15This is for Maristela Freesia's 100 Theme Challenge. You guys should check it out! This is theme number 7, Breathe Again.
Just keep breathing.
"Mother! Where are you?" I choke out over the screaming echoing through the house, from the terrified shrieks of the people outside. I can hear some people yelling for order, trying to organize the fearful crowd, but there's too much chaos. I wish I could go join them right now, but I have to save my family first.
"Mother!" A hysterical edge creeps into my voice. I force myself to take slow, calm breaths as I crawl along the hallway to my mother's room. My hair is filled with soot, and it falls in my face, stinging my eyes. Determinedly, I push it away and continue on my hands and knees. I push open the door. Mother is curled onto her side with the sheets over her head, her body shaking. I inch over to her bed.
"Mother, we have to go," I say, tearing off a strip of cloth from my dress to hold over her nose and mouth.
"No, Maysilee. Stay. Don't go." Mother's voice is as hoarse as mine is. I realize she is having one of her episodes. She thinks I'm Maysilee, going off to the Hunger Games.
"Mother, I'm Madge, your daughter. And District 12 is being bombed. We have to get outside, so we can escape," I say, wasting precious breath, as I try to pull her out from under the covers. She fights back, but weakly. Under normal circumstances, I would be able to pull her out, but I'm weakened from the smoke, and these aren't normal circumstances.
I think of all the things I haven't done yet, and of all the things I have. Like giving Katniss my aunt's mockingjay pin. Like subtly planting ideas of how unfair the games are in her head. Like using my father's communications networks to organize uprisings in other districts and stay connected. These thoughts give me the strength for one final tug, and I pull with all my might.
Mother topples out of bed and we land in a heap on the floor. I push myself up and grab her hand to guide her to the door, but she doesn't make any effort to get up. She mumbles something that sounds like "leave me." As if. I try to drag her to the door, but my legs fold beneath me. Tears are rolling down my face, leaving grimy tracks on my cheeks. I don't know if they are from fear or the soot. All of a sudden, I feel tired.
No. I can't rest. I have to get to safety. My breaths are quick and shallow now, and I feel dizzy. I'm crying so much now. I'm not ready to die. I'm so close. I only have to get to the hall, down the stairs, and out the door. But I can't do that while dragging Mother.
Then leave her, says the practical side of me, the side that wants to live more than anything. But I know I can't do that. I'll bring my mother or die trying. My thoughts wander. The screaming outside seems to be getting farther and farther away, the edges of my vision are getting fuzzy, like when we're watching T.V. and the power goes out in the district. We have a generator, but it's not very good. It's better than nothing. Faces swim in front of my eyes. One of them is my father. Katniss and Gale are there too. And then the black in the corner of my vision swarms over my eyes, and as I take one last breath, I see nothing.
So, what did you guys think? I like the thought that Madge totally helped orchestrate the rebellion, even if she didn't survive the bombing.