I'm fine." The response is short, but I don't feel like talking about the subject much at the moment. I can tell she's looking for a subject that would be good to talk about as we walk across the square.
"So, what happened between you and the old hag at the lauder mat?"
I groan. "How did you know about that?"
"Let's just say that news spreads pretty quickly around town. Anyway, what happened? Did you try to throw a bucket of water on her to see if the witch would melt?"
Her comment makes me laugh for the first time in days. "No, she tried to rip me off, so I told her I wouldn't put up with her bitchy attitude anymore."
Charm lets out a small laugh. "And then in the same day, you get hired at the jewelry shop?"
"Trust me when I say that I have no idea how that really happened. I guess Stonerick was just looking for some help, and he noticed how much I loved his work, so he hired me."
"At least something's going right for once."
"Yeah, and hopefully that luck will be with Kat for the next couple weeks."
"Come on Madge, you know she'll be the one to come back home. Katniss is strong and she's pretty deadly with a bow. She'll be back home before we know it."
"I know, but I wish there was a way for both Kat and Peeta to come back home." The thought surprised me as much as it did Charm. I didn't realize what I said until the words were out in the open. Well fall into silence while Charm contemplates my words.
"Who knows, maybe they will."
"Hey, earth to Charm, the Games don't work like that. There can only be one Victor." But she doesn't appear to listen to me.
"You know, if Haymitch plays the whole 'star crossed lovers' angle enough-no. No, you're right. The idea is ridiculous. Well, he could play the angle enough to help them survive even longer, get more sponsor money, that kind of thing."
I laugh again. "Yeah, I doubt that drunk could really do that much. He's probably already buried in his booze for the day and isn't coherent enough to even watch the bloodbath."
"With Haymitch, you may find yourself surprised." I don't have the chance to ask her what she means by that because Prim comes over to us, and we drop the subject. "Anyway," Charm starts again. "We should probably find seats soon. Games start in less than five."
My stomach knots itself. In less than five minutes Kat and Peeta will be in the midst of the bloodbath.
The three of us find seats up toward the front. Charm stays with Prim and I rather than going up to sit with her family. We sit, anxiously awaiting the screens to show us the arena. When they flash on the giant screen in front of us, I hear Prim release a held breath. The arena is mainly forest. An environment Kat is used to. I study the arrangement of tributes around the cornucopia. Peeta and Kat are a good distance apart and as the countdown begins, Katniss' face lights up when she spots the bow in the mouth of the cornucopia.
"No Kat, don't be stupid." I mumble.
As the countdown reaches ten, Kat spots Peeta who is shaking his head at her. He's telling her not to go for the bow. I mentally thank Peeta, but Katniss is distracted when the gong finally rings, and doesn't snap out of her daze for a few seconds. As soon as she recovers she runs for an orange pack on the ground. When she reaches it another tribute grabs it at the same time. They grabble over the pack until blood splatters over Kat's face and the other tribute falls to the ground, dead. As Kat takes off for the woods, Clove, the district two girl, chases after her, throwing knives. Kat catches one of the knives in her backpack and disappears. The cameras cut off of her as she vanishes, and they focus on the bloodbath. I cover Prim's eyes as the screen shows children being hacked to pieces and slaughtered.
The bloodbath kills eleven children this year, almost half. But the most surprising part is when Peeta asks the careers if he can join them. They accept his offer when he says he can help them find Katniss. My heart sinks. How is that the same Peeta that I've known for years? No, I refuse to believe that's the same kindhearted boy from our district. Within minutes of Peeta's alliance with the careers, the viewing ends. We're allowed and encouraged to watch more of the Games at home, but it's not mandatory like today was.
While I'm still in my stupor, Charm comforts Prim, telling her Peeta has a reason for what he's doing, and saying that Katniss will be coming back home in no time. Charm tells me that she'll make sure Prim gets home safely while I go to work. I reluctantly let them go, watching as they disappear into the distance.
I slowly make my way to the Hawthorne's. Reluctant to have to face Gale any sooner than necessary. Unfortunately, when I enter the building, Gale is the one at the counter.
"So, you decided to come back, after last night?"
"Were you trying to scare me away? Because you didn't do a very good job, pretty boy." I sneer at him, and he sighs.
"I didn't mean what I said, I was just upset and took my all of my built up anger out on you, okay? I'm not too happy about what I did either, but I can't really change that now." I stare at him with raised eyebrows, unsure if I should trust what he says. "Look, if we're going to be working together, we may as well get along, okay? Let's just put the past behind us so you can start your training." He offers his hand out for me to shake, as if that will make it an official deal. I slowly put my hand up and shake his, practically ripping it away from his grasp after one shake.
"Good." He throws a brand new smock at me. "Let's start training."
"Wait, you're the one who's going to be training me?"
"Yup, and I'm just as happy about it as you are." He replies sarcastically. "So com'n blondie, let me give you a tour and show you all the machinery." He says as he heads to the back room, and I scowl at him for the new nickname.
I enter the back room as I'm tying the smock behind my back. My first impression is astonishment. Hazelle had shown me everything in the front part of the shop yesterday- the hand tools, the beading, and other small or simple parts of the craft. But the back room holds either four or five large machines to help in the jewelry crafting process. Gale spends the next couple hours giving me an in-depth tour of the back room. He explains the machines in the room by telling me what they're used for, what they do, how to manage them and get them to work, as well as how to repair them in the event that one should break. He teaches me the stages of jewelry making. First is creating the design, the concept sketching. The design can either be a rough sketch of the artist's vision or a completed draft. The next step is model making. The patterns of the already sketched design are used as a guide to help create a mold for the actual piece. You pour the chosen metal into the mold, let it set and then take the newly shaped metal out of the mold. This part is also where you can apparently used wire wrapping, hammered or non-molded pieces, but you have to be extremely careful to pay attention to the pattern of the jewelry piece. And the final step is finishing the craft. After taking the piece out of the mold it then needs to be buffed and polished. This is also the step when gemstones and other decorative pieces are added. If the decorative piece needs to be soldered into the mold, then that is done before the buffering and polishing. The last thing you do when creating a new piece is setting the stone so that no damage comes to any part of the piece.
A clock on the wall chimes, signaling to us that it was one in the afternoon. "Com'n, lunch time." Gale says as he nudges my arm with his elbow. He rises from the chair next to me and walkes over to the divide between the shop and his house. "You coming blondie?" He motions to me as he disappears. I inwardly growl as I get up to follow him. Untying my smock as I enter the kitchen behind him.
"You're not going to verbally attack me again today are you?" I meant it as more of a joke, but I made sure some bitterness made its way into my tone.
I heard a scoff as Gale closed a few cabinets, getting ingredients out to make lunch. "I thought we had agreed to forget about that."
I shrugged. "Yeah, well I guess I can kinda hold a grudge."
"Ha, I'll have to keep that in mind in the future." I stood there awkwardly, not sure of what to do while the brunette made his way around the kitchen. "You know," He started quietly. "I really am sorry about what I said last night. It was out of line and I had no right to say any of that." Another silence overtook us as I tried to find the right words to respond with.
"I told you no more apologies." I said lamely, and I wanted to slap myself immediately after the words left my mouth.
"I know. I just," He stopped himself and sighed. "My parents would probably disown me if they thought I didn't apologize to you after all that I said, so…" The way he hesitated and how he had his sentence trail off at the end made it seem as if he changed the words he was going to say at the last minute. Ignoring his weak excuse, I walk over to the counter Gale was preparing lunch on, wondering what he was making.
"Anything I can help you with?" I offered. If the two of us will be working together, I may as well try to be friendly and stop being so hostile.
"Go ahead and make your own sandwich if you want." He gestured to the various meat, cheese and bread on the counter. I knew that the Hawthornes were better off than most people in the district, but in the Seam, this meal would be like a feast. I took considerably smaller amounts than Gale, considering I wasn't close to his size and wasn't used to having so much food. It didn't take long for me to finish making a small meal for myself, but by the time I was finished, Gale had his made and had even gotten glasses of water for the two of us.
We stood at the counter to eat rather than sitting down at the table. For the most part, our meal passed in silence, both of us concentrating on eating rather than speaking with one another. I kept trying to think of conversation starters, but nothing came to mind. What could I even talk to Gale about? It probably didn't matter anyway. I doubt that he would want to talk more than what was necessary. But, I was proven wrong when he began a conversation himself.
"That pin that you wore on reaping day, where did you get it?" The question takes me aback.
"Well, I didn't steal it. I can assure you of that." I spit out before I can stop myself. Gale seems to ignore my angry choice of words and continues to stare down as his plate.
"My dad gave it to you, didn't he?" I can feel my eyebrows furrow at his question.
"Yeah, he snuck it into the pouch he always puts money in after we trade. I didn't realize that he put it in there until right before the reaping."
"My dad had always said that it belonged to someone from Town who had to sell it. He told me that he hated that she was forced to make the sale, and that he would try to get the pin back where it belonged." He looked up at me, as if expecting me to elaborate about the story.
"It was my aunt's pin." I began quietly. "When she was sixteen years old she was reaped, that was the same year Haymitch won. The two of them actually teamed up in the arena, but she was killed by mutts only a few minutes after they split apart." I don't know why I'm telling this story to Gale of all people, maybe because no one has ever asked me about it before. So many people in the district already know, and they all try not to mention anything about Maysilee to anyone in my family. "The pin was her token when she was in the Games."
"And you gave it to Catnip when she left didn't you?" His tone is rising slightly, as if going back to normal. I nod in response.
"I thought Katniss would want to have something to help her remember home during the Games."
"I'm surprised they let her wear that considering…" His voice trails off again.
"Considering what? That it's already been a token for a fallen tribute in the games?" That would be my best guess.
"Com'n blondie, think about what's on the pin. What kind of bird is it?"
"A mockingjay."
"Exactly, and mockingjays aren't supposed to exist. They're the product of an animal that was supposed to be killed off by the Capitol, but somehow found a way to survive, and even reproduce." I want to tell him that I know all of this, and that I don't need someone to lecture me on things I already know.
"So, why is it a shock to you that they let the token go back into the arena?"
"For the same reason the Gamemakers sent those mutts after your aunt. Hell, they'll probably make sure Kat-girl dies in the arena too for that matter."
"I seriously doubt that one little token could provoke the Capitol that much, they know that doesn't fair well with Capitol citizens, they prefer watching tributes kill one another." It's a sick detail about the games, but in a strange way, it helps calm me during our little debate. It's one less way Kat could die.
"I can't believe that you're still oblivious of the fact that you practically sentenced your friend to death." He scoffs again, and this time my blood begins to boil.
"And what the hell is that supposed to mean? I indirectly killed my best friend?"
"Pretty much sums it up." I'm fuming now. How dare he accuse me of something like that? Especially after everything he said last night.
His voice drops low, as if he doesn't want anyone else to hear. "Look, in the Gamemaker's and Snow's eyes, that mockingjay pin is a jab at the Capitol. It's a clear statement that the Capitol isn't all powerful, and that won't settle well with them. To them, it's a challenge. And the fact that district twelve is always the underdog in the Games and Katniss is doing so well, that makes it even worse. They will do anything they can to make sure she doesn't make it out of that arena alive. More so now that she's wearing that pin. Snow doesn't fair well with symbols of rebellion, even if they are small."
A symbol of rebellion?
Gale only gives me a few seconds to digest everything he just said. "Anyway, lunch is over. Now it's time to see how you fair on making those designs real." He pulls my on my wrist and drags me back out to the shop before I can even protest.
***Time Skip***
I had trouble staying awake on my walk back to the Seam. Between everything that happened today and the lack of sleep last night, I was exhausted.
After lunch Gale had me try to create one of my designs without any help from him. Needless to say, whatever it is I made was a disaster. He only told me how the machines worked and I hadn't had any time to practice with them as I had just started training. It was almost as if Gale had thrown me off the deep end and expected me to create a perfect piece. Everything I attempted to make turned out being disastrous. It was almost as if Gale had made me try just to laugh at my failure. He knew I didn't know anything about the craftsmanship before today, and yet he left me on my own.
As soon as I get back to my house in the Seam, I collapse on my bed and the moment my head hits the pillow I'm asleep.
I wake up early in the morning when the sun isn't even all the way in the sky yet. That means I have some extra time for hunting this morning before I have to go back to the wonderful institute of school. I get dressed and grab my game bag from the corner on my room. When I enter into the front room of our house, I see my mother sitting up on the couch, with bloodshot eyes and looking as if she just saw Maysilee die again, but this time like it was right in front of her. She does nothing as I greet her with a 'good morning'. She sits as still as a statue, unmoving. I make my way over to dad in the small kitchen.
"Morning Dad."
"Hey, sweetie. How have the past couple days been?" He asks while engulfing me in his arms. I decide to tell him everything that has happened at a later time. Instead I question him about mom.
"Well, your mother was doing considerably better on the way to the Capitol, but things took a turn for the worse when we got to her appointment. The doctor told us that whatever it is your mother has is terminal. He tried to administer a new medicine to her, but whatever the effect was, it did nothing to help."
"At least they tried something." I muttered, trying to look on the Brightside. With everything going on right now, I'm not sure how well I would manage something else happening. "So why is she like that right now?"
Dad sighs. "I wish they hadn't tried the new medicine."
"You don't mean… that cause her to be like this?"
He only nods, confirming my question. "And it gets worse. The new drug they gave your mother is attacking the morphling that has been in her body. That means we can't give her any more morphling for about a three more days, even if she needs it. The new medicine that is in her system though, has acted like a catalyst for the disease she has. Instead of giving us a time range of five to ten years again, they gave us one of ten days to six months." He finishes and the house is dead silent. I don't even know what to say.
"I- I need have to go." I say, and I'm out the door before my dad can reply.
I make it twenty feet from the door before I burst into a sprint. Everything feels as if it's closing in on me. I can't breathe again. Even once I'm out of the district I can't breathe. I feel like the air inside my lungs has been poisoned, that I'm slowly being suffocated from the inside out. My mother is dying. My mother is dying even after the Capitol promised they would do whatever they could to heal her. The drug they gave her made it worse. Whichever Capitol doctor my mother had could have cured her, but instead gave her something to worsen her condition.
This single thought fuels the fire for other thoughts to follow. What if the Capitol caused this illness in the first place? As a way to make sure my dad didn't step out of line. To make sure that he followed their every order, and they could wave my mother's condition in front of him if he ever felt rebellious toward Snow.
My thoughts are put on hold as I hear leaves ruffling behind the tree I'm leaning on. The ruffling is a distance away, and I can't tell what kind of animal it is. I quickly pull out a few knives from their sheath. I throw one at the squirrel in front of me, and another at a rabbit exiting a bush to my right. I prepare my other knife and pull out a second. I throw one low and close to the forest floor as I turn. I get ready to aim the second as my vision adjusts, but I don't release it. I hear a groan and a thud. My grip on the knife loosens and I can't stop a small laugh from bubbling out of my chest.
"What the hell are you doing? You could have stabbed me!" Gale of all people is out in the woods, and slumped against a large tree. I see a mark my knife made on his shoe as it must have grazed by.
"What am I doing out here? What's a privileged little boy from town doing venturing out into the woods? Did you get lost Hawthorne?" My questions are answer by a scowl rather than actual words as Gale pushes himself off the ground.
"What do you think I'm doing out here? I'm gathering a haul of my own." He says as he gestures to the snare line that Kat and I had been so careful of for so many years.
"Wait, that snare line is yours? What the hell do you need game for?" But he ignores my last question.
"Yeah blondie, the line is mine. And last week someone cut one of my snares, have any ideas as to who?"
I shrug."Maybe you should watch where you place your traps." Any trace of humor that was in my tone before has now vanished.
"And maybe you should watch where you step." He growls. He's close enough that the fact that he towers over me in height has become extremely evident.
"Why do you assume it was me that got caught in your snare?"
"Because blondie, there's no one else out here, let alone someone more oblivious than you who could have gotten caught in the snare. I mean, how blind and careless and idiotic do you-"
His sentence is cut short as a loud crack echoes throughout the woods. My palm stings from where it connected with Gale's face, and I see a red mark already forming on his cheek.I retrieve my game from the forest floor and gather my knives. Gale just stands there, still shocked by the fact that I actually slapped him.
"So much for starting over, huh? You know what- I don't think you'll ever learn how to not be such an ass. I get that you're angry from everything that's going on, so am I. Maybe you should try doing something positive for once, maybe that'll help make a difference rather than yelling at people." I then turn on my heel and leave. "By the way, you may want to put some ice on that cheek to make sure it doesn't bruise."
And another chapter done! I'm also free from my room finally. Anyway, updates probably won't be as frequent with school starting and everything, but I'll try to update once every one to two weeks if not sooner. Okay so, please remember to review, follow, favorite (whatever you deem fit) and I'll see you guys next chapter.
