"Why so cold in here, princess?" Haymitch walks in and leans against the table. He crosses his arms and pretends to shiver.
Effie rolls her eyes and dabs her face with a warm washcloth. It's the closest thing to a powderpuff she has. "Don't ask me. Ask Coin. She's all about resource conservation, even if it digs into our comfort." Effie mumbles the last part under her breath, stressing the word "comfort."
Haymitch stares at her strangely. He bites his lips. "It's been ten days, Effie."
Effie stops dabbing her nose and stares up at Haymitch. "I know that, Haymitch. Coin's laws are most likely still enforced…even though she's gone."
It's been ten days since the end of the rebellion, since Coin died. The graves have been dug, and the dead have been lowered. Panem is beginning the slow, hard process of restoration. The trials of the officials in the Capitol are being held night and day; so many crooks to be convicted for the slaughter of countless children. Many people from District Thirteen have already up and left, Katniss and Peeta included. Effie hasn't budged. She doesn't have anywhere to go. Her home is an old battlefield that disgusts her with the monstrous secrets it held. She's lost in limbo, and her quarters that she once despised in District Thirteen have become her sole savior.
Haymitch sits himself down on the bed beside Effie. He moves for her hand, but she retracts it. "It's time for you to move on Effie. You can't stay down here forever. What's happened isn't going to disappear." His breath is already infused with alcohol, and it's only nine am.
"Where do you suggest I go?"
"Come to District Twelve. You can stay in one of the spare victor's houses."
Effie stands up and paces around her small room. "Oh I could hardly do that."
"Why not?" Haymitch smiles, revealing his yellow, cracked teeth. "You have nowhere else to go."
The soldiers from District Thirteen leave them at the front of the gated Victor's Village. The metal overhang is crusted with icicles. The soldiers salute Haymitch before taking off. Effie clutches her small bag to her chest. It's all she has left, but it isn't much, a few headscarves and another grey smock.
The Victor's Village is bare, except for a few fresh flowers surrounding one house—Peeta's house. "District Twelve is still a mess." Haymitch leads Effie into the village. The ground is dry. It hasn't snowed in a while. "But they've started to clean it up. Don't think it'll take long, not with the ambition the volunteers are showing."
Effie nods, staring at her golden boots that have two inches of heel, the only piece of adequate clothing she has left. Straggling weeds try to break through the cracked ground. Most wilt once they hit the cold air. She doesn't know what to say. The air stings her eyes, threatening to draw out tears. They walk by the house with the yellow flowers, and Haymitch motions to it. "That's Peeta's house. Katniss splits her time between her home with her mom and his. Haven't seen her in a while.
"I've got this house warmed up for you." Haymitch leads her to a house that's a few away from Peeta's. The stairs creak as they walk up them. Effie wonders if any animals find shelter below. Haymitch blows into his hands before turning the brass doorknob. A wall of warm, dusty air hits them.
"Of course this house hasn't been lived in, but it shouldn't take much to clean it up." He pulls a folded hanky from his pocket and hands it to Effie, for the dusting. "I've put food in the fridge for you, and there are some clothes in the closet." Haymitch walks in first and opens the shades in the living room. The house is christened with sunlight. "The thermostat is in the kitchen. You should open some windows to air the house out."
Effie walks in hesitantly, setting her bag down on the floor by the coffee table. She runs a finger along the table to find nearly a centimeter of collected dust. She'll need more than a handkerchief to clean this house.
"Have you heard from Flavius, Venia, or Octavia?" Effie's eyes focus on the clock. The pendulum swings back and forth. She wonders how long it's been in this pattern, how the batteries haven't died off and left it idle. She knows Cinna was killed along with Peeta's prep team. But she hasn't heard anything about Katniss's team. The three stylists were the closest things she had to friends back in the Capitol. Her other friends were jealous of her position as an escort. They said they weren't, but Effie didn't miss the sneers she received behind her back. And there was always an underlying tension with the other escorts. They treated each other with respect per say, but the competition of the games steamed a deep, hidden hatred. The three prep teams stylists were different; they weren't jealous, for they were too naïve to be aware of jealousy.
Haymitch rubs his hand over his greying stubble. "There's been no word. There's been no word on a lot of people," he mumbles under his breath. Haymitch lifts a window and the house turns crystal cold, sucking all of the heat out. He places his hands on his hips and bites his tongue, staring at the ceiling.
"Do you need anything else?"
Effie shakes her head.
Haymitch walks to the door and opens it to leave.
"Haymitch!" Effie stops him.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Thank you."
Haymitch smiles at her, which looks more like a grimace, and leaves her house, shutting the door behind himself.
Effie sits on the couch, pulls her legs up, and holds herself tightly.
Note: Thanks for reading if you made it this far! I have this story outlined out, and I plan to continue it until it's about 7k-12k words. I'd love a review telling me what you liked and didn't like and how long you prefer chapters to be. Thanks again! Another chapter should be soon.