Effie ran off as fast as her heels allowed and spent the next hour or so absorbed in a meeting. Haymitch nursed his sour attitude with a long shower and two glasses of whiskey before he went to the viewing lounge. Other Victors and staff in the tribute center were there eating and watching the many screens projecting statistics and developments from the first night in the arena. Haymitch dutifully kept his eyes on the screens devoted to Katniss and Peeta.
Katniss was up but not moving from her perch in the tree. Smart girl, he thought. Perfect hiding spot. Peeta was still asleep or pretending to be. Still with the damned Careers, he gruffed. Haymitch ordered another drink and a mimosa for Effie.
Effie hurried along after the meeting and plopped into the seat next to Haymitch. She squeezed his leg and smiled, wanting nothing more than to kiss him, but not here in public. Whatever it was that they were was still something they kept behind closed doors.
"How was the meeting?" Haymitch asked as he sipped his drink and pushed hers toward her.
"Oh, it was fine. Planning for a party with sponsors in two days." She paused and asked an avox for one of the waters from the tray they were carrying.
Haymitch watched her sip it slowly and shut her eyes. She looked paler than normal. "Are you okay?"
Effie nodded, "I don't feel too hot.. I'm fine though. Just tired and a little queasy."
"When's the last time you ate?" He asked. Half the time Effie was running around like a mad woman. He never saw her stop and eat unless it was scheduled.
The fact that Effie took longer than 5 seconds to answer it proved his point. "You're going to kill yourself. You work two jobs, and never slow down." He called over an avox. "Can we get two breakfasts? Toast, eggs, bacon." He asked and the avox nodded and hurried off.
Effie watched the screen and frowned as the forest lit on fire. "Well that's a wake-up call…"
Haymitch slammed back his drink as Katniss tumbled from the tree and writhed on the ground in pain. Effie gasped and gripped his hand. Katniss was badly burned. "Haymitch…" She breathed.
He knew medicine to heal Katniss would be costly, more costly than the money they had already compiled for the kids. "Shh.." He uttered and watched as Katniss slowly got to her feet and ran.
Effie's white knuckle grip on his wrist actually made his fingers numb. "She'll be okay.. She's moving."
Effie's tablet went off and alerted her to another meeting. She sighed and let go of his hand. The food hadn't even come yet. She was torn between staying with Haymitch, going to the meeting or eating like she desperately wanted too.
"Are you going again?" Haymitch asked and tore his eyes away from the screen.
Effie focused on the burning trees and Katniss running like hell despite her injured leg. Her tablet chimed again, seemingly more urgent this time. The smell of food wafted her way as a plate of foot was set on the table. The gristle on the bacon made her stomach turn and her ears were filled with a metallic ringing.
"Effie?" Haymitch asked and looked at her with a weird expression, Effie wasn't ever one to just zone out. He reached out to snap his fingers in front of her eyes when she blinked slowly and then dropped like a ton of bricks.