Chapter Five
Effie couldn't sleep. It was practically impossible when Capitol citizens were outside on the streets below living it up. Effie sat up in her bed and looked out the tiny window above her bed.
"I'm never going to be able to sleep," she whispered.
Normally, Effie would be one of the many in the mass party, joining her parents and siblings. It was different then; Effie wasn't responsible for sending children to the Games. I thought it was just a Game growing up, Effie wrote in her journal earlier in the day. But after the past few days, I've come to see it is much more than that. This. Is. Real.
Effie turned her head to the door when she saw a sliver of light peeking through the bottom and sides of her door. Just as soon as she had blinked, it was gone. Effie had to investigate.
She hurried out of bed, opened the bedroom door and looked down the hall. She squinted her eyes and made out the form of someone sitting in the living area. Effie's eyes widened when she saw who it was. Haymitch!
Effie smoothed her bed-head hair down as best as she could before exiting her room and tip toeing the short distance to the living area. "Haymitch," she whispered, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I guess," he responded in a low voice.
"Is there a reason why you're not in bed? I mean, you do go to the arena tomorrow, um, well, later today," she quickly corrected herself, wincing at her word choice.
"I couldn't breathe in my room. It was closing in on me," Haymitch noticed as she stood in front of him, nervously rocking on her feet. "Take a seat."
Effie obliged and sat on the couch, a seat separating the two. She stared at Haymitch, waiting for him to say something. Instead, he sat on the couch and stared at the wall. Effie took in his appearance: black sleeping pants and a red shirt. His hair was disheveled and he looked tired.
"You look nice in blue," Haymitch quietly said, breaking the silence. Effie looked down at her long-sleeved blue shirt and black sleep pants before mumbling her thanks. "You only ever wear black or pink."
Effie couldn't resist smiling. "Aria tells me what to wear. She thinks black is elegant and simple."
Haymitch looked at her incredulously. "Says the woman who dressed like a peacock at the reaping?" All Effie could do was laugh. "How did you get involved in this anyways? Do you want to be like Aria?"
"No! I don't want to be like Aria," Effie shook her head. "I want to get out of the Capitol and travel. And I don't really have any other useful skills."
Effie went on to explain about the tests the kids in her class took. The results of the test would show what careers they were best suited for. Effie's best friend, Meláne, was chosen to be a doctor while her other close friends were chosen as Peace Keepers, shop keepers and business-type people. Her good friend Seneca Crane was even chosen to be a Game Maker — a rare result from the test. Effie was simply chosen as "assistant."
"They must have seen something in you," Haymitch reassured her. "A lot goes into doing what you do. They wouldn't make you an escort if they didn't see something in you."
Effie smiled. "I really want to travel to the other districts. I've been born and raised in the Capitol and only been outside once. It was magical."
Effie began to tell Haymitch her trip she took with her father, who owned an investment businesses. She was granted special clearance to leave the Capitol with her father on a two-week trip to District Four when she was ten. She saw many firsts on that trip: the crystal clear blue water — where Effie discovered her favorite color — seagulls, tall stalks of green grass, sand, the sound of waves and the smell of salt. Effie loved it.
"Haven't you ever wanted to travel?" Effie asked Haymitch, bringing him out of his reverie.
"I don't know," he said. "No one in twelve hardly gets that opportunity, so why even imagine it?"
Effie nodded before turning a serious face. "Are you scared?"
"No," he quickly responded. He stared in Effie's eyes and saw her compassion. He could trust her. Besides, she was the closest thing he had to a friend in this God-awful place. "Well, maybe a little."
"It's okay," Effie reassured him. "It's perfectly okay to be scared."
"No, it's not. It's weak and people don't like to see that."
"Have you talked to the other three? Maybe they can help."
Haymitch shook his head. "It just makes it harder in the arena."
"What's it like in twelve?" Effie asked, changing the topic.
Haymitch described the Seam to Effie: the dilapidated homes, the near by meadow and the kind people. He talked about the Hob and the different businesses in the main part of town. He spoke about his mother and her home-cooked meals, his brother and his curiosity and wit; Gemma and her sparkling eyes and olive skin.
"They sound great," Effie whispered. "Your district sounds like a wonderful home."
Haymitch suppressed an eye roll. He didn't care to mention the high infant mortality rate, unfair wages, grueling work hours for mine workers, and the common problem of starvation. Effie doesn't need to know about the bad of the district, he thought. I want her to think I come from somewhere great.
"Haymitch, it's almost five in the morning. You should try to get some sleep."
Haymitch and Effie got up from the couch and walked to their respective bedrooms before saying their goodnights. Three hours later, the tributes were woken up and dressed before heading out to the arena.