Haymitch walked briskly down the damp corridors the dim lighting only showing the next couple of feet ahead in a dim light. Nothing but the sound of his own footsteps on the hard ground echoing louder and louder as he broke from a quick walk into a slow jog. Upon reaching the end of the corridor Haymitch moved his forearm to cover his brow as the stark bright light stung his eyes as they adjusted to the surroundings of the hospital wing. It took him a moment to take in the environment, the usually quiet ward was in a flurry of panic and energy as nurses and doctors buzzed around still patients. In the centre of the corridor an elderly lady of seventy so years was shouting orders at younger nurses and doctors whilst pointing to various patients and medical rooms. figuring that this woman would know the information he required he decided to approach her.
"Excuse me Miss, would you be able to tell me where -" Haymitch tried but he was quickly cut off by the stern voice that sliced through his question.
" I am a Doctor sir, can you not see I am quite busy?" She snapped as she brushed past him checking the notes on her clipboard.
"Doctor, I am here to see one of those who were saved last night. I have all the paper work from Coin. Now if you could just let me see -" He tried again as he tailed her.
"Can't you see I have my hands full you imbecile? Go away." As the doctor moved to leave him once more Haymitch grabbed her arm becoming frustrated with her lack of understanding. The doctor wrenched it out of his grasp before beckoning over a more docile nurse.
"My apologies doctor but if you could just let me see -" Haymitch tried his best to remain formal and calm. Unfortunately the doctor had already had enough.
"Nurse Thorn would you mind escorting this man out of my working space please, he is not to return until all patients are in a stable condition. Do you understand?" She asked raising her chin so she could look down upon them both. After a moment she raised her eyebrow in question. Nurse Thorn nodded her head slowly, her ginger curls gently bobbing with the motion.
Nurse Thorn moved to lead the way for Haymitch to follow but as they neared the entrance of the dimly lit hallway she peeked over her shoulder to check were the doctor was before tugging Haymitch into a small medical bay.
"I know who you are. You are a victor for district twelve aren't you? My name is Melanie, I'm from seven." She smiled shyly a red blush creeping across her freckled cheeks.
"What do you want Melanie? I'm very busy, I should get back if I can't help here." He didn't know why he had said that. He wasn't busy and he certainly wouldn't help anyone, there was too much on his mind. He ran his fingers down his face pulling down his cheeks due to his tiredness.
"I can tell you are worried. Who did you come to see? I could maybe help you, I know about the patients." She explained her soft voice level as she glanced down towards the medical cart, her fingers grazing the plastic of the drawers.
"Effie Trinket, the escort. Came in with the others last night." His voice cracked as he said her name and he mentally chastised himself for making his weakness known. He looked down to the floor scuffing his boots across the concrete floor.
" Come with me, quietly." Haymitch frowned but silently followed the nurse who had bowed her head as she crept down the corridor. They passed two snaking corridors before they reached a small room towards the back of the hospital wing, Haymitch remained quiet taking in the surroundings. Something in his gut didn't sit right, usually the patients were in large wards by the front of the hospital. This part of the hospital wing was quieter too, there weren't as many personnel in the corridors buzzing around and the lights surrounding the wings had changed to a stark white. He had also noted that at some point the wards had now changed to 'pods' with thick, white metal doors needing coded passwords for entrance. Finally, nurse Thorn stopped outside a door, her head still bowed and her small teeth chewing on her bottom lip.
"I don't know if I should even let you in, Doctor Lance she said nobody is to enter without her permission but she hasn't moved... She hasn't spoken." Melanie rambled before twisting a stray curl behind her ear. Without waiting for Haymitch to reply Melanie entered the pin code and gently pushed open the door allowing Haymitch to follow afterwards. At first he only heard the steady beeping of several machines monitoring he patient in the pod as nurse Thorn blocked his view but as soon as nurse Thorn stepped to the side allowing his eyes to finally land on Effie and as they did he sucked in a breath. She had changed so drastically over the past few months, she had lost so much weight through her paper night gown she was just skin and bone. Her skin a pale grey in complexion with various blue and purple splatterings followed by dark shadows in lifeless eyes that were unseeing, staring blankly ahead at nothing. Her natural blonde hair, was short, dirty and balding in patches and were it lay on the pillow beside her head it was lank. Effie Trinket was not her usual primp and smart self she was small and fragile and nonexistent.
"Effie, its nurse Thorn, I have a visitor here for you!" The auburn haired woman spoke gently trying to coax a reaction from the woman in laid in the hospital bed. She shuffled over to her patient plumping the pillows behind Effie's head, patting the knit quilt down around Effie's body and then finally checking the monitor and then Effie for a reaction. There was none. Effie Trinket lay still and rigid like a plank of wood just staring and breathing.
"She has been like it since she was brought in. Nobody has seen her move at all, she is completely catatonic. She doesn't even close her eyes to sleep." Nurse Thorn continued. Haymitch took a few tentative steps forward. As he did his throat felt too thick, and the air around him seemed to disappear before he knew it the nurse had pulled a chair to him and was helping him sit down. He hung his head between his knees tying to fight the urge to throw up. Nurse Thorn pressed a small plastic cup into his hand which was filled with water. He never drank the clear liquid instead Haymitch focused upon his breathing, counting and breathing. It took him several minutes before he finally felt brave enough to lift his head and as his eyes fell upon the rigid body in the bed he found his feet had carried him to Effie's bedside. He took her cold, stiff hand in his own and began gently rubbing her fingers.
"I am so sorry Ef-" His husky deep voice whispered before being cut off by shattering scream. Before the mentor was thrown back into the floor. He blinked several times whilst his eyes tried to readjust to the room, he could hear the nurse shouting for assistance outside the pod door whilst Effie hunched in the far corner of the room her mouth still screaming and her once lifeless gaze was now terrified and wide staring at him.
"Effie, please," Haymitch tried again this time walking slowly towards her and then crouching in front of the scared woman. He held out his hand but Effie was still screaming and now she was trying to scramble back, away from him. As Haymitch had began to realise that it was him who she was afraid of he was pushed to the ground face first by several soldiers from thirteen. He struggled against their grip, just wanting to make sure his escort was safe and alright but the nurses had blocked his view, he saw Doctor Lance bring a large needle down towards her body but nothing further as he was dragged from the hospital ward and towards the holding cells still hearing Effie's piercing screams echoing around his head.