Chapter Sixty-Seven; Running out of Time
(Haymitch's POV)
"Where the hell is she going?" Crick exclaimed.
Haymitch turned back to the slightly shorter man. Crick had been a mentor for District 5 since before even Haymitch's Games.
Haymitch stared dumbly at him before looking back in the direction Stephanie had gone.
"Frenkin where is Stephanie – ?" Haymitch suddenly asked, but the question died on his lips as he looked down and saw clearly the state Frenkin was in.
The kid was paler than he had ever seen him and Haymitch could feel Frenkin's whole body shaking uncontrollably under his hands.
Haymitch crouched down to be level with Frenkin.
Frenkin had his lips pressed together in a thin, white line, his eyes wide and terrified as they stared back at Haymitch.
Haymitch cast a glance over Frenkin's shoulder, feeling frustration boil over in him, a sudden burst of anger marring his features in a dark scowl.
A thousand thoughts, a thousand concerns were racing through his head.
He and Crick had just been hurriedly discussing trying to speak to one of the guards to get the tributes out of the building and back to the penthouses.
Stephanie in her dazed state nor Frenkin, may have noticed the glares and dark looks they had suddenly began to generate and not just them, every tribute in the foyer was suddenly the object of distrust and anger from the Capitolite crowd, mentors also but not so much.
Haymitch didn't want to risk all of the tributes being dragged in from this…this, whatever it was! Because that was another unexpected concern.
What the hell had just happened?
Haymitch recalled looking up and seeing the distress evident in Stephanie's expression, her golden gaze clearly seeking him out. Haymitch's suspicions had immediately turned to Seneca Crane.
However moments later, that had happened!
There was no apparent cause, motive or outcome.
And now…now just to add to his list of worries, Stephanie had high-tailed to who knows where!
Haymitch focused his attention back on the quivering body in front of him.
"Hey kid," Haymitch began. He tried to keep his tone soft but it didn't help that he had to near shout to be heard over the din.
"I don't think I can go into the arena, Haymitch," Frenkin said so quietly that Haymitch barely heard it.
Haymitch looked at Frenkin. It was clear that Frenkin was in some kind of stupor that he wouldn't be snapping out of anytime soon.
"Abernathy!"
"What?" Haymitch growled as he straightened and stood, keeping a protective arm around Frenkin's shuddering shoulders.
"I talked to one of the guards. They're going to clear one of the back rooms and get the tributes in it," Crick explained.
Haymitch looked to see that Crick's own two District 5 tributes were huddled close to Crick.
Haymitch glanced down at Frenkin only to see that Frenkin was clutching onto his blazer, tears fast streaming down the kid's face.
"It won't take them long Abernathy. Where's your girl?" Crick said.
Haymitch cursed under his breath as he glanced into the crowded foyer.
Panic clawed at Haymitch and a cold fear gripped him, his heart beating fiercely.
He couldn't stand the thought that Stephanie was possibly somewhere with someone that he couldn't protect her.
Would this be what it was like when she was in the actual Games?
A constant, tight coil of tension curled in his gut, his heart thrashing against his chest, blood pounding so loud in his ears he could barely hear himself think.
Haymitch swallowed, pushing down the thought as best he could.
"I'll get her." Haymitch glanced once more down at Frenkin.
He couldn't leave Frenkin alone and he couldn't leave Frenkin with Isa who was still wailing inconsolably amongst a whole harem of females, also all wailing.
Haymitch cursed under his breath once more, worry making his temper shorter by the second.
Haymitch stooped slightly and suddenly lifted Frenkin.
Despite how small Frenkin was he was still a 13 year old boy.
Haymitch grunted as he shifted Frenkin slightly in his arms.
"Here Abernathy – leave the kid with me," Crick offered suddenly.
Haymitch looked down dubiously at Frenkin's still trembling frame, his blue eyes unfocused.
He really didn't want to leave Frenkin and Haymitch was briefly annoyed that Stephanie had abandoned them, considering she could better reach Frenkin than he could and the kid definitely needed reaching that was for sure.
"Frenkin?" Haymitch tried again. "Frenkin – I'm going to find Stephanie."
Haymitch felt another twinge of frustration run through his sinews at his inaction.
He shouldn't be standing still – he should either be moving to find Stephanie and give Frenkin to Crick or take Frenkin with him. Either way he should be moving.
Every second Stephanie was elsewhere she could be up to who knows what, and considering previous circumstances, Haymitch was worried to say the least.
Haymitch's mind was made up for him when a small girl, smaller even than Frenkin, wearing a bow that was sliding off her blonde hair stepped from behind Crick.
"F…Frenkin…is that you?" the girl asked hesitantly.
In his arms Frenkin blinked rapidly a few times, the glazed look from his eyes abating slightly. He was still shaking though. Frenkin turned his head towards the girl.
He didn't even seem to notice that he was in Haymitch's arms.
"Ava?" Frenkin asked.
The girl broke into a wide smile, her green eyes flooding with relief.
Frenkin suddenly seemed to realise he was lying down and tried to sit up when he saw that he was in Haymitch's arms.
"Haymitch!" Frenkin squeaked.
"Are you okay, Frenkin?" Haymitch pressed hurriedly as he placed Frenkin gingerly back on his feet.
Frenkin nodded. "Stephanie?" Frenkin asked in his next breath as he looked about.
Haymitch ruffled Frenkin's hair, glad to see the kid not so traumatised.
"Yeah, I'm going to find her now," Haymitch said and with that he rushed off in the direction Stephanie had gone.
"Abernathy hurry!" Crick called after him.
Frenkin looked after Haymitch as Ava gently squeezed his hand in hers, his blue eyes already haunted.