Madge:
Effie awoke me for the reapings. I can't honestly say that I watched them, since I was still in a state of shock. I was going to fight to the death in a few days; I needed this time to compose myself. I'd have plenty of time to scope out my competition later. Not to mention that I was going to have to fight against Gale Hawthorne's little brother. But I have to win. I have to win so I can get home to my family, Prim, and Katniss. Winning will mean everything to me. Katniss will never have to worry about going hungry again and maybe people will stop hating me because of who my dad is. After all, I've proved that I'm braver than a seam boy and his cowardice has put his family in grave danger. Deep down, I don't know much about Gale, but I do know that if he could have seen the future, he never would have fled from the Justice Building. His family always came first.
Gale would've fared well in these games. I wouldn't have stood a chance against him. The only thing worse than going into the arena with Gale would be forced to fight with Katniss. Thank the goddesses that they made a boy and a girl from each district compete and it was never two women fighting to the death.
Training was three days of hell. You sat by the little girl from district 11 everyday because no one wanted anything to do with you. You were too short, skinny, and didn't have any real weapon training, so the career pack was out. Hawthorne avoided you like the plague, as did the rest of the tributes. They act like I'm contagious. That's when it hit me. The tributes knew why I volunteered, the rumors were rampant. I volunteered because I was in love with a woman. The only one that wasn't bothered by this (or hadn't figured it out yet) was little Rue. She told me about district 11. They have arranged marriages and have to have at least 3 children per couple, no matter their income. Winning was the only way either her or her district partner could escape poverty and misery. Rue didn't want to get married nor have children. She just wanted to become a singer. I told her that my friend at home had the most beautiful voice in the world. Rue asked me if it was the little girl I volunteered for. I told her that she was a fantastic healer, but her sister was the one that the birds would stop and listen to. We were allies before we ever reached the interview.
I managed a 5 in the score session. I wasn't skilled at one thing; I could do several things decently. Being mediocre at throwing knives, camouflage, and weightlifting didn't impress them. I was crushed at the interview. Caesar kept asking me about Prim and I had to hold back tears. He asked me if there was a lucky man in my life and I told him there wasn't. I dreaded that he'd ask if I fancied anyone. Thankfully, he moved onto another question about my pin. I told him the story of my aunt and neglected to mention that she died in the same games that Haymitch won. I didn't want their pity or them thinking that Haymitch was going to save me. I gave off an aura of strength and said that I was going to win for my aunt and Prim.
My designer saw me off on the day of the launch. He had made my outfit of diamonds in the opening ceremonies. The rock shone in my eyes. The Capitol citizens had said that I was the only diamond they ever saw come out of the coal district. They said I shone physically and mentally. My nickname was "the diamond in the rough". As I got in the tube, I looked back at him as he mouthed "I'm still betting on you". Cinna was the only one I could talk to. He knew I loved Katniss and he gave me a braid like hers for the arena to remember who I was fighting for. It was an exact match except my blonde hair looked like a golden rope while hers looked like an onyx necklace.
The platform was rising, and I looked out at the arena. The cornucopia was brimming with sleeping bags, food, medicine, water containers, and fire starters. There was a water container and backpack within my reach. I would make a dash for them and then get out of there. I made eye contact with Rue and she knew to do the same. We'd team up immediately. I knew that we'd live longer if we stuck together.
The gong sounded and the blood bath began.