Merit Madison leads the four tributes onto the train. This train will take them to the Capitol. The other tributes are stunned at the train's extravagance but Haymitch doesn't care. He wears a blank expression. They all sit down and study the carriage silently as it leaves the station. Haymitch stares at the floor.
"Tributes, as there is no current victor in district 12, you will have a mentor from the Capitol. Meet Rovan Dorian." Merit says then applauds as he walks in as if he were a victor.
Rovan doesn't look like he is from the Capitol because he wears no stupid clothing or make-up. He's tall, broad and has muscles like no other; his look is quite intimidating and his expression is unpredictable. Rovan walks directly in front of the tributes and straightens up.
"I'm not here to help you die. I'm here to train you how to survive" His low voice seems to boom off the walls.
"I used to work in the training centre for all tributes but now I'm working with you four only and this is how I work:
One, you don't just listen to what I say. You learn what I say and you do it-" Rovan starts pointing his fingers to emphasis what he's saying. Ginette looks so scared she wants to cry. Maysilee nods eagerly in agreement. Erik eyes Rovan carefully as if taking every single piece of advice but Haymitch... he still doesn't care.
"-Two, when I ask you a question, you answer it. In order for me to help you personally, I need to know everything about you. Every skill, everything you know. It will all help you in the arena. I know you won't like it but these people you're with now, they are soon the enemy-"
Erik looks around. He looks like he doesn't want to think that way.
"-and Three, last but not least. I want you all to promise me you will try your absolute best in this. If you want to go home, you have to fight. My job is to help you survive and I don't want you wasting my time. Now, do we all understand?" Rovan claps his hands together once as he finishes. All the tributes except Haymitch nod in agreement.
"Ok, you can enjoy the ride now ladies and gentleman. Your rooms are down the hall." Merit speaks as if there were the audience of district 12 in front of her.
Haymitch is the first to walk away. He finds his room, enters it and slams the door as loud as he can.
He lies sprawled across the bed whispering as many swears he knows into the pillow and then he thinks about things. About everything and it makes him angrier. He wonders how Tansy is right now.
Is she ok?
Will she cope?
Then he wonders the same about his mother and Mack so Haymitch repeats those three words in his head ten times over to keep him strong.
Nothing else matters.
He tries to sleep it off but when that only lasts an hour or two, he decides to leave his train cabin.
"Would you like something to eat or drink?" Merit asks as soon as the door to the main carriage opens. Erik is staring out the window emotionless further down, Maysilee isn't there; she's probably in her cabin but Ginette is sitting around the table full of fancy things to consume with Merit and Rovan.
Haymitch replies to Merit by taking a seat at the table. There's so much food to choose from but Haymitch has no appetite. He just sips on a drink.
"As I was saying Ginette, you will love the apartment you get to stay in if you think this is classy" Merit continues her conversation with Ginette. It sickens Haymitch at how normal everyone acts. The way they all wear smiley faces when inside there's a monster of fear eating up their hearts.
"So, Haymitch, have you thought about your tactics yet?" Rovan asks.
"What do you think? Do you honestly believe I've had enough time to even process what's just happened to me? Forget the arena, that's the least of my worries" Haymitch replies. It's the first words he's spoken since back in the Justice building. Despite Haymitch's impoliteness, Rovan listens to him.
"I apologise." Rovan replies. "Are you scared of going into the games?"
Haymitch makes a sniggering sound. "Like I said, it's the least of my worries. I'm not scared of these games, this place or the people."
"Then what are you scared of? You seem worried or distracted about something." Rovan asks. Haymitch doesn't trust anyone apart from his mother, Mack and Tansy, therefore he's not about to unload his problems onto a stranger.
"I don't believe that is any of your business" Haymitch replies, placing his glass on the table.
"I was merely curious, boy. I'm just trying to understand you better"
"Well maybe I don't want you to understand me." That is all Haymitch says then he leaves again. Goes to his room, slams the door as loud as he can and then lies sprawled across the bed. This time he stays there for a lot longer, a full day at the least.
The only times he remembers where he is, is when the avoxes come to attend him. They bring him food at appropriate meal times, sometimes even snacks but Haymitch doesn't each much.
Eventually, Merit knocks on the door warning that they are minutes away from the Capitol station. Haymitch cleans himself up, attempting to look somehow presentable. He stuffs his father's handkerchief in his back pocket where it is safe. When he enters the main carriage, all the other tributes and Rovan stare at him as if they hadn't seen him for years. Although, the train ride to the Capitol can seem like years. Haymitch guesses the other tributes have probably been getting to know each other whilst he has been in his room but he doesn't see the point in 'bonding' when in the end, they're going to fight it out to the death.
Ginette gasps aloud. There's no words needed as an explanation because everyone is stunned at the view outside the window. The Capitol does look as magnificent as they say.
The six of them reach the place they are supposed to be but as they take a step in the building, Erik and Haymitch get shoved off into the opposite direction to Maysilee and Ginette. Merit and Rovan disappear.
Following orders, they enter a room. The room is dangerously quiet with plain white walls and floors. It is like a room within a dream. Two bed-like chairs are situated in the middle of the room with desks holding beauty products and other equipment. As if out of nowhere, three people, head to toe in over the top Capitol wear, appear from around the corner.
"Greetings from the Capitol! We are your prep team. As there are two male tributes this year, we will be the team for both of you. My name is Pilar; I am your main stylist." Says a woman. She looks quite young but the Capitol fashion she wears ages her. She has half of her head shaved and the hair remaining is dyed midnight blue. Pilar wears heavy pink coloured eye make-up also.
"Take a seat each, boys. Let's change you from rags to heroes."
Erik looks at Haymitch for reassurance. Being so young and naive, he's easily intimidated by anyone from or to do with the Capitol. Haymitch just nods and Erik follows when Haymitch walks to take a seat.
The prep team transform Haymitch and Erik's look completely. They cut hair, moisturise skin and add make-up but only subtly. They don't say much, Haymitch likes that.
Later, they dress the boys in black dungarees to represent the coal miners back in 12. The prep team decorate their bare arms with coal soot in a genius way. Their arms have designs going right up past their elbows with the black dust. Haymitch stretches his arms to examine their work. Regardless of the loathing he has for all Capitol related things, he admits in his mind that they have in fact excelled their last attempts for a good opening ceremony outfits this year.
Pilar leads Erik and Haymitch out to were the carriages, other tributes, Merit and Rovan are supposedly waiting. They soon discover that Maysilee and Ginette are wearing the same except they have dresses on instead of dungarees.
Haymitch realises this is the first time he will see all the tributes from the other districts. He looks around and finds the forty-four others dressed in just as ridiculous outfits as him. He studies their body structure and remembers the faces of those who look strong or feisty. He wants to remember them in order to watch them train in the training centre. Most of them are careers. Haymitch thinks that discovering the ones to watch out for could be vital when in the arena.
Haymitch also remembers that this will be the first time his mother, Mack and Tansy will see him on TV. He wonders how they will feel about that because this isn't the Haymitch they know. This is somebody else. These Capitol people robbed him of his inside self back at the reaping; now they've possessed the outside too.
"Tributes, come and gather" Rovan orders. The five of them huddle together. "This is the first time any of the Capitol citizens will get to see you properly. Remember, you want to try and make them like you straight away. We all know District 12 isn't seen as the best District so try and change their opinions of that. Everything matters. Smile, wave, blow kisses, I don't care. Body language is key-" Haymitch has the feeling Rovan looked directly at him as he said that last line.
"-Ok, you can get in the carriages now. Good luck." Rovan doesn't express any emotion when he speaks. It would be difficult to tell whether he's nervous, excited or even depressed.
Haymitch stands furthest to the left with Maysilee on his right. The carriages take off with a jolt behind all the others.
"This is all too much" Maysilee whispers. Haymitch is taken a back a little at the fact she actually spoke to him. Haymitch has been nothing but ignorant, unsociable and distasteful to this whole process in general. Maybe Maysilee understands the way he chooses to react because she feels the same deep down.
"I know" is all that Haymitch can think of to reply.
"Are you going to smile, wave and blow kisses?" She asks with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She clearly already knows the answer.
"What do you think?" He says back, a smile almost tugging at his too.
The carriage pulls around the corner to the endless crowds and crowds of cheering people. Ginette begins to grin widely. She smiles and waves as if she's been in the limelight for years. She obviously enjoys the attention. Erik warms to the whole thing too. He waves and smiles. Maysilee does the same but she doesn't exactly look like she's doing it for herself. She wears a fake smile and puts on a show for the sake of what Rovan had previously told them. As for Haymitch, he doesn't care what these people think. He stands straight faced and expressionless. He figures, why should he become an artificial reflection of himself for all of these strangers to enjoy?
The carriage ride doesn't last as long as he expected. It seems not that much later, they are back with the all too pleased Merit being escorted to their apartment where they will be staying until the games start. The six of them, back together again, stand in the elevator.
"You pulled it off you know. You definitely did! Oh, I'm so happy. I can't begin to explain." Merit says exaggeratedly.
"You already did explain, Merit. About twenty times, actually." Haymitch says. Erik accidently giggles out loud then bites his lips to stop himself. Merit purses her lips and crosses her arms.
"Laugh all you want but you should be glad. I was only complimenting you." She replies as the elevator door opens. They all walk out. Ginette looks over her shoulder at Haymitch sending daggers through her gaze.
"Leave her alone. She's just enthusiastic." Ginette says. She clearly feels the need to defend Merit.
Haymitch laughs a little, "It was a joke."
Ginette doesn't reply but she smiles so slightly it's almost unnoticeable. Haymitch follows her into the apartment.
"Your bedrooms are down the left corridor. I think we should all get an early night. We have a busy day tomorrow. Goodnight everyone" Merit says.
Everyone follows her orders and goes straight to their rooms. Haymitch is last to reach his room and when he is about to turn the knob of the door, Rovan grabs his arm and pulls him aside.
"Do you want to die?" Rovan asks in an angry whisper.
"I'm trying to work that out. I keep wondering if I'd rather be dead than stuck here or in that arena." Haymitch replies calmly, as if he was speaking with an old friend.
"Don't play smart, Haymitch. You're acting stubborn in front of the crowd. You stood out like a sore thumb in the carriage."
"So what? I honestly don't care if they like me or not. I'm not acting like a fool just for sponsors."
"A single sponsor could save your life in that arena. Do you know that? You better buck up your ideas, boy because nobody but yourself is going to be there to save you in the games." Rovan says. For a moment it is silent and they glare at each other closely.
"I don't need your help." Haymitch says before he enters his room and leaves Rovan outside. Once the door closes behind him, it locks. Haymitch takes a quick shower then slips into bed wearing light clothes he had found laid out for him. For at least half an hour or so, Haymitch lays in the dark, thinking. Mostly about home. Then he remembers and he panics.
Where is it?
He scrambles across the bed to the chest of drawers opposite. He pulls open the drawers, nearly breaking them in half. Inside the drawers are robes and towels. Haymitch throws them behind him as he searches. It's not there. He can't find it.
His clothes that he arrived in have not been returned which means his father's handkerchief is not there either. He knows he will never get it back. He's already let his mother down and he's barely been in the Capitol a day.