Chapter 46
It's so bad I can't even wrap my mind around it. The realization that Madge is promised to marry someone as a tradeoff for not ever having her name in the reaping bowl. A deal her mother made when Madge was only an infant. As soon as Madge says it, I know it's what the plan is. It makes sense when you think about how Mabel didn't want her dating me. Of course they don't want her to date anyone. They've already given her away to someone else. My eyes stare at Madge and I see her chin start to tremble. I can't find my words right this second so I just grab her. I grab her and hug her to me as tightly as I can.
"Who would she make that kind of a deal with Gale? Who?" She cries into my chest.
"Someone important enough to take your name out of the reaping. Has to be someone from the Capitol. And it has to be someone who would've had authority when you were just a baby so they have to be older." I reply almost numbly.
"An old man? They plan to make me marry some old man from the Capitol?" She cries out. She's nearing hysterical so I cradle her and try to calm her even though I myself am freaking out on the inside.
"We will figure this out Madge. It'll be okay." I say as I rock her gently back and forth.
"How Gale? How will it be okay? How can we figure this out?"
I pull he back and force her to look me in the eyes. "I promise I will never let them take you away. I won't let them do this to you." As I say this to her I try making myself believe it too.
"I don't want to marry some old man. Some stranger. Some Capitol official. I can't do that Gale."
She's still crying but in a calmer, saddened way now instead of a panicked hysterical way.
"You won't have to. We'll run away if we have too. But we will also do our best to figure this out. We still have time to stop it Madge."
"Stop it how?"
"Well, we know they won't marry you off while you're still in school. That gives us at least one more year to work on this. And we just need to move on to the next step. We need to figure out who he is."
She nods as now silent tears still roll down her soft cheeks. I brush them away with the back of my fingers. "Okay, we know he is in a position of power and that he is older. Let's start narrowing down the possibilities. I know a lot of people from the Capitol visit your house. Does anyone stick out in your mind as someone who came more often than others or stayed longer than others?"
She thinks for a moment. "There's so many Gale. I can't name anyone. It's too many."
"Okay, let's try it from a different angle. Whoever he is, he's likely associated directly with the Games so let's start there. What people come to your house that are part of the Games?"
"I don't know Gale. I can't think." She sobs.
"It's okay, it's okay. They aren't coming for you tonight. You're safe right now. We will figure this out later after you've had time to process it all."
"I don't want to go home Gale. I can't stay in that house."
"Look at me Madge." I tell her as I put my forehead against hers. "I will not let anything happen to you. I love you."
We spend the rest of our time with Madge in my lap, my arms holding her to me, while she cries herself out. I'm still too numb to cry. And I need to try and hold it together for her sake anyway right now. Truthfully, I'm scared. I have no idea how to fix this, I have no idea how to protect her. This plan that keeps her safe from the reaping, free from fighting in the games, is by far a worse fate.
Madge is still shaking when I say goodbye to her at the shed. I watch as she goes up to her house but stops short of entering. She lays down on the swing outside on the porch. I hate leaving her here like this but I have too. I can't go on that porch and have someone find us together. I look at her one more time and then I turn and head for my house. As I walk my mind tries to make sense of this mess. We need to know who she has to marry. I can't believe Mabel and her father know this about Madge's future but standby doing nothing while time ticks away. At best, Madge has one more year before they come for her and take her away. They won't take her while she's not 18; while she's still in school. Every time Capitol people come to stay at her house now I'm going to go crazy with worry. He could be anyone. He could stand right next to her, watching her and she'd never know it was him. Yes, finding out his identity is definitely the next step. Not because I think that we can do anything about it necessarily but at least she'll know who he is and maybe that will make her feel safer. It will let her know who to be scared of.
By the time I get home, I'm too wound up to sleep. I pace the kitchen until my mother wakes up. She takes one look at me and knows something's wrong.
"Gale?" She says with a look of concern over her face.
"I'm okay Ma. Just feeling restless is all. Think I'll go on out and work on my snares."
I tell her though I'm certain she doesn't believe me. She knows better but she won't push for details. I want to tell her everything we just discovered. I want her advice on what to do, how to fix this. But at the same time I can't tell her this. I know what she'll do. She'll insist I stop seeing Madge. Out of worry for me and my safety, she'll insist I stay away from her. And I cannot do that. Not now, not ever. I'll just have to figure this out without her help.
Out in the woods I clear my snares and pull in a much larger haul than I'd expected. I reset them and head back. It's still early and I don't want to wake anyone at the Everdeens so I take their share of my haul and I'm about to leave it outside their door but their door opens and Mrs. Everdeen appears.
"I didn't mean to wake you. I was just leaving you part of my haul."
"You didn't wake me. I don't sleep much anyway these days." She says.
"Oh. Well, here's your share." I say holding it out for her to take."
She takes it with one hand and then motions for me to follow her inside with her other hand. Surprised by her level of interaction, I follow her inside. Her table is full of herbs and plants that she's gathered and is drying and preparing for her healing work.
"Here. Take this with you. Algoan leaf, calms you, helps you relax." She says as she presses a small container into my palm.
"Thank you. I could use that." I tell her; truly thankful that she noticed I needed it. I'll have to save some for Madge too.
"Drink it like tea." She says and then she slips back into her work at the table. Prim appears having woken up and seems surprised to see me. It hits me that Prim is one of the few people who can be with Madge right now and not raise suspicions.
"Prim, I need a favor. Madge needs someone to be with her right now and I can't be there. Can you go by and check on her? Don't let Mabel or her father know I sent you or that anything is wrong with her. Just go and see if she needs help with the garden today or something like that?"
"Sure, I'll go right now."
"Thanks Prim."
I know she'll be of comfort to Madge and I know she's happy to help. That's just how Prim is. She's good with people. I head over to the Hob next and do some trading for a few things I know my mother needs in the kitchen. When I'm finished there I head back home. I put what's left of my haul and the items I traded for on the kitchen table then go back outside to the rain barrel so I can wash up. Being out in the woods and lugging around a bunch of dead animals will get you filthy in no time. I dip my whole head into it. The cool water is soothing and suddenly I remember the tea from Mrs. Everdeen. Back inside I make a cup of it. It tastes terrible but I know Mrs. Everdeen knows her stuff when it comes to things like this so if she says this will help me relax then I'm drinking it, no matter how much it tastes like feet. And she's right; I already feel calmer. I go to my bed and fall face first into the mattress. I don't even get undressed. The next thing I know, there's a tiny Hawthorne girl making her eggplant doll dance on my back.
"Hey there Posy. Whatcha up too?" I say as I roll over and smile at her.
"Momma said you need to get ready to go."
"Go where?"
"To the viewing silly."
I sit straight up. Did I just sleep the whole day away? I hop out of bed and rush out to the kitchen where my mother is about to head out the door.
"Why'd you let me sleep all day?"
"You need your rest Gale. You're doing too much these days and I worry about you so if you're sleeping soundly, I intend to leave you be. Now hurry, you can't be late. The kids and I will go on and see you there."
I nod, and then rush to change clothes before heading into town. I'm one of the last people to check in but thankfully I make it in time. My usual seat is waiting for me by Madge and Prim. Madge looks perfectly presentable with her smile and neatly pressed dress. I can see in her eyes that she's anything but okay though. She's clutching Prim's hand and only throws me a sideways glance as I sit down. I figure she's afraid she'll crack if she lets her eyes meet mine. I slide my foot over and discreetly rub it along the side of hers. It's a sad little gesture but it's all I can offer at this moment, in this place.
The viewing itself is pretty much featuring only Katniss and Peeta. Thanks to her efforts in getting his medicine at the feast, they are both relatively healthy. The game makers are having thunderstorms pour down over the entire arena so not much is going on anywhere except the cave. In the cave it's like a romance movie. Lots of cuddling and kissing. Enough to make you gag. They talk and in doing so I discover a few things. Turns out Katniss really did know Peeta before the games. Apparently he gave her a loaf of bread when her dad died and they were about to starve to death and because of that bread she was able to take care of her family. That may not explain much to some people but it does to me. Katniss will always owe Peeta. She will always hold him in special favor for what he did to help her. And apparently he did it because he's been in love with her since they were 5 years old but he never had the courage to talk to her. That I can understand since Katniss isn't typically the most approachable person. I guess I really was wrong about him professing his love for her with an ulterior motive in mind. I guess he really is in love with her. Their conversation also reveals the fact that Peeta's father was in love with Mrs. Everdeen and was heartbroken when she married Mr. Everdeen instead of him. At this very public announcement, Mrs. Everdeen blushes and Mrs. Mellark wops the back of her husband's head with her hand. The whole audience broke out in a fit of whispers. I wonder if Peeta realizes he just gave away a huge secret of his father's?
When today's viewing ends, Madge whispers for me to meet her in the clearing near my house in an hour. She isn't able to say anything else to me but I see her heading to the Seam with Prim. I help my mother get the kids home and fed before I go to meet Madge. When I get there, she's already waiting for me.
"What's going on? Why the early meeting? Not that I mind though."
"I wanted to tell you that I am going to talk to Mabel. I'm going to flat out ask her what's going on that I don't know about. I'm tired of all the lies. I'm tired of all of it."
"You're going to talk to Mabel? When?" The surprise clear on my face.
"Now. As soon as I leave here, I mean. I just wanted you to know what I was going to do."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm scared but I have to do this. I can't go on like this anymore."
"It'll be fine. Don't be scared. I love you." I tell her and kiss her forehead before she turns to leave the clearing.
"I love you too." She calls back to me. I watch as she slips between the trees and out of my sight.
I hope she gets the answers she's looking for. I hope Mabel will be honest with her but also gentle with her. I know whatever facts they're hiding, whatever facts they're hopefully going to finally tell her, will be hard for her to handle. Honest and gentle, that's what I'm crossing my fingers for right now.