Stuck in Reverse

The farewells were less dramatic. Eustace had only her mother left, who put her arms around her daughter, sobbing but without saying a word. On the contrary, Ramon had a father and a mother but no other siblings as well. His mother's face seemed somehow familiar to Haymitch, although he couldn't remember why. Or from where. He didn't notice the infuriated face she had thrown at him.

Effie was busy preparing the further schedule with Petunia. As soon as they would all be on the train, one couldn't change anything anyway, but beforehand everything needed to go very fast.

Shortly afterwards, they left for the train. Haymitch hadn't made the effort to pack a suitcase. There would always be plenty of clothes on the train and in the Training Center. The only thing he cared about was his booze.

While Effie enjoyed the flurry of camera flashes to the fullest and turned smiling in all directions, Haymitch was dying to reach the train. He had ignored his tributes so far and now wanted to make short work of the reporters. When one of them asked him about his opinion on their new escort and how he weighed up her chances, he just said: "Things can only get better."

Petunia darted a poisonous glare at him before she turned to another camera.

Effie tried to answer the questions in a swift pace, they had to stay on schedule after all.

When the doors of the train had finally closed behind them, Effie took a deep breath and immediately got a blaming look from Petunia. Haymitch left the children to his escorts and forged ahead to the bar without ever glancing back.

Effie turned to Eustace and Ramon and smiled at them. "Come on, I'll show you your rooms." Both of the tributes followed her in silence. The young escort could see Eustace's frightened face in the tall mirrors of the hallway. Ramon stared straight ahead, but she was pretty sure that he felt different on the inside. She didn't lengthen it more than necessary and soon left them to their own devices. Then, she made her way back to Petunia.

"I imagined him worse", Effie said and sat down next to her mentor who cased her nails at the dining-table.

Petunia didn't look up when her successor sat down. Of course, she knew who Effie had talked about. She shook her head and pursed her lips. "Wait and see", she murmured and carefully stroked the nails of her left hand with her thumb. "What do you think, where is he right know, hm?" The older woman eventually glanced up and fixed Effie with risen eyebrows.

"In his car?" Effie shrugged her shoulders.

"Go", said Petunia with a scornful smile on her thin lips. "Take a look, you can directly call him for dinner."

Effie rose with a nod and quickly escaped the car. She knew where they accommodated Haymitch. Petunia had showed it to her on their journey to District Twelve. The young escort wasn't sure how to interpret Petunia's face expression. It had almost seemed indifferent to her what happened with Haymitch. Even if Haymitch was more difficult than other victors, as escort she had to answer for him. Petunia had said herself that it was a honorable job with highs and lows.

"Haymitch?" Effie knocked at his door. Nothing happened. The whole car seemed deathly silent. Strained, Effie listened closely to catch up any noise from the inside of his room. Only when she hold her breath for several seconds, she could hear heavy footsteps. Then suddenly nothing anymore.

A little grin appeared on her face and she stroked her dress in a proper condition. Then she knocked again. "Haymitch, I know that you're in there."

"Go away", Effie heard him shout, but his voice sounded oddly blurred.

She hesitated and leaned against the opposite wall. "It's not very polite to talk to a lady through a closed door", she remarked and felt stupid for entertaining an empty corridor.

"I don't talk to you, you talk to me and if you dislike it, then this is a great opportunity to back off", he screamed back not a moment later and Effie jumped in astonishment.

"I'm sorry if I caught you on the wrong foot, but I think that we should postpone our dialogue until dinner", Effie quickly said and turned on her heels to escape his car. She was shocked at how he had treated her. Petunia had been right, this man truly had no manners.

Effie didn't make the effort to comprehend the words that Haymitch threw at her next. She had already left his car.

oOo

As soon as Haymitch's lips had touched the bottle, he knew that he wouldn't make it to dinner. He didn't worry. And he still didn't worry when Effie Trinket suddenly knocked a his door. He put her off, he wasn't in the mood to talk about some strategies, which wouldn't change anything in the first place, because the kids wouldn't make it past the cornucopia anyway.

Haymitch didn't understand this woman, how couldn't she be aware of those things? After all, she must have watched the Games year by year, mustn't she? As such, she had to know how the tributes of District Twelve bit the dust year by year. But what he disliked the most were those canted apologies the Capitols constantly lavished him with, although there was no need to apologize at all. He didn't need faked politeness of which they hoped to propitiate him.

When he didn't make an appearance at dinner, Effie paid him another visit, still without success. She wasn't strong enough to sway him. Next to Petunia, who was like a huge irascible storm, she was just a faint breeze. Or the lull before the storm.

Because no five minutes later, Effie returned with Petunia. She stared at Petunia as if she was a saint, who only needed one sentence to make Haymitch come out of his room.

He threw Effie a murderous look when he walked past them towards the exit of the car. "You act more stricken than you truly are", Petunia remarked and beckoned Effie to follow her.

oOo

Eustace and Ramon were already sitting at the wide dinner-table, without so much as looking at the other. Sorrowful faces, which stared straight ahead emotionlessly. None of them had touched the variety of food.

Haymitch sighted as he saw them because they didn't seem very cooperative. Rather stubborn. His sigh made them raise their heads. Their eyes fixed on Haymitch, who entered the car with a grim look and was closely followed by Petunia and Effie. With another sigh, he sat down on one of the chairs opposite of the children. The two women silently took their places. Effie on his right and Petunia at the table's head.

Unhesitatingly, Haymitch grabbed the very first that caught his eyes. Some kind of steak and a side dish, which he couldn't clearly recognize but brought an unbelievable smell to his nose. Then, he snitched the wine bottle out of Effie Trinket's hand, who gave him a startled look before her eyes narrowed when she remembered his past behavior. Instead of saying something, he began to eat in silence.

Dinner extended. Scarcely anybody spoke. Only Petunia and Effie exchanged some words about this and that. Haymitch acted as if he didn't notice Effie's sideglances. He didn't get her problem. What in Panem had she expected? A shiny victor who deferred to the things that were suitable and popular in the Capitol? What the hell had Petunia told her? Or what hadn't she told her? Most certainly, he wouldn't treat Effie Trinket any different than the other people from the Capitol. She didn't own any kind of special status. She was as bad as the rest of them. Maybe even worse.

"Oh, I see, that's it?", the male tribute raised his voice and interrupted Petunia in whatever narration she had wanted to tell Effie. The woman shot him an indignant look, but Ramon didn't acknowledge her. His eyes rested on Haymitch, who was already pouring himself a second glass of wine.

Haymitch raised his eyebrow in an asking manner, but didn't look at him. "Do you have a problem?"

"You bet", he angrily hissed and lowered his fork. Eustace gave him an indecisive glimpse. "I was aware that you're nothing but a drunkard, Abernathy, but-"

"Ramon, right?", Haymitch broke the boy off. His voice wasn't loud but still seemed to run through the whole room. Petunia stopped eating and threw him an astonished look. She hadn't expected him to remember the tribute's name.

Haymitch bend over the table. "If I were you, I would shut my mouth. Think about this: You, all alone in the arena. You're hot, your throat is as dry as sandpaper and you're thirsty, but there's nothing to drink far and wide. What do you think, who can help you in such a situation?"

Ramon's face darkened from one moment to another and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to retort something, but Haymitch had already continued.

"Me, my boy. Me, Haymitch Abernathy. The mentor of this goddamned district. You want to survive? Then shut up, don't be a pain in my ass and stay out of my drinking."

Actually, Haymitch hadn't expect for Ramon to answer anything. "Yeah, we saw how well that worked out with my brother."

The silence that followed was surprising for both parties. Haymitch stared at Ramon and Ramon stared fearlessly back. Effie was the first one to come to her senses. "I don't think that we-"

„Nobody is asking you", Ramon hissed and put her to silence with his glare. One couldn't overlook that he lacked respect for the Capitol.

Haymitch felt the anger that boiled up in him. He saw where this would lead. And the fact that he probably had had one too many didn't make the situation better. With compressed lips, he leaned back in his chair and examined the boy. "Your brother?"

"The twelve-year old from last year."

"He would've never made it", Haymitch muttered and was surprised that he couldn't remember the boy at all. He could barely remember last year's Games. Only the usual death at the cornucopia. That was why his mother had looked at him like that. But if he was honest to himself, he couldn't remember the Games before that neither. The years after his victory were a blurred image in front of his inner eye…

"Believe me, Abernathy, I know that I can't count on you. But I'll ensure that you won't forget these Games", Ramon said with clutched teeth as if he could read Haymitch's thoughts. The rage in his voice was unmistakable. Then, he raised from his chair and turned to Effie and Petunia. "All of you." With those words hanging in the air, he turned around and left the car.

For a moment there was silence, until Effie spoke up with an uncertain smile on her face. "We'll fix that. This was surely just an empty threat. He's probably totally harmless", she said and looked at Petunia, who nodded absently.

For the further dinner, Haymitch kept silent. Every try of Effie to start a conversation with him and Eustace failed. Shortly afterwards, they all sat down in front of the TV and watched the recap of the reaping.

"The careers are strong", Petunia remarked. Effie bit her lip unknowingly and Eustace played with her fingers to not stare at the screen. For a thirteen-year old, she held her ground pretty well, Haymitch realized. Not that it would change anything.

Two volunteers from One, well-fed and well-built, as well as the tributes from Two and Four. Even Three had a rather good reaping this year. Then District Twelve. Effie directly started babbling and bombed Petunia with questions about her appearance. Petunia assured her half-heartedly that she had presented herself perfect for her first time. Haymitch sighed, stood up and vanished to his room without another word.

Effie knew that District Twelve would have a rough ride, considering the strong tributes from the career-districts. But she didn't give up the hope. It would be down to her and Haymitch to turn the tables once the tributes were in the arena. And when it came to Ramon, she was pretty sure that he could survive the cornucopia. He was smart, no doubt, she had noticed it at the look the boy had given Haymitch. Brutally calculating.

Effie raised to her feet. "Shall I escort you to your room?", she asked Eustace. Of course, she had to treat both of the tributes equally. And who could truly tell, if there wasn't something hiding in the little girl too? Although her appearance seemed rather innocent. She was a cute girl.

Eustace nodded and followed Effie. "Will we have a strategy?", she suddenly asked as the door to the dinning-room had closed behind them. Effie stared at her, astonished. "I mean, we have to have one, haven't we? Ramon's tall and very strong and doesn't really care about a strategy, but it could benefit me", she admitted.

Effie rocked her head from one side to the other and then nodded with a soft smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry, dear, we'll come up with an idea for you."

Eustace stopped in front of her room and skeptically surveyed Effie with her dark-green eyes. "But we won't manage without Haymitch. He knows the ropes, he knows what's important."

"I'll convince him", Effie said and plugged a loose strand of brown hair behind Eustace's ear. To Effie's delight, the girl didn't flinch from her touch, although her eyes almost seemed to cut through her.

"Promise?" For such a young age, she was unbelievably mature.

Effie became aware of the fact that it would cost her a lot of effort to keep the promise. It was almost impossible. Haymitch seemed to be a very difficult person and as far hadn't showed any interest in the tributes or the Games.

But Effie couldn't deny her the promise. It was her duty after all to help the tributes as good as possible, no matter what Haymitch had advised her to do. And Eustace deserved it. She was kind, adorable and had politely asked her for help.

"I promise."

What do you think so far? I would love to read your thoughts about this chapter! See you in three weeks.