So this is the second instalment in there's nowhere for you to run, there's nowhere for you to hide. I hope you all liked the last one, I'm eternally grateful to all the reviewers, subbers and favourites that I got, you mean the world to me :D
This chapter will be where the Hayffie start, BRACE YOURSELVES!
And on with the story…
Effie POV
I stand there, static as a statue, my mind sending fingers of numb ness and unfeeling through my veins. I don't feel it when the soldiers grip my arm a little too hard or shove me a little too vigorously. I let their words wash over me when they tell us to sort ourselves into twelve groups; people branch off in twos and threes, fighting to go to floors one, two and four; thinking they would suddenly inherit the skills of the career tributes if they go and live in their apartments. The number 12 is pressed without hesitation when I step into the elevator, like I was ever going to go anywhere other than our penthouse. A deep breath rasps through my teeth, contemplating what I'll say to Katniss, Peeta… Haymitch, I grip the door handle firmly, bracing myself; with a sharp flash of determination I push it down, bolting into the lobby/living space. Unfortunately my courage doesn't last long; Katniss and Peeta are standing by the sofas, invariably waiting to greet me, Haymitch is nowhere to be seen. The sudden blaze of nerve has deserted me with the poorly concealed pity on both those children's faces.
I stalk past them into my room without a word, locking the door behind me.
I can't deal with this. I step out of my heels, leaving them forlorn and alone on the luxurious carpet, isolated from each other and from me. My back slides down the wall and I hear a great gasping sobbing sound echo around the room. It's me. I'm crying. Flashes from past games bolt through my unprepared mind and I can feel myself slipping. Help me. Help me. Help me.
A shard of sunlight bouncing off the blade of a sword as it swoops down to meet its final target. An axe finding purchase in my flesh. Arrows swooping through the air. A hand reaching to snap my neck. Please help me. Mutts tear me limb from limb. Please, please help me. Relentless footfalls perusing me through an unfamiliar territory. Get me out. A scream slips unheeded from my mouth and I reach for anything my hands can grab hold of that can break and hurl it towards the nearest wall. Manners. Its bad manners to throw things. I don't care. Purple glass litters the floor glinting menacingly at me, just like the metal weapons that have killed so many of my tributes in the past. Parachutes float down from the sky, exploding on impact, ripping me to shreds. I'm still screaming but the desperate, animalistic sound is choking off into a guttural sobbing sound.
"Effie?" it's Katniss coming to try and make me come out but I won't. I shan't.
They come to try and coax me out but I ignore them, pulling back the numbness that had encased me earlier. Sitting in the corner, totally static and unmoving, arms wrapped around my legs, tears trickling down my face, pouring steadily from my unblinking eyes. My stomach growls loudly, alerting me to the passage of time and my eyes dart to the window for a second. Judging by the light, or lack of it, I've been in here for a while. Its dark out and it was noon when I came in here.
"Princess, come on. Open the door" Haymitch commanded; it was the first time he'd been here. Katniss and Peeta had been about ten times each, I had counted every attempt to comfort me but Haymitch's voice had never tried to reach me. I can't ignore him; I could block out Katniss and Peeta but Haymitch and I have known each other far too long. I stand shakily, my legs stiff and unmoving and unlock the door. He must hear the click of the lock because he's through the door in a second, closing it softly behind himself.
"Effie? What happened?" He asked suddenly, reaching forward and capturing my hand, I'm confused for a second; my palms are covered in dried, congealed blood and gashes. How did that happen? I look back to my corner curiously and see the floor is scattered with the now blood stained purple glass of the vase I had thrown. I'm also shocked to see pieces of paper with hasty scribbled drawings of weapons and interesting ways you could kill people. It's always other people with blank faces killing a cowering woman with curly hair and high heels. I stop looking too closely. Haymitch spins me around after he sees my pain filled cocoon and sighs, I expect I have the same small gashes littering my legs and by the slowly returning pain throbbing in the soles of my feel I expect there are more there as well. He keeps me with my back to him and unzips my dress, letting it fall to the floor.
He fetches a warm damp cloth and gently washes the blood from the back of my legs and the palms of my hands, he suspects that my feet have been affected so lifts my legs from the ankle like I'm a horse and washes them too, pulling bits of glass from some of the wounds.
Neither of us has spoken. It unnerves me.
He pulls my wig from my head and washes the cloth to wipe all that is left of my make-up from my face and leaves me stood there, dressed only in my underwear, my face as fresh as the morning, my wig discarded. Lay completely bare.
My hands and feet were throbbing but I felt so broken and alone, my breath rasped through my teeth, I could feel the tears coming again, more sobbing. I throw my arms around his neck
"Help me" I gasp out, the first words I've spoken to him since I unlocked the door, the first intelligible words I've spoken since the reaping. His arms warp around my waist and stroke my hair softly as I cling to him, my head buried in his chest sobbing my heart out. I never even had the chance to tell him how I felt. I need my life back.
"Come on princess, you need to eat something" he commands but I shake my head, my stomach is so tied in knots I can't imagine putting anything inside it right now and thankfully he doesn't question me so he merely goes to my cabinets and pulls out my short night gown and gives it to me. I put it on, but if he expects me to go to sleep he has another thing coming. If I had so many nightmarish images haunted my waking hours I didn't want to know what would happen once I had no control over my torturous mind. I'm not moving and I think Haymitch can see that so he comes over and carries me to the bed, I struggle but only feebly. I would never be able to overpower Haymitch.
"Don't leave me" I beg in a whisper as he lays be down beneath the thick comforter. I expect him to scoff at me and depart; leaving me to the nightmares that would no doubt haunt me. But he doesn't. Instead he removes his clothes and slides into bed next to me, pulling me against his torso and whispering comforting words until I fall into a restless slumber.
Praise is to the Hayffie! Hope you liked it, please read and review, see y'all soon :D
