Chapter 10 – And here we go again

What? Her head is spinning. Posy only had one slip of paper in thousands. Her chances of being chosen where so remote she didn't even bothered to worry so much about her. Somewhere far away, she can hear screaming. She looks at the source and sees that Mrs. Hawthorne passed out. Gale is holding her and watching back at the stage.

Madge looks around. Two peacemakers are holding little Posy and taking her to the stage.

C'mon! C'mon, someone! Volunteers! Damn it. Weeks ago, many girls were making plans with their boyfriends and planning strategies to survive. But at that moment, Madge could see that none of them were speaking anything. Everyone was watching Effie congratulates small Posy and going back to the microphone.

"Okay, Ladies. The time is now. Will someone take away the glory of this young charming girl?

No one is saying anything. The boys are looking at the girl's group but nothing comes out. Madge remembers what Katniss and Rory said. They were right. Fuck! What the Hell? She is too young. Posy won't make it.

Effie signs and is already walking to the boy's ball.

"Wait! I volunteer!" she gasps. "I volunteer as tribute".

The kids make way as she immediately runs to the stage.

"Let her go!", she evilly glares at the peacemakers. "I already said that I volunteer. Let her go, NOW!"

Both look at the mayor, her father, who motions them to let go of Posy. She bents down "Posy, listen to me. Go to your mother, okay? And don't look back."

"Lovely!" says Effie Trinket. "I almost thought no one would volunteer. What a lucky girl you are. What's your name? And said it out loud so everyone hears it."

She swallows hard looking back at the crowd. "Madge Undersee"

"Undersee? Wait, aren't you the mayor's daughter?", Effie looks back at the mayor.

"Proceeds, Miss Trinket. Let her forward.", says Madge's father. He has a pained expression on his face. He can be an authority but can't break the rules of the Capitol. If someone volunteers, it doesn't matter who that person is. He has to follow the rules.

"Well, bravo!" gushes Effie Trinket. "That's the spirit of the Games. Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute" trills Effie.

To everlasting credit of the people of District 12, not one person claps. Not even the ones holding betting slips, the ones who are usually beyond caring. Possibly because no one liked Madge. She wasn't very dear at school since everybody thought she was to rich and snobby. She could only stand there unmoving. She couldn't even dare to look at Rory or Katniss. Her only friends.

Then something unexpected happens. At first one, then another, the almost every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it out for her. It is an old and rarely used gesture of her district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means, thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love.

Madge is almost at the verge of crying but fortunately Haymitch chooses this time to come staggering across the stage to congratulates her "Look at her. Look at this beauty!" he hollers, throwing an arm across her shoulders. He is surprisingly strong for such a wreck. "I like her! Lots of… Spunk!" he says. "More than you!" he releases her and starts for the front of the stage. "More than you!", he keeps yelling at the cameras until he plummets of the stage and knocks himself unconscious.

"What an exciting day! But we're almost out of time. Let's choose our boy tribute!", Effie crosses to the ball that contains the boys names and grabs the first slip she encounters. She zips back to the podium.

"Peeta Mell…", she doesn't even finishes reading it when someone from the boys crowd yells

"I volunteer as a tribute!"

It's Rory.

Madge can't help but look immediately at him running to the stage. He takes his place besides hers.

"Oh my! Don't want anyone to take all glory, now do you? What's your name boy?", Effie asks.

"My name is Rory. Rory Hawthorne." He quickly introduces himself.

"Hawthorne? Well, I bet the young girl over there is your younger sister, isn't she? This year definitely will be exciting!" Effie sits back and the mayor starts reading The Treaty of Treason. When he finally finishes it she motions for Rory and her to shake hands only to find out that they were already holding hands. Side by side. At some point, during his reading, Rory took her shaking and sweaty hand and hold it. The mayor motions for both to stand in front of each other and shake their hands for the cameras.

The anthem of Panem plays and soon there are taken into custody.

Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic, Madge. She constantly repeated to herself.

They conduct Madge into a room in the Justice building. She is left alone.

She paces around the room. The tributes are left in this room to say goodbyes to their families and friends. But Madge's mom can't come and her only male friend is in the room next door. She looks around analyzing the room. There's a couch, a round table with four chairs and a few paintings on the walls. She remembered her mother's notes about her reaping. How Margaret came last to say goodbye after her parents and a few friends. She came quickly and started to take off her clothes. "Come on, May. Change with me. I can do it. You'll see. I won't let them take you away from me" they hugged and said goodbyes. Her mom's notes told about how difficult it was for her to watch her sister fight along with others members of their own District. Her own strategy was to avoid some of her own friends and the real Margaret friend's.

Madge looked around more. There weren't cameras there. She even looked underneath the table. No microphones either. Probably, it wasn't entertainment for the Capital to watch their families cry for them.

She heard someone yelling on the room next to her.

Gale is furious.
The room they put her in had uneven walls and warped floors. Even the most modern interior design was helpless against a building that was almost four hundred years old, she thought. Madge can hear loud yells through the thin walls.

Gale is yelling at Rory, for obvious reasons. Some words are very distinct as waste, sacrifice and stupid. Now Rory is talking. He seems calm. Probably talking the right things since Gale does not scream anymore.

She stops paying attention to them.
Her father has just entered the room. He seems to have lost 10 pounds since this morning. He stares at her for what it seems to be twenty minutes when in fact were only a few seconds "I should have known from the beginning Madge, you're a free spirit. Sooner or later you would want to get rid of me. I just hoped it was not this way. "
She knew what he was talking about.

People would expect her to be snob and annoying but Madge was well raised by her mom and her nanny. She learned good manners and never complained about anything. She had a butler, a few maids and a nanny. They were really nice with her and told her stories about their families and the difficulties of living outside the mayor's house. So she knew she couldn't complain about her life. She had almost everything she wanted.

But Madge couldn't always be the nice and behaved girl. She often wished to explore the district and wanted to live her adventures. Which she actually did.

She realizes he's hopeless. But she is determined to try and survive the games. She would rather be her to die in the arena than a sweet little child. She doesn't regret anything.

Her father is hugging her tightly and crying hard. She wishes she could tell him her secrets. Tell him that she did have more chances of surviving the madness and killing of the games than any other girl from the district. After all, she and Rory have been practicing for almost two years.
Poor young Posy wouldn't survive the first five minutes. She was an easy target. The other tributes probably thought Madge was weak too.

"Dad, please, don't cry. I know this is hard but I'm will try my best out there. I know you are not allowed to sponsor me or ask help from your friends. So make sure mom take this news well. If they put a screen on her room, make sure she has company all the time. Tell her that I love her so much. Tell her to understand that I couldn't… that I couldn't allow Posy to die.", she sobs. The last thing Madge wanted was to cry and have red nose and puffy eyes. She tries to compose herself. "Dad, you don't have to watch. Just be there for mom, ok?"

"I'm not sure what the procedure is for these case but I will order Jeff and Martha to watch your mother all the time. Madge, please, be safe. You're so fast and brave. Maybe you and the boy can win. I know you won't tell me but something tells me that you and him have some kind of connection, something tha…". The peacemakers interrupt her father. They tell him his time is over. Being the mayor doesn't give him any kind of power over the Hunger Games rules. He gives her one last hug and leaves.

Madge is alone again only for a couple minutes.

Another person comes in. It's Peeta.

"Madge, what the hell?", he says before she goes hug him. She never actually saw Peeta as a friend since he never talked too much with outside classes. But there he was visiting her.

"Peeta, listen to me. And don't question me any further . When I'm gone you have to look after Katniss. She is already alone at school because of Gale working at the mines. Even if she won't admit it, she needs someone to talk with. Do you understand me, Peeta? Don't let her alone. You don't have to introduce her to any of your friends but whenever you can sits next to her but don't tell her I ordered you to do it. At first, she might get angry but whatever happens at the games she will need someone."

"Madge, this is craziness. Katniss won't let me replace you. I will never replace you."

"It's not that, Peeta. When my aunt went to the games my mom was obligated to watch my aunt dies. Can't you understand? They will come, the reporters. And they will ask questions around. Once they learn she is my friend, they'll make her watch me too. She can't. She can't watch me die, Peeta. She already suffered too much", Madge fails to hold her tears.

"And you won't die. I don't allow you to give up now, Madge. I'll make my best to stay besides her and you too. Make sure to live. Don't you dare to give up, Madge. You have to come back."

"I know, I know, Peeta." They hug each other. Peeta cries at her shoulder. The peacemakers again show up to take him away.

"Madge, if anything happens. I won't forgive you. I swear I will hunt you after eternity for that", Peeta cries,

"Same on you, Peeta", Madge sadly smiles.

Madge expects for a while but after five minutes no one comes in. She looks outside the barred window. Of course, she was the famous daughter of the mayor. She was surprised when everyone saluted her at the stage for her taking Posy's place. But that didn't change the fact they probably hate her for being born in golden nest. For a while, she let a few tears rolls down. Where was Katniss? Was she angry at her or something? Perhaps Prim was. Rory volunteered to be there for Madge, she was sure. She was grateful and yet angry at his sacrifice.

A forced cough interrupted her thoughts.

It was Gale.

When did he come in? She was sure she didn't hear him enter. The perfect hunter. Of, course she wouldn't hear him. Gale hunted since he could walk. It was natural to him, walk like a fox and hide like a chameleon. Yet, again. Why was he there?

"Listen", he says. "Getting a knife should be pretty easy. It will make easier for you to hunt small animals and built small traps. The first thing you must do it's to find water. Don't you dare to built a fire place at night. They always hunt at night."

"What? Who? Are you giving me advices?", Madge was so confused.

"Madge, focus! I don't have time to discuss with you. Not now. Stay away from the careers. They hunt at night. If you can, go up in a tree. You might get cold but it's better than getting killed by them.", he is thinking further. "Try to get sponsors. You're already got the charm and beauty but you need to learn to fight. I know they have lessons there before the games, so try to learn something useful. If you get an 8 or higher, they will definitely sponsor you."

"Gale, I don't get it. Why are you doing this?", Madge blushes.

"For Posy. And for Rory. I already told him to stay away from you but he won't listen to me. You might get both of you killed." Gale says angry. "Sorry, I don't mean to be harsh. I am grateful, Madge. I own you this. Posy wouldn't make it. But Rory was safe. I don't understand why he would commit this suicide. You might die because of him too. So, you too, just stay away from him. You have better chances alone."

"Gale, I can't… I…"

"Just promise me, Madge. Promise you will stay safe. If you have to kill for your safety, just do it. You have to make it. Both of you." He holds her next to him. She can smell like the woods and the smoke from the mines. She will miss that smell. He let goes of her and leaves even before the peacemakers call him out.

"Gale…", she cries his name. There was nothing romantic between them but he still made her heart beat so hard and so fast.

The town clock strikes at four o'clock. It's time for them to departure.

She wipes her face clean. Pinch her cheeks and lick her lips.

The station is swarming with reporters with their insect like cameras trained directly on her face. She catches a glimpse of herself on the television screen on the wall that's airing her arrival live. She looks innocently bored.

It could be a good strategy to make the other tributes to overlook her. But that was already well used by a player from District 7, Johanna Mason. She seemed like such a sniveling, cowardly fool that no one bothered about her until there were only a handful of constants left. It turned out she could kill viciously. Pretty clever, the way she played it.

Madge already had her aunt as a background, so she thought no one would believe she was so innocent alike. The reporters probably already find out about her aunt being one of the last five of the 2nd quarrel.

Funny. 25 years later, there she was.

Another Maysilee look alike. They are definitely replaying her aunt's game in the Capitol.

Rory soon joins Madge side. She holds her hand to him, he immediately takes hers. He squeazes it a little before letting go. It was his way of transmitting a message to her. "Don't let them suspicious about us. Pretend we only have met. We'll talk later when we feel safe enough", was what she understood from the squeeze.

They are forced to stand a few minutes in the doorway of the train while the cameras gobble up their images. Haymitch interrupts the reporters and makes them go inside. He whispers to them "The less they know about you, the more they want to know you. Make them it at your hands. Now, find your rooms and rest. This is going to be a long trip", he looks at Madge. "Maybe longer than I thought".