Chapter 5.
Ruby stepped onto the stage.
"Belinda Ruperts and Tano Sienna. Give them a hand of applause." Effie said. The peacekeepers started moving Ruby into the Town hall, when her fight-or-flight instinct kicked in. She took one step off course and the peacekeepers where on her. They had to carry her off stage and lock her into her waiting room. She put up so much commotion once in the room that they had to sedate her with sleeping gas. Haymitch and Rupert were not allowed to see her and since she had no other family, the Peacekeepers carried her to the car that took her to the train station. Effie had to make a statement at the station about Ruby to explain her absence. The reporters were not happy, but it made for an interesting story non-the less.
Haymitch boarded the train with Rupert and watched District 12 disappear behind them. Tano sat down in a chair by the window and kept to himself. Haymitch raced to Ruby's room but found the door locked.
"What is going on?!" Haymitch yelled as Rupert started calming him.
"How can you be so calm?" Haymitch continued to pull at the door.
"Because no matter how much you fight this, she's going into the arena."
"No matter what I do, she could die…" Haymitch slipped down the wall and sat on the floor.
"Welcome to my world, Haymitch." Rupert walked away. "It's no easy road. No matter which way you go, someone dies. One kid or the other. Usually both."
"What's all this commotion?" Effie came out of her room. She headed to the dining cart and escorted Tano with her.
"She's my daughter, Miss Trinket." Rupert called after Effie.
"Oh that is interesting." Effie's face lit up. Haymitch wanted to scratch her perfect skin.
"And she's his fiancé." Rupert finished and disappeared into his own room.
"That's even more interesting! Wow! Did I strike gold or what?!" Effie's accent was strong. Her excitement a bit too much for Haymitch. He launched himself at her and Tano stepped in his way. Effie hardly saw this as she walked into another compartment.
"Not a good idea, Haymitch. She could still help you." Tano let go of Haymitch and followed behind Effie. Haymitch turned and, after trying Ruby's door one more time, went into his own room.
Hours later, Effie tapped at Haymitch's door, calling him for dinner. He ignored it, checked Ruby's room again and fell asleep at her door.
He woke up in his compartment and went to check on Ruby. But before he got out of bed, her hand touched his elbow and he fell back to her side. Her eyes were wide open. She was more scared than she would ever admit.
"I can't believe it." She whispered.
"I know. Me either. I'm so sorry. I wish there was something…"
"I had a strange dream." Ruby cut him off. "I was Effie Trinket. I was wearing old telephones for shoes, and a big bow in my hair. I took out the paper with the girl's name on it and read my own name. But it was Ruby Rain. Not Belinda Ruperts. I watched myself walk up the steps. And suddenly I was myself again. When the Peacekeepers reached for me, I ducked under their grasp. I jumped and got away. But instead of running for my life, I ran to the bowl. I grabbed a paper and read the name. Ruby Rain. I dropped it and grabbed another. Again it was my name. I tore it up and read another. Ruby. The peacekeepers reached for me again and I knocked the bowl over. The papers flew in a thousand directions, all with my name on them…"
"It was just a dream." Haymitch tried to be comforting.
"Was it?" Ruby closed her eyes and opened them. "We are on the train, aren't we?"
"It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out. You will go home with me."
"At what cost?" Ruby started crying. "Twenty three other kids have to die so that I can go home."
"You don't have to kill them. You can wait it out. And claim victory in the end."
"They all still have to die, while I do nothing."