Enjoy this chapter. This chapter is so long that I probably did an absolutely horrible job editing it.
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One Last Time
I give up waiting for Madge after fifteen minutes, but I don't want to spend all night with just Effie and Haymitch, so I ask the Peacekeepers on duty if I can take the stairs. They look surprised, but eventually agree (with pitying looks) after I explain that Haymitch is my mentor. I enter the dining room ten or fifteen minutes later and Haymitch jumps up, sees me, and then sits back down as I walk inside.
"Is there something I should know?" I ask worriedly.
"Oh, nothing, Gale. Haymitch is just excited that Madge is going to have such a strong ally when we don't even know her training score," Effie explains happily. I am confused by this. Has Madge, by some insane miracle, managed to get in with the careers?
"Effie, why don't you go look for Madge?" Haymitch suggests. Effie looks confused, but Haymitch begins to yell, "Let me talk to my tribute, damn it!"
Effie looks offended, but leaves.
"What is it, Haymitch?" I ask.
"How'd you do in training?" he asks frantically.
"Pretty well, I guess. They had to replace a few of the dummies, I think," I say.
"Yeah, I heard. Don't be too worried about your score," Haymitch says. I'm surprised to know that he must have Game maker friends. How else could he possibly know that I was getting a good score? And if I was going to get a good score, then what was Haymitch so worried about?
Just then, Madge and Effie enter the dining room. Effie is blabbing on and on about an alliance between her and Penelope, the girl from 2 that we've been eating with. Is this why Haymitch is so worried about? That Madge will end up like Peeta? I almost laugh because the girl from 2 is definitely not a career or capable of that sort of harm despite her cruel nature and extensive knowledge of the most efficient ways to kill a man.
"Enobaria called and said that Penelope would like to send in a formal request, Madge," Haymitch explains when Madge looks confused by all of the talk about alliances.
"Why would she send in a formal request? Penelope and I have already talked it over and planned on becoming allies if we both survive the blood bath," Madge says.
"Yes, but I guess she wanted to seem trust worthy to you, so she had her mentor send us an actual request! Oh, this is so exciting. Just wait until all of my friends hear about this! It's like actually being part of a real competitor's team," Effie exclaims. Madge, Haymitch, and I ignore her.
Even though Effie seems satisfied with this new development being the cause of all of Haymitch's "excitement", he hasn't stopped pacing and jittering. There must be something else that's bugging him; something big enough to pull him out of his drunken stupor and transform him into a worried- perhaps even caring- mentor.
Madge is also looking a little shaken up, which only fuels my suspicions that something is not right.
"Madge," I whisper, as I pull her away from Effie and Haymitch into the hallway, "What exactly did you do during your private session?"
She looks incredibly guilty as she responds:
"I threw some knives and spears and stuff and then…" she starts out loudly enough, but begins to mumble as she moves past throwing spears.
"What?" I ask again.
"I- I painted a picture of my aunt that died during the Quarter Quell, Gale!" she hisses frantically. I notice that she's starting to cry, but I'm too shocked to do anything.
She painted a picture of a dead tribute in front of the Game Makers.
I realize with shame that though I talk a big game about wanting to defy the Capitol, Madge has truly outdone me here.
I showed the Game makers what they wanted.
Madge showed them what they deserved.
"The picture wasn't even that good," she sniffs and I am snapped from my musings.
"Is that really all you can think about?" I ask. "You just signed your own death wish!"
"I wish I was," and now I can hear that Madge has really started to cry.
I look down at Madge. My hands are still on her shoulders from when I pulled her out into the hallway and her blonde hair is a mess. Her eyes are rimmed with red from all of her crying. I want so badly to pull her to me and kiss her as if there's no tomorrow, which is pretty close to the truth. Thankfully, Effie calls out something about our training scores being announced so we head into the dining room to watch and hope for the best.
The careers all get nines, save for Mart's 11. Penelope gets a seven, which is low for a tribute from District 2, but then again she hadn't been trained as well as most of the past tributes. Byte from District 3 gets a five, but I know that he's far better than that. I assume that he's playing the weak side to try and keep others from seeing him as a threat. Both tributes from District 7 get nines, like the rest of the careers, who they will most likely be allying themselves with while we're in the arena. The rest of the scores are low to medium. Soon it's time for District 12.
I almost close my eyes, but it's not my score that I'm dreading, it's Madge's.
Gale Hawthorne pops up and a large red ten flashes underneath of it.
All the commentators begin to theorize about how it must be some sort of family trait and I remember that Katniss and I are supposed to be cousins, or something.
Margaret Undersee pops up next and a red seven flashes beneath it.
She looks stunned at the fact that her score was almost average (a little on the higher side, but close enough), considering the circumstances. I sneak a quick glance at Haymitch and he looks relieved as well. I don't know what sort of strings he had to pull in order to save Madge's score from being too extreme, but I'm thankful for it.
I wake up in the morning dreading what is to come tomorrow: the interviews.
I hope that Haymitch doesn't come up with some idiotic idea to make Madge and me the next "star- crossed lovers" of District 12. We all know how well that turned out the last time. But I know that there's absolutely no way that he'll let me forget about what happened on the train, so I begin my mental preparations.
I head out to breakfast and Madge wobbles in with Effie behind her.
"See, Madge, you're doing fantastic!" she cheers. Madge looks like she would like nothing better than to slap Effie across her stupid face, but she manages to restrain herself.
Effie leaves to go retrieve Haymitch from wherever he passed out last night and Madge and I are left alone with piles and piles of food.
"So what has Effie done to you now?" I ask.
"High heels, Gale. They're horrible," she groans. I laugh. There's no way that a pair of shoes could be that bad.
"You're lucky; you get to wear flats! You'll never have to learn how to walk in these things," Madge snaps, but it's still funny. We're marching off to our deaths in forty eight hours and all Madge can think about is a pair of shoes.
"They can't be that bad," I smile.
Madge just shakes her head miserably and groans.
"We're not going to reveal to the whole of Panem that you loved Katniss," Haymitch says when we reach the rooftop. Effie's been onto him and the Capitol attendants about his drinking problem lately so he's currently sober. I have this strange feeling that he's agreed only because he's tired of seeing Maysilee everywhere he goes, but I'm saving that for later usage depending on what my interview angle is supposed to be. Besides, I think that I prefer him passed out and drunk- even if he had just vomited or wet himself- as opposed to this sarcastic little tick that just won't leave you alone.
"Yeah, I figure that probably won't help out District 12's reputation too much," I reply sarcastically. Two can play at this game, I decide, and I almost bring up Maysilee but then I remember Haymitch controls what I'll get while I'm in the arena (if we get any sponsors, that is).
"Look, Gale, you're interview angle is not going to be funny and, honestly, I don't think I even need to explain why, at this point," Haymitch says.
"So what do I do, then?" I ask, rolling my eyes.
"Play up the hard working family man sort of thing. Talk about how hard it was to watch Katniss die, after all, she was your favorite cousin," Haymitch puts a lot more emphasis on cousin than I find necessary, but I see his point. The Capitol will eat it up.
"Haymitch, why are we on the roof?" I ask. He ignores me, but as the morning wears on, I realize that it must be because of all of the noise up here. Cameras and microphones would have a hard time picking up on a conversation. I decide that maybe Haymitch isn't as bat shit as I thought he was.
"Cesar will do his best to make you look good, after all, that's his job," Haymitch instructs me on what I should say, and by the end of the morning, I'm not too bad at it. After lunch, though, is so much worse. I'm practicing etiquette with Effie, and I'm horrible at it. Of course, Madge was practically a natural, being the daughter of a government official, but I'm miserable. Heading off to dinner is a relief.
"Now, be sure that both of you get a lot of sleep! After all, tomorrow is a big, big, big day!" Effie says as we head off.
Madge and I don't say anything, but we both get into the elevator and ride up to the rooftop. Haymitch must have taken her up here as well. Even though the wind is loud around us, it feels calmer; more peaceful, than the rest of the Capitol.
We sit in on a bench overlooking the streets of the Capitol.
"I want to go home so badly. I- I just want for all of this to be over, Gale. I hate it so much, I really do," Madge sighs. I instinctively put my arm around her. She stiffens and I realize that this is probably the first physical affection I've ever given her.
"It'll be alright," I mumble, unsure of what else to say or do.
"No it won't, Gale. Even if one of us wins, we still have to go home knowing that we played right into their hands. That we did just what they wanted us to do," Madge doesn't have to explain who she means by "They".
"Then we don't give them what they want, Madge. We find some way to show them that they don't own us; that they don't control us. We don't have to give into them," I say.
"We already have, Gale," she whispers and I know she's right. We're giving the Capitol what they want: tributes willing to do anything to survive.
"Oh, Madge," I murmur as I pull her head underneath mine. She smells like the Capitol shampoo we've been using but also fresh bread. It's nice, in a weird way.
"Gale," she mumbles into my chest. Then she pulls away.
She's looking at me with these big blue eyes that are all innocent ad I don't even know what I'm doing, but before I know it, I've leaned down and kissed her. My hand is cupping her cheek and I'm amazed that she isn't pulling away from me. And soon, she's kissing me back. I'm running my hands into her hair and I feel her hands wrapping themselves into my hair as well. I have this weird feeling in my gut that I'm doing something oh so wrong and yet, how can it be bad when it feels like this, the other half of my brain argues. So I keep kissing her because it does feel so good and so right.
A car horn down below snaps us back into reality.
Madge is blushing ferociously. The hair on the left side of her head is standing up and her lips look a little swollen.
"We'd better go to bed now, Gale. Tomorrow's going to be a long day," she says. Then she gets up and races for the elevator before I even know what's happening. I turn around to try and catch her eye, but the doors have closed and I'm alone except for my overly confused thoughts about Madge Undersee and the slaughter of the Hunger Games that are nearly upon us.
I assume that I somehow found my way back to my room, because when I wake up, covered in sweat and shaking, I'm in my bed on the floor for the District 12 team. I had been running from the cornucopia with Mart on my tail. The entire forest floor had been covered in blood and the trees were all bones. I finally reached a dead end at a river of blood, so I turned around and shot my bow and arrow. But I hit Madge instead. Then this little weasel appeared and it laughed just like Penelope. It said that she was going to go tell the Mayor and ran down a hole. I followed her and I was in the Mines again. There was a giant explosion, the same one that killed my father, only this time, Katniss and Peeta Mellark, the sap, are the miners. But the worst part of my dream comes when I wake up face to face with Haymitch for the second (and hopefully last) time in my life.
"Holy shit, kid, from the way that you talk in your sleep I'd have thought that you were the victor, not the tribute!" Haymitch exclaims after I jump back and swear loudly when I've recovered from waking up to his face.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment, vote of confidence, or just another insult?" I ask.
"Not sure yet, kid," Haymitch says, "it's a pity, though, that Madge'll never get to hear all about your dreams before she goes into the arena."
I blush before I can stop myself. Haymitch sees and I feel like an even bigger sap than Peeta freaking Mellark. Gale Hawthorne does not blush. Gale Hawthorne does not get like this about a girl. Then again, though, the girl doesn't usually leave after the first kiss of the night.
"So she does know? How'd that work out, Casanova?" Haymitch asks, genuinely curious.
I groan and put my head in my hands. I don't want to see his face when he hears.
"Horrible" I groan.
"Okay, I'm not usually one for the encouraging, build up your confidence sort of thing, but it seriously couldn't have gone that badly," Haymitch laughs, trying to be encouraging.
"She ran away, Haymitch. I kissed her and then she literally got up and ran away. Are you really going to try and convince me that it didn't go that badly?" I challenge. Haymitch, being the ever encouraging mentor that he is, seems to finally be at a loss of words.
When he speaks, though, I have to fight the urge to slap him.
"Surely your breath couldn't have been that horrible?"
"Alright, Gale you may turn around now!" Portia says excitedly. I turn around, look in the mirror, and I don't look half bad, if I do say so myself. My shaggy black hair has been combed and styled to look a little messy, as is (apparently) all the craze in the Capitol, but it's still presentable enough for my interview. I have on dark slacks and shoes and my shirt is the same color as glowing embers, just like on our costumes for the opening ceremonies. It's probably the nicest outfit that I've ever worn. Nothing in my reaping outfit matched and the shoes were covered in duct tape.
"Thanks, Portia. It's great…" I say.
"And I'm sure that you'll do great, too, Gale," Portia says as she reaches up to straighten my collar one final time.
I inhale deeply and Portia looks a little worried. I don't know if stylists and tributes usually get attached, but Portia's really started to grow on me and I'd like to think that I've had the same effect on her. From the frown lines, I assume that I have, so I reach out and give her quick pat on the shoulders.
"Thanks, Portia. You've been fantastic," I say awkwardly. I'm not particularly gifted with this sort of stuff, but Portia seems to understand because she gives my shoulders a reassuring squeeze.
"It's about time you headed on over to the prep room. Go on, Gale," she nudges me out of the door and I soon find myself surrounded by the other tributes in the prep room. I keep my eyes open for any sign of Madge, but she's either late or avoiding me because I can't see any sign of her.
I sigh and busy myself by observing the other tributes, like Madge would. Nothing in particular stands out to me, until I see something orange, like a sunset, almost, weaving her way through the other tributes towards me. It must be Madge, I realize, and my heart starts to race. She looks so beautiful.
I catch her eye and smile. She blushes deeply and smiles a bit, but still looks a bit upset at the same time. She's made no effort to come over to me, so I walk over to her. She's in a long dress the same color as my shirt, only it looks a little crinkly, almost like it's actually made up of real burning coals. Her hair has been pinned and braided up so that her face stands out even more. I have to swallow and clear my throat a few times before I can really talk to her.
"Madge…" I start, but she's full of surprises and cuts me off before I can get her entire name out.
"Look, Gale, if your angle is going to be 'star crossed lovers- two point o' or some other stupid shit that Haymitch came up with while he was completely wasted, I'd better let you know that I will not be a willing participant, so don't bother to include me," she snaps.
Though I seem to be channeling the overly romantic and sap covered spirit of Peeta Mellark lately, I'm not that much of a dumb ass.
"And, for the record, Gale, if I was Katniss, Peeta would have been the first one that I killed, for no reason other than my complete and total embarrassment in front of the entire country of Panem," Madge adds as bit of an afterthought.
"I couldn't agree more, Madge," I say.
"So you're not going to mention anything to anyone?" she asks. She sounds a little disappointed, but I assume that it's just nerves.
"Well, Haymitch already knows, Madge. The guy can read me like a book," I admit.
"What did he say?" she asks.
"He laughed at me," I admit begrudgingly.
She laughs a little but the music signaling our entrance begins to play and so we start to walk out onto the stage.
We sit silently and listen to each of the tribute's interviews and angles. Both from 1 seem to be using the sexy approach. Penelope is using the smart, mysterious, and calculating angle. Byte's interview isn't too bad because he's seemed to impress the crowd after he admits that he helped invent these new movie glasses. Mart just looks like some sort of killing machine and all of his responses are short and a little frightening. The tributes from 7 also use this approach. Thresh's cousin is too nervous and twitchy to be very impressive, and then it's time for Madge. She's blushing as she ascends the stage and I assume that this is part of her angle.
"Well, Miss Margaret Undersee…" Caser begins, but Madge interrupts him.
"Please, call me Madge," she smiles as if they were old friends.
"Well then, Madge, how have you enjoyed your experience so far in the Capitol? Is it everything that you thought it would be?" Caser asks.
"And more, Caser! I'd always seen it on the television and just wondered what it could possibly be like to live here, of all places! It's just all so beautiful and everyone has been so incredibly kind!" Madge gushes. The crowd loves it. They love her child like gushing and compliments.
"Well, you're actually a familiar face for two reasons, aren't you Madge? One of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's closest friends and your aunt Maysilee was a competitor in the previous Quarter Quell along side your mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, is that correct?" Caser asks.
"Yes, Katniss and I were friends. I was much closer to Peeta, though. He was like my brother when we were little kids and even though we grew apart as we got older, every time I saw him, it was like we were just picking up where we left off," she says sadly. The crowd offers their condolences.
"And what about your Aunt Maysilee?" Caser prompts. He really is doing an excellent job with Madge's interview. The crowd loves her little sob story and innocent little country girl overwhelmed by this big city angle. I can only hope that my interview goes this well.
"Yes, she was my mother's twin sister. I- my dad," Madge has begun to choke up a little and I'm unsure whether she is crying for real or acting, "he used to tell me about how lively and happy my mother was. Back before my Aunt Maysilee died. After it happened, though, she was never quite the same."
"How did your mother handle you being reaped? It must have been hard for to say good bye her since her sister was killed all those years ago," Caser asks.
"She- she didn't get to come say good bye, actually," Madge says, and I can tell that her sniffles are real this time, "She was too ill, you see."
The crowd gasps and begins to cry out in pity and condolence for Madge. Her own mother wasn't even able to say good bye to her! How horrible!
""But I'm going to win, Caser," Madge states. "I'm going to win for Maysilee and for my mother. I'll make them proud."
"Well, I'm sure that your seven in training was only the beginning, Madge!" Caser encourages, and she nods.
"Yes, it was. I don't plan on giving up and losing in there." The crowd cheers and the timer buzzes.
I begin my climb and sit in the seat. Caser's purple accents look far better on Portia. At least she knows how not to overdo it.
"This must be some sort of new tradition from District 12! We are now up to two family members in one evening, with Mister Gale Hawthorne!" Caser exclaims.
"Yes, Katniss was my favorite cousin," I say. The crowd cheers.
"And she made it so far, only to be caught unawares by Clove of District 2 at the feast," Caser sighs.
The crowd cries out in sadness. Katniss was, after all, the favorite to win last year's games.
"Well, I don't plan on that happening to me. I will get home to continue taking care of both of our families," I say.
The crowd cheers, and Madge and I soon become some of the biggest hits of the evening.
I'm sitting on the roof when I hear Madge behind me.
"Couldn't sleep either?" I ask.
"Not at all," she whispers. She sits beside me and I see the worry on her face. I put my arm around her and she looks at me strangely. "Why did you kiss me?"
I'm unsure of how to respond. Hell, I don't really even know why I did it. It just felt right.
"Did you want to kiss me?" I ask.
"That's not an answer, Gale," she says, looking at me again.
"I have no clue, but it felt right, Madge," I admit.
She nods and starts to get up to leave, but I rise with her and pull her to me.
"Gale…" Madge sighs, looking away.
"I'll never get to do this again," I whisper. She looks at me and then presses her lips to mine. They feel soft and comforting and warm. I haven't felt that way in years, but she pulls away after a few seconds.
"I- I'll miss you, Gale, whatever happens," she chokes out and then she's running again.
Just my luck, I think.
Portia brushes my hair out of my face.
"Nervous?" she asks.
"A little," I admit. "What about you?"
"You'll do great, Gale. You have a better shot than you think," Portia says and she squeezes my shoulders one last time before I step onto the plate.
She waves as it rises and I give her a half smile in return.
Then I am blinded by the bright sunlight of the arena.
Okay, forget what I've said about past chapters being long. This one is the longest. I don't think that any other chapters will get to this length and if they do, I'm splitting them up because it's too big for me to edit well.
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