This is largely inspired by the Korean zombie movie Train To Busan which I went to watch at the cinema yesterday. It is easily one of the best zombie movies I've watched. It's so brilliant - suspense, action and emotions all packed into it. I still can't get over how perfect that movie is, it's the bomb so if you love anything to do with zombies, do yourself a favour and watch Train to Busan if it's showing at your cinema!

So anyway, this zombie au is inspired by that movie. I had to write it out and I just want to put it out there first to get a feel if people actually like it.

TRAIN TO TWELVE

Chapter 1

Effie Trinket walked briskly into the station, pulling her luggage behind her with a bright smile on her face. She glanced around, looking at the people hurrying by and it was odd, she mused, that everyone was oblivious to their surrounding and to each other. She wondered if anyone could tell just by looking at her that she was anxious and brimming with energy. She was, after all, about to take a leap of faith and paved her life into a different direction.

Locating the right platform, Effie walked on, her purse swinging from her arm and just as she turned the corner, a young woman collided into her.

"Watch it," the woman snarled.

"Excuse me," Effie clucked her tongue at the other woman's tone.

She glared at her and gave her a once over. The streak of red dye was distasteful. Effie would rather trade in all of her expensive fur than have to go through that dye job. The dress that clung too tightly on the young woman's body drew the leering gaze of men as they passed by her.

"I was watching where I was going," Effie huffed. "The same cannot be said about you. Perhaps, if you were to take your nose out of your phone, you will be more aware of your surroundings."

The woman sneered, half bemused.

"Effie…. Now, what kind of name is that?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Effie gasped.

"How rude! How did you know – Oh."

Of course, she thought foolishly.

There was a tag on her red luggage.

"Where's Car 4? Do you know?"

"That way," Effie pointed towards the front of the train.

The young woman answered with a nod and without a word, went off in the direction.

Effie checked her ticket again just to be certain that she was not in Car 4 together with that rude woman. She let out a breath of relief and went into the opposite direction towards Car 9.

"I'm sorry, kid. You can't bring this on board the train. Regulations."

"But I won't be using it. Look, I'll keep the arrows lock in here and the bow -"

Effie glanced in the direction of the girl with her dark hair neatly braided down her back, arguing with the train employee.

"I understand but you are still not allowed to bring this on board as carry on. This constitutes a weapon. You will have to check this in with your luggage."

The girl sighed indignantly but released possession of her bow to the officer. She boarded Car 9 and with her gone, Effie approached the officer to hand over her luggage.

"Handle them carefully, please," she instructed.

Effie found her seat – 49 – and sat down. The girl from earlier was already seated two rows in front of her.

A quick check on her wrist watch showed her that there was still half an hour left before the train was schedule to depart. With nothing to do, she rummaged through her purse for her make-up bag and just as she was fixing her make-up, a young couple walked in.

Effie glanced up distractedly to look at them and did a double take. The man was strikingly handsome with sea green eyes, bronze hair and warm smile he directed her way when their eyes met. The girl whose hand he was holding was sweet and gentle looking even if she seemed a little nervous and Effie wondered if it had anything to do with her pregnancy.

Seven, maybe eight months, Effie guessed. Probably due soon.

As it turned out, their seat was on the same aisle as hers and wasn't that a relief? It would be a long journey and she would rather not be stuck in close proximity with a screaming, crying baby. She liked children but if she had to deal with a crying child, she wasn't sure she would be in the best mood when she finally reached her destination.

"Do you want the window seat, Annie?" the man asked, attentive to her needs.

The ringing of her phone startled her and she flushed crimson when the dark haired girl turned around at her choice of ringtone. Effie pulled out her phone and the name reflected on her screen brought a smile to her lips.

This was all for him. The reason she was on this train, the reason she was nervous and yet, terribly thrilled about her future. They were going to give this a try; give what was between them a proper relationship. It would no longer just be a few visits here and there or texting because he was terrible at it and there would no longer be early morning phone calls for her (night for him). There would be no more intense pangs of loneliness when she missed him or crave his touch.

She was going to leave the City and she had never been so sure of anything else in her life.

"Haymitch," she answered the call in a delighted tone.

His gruff voice was the best thing she had heard since she woke up this morning.

"You on the train?"

"Yes, yes. I just boarded. Do you have the house ready for me?"

Right at that instance, Effie imagined him rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, 'course."

"You are a liar," she accused with a laugh. "I bet my buttons that I will arrive to see that you've only done the bare minimum."

"I cleaned up – that's a hell of a lot of effort," he muttered defensively, "got rid of all the bottles and shit."

"Well, I supposed, your effort is admirable," she teased.

"That's more like it."

"I miss you."

"Yeah, me too," he answered after a beat. "Listen, how many luggage you've got 'cause I ain't gonna get a new wardrobe specially for you. Don't get any ideas."

"Haymitch," she gasped. "We talked about redecorating and purchasing new furniture. We've been through this."

"Nah, don't remember havin' that conversation. So? Luggage… How many?"

"I sold everything, Haymitch. I only have what I need with me - one luggage, one huge luggage, though."

There was a pause on his end. It still sounded surreal to her when she said it out loud. She had sold her house, her car, quit her job and closed her bank accounts in the City.

"This is really happening, isn't it, Haymitch?"

"It will work, you know…" he told her quietly, sounding so much more sober than she had heard him in a while.

"I know."

"I want you here," he told her as if he was afraid that she might change her mind.

He had a reason to be worried. He had waited for her for years and the fight that came from it had been ugly and horrid, and yet, he was always there at every turn, remaining steadfast like an old rock in a stream.

"I will be there, Haymitch. I will. We'll see each other again very soon."

"Good."

"You will meet me at the train station. Do you promise?"

Haymitch snorted.

"Might fall asleep so better not make any promises…"

"You are impossible," she huffed. "I will text you and give you a few calls when I'm reaching so you will have absolutely no reason not to be there when my train reaches the station in Twelve."

"You do that, sweetheart," Haymitch chuckled. "See you in a few hours."

"I love you," she said just before he hung up.

She ended the call and kept her phone back in her purse.

"Husband?" the young man asked, making small talk.

"Oh, no," Effie shook her head. "No, he's my… He's – "

"Ah, I understand," his eyes twinkled. "Finnick, by the way, Finnick Odair. This is my wife, Annie."

"It's nice to meet you," Effie shook his proffered hand and smiled at his wife. "Newlywed, I supposed? You have that glow that all newlyweds have."

"10 months ago," he laughed. "I had a month to get used to being a husband. Now, I'm going to be a dad. Crazy, right? I'm excited about meeting my baby and all, but still, crazy."

As other passengers began to board the train, walking down the small aisle looking for their seats, Effie lost herself to the magazine she brought with her.

"Don't dawdle."

Effie looked up to see a man with silver hair dressed in expensive suit, a handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket. The little boy he was speaking to ran off to his parent and the man, sensing Effie's gaze, turned towards her and smile.

It made her shudder. There was something unnerving about the smile and the cologne he wore was so strong, it made her gag.

"Don't watch the news, Annie," she heard Finnick whispering to his wife. "You'll stress yourself out."

Effie turned towards the mounted television that was provided in each car. The news channel was reporting pockets of violence in the city. She caught glimpses of cars on fire and police with batons and shield forming a protective line.

"What are they rioting about? Shouldn't they report that, too?"

"I don't think the cause if known yet," Effie answered the dark-haired girl. "The important thing to do is to get these uncivilized behaviors under control and arrest the instigators."

"Will this affect our journey?" Annie asked.

"It better not," the girl muttered. "I got to get home."

"Where's home?" Finnick asked.

"Twelve," the girl glanced over her seat to see who was talking to her. "Where are you going?"

"Home, too," Finnick smiled. "In Four."

She nodded and her eyes drifted to Effie.

"You're from here. I can tell."

"Yes," Effie nodded or at least, she would be from here. Where she was going, it would hopefully, be permanent and if the girl was going to Twelve, it would mean that she would be crossing paths with her often enough soon. "I am Effie. You are?"

"Katniss," she answered. "You look familiar. Have I ever seen you before?"

"I – " Effie studied the girl. "I don't think so, no."

"That's not right. I'm sure I've seen you before," Katniss insisted. "You ever been to Twelve?"

"Yes," Effie nodded.

Of course she had. She was there to visit Haymitch but at Twelve, she spent most of her time in his house and in his bed.

Katniss' gaze lingered on her a few seconds longer before she gave up trying to figure out and slumped back in her seat.

"Is this violence contained only in the City?" Effie wondered.

Outside, the whistle blew one last time to signal that the train would be departing soon.

"Let's hope so," Finnick answered and grinned, "I want a smooth train journey."

Nobody on board the train realized that seconds before the doors were shut, a man with bite marks on his ankle and skin so pale that the blue veins were clearly visible had just boarded Car 13, his body infected and savaged by biological pathogen.

I'll leave you to figure out where Peeta is and Haymitch's role in this, and I hope you know who that silver haired man is. Let me know what you think! Leave it in the reviews :) thanks for reading.