Again, thank you for the wonderful reviews and favorites! I hope I can continue to entertain you with my little story! Thank you!

Years after her first Reaping, Effie would say that she couldn't remember some of it. When she stepped out, when she stepped to the microphone, before she said a word, she saw them all. All of the children. They were looking at her with absolute fear in their eyes. Fear she had never seen before. At first she couldn't speak.

But she saw herself being filmed, her face projected on the large screens. She forced a smile and went onward calling one girl - a fifteen-year-old - and one boy - a fourteen-year-old.

From the safety of the Capitol, she could never see how they trembled up close. Or how they hid their own tears.

As tradition, she had them shake hands and then brought them away from the crowd where the Peacekeepers split them up to have their goodbyes.

From inside the Mayor's, she watched the crowd disperse – children being hugged tight by their parents. Some now crying. Others still pale with shock. Effie felt her chest tightening.

"And how did that feel?"

Effie turned and saw Mr. Abernathy walking to her - a bit unsteadily, she could tell. She tried quickly to collect herself.

Effie didn't answer but instead said, "Thank you for coming."

"I have to. Every year. Don't I?"

Effie would have answered, but she was cut off by someone telling her the car was ready and she ought to meet their tributes there. She glanced back at Mr. Abernathy, who was watching her closely.

She wondered if he realized that yes, she was actually the new escort. She really didn't know how drunk he was, after all.

The girl's name was Mary. The boy was Mick. They didn't say much to her but let her go on and on about what they would expect in the next two weeks. And when they saw the train - their eyes glazed over. She smiled when they went straight to the food, gorging themselves on sweets.

That was normal for children, she thought. They ought to have their fun.

At the same time, though, Effie couldn't help feeling that tightening in her chest again.

"This train moves so fast," Effie said to them, ushering them to chairs. "You wouldn't know it! You two make yourselves ever so comfortable and I'll just fetch Mr. Abernathy."

Effie worked off the assumption he'd be in the bar car. She hadn't given up yet. She'd get him to do … something other than drink. But she heard the boy whisper something about a 'drunk' and the girl start softly crying.

More determined, Effie walked on to the bar car where Mr. Abernathy was already pouring his second drink. She cleared her throat, but he didn't look at her. She tried again, but he only took a sip of his drink.

"I really do think -" she started, but he held up his hand to stop her.

"No. Not that voice."

"Mr. Abernathy -"

"My god you're worse than the last one …" He finished off his drink and walked towards her, finally looking at her but sizing her up. "And stop with this 'Mr. Abernathy' crap. My name is Haymitch."

Effie didn't know if it would be appropriate to use his first name already seeing as they had only met today - and not under the best circumstances - but she'd try if it meant he'd listen.

"Haymitch -"

"Who are you? Yeah, the new escort - I know that. What's your name?"

Well, at least that was appropriate. "Effie. Effie Trinket."

"Are you kidding me? That's your name?" Haymitch chuckled to himself. "I definitely need another drink."

"Haymitch, I don't think -"

"You'll learn soon enough - what was it? Effie. Effie. You'll learn soon enough it isn't worth the energy you put into it. And it's better to start drinking now."

"You won't even -"

"Sweetheart, there isn't a point."

"They'll need sponsors -"

"They're not going to get them."

"You could -"

"They'll be dead before they'd need some sponsor sending them things."

"You don't -"

"Know that? Is that what you were going to say? That I don't know that? Last time I checked - this was only your first day, wasn't it?"

Effie felt her face flush under her make-up. "Yes, but -"

"Then let me drink in peace … Effie." He spat out her name at the end of the sentence and went back to fill his glass.

"But I don't know what to do," Effie said quickly, before he could interrupt.

"Then make something up, if it'll make you feel better."

Effie felt a little lightheaded. Make something up? Didn't he care? How couldn't you care? They were just … children.

Effie tried to gather her thoughts. Without another word she left the bar car and made her way back to the tributes. She observed them through the window of the car first – the girl still crying and the boy trying to comfort her.

Would it be like this every year? It was only her first …

And something inside of her, something that twisted her stomach answered, 'yes.'