still point of the turning world
Madge Undersee. Some Prim, Gale.
354 words. PG.
Summary: Madge keeps her eyes closed when the television is on.
Note: For![]()
lookinglassgirl! I hope you like this! I feel like this is so not even good enough, it's so short, but I wanted to make sure you got something today! Can the weird overdesigned banner make up for it??? I'll catch you next time with something more awesome!
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Madge keeps her eyes closed when the television is on.
Does that make it better or worse? The sound of it is clear as day still – a cacophony of violence, metal singing through bone, skin cracking like dry leaves underfoot. Children crying, the sound of it echoed by Madge's mother shut away in her upstairs room, moans of muffled pain leaking out under the door.
The Games are the worst for her mother, unsurprisingly. She pretends not to hear when they're all she can hear. Madge pretends not to see but she can't see anything else. Her father pretends to read the paper, pretends to be as normal as possible. They all do what they have to do.
When the tv is not switched on, Madge tries to stay out of the house as much as she can. She must return every four hours or so to take care of her mother's morphling, but otherwise there's school to distract her, or other things. Sometimes she visits with Prim, though they talk very little. Madge thinks that Prim could be her own sister, easily, much more than she could be Katniss'. They share the same blonde hair, the same solemn faces, though Madge has seen Prim's lit up with more laugher than Madge has ever been able to feel.
"She'll win, you know," Prim says once, her voice all quiet determination. Like Katniss, Madge thinks.
"I know," Madge says softly, "I know."
Madge knows nothing but that, really, and it makes her nauseous with its certainty. She's only had two friends her whole life and they're in an area right now bound to kill each other. And she knows better than anyone how arenas work, what they do: her friends are already dead. Even if Katniss wins – when Katniss wins – she's already dead.
Sometimes walking home from the Everdeens', Madge will see Gale. Mostly he pretends she isn't there but sometimes he'll glare as though betrayed, as though Madge's very safety has cost Katniss hers.
Same to you, Madge could say. We are all safe because they are not.
Madge Undersee. Some Prim, Gale.
354 words. PG.
Summary: Madge keeps her eyes closed when the television is on.
Note: For
lookinglassgirl! I hope you like this! I feel like this is so not even good enough, it's so short, but I wanted to make sure you got something today! Can the weird overdesigned banner make up for it??? I'll catch you next time with something more awesome!
Madge keeps her eyes closed when the television is on.
Does that make it better or worse? The sound of it is clear as day still – a cacophony of violence, metal singing through bone, skin cracking like dry leaves underfoot. Children crying, the sound of it echoed by Madge's mother shut away in her upstairs room, moans of muffled pain leaking out under the door.
The Games are the worst for her mother, unsurprisingly. She pretends not to hear when they're all she can hear. Madge pretends not to see but she can't see anything else. Her father pretends to read the paper, pretends to be as normal as possible. They all do what they have to do.
When the tv is not switched on, Madge tries to stay out of the house as much as she can. She must return every four hours or so to take care of her mother's morphling, but otherwise there's school to distract her, or other things. Sometimes she visits with Prim, though they talk very little. Madge thinks that Prim could be her own sister, easily, much more than she could be Katniss'. They share the same blonde hair, the same solemn faces, though Madge has seen Prim's lit up with more laugher than Madge has ever been able to feel.
"She'll win, you know," Prim says once, her voice all quiet determination. Like Katniss, Madge thinks.
"I know," Madge says softly, "I know."
Madge knows nothing but that, really, and it makes her nauseous with its certainty. She's only had two friends her whole life and they're in an area right now bound to kill each other. And she knows better than anyone how arenas work, what they do: her friends are already dead. Even if Katniss wins – when Katniss wins – she's already dead.
Sometimes walking home from the Everdeens', Madge will see Gale. Mostly he pretends she isn't there but sometimes he'll glare as though betrayed, as though Madge's very safety has cost Katniss hers.
Same to you, Madge could say. We are all safe because they are not.