Catching Trinket
Katniss hadn't slept in a week, and now as she sat on this god forsaken train on her way to the capital, for yet another Hunger Games, she knew she probably never would again. Everyone else including Peeta had gone to bed hours ago, but she sat glued to the television screen. Watching previous Hunger Games recaps, lying to herself that is was so she could get a better idea of what she was up against. When really she was calculating how long it would take before they killed her. With tributes like Johanna, Brutus and Finnick, she figure it would be well within the first week. Her heart sank as she realised that even with her protection Peeta probably wouldn't make it past the first few days, unless he decided to fight.
Another hour past and she finally felt her eyes getting heavy and the sweet release of sleep taking over her body. And just as everything began to fade, she heard a noise, she sat bolt upright. It had been a scream but the Hunger Games tapes were still playing, so she was confused. The scream echoed round the cabin again and this time she knew it wasn't the videos. She made her way down the small corridor on the train towards the bedrooms, it was a female scream but who could it be. The scream sounded again and Katniss froze on the spot, she was right outside the door of the person who owned that scream. Effie!
"No...No...please...I'll do better...I promise!" She heard Effie mumbled from outside the door. Katniss jumped as the scream pierced her ears again. The pain in that scream was so obvious now, she had to do something. She gently opened the door and slipped swiftly into the room. Then she looked at the woman squirming around on the bed and barely recognised her. No wig, no make up, just Effie. She quietly manoeuvred her way around the bed and slide herself on, trying very hard not to wake the sleeping woman. From here she could see her better, she had a beautiful creamy complexion, she was still quiet pale but then again her skin never did see sunlight. Her hair reminded her of Prim's and without even thinking her hand slide forward to caress the other woman's cheek. Her skin was so soft and unblemished.
But her touch seemed to agitate the woman more, she began to swing out violently. Limbs flying in all directions in panic, until the back of her hand finally collided with Katniss's face and the woman woke with a start. "No...Get away from me." She cowered in the bed. "Effie...sssshh Effie, theres no need to be afraid it's me!" Katniss had shaken off the blow quite quickly!She reached hesitantly to brush the hair from Effie's eyes. The older woman crumble, even in the dim light in the room she was able to see the red mark that rested on Katniss's cheek and she put two and two together. Tears were streaming steadily down her face, "Oh... Katniss I am so sorry...I." Without a second thought Katniss pulled the blonde woman into her arms, cradling her head against her chest. "I am so scared Katniss." She just about made out what the woman had whispered and it only made her hold her tighter. "Sssssh, I am right here there is nothing to be afraid of."
Who was this woman? This sad, scared and tiny little woman, she certainly wasn't the Effie Trinkett that Katniss had become accustom to. She slide her hands the woman's neck to her back to rub it, in hopes it would soothe her. It did exactly the opposite, the older woman yelped and hissed at the contact and pulled away from Katniss rather abruptly. She is injured, "Effie, what's wrong did I hurt you?" The woman looked even more petrified than before, "Did someone hurt you?" Effie turned away from her, she couldn't look her in the eye. Katniss moved gently across the bed and to hold of the bottom of the strange garment Effie wore as a pyjama top. Only now noticing the red blotches that covered to back, blood, what the hell was going on? She began to lift the garment to get a better look, Effie flinched initially but made no attempt to stop Katniss. The higher the garment got the Katniss was able to make up large, red and severely inflamed lacerations that cover the blondes back.
Katniss gasped, these had been made by a whip. "Effie who did this to you?" Katniss asked quitely, she was finding it very hard to keep her anger at bay. "It's all my fault...all of this it is my fault...I a so sorry Katniss." She wasn't making any sense, what did she mean it was all her fault. "Effie what is all you fault?...What are you talking about?" The older woman still refused to look at her, "I should have coached you better...I should have stopped you...I should have done something." Katniss's eyes widen in realisation, they had done this to her because of her, because of the trouble she had caused. Katniss knew the Capitol did not blame Effie Trinket for her actions, but clearly they will even turn on their own to cover their asses. "Effie..." she whispers, "No, Katniss you wouldn't be here again, if it wasn't for me."
"No... Effie don't let them do this to you...I am here because of my own my actions. I made them look like fools and I am sorry...if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have been hurt. It's the story of my life, I am cursed, people who know me get hurt." She climbed of the bed and slowly made her way round to the other side and knelt in front of the weeping woman. She gently lifted her chin and their eyes finally met. And this is the first time Katniss noticed how beautiful they were, pale ice blue eyes. Eyes that once sparkled, now engulfed in sadness. Without hesitation she wrapped her arms around the older woman and cradled her in her arms, she was so small, so thin.
Katniss had barely noticed time go by, that was until she heard a small breathy snore coming from the smaller woman. She was finally asleep, she look down at the blonde and it scared her how much she reminded her of Prim. She knew she had to protect this woman, like she had protected her Prim for all those years. Yet another responsibility she couldn't ignore. She looked at the clock that sat on her mentors bed side table and noticed it was 4.00am, they would be arriving in the Capitol in four hours, she had to get some sleep. She tried to ease the older woman down onto the bed without waking her, but as she turned to leave, she felt a small hand wrap round her own. "Please don't leave..." Katniss did not hesitate to oblige and climbed back onto the bed. She lay on her back rigid, What the hell was she doing? "Katniss.." at the sound of the blonde woman's voice, she turned quickly onto her side and barely noticed her hand land on the other woman's hip. With that Effie entwined their fingers and pulled Katniss's arm tightly around herself and within a few minutes Katniss heard the blonde's breathing get heavier. To her surprise this didn't feel forced, it felt natural, safe and before she knew it, her eye lids got heavy and she to drifted off into a well deserved slumber.