Reaping
Haymitch spent the time until the reaping on the couch. He tried to ignore the voices around him as good as possible. As well as he tried to ignore her, while he slowly drifted off to a sleep-like state.
Only Petunia's strident voice let him startle. "Haymitch! Would you eventually stand up? You're not here to amuse yourself!"
His features hardened and he sat up to have a better eye on the room. Another reason he hated the reaping day. It always reminded him of his own reaping. Of course he wasn't here to amuse himself. What was this woman thinking?
The room was empty, only Effie Trinket was standing in the doorframe. She glanced at him in uncertainty. With two big steps, he stood next to her and eyed her skeptically, without so much as looking at Petunia.
"It'd be best, if you stay next to me while Petunia gives her farewell speech", she whispered in his ear when Petunia rushed past them with raised chin. They followed her in silence, but Haymitch couldn't hide a grin. He nodded in Effie's direction, who watched him eagerly, because he didn't know what else to do. Attendance was mandatory, so he wouldn't get around the reaping anyway.
They followed Petunia through the long hallways and soon arrived at the main entrance. The tall ailing doors were already open and Petunia beckoned Effie over, who pattered to the older woman's side with little feathery steps. Until now, she had been next to Haymitch.
"You'll sit down there", Petunia instructed her and pointed at two chairs which were standing on the right side of the micro. Behind the boys' bowl. Behind his bowl. Out of the corners of her eyes, Petunia threw him a mischievous look.
For a moment, blind fury thrilled through him and he didn't even know why. Petunia must have heard Effie's earlier words. Without glancing at them another time, he passed them and walked outside. He had already wanted to break out for the left side, when Effie grabbed his arm.
"Please do what she says, just today", she murmured and the look in her eyes was almost pleading. She bit her bottom lip.
Haymitch raised his eyebrows but sighed when she didn't loose her grasp around his arm. Silently, he followed her to the chairs which Petunia had chosen for them and wondered why he had given in to Effie. After all, he didn't need to care about how Effie Trinket would come across in the media. She was just another arrogant woman who tried to spruce up her career.
Effie looked relieved, however the nervous expression didn't vanish from her eyes. She sat down on his left side, to rise in a few moments and come up to the microphone without any difficulties.
For a short instant, she closed her eyes and breathed in to cast off the thoughts in her head. The uncertainty what her employers would think about her. The fear that she wouldn't be enough in her parents' opinion. The dread that she wouldn't be better than her sister Gwyneth. Effie barely had time to strike her dress in the right position, when a cameraman gave them the signal.
Haymitch felt the tension which suddenly started to radiate from Effie. He lightly bent his head in her direction and saw that her eyes were closed. Her right hand was clenched to a fist and her lips were firmly pressed together. Her enthusiasm seemed to be gone. Then, her lids fluttered and she caught his look.
Something in her eyes made is body flinch. He saw the fear in the light blue eyes and suddenly, he couldn't believe that this fear solely descended from the imminent reaping. After all, it wasn't such a huge event, was it? There were other events in the Capitol which were much more important than this. At least according to the Capitol's citizen. For the people in the districts, there was nothing worse than the reaping. Haymitch didn't know when it had been the last time he had seen this expression on somebody's face, but it was familiar to him. And things that were familiar to him could only be bad. With a grim countenance, he averted his head.
Just now, the crowd of the children came into his focus. Cooped up in predefined areas, they were standing in front of the stage and watching the scenario. In this minutes, every distraction came handy and even the new escort became interesting.
As always, the children were arranged according to their age. The youngest were standing in the front rows and the eighteen-year-old at the very back of the area that was reserved for the kids. To put the smallest in the first row was cruel. They were always the thinnest, most famished and palest of all the children and teenagers. Haymitch couldn't stand the sight of them, while Effie's gaze wandered through the crowd with curiosity.
At this moment, Petunia walked to the microphone and smiled at the crowd. Her lips seemed too broad for her face. Too artificial. She observed her figure on one of the big screens before she opened her mouth, as if she intended to keep the teenagers in suspense. Haymitch snorted a bit too loud and Effie gave him a withering look. And for the first time, he saw something like annoyance in her eyes. In his opinion, this was a welcome change. He had run out of steam for the never-ending good face on the matter a long time ago.
"Welcome, welcome to the sixty-fourth annual Hunger Games! As every year, now the time has come again to select two tributes, who will have the honor to represent District Twelve at this wonderful spectacle!", exclaimed Petunia with her imperious voice. She had intended to sound happy, but in Haymitch ears it only sounded disgusting. Just as her words.
The crowd didn't react. It never did. They all just stared at her as if she was the black sheep. To underline her excitement, she raised her hands and clapped two times, but the crowd remained silent and one could tell that she made an effort to stay calm. Her left eye twitched, but today he wasn't in the mood to laugh about it. His head longed for a drink to forget this reaping as fast as possible. Until the train. Just until the train.
"The Games wear on and the years do, too. The time has come to give way to the younger generation. I'm so happy to present you my successor." Petunia continued talking and Haymitch took the opportunity to bend forward to Effie.
He didn't know why he cared at all, when he whispered in her ear: "Don't be surprised when your performance won't pass the way you imagined it all your life, sweetheart. Just smile and act as if everything's just like you wanted it to be, okay?"
Surprised, Effie turned around and found her face only centimeters away from his. He looked good, she had to admit. Fourteen years had passed since his victory but he wasn't older than thirty. Nevertheless, she had heard a lot of stories about him. Despicable stories. For a short moment, it all seemed forgotten. She returned the look in confusion but nodded finally.
"Please welcome your new escort, Effie Trinket!" This was Effie's signal. With a huge smile on her lips, she raised from her chair and tripped to the microphone. Petunia was the only one clapping. The teenagers stared at Effie as if she had fallen from the moon, the younger with curiosity, the older pejorative. The adults looked reproachful. Haymitch didn't clap. He just watched when she turned around to the children and kept speechless for a moment. But her smile didn't fade for a second.
Then, she began to speak. "Hello girls and boys from District Twelve. My name is Effie Trinket and I'll accompany you on your path of the Hunger Games. As well as in the sixty-three years before you, you'll have to face up the ritual of the reaping." She spoke on and emphasized that she was looking forward to the future collaboration as if the whole district had something to do with it.
Haymitch sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Now the moment has come to pick a brave young girl and a brave young boy who'll have the privilege to represent District Twelve in this year's Hunger Games. Ladies first!" Effie Trinket's wide smile wasn't as half as bad as Petunia's, Haymitch noticed.
He still got sick when she walked over to the girls' bowl with tripping steps. Then, she dove her hand in the bowl and for a moment the square was dead silent. Haymitch could almost hear the mute prayers. Everybody wished that the new escort would bring luck somehow. But in his eyes, something as luck didn't exist. Not anymore…
He hated the reaping. He hated to be forced to watch as the life of two kids fell into pieces. He hated the feeling in his gut as if he had to throw up. Without the liquor in his blood, it felt as if he had traveled back in time. In front of him, there wasn't Effie anymore but his girl. Her face rigid with fear, when they had called him on stage. Her attempt to reach him. He could still smell her scent, feel her hair in his neck and the touch of her skin. The wide eyes of his little brother who he had wanted to protect at all costs.
Effie took her time, she probably wanted the attention to focus on her, before she finally fished a piece of paper out of the bowl and ran up to the microphone with her hand still raised in the air. She looked like a doll. A doll sent by the Capitol to bring death.
The silence persisted. Haymitch hated the feeling. It was as if time stopped for a moment. As if some superhuman phenomenon decided to step in or not. Suddenly, there was no air left to breath. The feeling of solitude depressed him in a way like it hadn't for a long time. He was alone. They were all dead.
Then, after an eternity, Effie Trinket unfolded the paper and read it out without further hesitation. Her voice echoed over the square, loud and clear. Too gentle. Too soft. Too sweet. A true angel of death. "Eustace Burrow."
But Haymitch knew the truth. The truth was that it would always affect somebody. It was unavoidable. Since he had come back from the arena, he avoided contact with the district's citizen as well as possible. But still, he could only angrily avert his head when the little girl came in sight. Fate doesn't mean it good with us.
The girl came from the row of the thirteen-year-old. Her long kinky hair shone in a light-brown tone, and she definitely was one of the smallest thirteen-year-olds.
Haymitch sighted. His gaze grew harder as he studied the girl while she cut her way through the crowd with lowered head. She staggered lightly when she stepped up the short staircase to the stage. It seemed as if she hoped to wake up from a nightmare any second. But this was worse than a nightmare. This were the Hunger Games.
Effie welcomed the girl quietly and with a wide smile, but Haymitch could see the surprise on her face. What did she expect? Handsome and well-fed children who would turn out to be killing machines? If she had really expected that, she definitely was wrong in Twelve.
Effie guided the girl to the microphone and turned to face her. "How old are you, Eustace?", asked Effie in a calm tone, probably to make clear that there was nothing to worry about. Generate the illusion of safety, the children will cooperate faster and it will be easier for everyone. Haymitch could almost hear Snow speak.
Eustace took no account of Effie. Her glimpse went over the crowd and got caught at a woman, who responded her look with tears in her eyes. Her mother. How much effort must it have cost her to feed her only daughter, only to loose her to the Games? Eustace wanted to be angry, but the only thing she felt was relief. Now, she wouldn't be a burden anymore.
Painstaking, she averted her eyes. "Thirteen", she said. The quiver in her voice was unmistakable. She clenched her hands to fists to maintain the control over her body.
Effie was disappointed. She had hoped to pick someone with whom she could impress in the Capitol. Someone who had the potential of a victor. But the chances of this little girl were virtually zero. She was too small, too gentle and inexperienced. But Effie was no one to immediately give up hope. She was a person who would trouble herself to max out the best of the chance. Eustace wasn't a model but one could certainly start with her natural charisma. At least, Effie hoped so.
"Wonderful! A big applause for our female tribute from District Twelve!" Effie's high-pitched voice sounded over the square. With every word and every action on stage, her self-assurance grew. It wasn't a huge difference from events in the Capitol and Effie was used to be on stage.
Effie and Petunia were the only ones clapping. Petunia was used to it, but Effie wondered why the people from District Twelve were so dismissive. It was about their children after all. About a member of their community. Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw that not even Haymitch was clapping and planned to address this matter as soon as possible.
While she patted Eustace's shoulder, she observed the girl in greater detail. She had a lovely face. Lots of freckles which made a pretty contrast to her light complexion. But in Effie's opinion, the intense green eyes were the highlight. The first sight of the tributes was very important for potential sponsors. But nobody would be able to deny Eustace's beauty once they saw the first close shots.
"Let's turn our attention to the boys now", Effie said. Again, she let her hand wander until she picked a piece of paper. "Ramon Caravan."
For a moment, the silence returned. Even the birds had stopped chirping. This time it took longer until the boy broke away from the crowd. He came from the row of the seventeen-year-old. Tall, sturdily-built and rumpled dark-brown hair.
Effie beamed and quickly began to get the young man on stage. His look was grim and it seemed as if he refused to view her at all. Instead, he searched the crowd for his family. Just like Eustace had done.
"How old are you?", Effie asked another time and it didn't go without notice that she was pleased. Ramon was the perfect candidate. Olive skin, dark eyes. The sponsors would make a bolt at him like animals on meat.
Ramon answered without hesitation. His dark eyes bore smirking into Effie's. "Seventeen." His voice was cool and calculating and it made her shiver. Effie slightly lifted her eyebrow, so it would stay invisible for the cameras, and Ramon grinned arrogantly.
From this point, the reaping seemed to pass much faster. Effie turned to the people from District Twelve with some last words, wished everybody happy Hunger Games and beckoned Haymitch over, as the tributes disappeared in the Justice Building. They had exactly one hour to say goodbye to their family and loved ones.
"What do you think?", Effie asked and backdropped to Haymitch, who had walked apart from the rest of the group. Her blue eyes were widened and he could see her excitement. This was her first year after all and her hopes and aims were high.
Haymitch shrugged and forced his gaze back to the ground of the corridor. "I don't know, fetch me a drink and I'll tell you, sweetheart." Every single cell of his body starved for a drink.
Effie laughed. It sounded like a bright bell stroke. "I'm sorry, but unfortunately I don't know wherefrom I could provide you with something to drink", she replied and trimmed her dress.
But Haymitch was in no laughing mood.
What do you think? I would love to hear your opinion! I had to actors in mind for Eustace and Ramon. I wanted Elle Fanning to portray Eustace, she has a very innocent appearance. Just try to imagine her with light-brown hair instead of her blonde hair. She had dyed them in some shade of red at some point, it's quite similiar as how I imagine her to look. And for Ramon, I had Brant Daughtery from Pretty Little Liars in mind.
I wish you happy Easter and see you for the next chapter.