Thank you for the lovely reviews! I hope to do a chapter a day (or every other day, depending on my own workload, but I'll make a note if there is an expected delay longer than that) - thank you so very much for reading! I hope you'll continue to enjoy! As always, comments are very welcome and very helpful! Thank you!


Effie let out a small shriek but covered her mouth instantly. The Peacekeepers were still outside and suddenly she had a feeling they had been laughing at her.

"Mr. Abernathy?" she asked, holding up her hands as if she was surrendering.

"What do you want?"

"I - I'm sorry to have just walked into your house but the door -"

"Yeah, it was kinda rude of you, wasn't it? I'm guessing by this …" he traced her silhouette in the air with his knife. "This … fashion … you're from the Capitol?"

"Yes. Yes, and I'm sorry. I am. I didn't know -"

"What does the Capitol want?"

Effie opened and shut her mouth a few times. Didn't he know what day it was?

"I'm the new escort for District Twelve," she said, trying to keep her voice even though the knife was making her nervous. "If you'd lower the knife -"

"Nah."

"There are Peacekeepers outside, you know. I could scream."

He shrugged and sipped his whiskey. "You are the one, though, that came in uninvited aren't you? So … seeing as you're trespassing -"

"The Reaping," Effie said quickly. "You need to come to the Reaping."

The man laughed. "Oh. Is that what today is?"

"How long have you been drinking?"

"How long have you been alive?"

Effie tried to calm herself. This was not a good situation and the Capitol had not at all mentioned that Haymitch Abernathy was a drunk. She imagined someone would have mentioned it.

Or they'd think it was funny for her to find out.

On her own.

Like the Peacekeepers outside.

Effie felt a pit in her stomach. She could imagine everyone back at the Capitol laughing at her. How stupid could she be? Didn't she know what to expect?

Make the best out of the situation, she said to herself. Don't let them see weakness. And don't let this man think he's can walk all over you.

"You need to be at the Reaping, Mr. Abernathy. You will be the mentor -"

"Yeah. Yeah, I know. And I'll be on the train. For the booze."

Effie tried to keep her anger inside. "Mr. Abernathy -"

"Did anyone tell you that you have the most annoying voice imaginable? Seriously, sweetheart. Get out of my house. Go pick kids fresh for the killing. I'll … appear at some point."

"The schedule -"

"I don't follow those."

"But -"

"I think I asked you to leave."

Effie clutched her clipboard tighter. Fine. She would leave. She didn't quite know what she'd do if he didn't show up … whenever he decided to show up. But she'd figure something out.

They wouldn't laugh at her.

"Did you find Haymitch?" one of the Peacekeepers asked her when she came walking out of the door. He poorly hid his laughter.

"Yes," Effie said quite earnestly. "And he'll be coming along shortly to the Reaping."


She kept herself as composed as she could as time ticked by. He still wasn't there yet. Effie watched as the Mayor made his addresses to the crowd. She saw the seat that should be Mr. Abernathy's just empty - as if it was mocking her. They could see it at home, back in the Capitol. She knew they could.

Oh no.

Don't cry, Effie said to herself. Don't cry. Think about your make-up. Think about this opportunity. Think about this honor.

No, no, no. Don't cry.

Effie bit her lip hard then felt someone brush by her rather roughly. She looked up and saw Mr. Abernathy stumbling out behind the Mayor and feeling his way towards his empty seat.

The relief that flooded her was indescribable at that moment. Even if he was late. Even if she was sure everyone at home had seen him stumble onto that stage drunk.

But he was there.

And soon, she was stepping out herself.