The wind whistles against the broken shells what once were windows across the quiet street as dust falls down to the ground, where bodies against bodies lay burned unrecognisable. The bombs came so fast as a rain fall, nobody could have foreseen the huge damage to the village as it burned, but now as the fire has died down, no sign of the living in the village as it was called District 12.
No sight of children playing, not one flower by the sidewalks blooming, trees on the ground not one standing, shattered houses, the sign "Mellark's bakery" ripped in two pieces with the 'M' letter almost burned. Only bones scattered across the road to the Capitol.
With a ripped skirt that once was white turned into grey, Madge crawls out of a collapsed shed near what once was the shoe makers store. Her hands shaking, she digs in the ground to pull herself out of the wreckage with a scream. Sharp pain in her right leg makes Madge look at it and yells" Damn it!". Hot nails dragged across her leg, making a slash and blood starts to leak out mixing up with dirt.
Ripping of a piece from skirt, she ties it tight around her thigh, as tears fall from her cheeks to her hands tying a knot. With her strength that's left, she gets out of the wreckage, breathing heavily.
Mom, dad, why you guys didn't get out faster? How could they be gone like the rest of the town? I can't be the only one, there has to be survivors somewhere. Madge thinks looking for any sign of somebody, hoping against all odds that there was somebody looking out for someone as well.
Looking at the shed, she sees a rake, reaching out for it, Madge slowly pulls herself up standing, using the rake as a cane. It's firm enough, should hold my weight. Slowly walking, trying to not step on bones, Madge subconsciously 'you'll get mad, don't think, just walk, get out.'
As she nears the main square, Madge shudders. Houses as dust on the ground, bodies lying, but one thing still stands tall as a warning to anyone alive out there. Her stomach drops to her feet. The whipping post. Like a big fuck you to the district, either you burn to ashes or you'll get whipped to death anyway.
Keep moving. Get to the meadow, you can't stay here, it's too dangerous. as Madge takes another step forward, that's when she hears it.
Crying. By the post somewhere. Madge as fast as she's able to walks over, cries getting louder, she gets to it, seeing a small body trapped under a table, squatting down Madge sees a little girl with red puffy eyes, brown hair, olive skin, coal stains on her shirt, her fragile body under the heavy oak table. "It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you, I'l help you, common, on the count of three, I'll try to push this up and you get out of there ok sweetie?! On the count of three, one, two, three".
Madge pushes up with using her arms, as the girl rolls out of it. Madge yells out at the pain in her leg, falling down on her ass, breathing heavily. The little one terrified whispers "thank you". Madge looks up at her nodding her head. "I'm Madge. what's your name?" "Heather. Heather Miller."
"I know your scared, I am too, but we'll get through it ok, from now on, we're partners, we have to go somewhere that's safe." The girl slowly crawls to her, reaching for her hand, holding onto her. Looking at the house, Madge thinks ''maybe there is something in the Victors village, I mean would they bomb victor's village if nobody was there? We need food and clothes, common, let's go before it gets too dark."
They both rise up, start to head to the Victor's village hoping to find shelter there.
As the pair slowly walks to the Village, across the district on the other side by the woods, an aircraft with the district 13 seal starts its engine, as one tall man gets on top of the plane looking across the field." we got everyone out, there's nobody there anymore, we can't stay here any longer. You saved more lives than anyone could have in that short amount of time." A soldier stands next to the guy. "what's your name, son?" With a heavy grunt and angry eyes, he looks up "Gale Hawthorne."
If you guys liked and wanna read more, then well I guess hit the favourite button and I'll write more when I can. I've always wanted to write, and I wanted to see a version of the last book where Madge lives.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it, stay safe and healthy.