"Are you sure you guys will be all right?" Asked Katniss. "For the hundredth time, yes. Go enjoy your vacation with Peeta!" I answer, starting to get annoyed because she won't leave! We've been doing this for three hours. Effie
and I are baby sitting their kids for them.
I hear Effie in the kitchen attempting to teach them the proper way to introduce yourself to the president.
"Rue! You Never say "yo sup dude " to the president!" Said a tremendously horrified Effie.
"Effie please, we've been at this for hours." Begged Rue. "All right, all right, story time." She brought the kids,Rue and Finnic into the living room.
"Haymitch, why don you tell the children about your time in the games?" Oh great, thank you Effie. Thank you so much. I thoughtsarcastically.
"Or how about I teach them some new words. Huh? Like-" I knew she was going to cut me off and I wouldn't have said anything. Well...most likely. Anyways it was the only way Effie would listen if I said no.
"Haymich!" I was cut off. Just as planned. "Never mind children off to bed ,we will be up to tuck you in in a moment," said Effie.
"Uncle Haymitch will you pleeeeease tell us the story?" Said the thirteen year old girl. She had wavy, dark brown hair, green eyes, and skin so perfect she looked like a doll. Her name was Rue.
"Yeah, Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease uncle Haymich," begged the ten year old boy named Finnick. He had sandy blonde hair, brown eyes, and a smile that could kill me of its beauty and innocence. I don't want to ruin that with a story from the games.
But how can I resist two adorable begging kids.
" Fine,but stop begging, and don't call me uncle,"
"Ok Uncle Haymich ," answered Finnick.
"Haymitch what do we say?"
I knew she meant for me to say please stop begging, but instead I remarked,
"Please. Please stop talking Effie."
As you know it was the year of a quell. There were twice as many tributes that year.
Fanny the lady who had Effie's old job announced "Ladies first" in an overly cheery, annoying, stupid voice. Gosh I hate that woman! She took a slip of paper from the bottom of the bowl and read aloud Maysilee Donner. She was a friend of your grandmother. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes like crystals. Everyone hated to see her go especially her sister, she looked just like her and they were so close. I bet her sister would have volunteered but she was too shocked and couldn't stop her tears. Next was a girl named Atara Adom sixteen, olive skin, brown hair, and hazel eyes. From the Seem I think. I didn't recognize her.
Then Fanny said," Well aren't you two of the luckiest tributes in history?"
Atara is kink of known for her big mouth so she answered,"Lucky? Are you crazy!? We are being thrown into your stupid games just to be killed in awful morbid ways. If you call that lucky than yeah, we are luckiest people in the world!" And even though she was right no one says that about the games. Unless there asking to be murdered right then and there.
"Well moving on then," Said Fanny. She quickly walked over to the jar and grabbed the first slip she touched. " Haymitch Abernathy," she said.
I was eighteen, curly blonde hair, and if I do say so myself, pretty good looking. Fanny continued, "And Haden Mavet."
He had coal black hair, gray eyes and looked as if he was ready to beat me up.
"Let's have a round of applause for our four lovely tribute," said Fanny. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!" Fanny finished.
"I will take you down out there," Haden whispered to me as we walked off the stage.
We only had time to barely say goodbye before we were all whisked off on the train to the capital. I stayed with Maysilee Donner because Ill admit I was a little afraid of Haden.
" So, you think you can win?" I ask her trying to start a conversation.
" No," she answered simply.
Well how does "no" start a good conversation?
"Why?" I ask, still determined to make her talk.
"Look, I'm sorry but I don't want to get to know you and I don't want to like you because I am probably gonna die. Ok?" She answered wiping the tears from her face as she turned back to the window and watched district twelve grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared.
It was midnight I hadn't been able to sleep so I went in check on Maysilee. She was staring out her window as if she saw something, which made zero sense because it was pitch black.
" What are you doing hear Haymitch?" I hear her say, just as I started for the door. Trying to sneak out before she noticed.
"Umm. What are you doing hear? " I ask awkwardly.
" I'm a tribute headed to the capital to die, remember ? " I think she half smiled.
" Right " I say. " I was thinking, what do you say we get out of this place and go for coffee. Or there's always the alternative. Death. " I know this is impossible for many reasons but I want her to lighten up, laugh. She does.
"You are the craziest person I have ever met." She says.
I answer," I will take that as a compliment."
"You know something," she says as I begin to leave again. " I think we'd be great friends if we weren't going to die." " And I promise I won't kill you. "
" I won't kill you ether." So from that point on we were as close to friends as we possibly could have been. "We should get some sleep," I say. I walked back down the hall and entered my room. It was a nice room with scarlet walls and a huge bed that changed temperatures by a remote on the bed side table. I was thinking about what it would be like if there were no hunger games as I drifted off to sleep.
It was morning, I was on the floor, in nothing but underwear and my clothes nowhere to be seen. Who would play such a horrible prank on me?! Then one name pops into my mind, Haden. Furious, I throw on a robe and tear down the hall to the dining area, and sure enough there was Haden laughing his head off as I entered. "Shut up!" I say. " Make me!" He answered. I swing my fist at his face. He catches it, twists it and slams me to the ground. I get up we both get in a few good blows then a metal pitcher catches my eye. He has me in a basket hold, I slam my head back and his body forced him to release me. He tried to grab my wrist again but when his hand touches me I bight it. He was bleeding from the night on his hand and grunting from the pain. I make a run for the pitcher. I swing it into his temple. He crashes to the floor, he is in no doubt knocked out. I turn to the table where the two girls are sitting shocked that I had won the fight. Atara rushes over to Haden. She checks his pulse to make sure he's still alive. I can tell she likes him. Maysilee shoots me a disapproving look as she walks out of the dining room. As good as it felt to finally beat up that jerk, I was worried I had ruined my friendship with Maysilee. I really like her, well as a friend you know, and I know she doesn't really like violence. Soon enough a band of peace creepers showed up to take Haden away.
" No Fighting!" One says to me sternly.
I take a muffin and slowly walked back to my room. To my surprise Maysilee was was there sitting on my bed.
"He deserved it," she said calmly.
" I know," I answer, a little confused.
" Just because he deserved that doesn't make what you did ok. " she begins with her lecture. I was about to tune out when she said," I know you think I'm going to give you a big long lecture. I'm not, but please try to listen. Be the better man, forgive him. The capital is trying to win you over. Don't let them get to you. There is still hope for us. If of course, you don't play the malicious game of the Capitol." She ended in a hushed voice hoping no one else heard her.
"Oooo Haymitch got a girlfriend," Chirped Rue in a singsongish voice. I try not smile. Not for long, I think sadly remembering her death. If I could have been a little faster I think. But no,
I did everything I possibly could have.
"Come on back to the story", I say hiding my sorrow of Maysilee from the kid. The next morning was a rainy, cloudy, stormy day. There was a huge lighting storm. It seemed as if were a reflection of my emotions. Anger and frustration because we were
pulling in to the capital.