Fire is Raging On (A Hunger Games Fanfic) [#Wattys 2016]

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Gale's POV

How can this be happening? How is any of this happening? First Madge, and now me? What kind of cruel joke is this? How can my name be pulled when it's only in there once? I had it in there forty-two times the last time I was eligible and luckily didn't get picked by some miracle.

"Gale, please come up to the stage," Effie says quietly into the microphone.

I can't move. I feel completely numb. Newly instated Peacekeepers come on either side of me and hoist me up before pushing me along the aisle to the stage. Madge is already waiting on stage, her eyes watching me as I'm pushed along. There are tears streaming down her face, and I can feel my own doing the same. It doesn't matter that everyone in District Twelve can see me. It doesn't matter that everyone in Panem will be watching this later. I don't care anymore, my entire life is going to shit.

I walk up the steps slowly, never taking my eyes off Madge until Effie begins talking. "You may shake hands."

It's a formality I know, but a handshake seems so distant when you're dating the woman that got picked with you. Madge starts to hold out her hand, but I brush it aside. Instead I pull Madge into a hug, tightly squeezing her in my arms, my face buried in her hair. She hugs me back in earnest. I pull back and look down at her face. It's streaked with tears, and I'm sure mine is as well. None of that matters in this moment, all that matters is Madge and that I'll do anything in my power to protect her. I finally understand what Peeta felt like in this exact same situation with Katniss. Looking down at Madge's face I can't help myself, I lean down and press a tender kiss to her lips.I can hear the collective gasp and sobs of District Twelve surround us, but I don't care. All I care about right now is Madge and the short time left we have together.

When I pull away, we're both quickly shoved towards the Town Hall doors. The Peacekeepers usher us in without saying a word, their faces set like stone. I watch as Madge is pulled away from me, knowing it will do no good to fight against the Peacekeepers. They bring Madge to her room on one side of the Town Hall and lead me away to my assigned room on the other.

The room looks familiar to the one I talked to Katniss is in before her first Games. I hear the door burst open behind me, and my family rushes into the room. All of them have tears streaming down their faces. My mom, Rory, Vick, Posy, all of them have tears. I know the evidence of my own crying is still clear on my face, but I don't care. My family engulfs me in a hug, and I can feel my mom start to cry harder against my shoulder.

"I'll be okay, mom, I'll be okay," I say trying to reassure her.

"You shouldn't be the one reassuring me. I should be doing that to you," she says against my shoulder.

"Maybe, but I can do this mom. I'll make it through this, I know it." Even though I say the words, I don't really know if I can do it. I saw what Games did to Katniss, to Peeta. It destroyed them. How can I do this? There is bound to be someone stronger, better than me reaped. How can I compete against them?

"Promise me you'll try. Promise me you'll protect Madge. Promise me you'll come back to us," she whispers to me.

The door bangs open. "Your time is up," a Peacekeeper says in a monotone voice. You would think he could at least show some emotion as they are pretty much sending us off to die.

"It can't be up. They haven't been in here that long," I complain.

"They have. Rules are rules. Their time is up," he says stepping to the side to allow them to pass.

My mother gathers up my siblings and herds them toward the door. I can hear their sniffles and my heart breaks in two. At the door my mom stops and turns to me. "Promise me, Gale."

"I promise," I say without hesitation. I will try my hardest to make good on my promises. "I love you, guys."

A course of 'I love you's' answer me back and then they're gone, maybe forever.

I barely sit down when the door opens again. I look up quickly wondering if it's time to leave already. I'm relieved of that thought as soon as I see Katniss, Peeta, and their daughter Willow standing at the door.

Peeta's carrying Willow as Katniss rushes towards me and engulfs me in a hug. I can feel the tension in her shoulders as I hug her back.

"I didn't think it would be you. I didn't expect it to be you," she says holding me tightly.

"I didn't either, Catnip, I didn't either."

Peeta steps forward, "We don't have much time, but we had to come see you."

"Listen carefully, Gale, we have a plan," Katniss continues, breaking out of our embrace.

"What is it?" I ask quietly cautious of the possibility of the Peacekeepers listening in on us.

"You need to start another revolution," Peeta says just as quietly. "We need to get Panem to turn on Snow."

"How can I do that?" I question. Who does he think I am? I can't start anything like a revolution as least not the same size revolution he and Katniss did.

"Make them the need for a change. I'm sure they already see it, but they need encouragement to start the revolution. We just got done with one not that long ago and we need another and soon. I know it may seem like it's nearly impossible for you to start a revolution, but you can. I never thought I would be able to spark something, and look where we are now, or at least were a week ago. We need to get rid of Snow and her supporters once and for all."

I know what he said makes sense, but it's just me. Just Gale Hawthorne. I'm just seen as Katniss's cousin. Why would they listen to her cousin, especially after what I did? "You didn't exactly answer the question. You said make them see change, how do I make them see the need for change?"

This time Katniss steps in, "Do what Peeta and I did, even if we didn't plan it that way, it worked. Show them your and Madge's love story. The Capitol is easily swayed, you should know that. They'll see your and Madge's love and fall in love with both of you. They won't want you to die, they'll do everything they can to help you, just like they helped us."

"Have you talked to Madge about any of this? It involves her just as much as it involves me," I say pacing back and forth.

"No, we don't have that much time. You can explain it to her on the train," Peeta says.

"Your time is up," the door bangs open. "It's time to go to the train."

Katniss turns back to me one more time and hugs me. "Try, Gale."

Then, they turn to leave, and the Peacekeeper motions for me to follow him. It's time to face imminent death. 

I'm going to start working on chapter 15 probably tomorrow, maybe a little today. It depends when I get time. Probably tomorrow though because we're throwing a party at my house tonight for my baby brother, Vicente, as he turned 2 today, my sister, Ava, for her first communion she made May 1st, and my step dad's birthday is Tuesday. On top of that we're ordering the fights at my house tonight and my school is having prom (I'm not going) so my friends are stopping by afterwards. 

Also, I started a new book called "An Ending". It's about my life and literally just the thoughts that run through my mind during the day. I've decided that will probably be updated Saturday or Sunday of each week depending on when I get around to it. The first part is up if you want to check it out. 

The fire is starting to rage on in this story and the inferno is only going to get hotter. ~ Alexis