This story may go down a lot of directions because God do I have a lot of ideas, but it will ultimately always be the story of how Effie and Haymitch came to be.
And now, the very confusing prologue, and I'm uploading Chapter 1 straightaway.
Songs
Kissing You – Des'ree
Postcards From Italy – Beirut
The Wolves (Act l and ll) – Bon Iver
Prologue
It had happened so suddenly, but you could never really predict when these kinds of things would occur. So there they lay, on the empty street between Victors Village and the rest of the District. Complete silence around the pair since the attacker had fled, the chill that came with night descending on them and adding to the feeling that they were alone in the world. No one had heard her screams after all.
The blood was still seeping through Haymitch's shirt, and a distraught Effie could only try to staunch the flow. Her white hands were covered with the shiny red liquid, and the tears that fell from her eyes downwards could not even begin to distill the colour.
"Haymitch….no…."
Effie was panicking, and had no idea what to do. She wasn't a healer – her solution was always to stick a band-aid on whatever hurt. She put her shaky hands together and began applying pressure to Haymitch's chest, like she had seen done on TV before, and occasionally in the rebel's hospital. Up and down, up and down. Haymitch's hands grabbed hers however, and quickly put a stop to the motion. He didn't let go and instead brought Effie's hands to his mouth for a soft and quick kiss.
"Effie, darling, I'm still breathing."
"Yes, right."
The tears were falling hard and fast now. Neither let go, and Effie found herself falling in the grey eyes that were watching her steadily. Those grey eyes she now felt she knew so well, that were familiar to her in so many stages and emotions. Eyes that could be made of steel hard determination, or filled with so much pain they threatened to spill over. Eyes in which she could see a light slowly going out, dimming at a steady pace.
"Well, we knew it would happen soon enough, huh Blue Eyes? They were never going to rest 'til they got me."
"Maybe…I can still run, run and get help! Haymitch…please! There must be something I can do."
Effie's voice cracked on the last word, knowing it was a last ditch effort.
"I know a bad wound when I see one. No use. I'd rather you just stay with me."
Slowly, Haymitch lifted a trembling hand and caressed Effie's cheek. Now there were tears in his eyes too. The grey eyes never left the blue while many things that had gone unspoken seemed to pass through the both of them. I forgive you. I wish I hadn't made those mistakes. I always cared. Sorry for being a jerk. We could have had years. I love you. Nothing could be said. So there they lay, Haymitch sprawled on the gravel road in his best suit and Effie in her favourite pink dress on her knees next to him. They once again gripped hands tightly, close enough to hear the others heartbeat, the very last few heartbeats for one of them. And they waited quietly in the darkness for the seconds to slip by.
