Chapter 7 – Katniss and Peeta

The 74th Hunger Games were finished. Rue had won. A few days after she had found Thresh, the male of her district, they formed an alliance. They survive very well together but most of the other children from other districts were being killed very quickly. A few were left before Thresh outlined a strategy. He attracted two Careers by setting a fire at night and killed them with great difficulty. Rue ended up going to the feast and retrieved a drug that helped Thresh recover from his injuries. Later, they found some poisonous fruit and planned to put it in the water of the remaining Careers. It worked but there was still one player left besides Rue and Thresh. Thresh again risked his life and managed to attract the last player by standing in Cornucopia. After a huge fight, Thresh finally managed to kill the guy but got very hurt. In his finals moments, Thresh asked Rue to take care of his family. He told he had a baby daughter, that he never waited his 19 to marry the girl he loved and that Rue still had a lot to live on. It was heartbreaking. Rue pursued Thresh to kill her and go home but Thresh refused. He died soon after. Rue won the 74th Hunger Games without even kill a person physically.

Madge's father generally received the victors on tour, but Madge never had permission to attend these events. Rue's tour was about to start through the districts, from 1 to 7, than 9 to 12, but this time for this particularly tour something was different. There were more peacemakers on the streets than usual. They also seemed more alert.
Due to this higher amount of peacemakers and the fence linked more often, Rory and Madge stopped going over the forest. They already had reduced their meetings before due winter and snow. And one day when they were going from the waterfall back to the fence, they saw a hovercraft flying at the south part of the forest, near the Seam, which made them swear right then not to go back to the forest for at least two months since it seemed that, the hovercraft, was in search of something or someone. Madge was supposed to make an ok signal, after the two months they combined, if she felt secure enough to go back there with Rory. But that feeling of safety never came.

Madge could sense in the air, feel in her skin and see in the faces of District 12's people that something was off. Dangerously off.

It was remarkable, even in school, the restlessness among students. Madge also noticed that Katniss must have stopped from going into her side of the forest. Katniss was thinner than usual and seemed more nervous too. At first, Madge thought it was because of Gale since he had recently started working in the mines but soon learned of rumors on the street that some citizens of other districts were showing attitudes of rebellion. Katniss hated any kind of violence.
Even after the passing of Rue in District 12, the routine of peacemakers hadn't changed. The curfew had become 2 hours earlier than usual. There was also less food being distributed and crimes happening.

Madge almost took courage to talk with Rory at school when she heard from Katniss that Rory had taken tesserae for him and his family. They are passing through more difficulties, she thought. Gale can't hunt as usual and even Katniss can't help his family as much as before since she also has other two mouths to feed.

It wasn't normal for Katniss to talk with Madge that much about her family and others but Madge could only guess that Gale, her true best friend, couldn't be there supporting her emotionally anymore. Gale had started working on the mines before winter and according to Katniss, he did extra hours and worked on Sundays to sustain his family.

Something in the way Rue won the 74th Games, and the way Tresh died, accepting his fate, had affected all Panem. Perhaps this is why the Games were specially altered for the 75th Hunger Games.

As an exception only for the 3rd Quell, the Capital will allow two players from the same district to share the victory of the Hunger Games. It seemed an act of mercy from Capital. A means of diverting the districts of the rumors of a supposed rebellion. It kind of worked around.

Due to increased poverty, many students seemed Seam encouraged to volunteer at the games. The numbers of students in clubs and race struggle had tripled. It was amazing what some seem willing to do. They were deluded that if there was a companion or friend in the games would be a chance to win.

"Not going to happen. Nobody is going to volunteer ", Katniss was talking to Madge at lunch. "It is obvious what will happen in other districts. The biggest and best will volunteer too. Districts 1 to 4 will have more competition than ever. Even if someone very good in our district offers, our chances are still at square one".
"I don't know Katniss. There are many people willing to risk. It is likely that this year will be different", Madge was looking at the students in the cafeteria. The excitement of some had fallen over the weeks but she could still hear students in the hallway planning game strategies.

"I do not understand. He won't stop", Katniss was irritated. She was facing a blond boy from another table. "It's been weeks since he is staring like that at me. Why won't he stop? Damn it".
Madge was analyzing the situation. The boy in question was Peeta Merlack, the baker's son. He had an obvious crush on Katniss but since the announcement of the 75th game, he seems more uneasy. "Maybe he is afraid that you will volunteer at the games," she concluded.
"He doesn't have to fear anything. I would never let go of Prim and my mom to something that stupid", grumbles Katniss. She looks shy with the comment Madge. Perhaps Katniss already know of Peeta's feelings or feels something for him. Could it be?

"How is Prim?" Madge wanted to change the subject. She had no real details of Rory or the Seam for a while. She was getting nervous.
"Well, I guess. She ended with the idiot of the Town. He was cheating on her for a change. I should punch him but I told her from the begging that he was no good for her. That should make her smatter. To trust me more, I mean ", Katniss said a lot more angry.
"And Gale, your friend? Any news?", asks Madge. She was trying to ease the tensions of Katniss. If Katniss couldn't talk with Gale, she at least compensated with Madge.
"He is well, I think. He was very angry when Rory took tesserae but at least it wasn't Posy or Vicky… Oh! By the way, my mother asked me to give you this medicine. She said it was for your mom". Katniss delivers Madge some sachets of tea and some herbs. Madge knew Katniss was experiencing difficulties so she had invented that her father wanted to buy some natural drugs with the Katniss's mother. It was the only way to help Katniss, without seeming charity.
"I must leave. He is definitely annoying me. He can stare the wall if he wants. I'm done", and with that Katniss flees the canteen. The boy Merlack seems depressed.

On her way out of school, Madges stops by Peeta's locker. He is leaving some books and preparing to leave. "You know that at some point she will end up giving you a punch, right?", Madge jokes. She and Peeta are companions in music and cooking classes this semester.
"If that bring some sort of reason in her head, I hope so", says Peeta. He is tall and has broad shoulders. He has blond hair and blue eyes just like most kids from the Merchant section and Town. Madge heard saw that many girls seemed to like him but he never dated anyone.

"She is not thinking about volunteering, Peeta. She is smarter than she looks", ensures Madge.
He appeared to relax with her words and asked if she was going at Jace's party after the draw. There was a tradition, a meeting, between some older students after the draw. Every year someone invited Madge and every year she refused.
A familiar voice behind Madge broke the two interact. "What the fuck, Merlack? Princess Undersee would never go out with an idiot like you! Look at her, she despise anyone underneath her" said a boy older than Madge. She recognized him because he was a friend of Gale. He was not being gentle with her. Since poverty increased, Madge has gone straight home and avoided walking empty streets.

"Go away Thom! She is not the fault of your problems. You better leave, now", threatened Peeta.
"Or what Merlack, you will tell your mommy? She'll beat me too?" Thom said. Peeta sometimes appeared at school with a black eye and bruises on his arms. It was no secret that Peeta's mother was violent.
Thom's comment was enough to start a fight. Peeta hit him first and Thom kicked him at all costs. It was getting a bit violent but Madge was trapped against the lockers. Some people gathered around and began to encourage the fight further.

The fight was increasingly violent and when Madge tried to escape through the crowd, Thom pushed Peeta hard against her, throwing her against the lockers.
She felt with great force against the lockers and hit her head. The following details, she doesn't know very well, but Rory came out of nowhere and gave a knockout on Thom. Katniss appeared with him and tried to help Madge to rise. Peeta noticed the bruises on Madge's head, raised her in his arms and led her to the infirmary. Rory took Thom away from school.
"Please Peeta, please. Don't tell anyone. Madge's father would prohibit her to come to school and Thom and Rory would be in big trouble", Katniss whispered quickly behind the curtains. Madge was lying on a stretcher to the infirmary and was receiving treatment from the nurse.
"It's okay Katniss, I won't say a thing. I also would be in trouble", Peeta replied in a tone much lower.
"I've got to go, Prim should be waiting for me outside. Is it okay if you follow Madge home? It's a little dark for her to go alone", pleaded Katniss. Madge felt a little overwhelmed. Katniss really cared about her.
"Of course. It's not safe for her to go alone anyway. Even more Katniss, I just wanted to say, it is a pleasure to finally talk to you", remarked Peeta. Madge could feel by far that Katniss's cheeks burning with embarrassment. She replies a quiet "Me too" and leaves right away.

"Peeta and Katniss sittingin atree: K-I-S-S-I-N-G",Madge teases.
"You know very well that is exactly what I want", he laughed. Peeta had this charisma that made everyone like him right. After he gave a few coins for the silence of the nurse, he was happily walking Madge back home.