Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of the characters.
Chapter 4:
We immediately stop laughing and take in the scene of our mentor trying to rise out of the vile he just spat out. The stench makes my stomach twist and it feels like I might be the next to puke. We exchange a glance. Haymitch isn't much, but Effie is right. Once we're in that arena he is the only thing we got. Katniss and I take one of Haymitch's arms and help him to his feet.
Haymitch starts to slur again and wipes his face with his hand, smearing his face with vomit. "Let's get you back to your room and all cleaned up." I say. It's going to take a miracle to get him back together for the games.
We half-lead and half-carry Haymitch back to his room and haul him into the bathtub. We turn the shower tap on and spray him. He doesn't even notice. I can see the look on Katniss' face and I know she doesn't really want to see him so exposed. "Don't worry," I say to her. "I'll clean him up, you just go to bed."
She's give me a long glance as what seems to be gratefulness but them she quickly shakes it from her head as though remembering we will be fighting to the death soon. She offers to send one of the capitol people to help me, but I refuse. I don't need them to see just how bad of a shape our mentor is. She gives a nod of her head and leaves.
I leave the bathroom and scrummage through the drawers for Haymitch to wear. I pick a blue silk top with matching pants and bring them back to the bathroom. Haymitch just lies there, as if nothin happened. I remove his vomit stained clothes and start to wash away the vile on his body. The smell is unbearable and I can't help but gag. I'm glad Katniss isn't here to see this, this is truly outrageous. When I finish bathing Haymitch I quickly throw on his silk clothes and haul him to his bed, pulling the covers over him. He is passes out and when I slam the door to leave I'm not even scared of him waking up.
When I get to my room images of Katniss flood my brain. I remember all the years I wanted to talk to her, but was too damn shy. Now when I talk to her I won't really get to know her. I love this girl, but she will never love me. I want to stop thinking of Katniss and think about my family, but all I did was get abused there and no one tried to stop it. With My family and friends it's like he while world is in black and white, but when I see her the colors start to come together. I walk up to my dresser and take out a dark green silk top and bottom. Almost the same as Haymitch's. I crawl into my bed, today's memories flooding my head. Today was the first day I got reaped. It feels like forever ago.
I close my eyes and think of Katniss. She is ever so beautiful. The last image inside my head before sleep pulls me under is Katniss and me together without the games.
Soft light is peaking through the curtains when I hear Effie at the door saying, "Up, up, up! It's going to be a big, big, big day!" I wonder what it's like to always be that cheery.
I rise from the bed and pull on the same white shirt, black pants and black shoes. Maybe if I keep wearing them I will be back to the morning of the reaping, watching Katniss leave into the woods. It's wishful thinking.
When I enter the dinning hall it's only me and Haymitch. His face is puffy and red from yesterday. "Have a nice day yesterday Haymitch?" I tease as I sit down accross from him. I left the seat next to me open again, maybe Katniss will sit beside me again. He looks up at me and glares. "If you want me to help you both in the arena I suggest you leave your comments to yourself!" He yells. I stan back, baffled at Haymitch. Could he really do that? Not help either of us? Of course he could. I shut my mouth and grab a roll. Effie come back in and starts I mutter something under her breath. She picks up a cup of black coffee and starts to walk away. Katniss comes in as Effie brushes past her. Haymitch is chuckling, probably at me and my cowardice.
"Sit down! Sit down!" Haymitch says, wafing Katniss over. She sits down in the seat beside me and I feel my palms being to sweat and my heart begin to pick up speed. Its so loud that I'm afraid she might be able to hear it. As soon as Katniss has sat down we are all served an enormous platter of food. Eggs, ham, fried potatoes. A large bowl of fruite sits infront of us and the rolls. We are also served an elegant glace of orage juice and a cup of coffee. I've had orange juice a couple times, on special occassions, but I've never had coffee. My mother and father always used to drink it and when I would ask to try it my mother would glare at me and tell me no. On the bright side my dad would give us hot chocolate, it was so good and today thy even have us some.
I notice Katniss looking at her cup of hot chocolate and not know what to do with it. "They call it hot chocolate," I say. "It's good." she picks up her cup and takes a long sip. At once I see her face light up and in second her cup is emptied.
We both stuff our faces, trying not to overdo it like last night. The food is so delicious and rich. I'm still eating when I see Katnis has finished. She is looking at me ripping off bits of my roll and dipping them in my hot chocolate. I freeze up at once and don't unfreeze until she looks away.
"You're supposed to give us advice, right?" Katniss says to Haymitch.
"Here's some advice. Stay alive," says Haymitch. He waits a few moments and then bursts out laughing. Me and Katniss exchange a look, but then she quickly looks away. Anger surges through me. He's supposed to help us and he is laughing at our lives?
"Very funny," I say. I clench my fist and swipe the glass from Haymitch's hand. The glass shatters on the food, sending the liquid running towards the back of the train. "Only not to us."
Haymitch just stairs at me for a moment and then punches me square in the jaw, knocking me from my chair. For Haymitch drinking all the time and not doing much of anything he is strong. Pain surges in my head, but I try to ignore it. I hear a scuffle and then metal driving into something, maybe a table.
"Well, well. Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" Haymitch says.
I get up from the floor and scoop up a handful of ice that was underneath the fruit. I put it right up to the part of my jaw that stings. "No," Haymitch says sternly. "Let the bruise show. The people will think you got into a scuffle with another tribute before the arena."
"It's against the rules." I say quickly. "Only I'd you get caught." Haymitch counters. He then turns to Katniss. "Can you hit anything with that knife other than a table?" he says. Thats when I notice the knife in the table in front of the liquor.
I know that Katniss is good with a bow and arrow, but could she possibly be good with a knife? She grabs the knife from the table and she throws it across the room. The knife get lodged in the seam between two panels. All I can think about is how good she is.
Haymitch tells us to stand in the middle of the room. He circles us, checking our muscles, examining our faces. "You both are not entirely hopless. And once the stylists get ahold of you, you'll both be attrative enough. Neither of us question this. The Hunger games aren't a beauty contest, but the most beautiful tributes always win. "All right, I'll make a deal with the two of you. Don't interfere with my drinking and I'll stay sober enough to help you," he says. "Bu you both have to do exactly as I say."
It's not the best deal, but it's a start. "Fine." I mutter under my breath. Katniss starts to speak about him helping us, but he cuts her short. He tell us that we will be pulling into the station at any minute and that as soon as we arrive we will be given to our stylists. He also tells us not to resist them. Katniss starts to object, but yet agian Haymitch cuts her short and tells her to not resist. He grabs the bottle of alcohol and leaves the car. As the door swings shut the car goes dark. There are some lights, but not enough to see. I seems like it is night fall, but then I realize we are in a tunnel, the tunnel that leads all the way up through the mountains to the Capitol.
We both stand in silence as the train speeds along. The tunnel just keeps going on and on, for a second I think it will never end. The train begins to slow and suddenly light flows through the compartment. It hurts my eyes so I squint until its stops. We can't help it, both of us go running toward the window to get a look at the Capitol. It is quite magnificent. Bright colors at every turn. It reminds me of the colors that we used to decorate the cakes. The people start to reconize us and point up to us eagerly. Katniss steps away from the window, but I stay. I start to wave at them and smile. I'm going to die anyway, so why don't I just stay myself. I stop at once when the train pulls into the station. I turn to see Katniss stairing at me in disgust and disbelief. Oh no. She thinks this is apart of my plan, I have to loosen the tention.
"Who know's," I say. "One of them may be rich." I smirk at her.
She just stairs at me, trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. I hope she figures out I'm trying to protect her, if not then I don't know what she is thinking. She glares at me. She has figured it out, but she is wrong. She is wrong. Now the girl I had someday hoped would love me too wants to kill me.