Chapter Nine

Haymitch and Effie left together, looking disappointed in the outcome of the Games. Effie had been so hopeful at the start, but Iris' death really did a number on her. She wanted to go home. She wished she never accepted this stupid mission.

They climbed into a car together, and Effie listened to Haymitch give the driver her address.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Haymitch asked, after the driver started moving.

"Yes," Effie replied, not really believing it herself.

"First time is always the hardest," he said, echoing his statement from the day prior. "Next year will be easier."

"Great," Effie replied through gritted teeth.

The rest of the ride was in silence, but Effie didn't mind. She couldn't stand the thought of talking about strategy or the children or who will end up winning this year's games. She wanted to sit alone with her grief. She just wasn't sure if the grief was for the children she coached or the innocence she's lost.

When the car pulled up outside her apartment building, she said a quick goodbye to Haymitch, a thank-you to the driver, and took off. It took all she could muster to make herself methodically eat some food, take a shower to clean up, and climb into bed before breaking down. For the second night in a row, she cried herself to sleep.

The rest of the Games ended up taking another week. Effie watched the TV each day, numb, watching child after child be murdered. In the end it was one of the Careers, the boy from District One, who ended up becoming the Victor.

As a member of staff in the Games, she was invited to his televised interview with Caesar. They did a great job of cleaning up the wounds he acquired in the arena. His nose had been broken in the final fight with the boy from District Four, but you wouldn't be able to tell now.

He spoke eloquently of his victory in the Games, of how happy he was that he got to return home to his younger sisters and his mother, who was the family's sole parent now after his father was killed several years prior.

He did a great job of making himself likeable, and even Effie found herself feeling sympathy for this boy. When the interview was over, the audience were cheering, and some were throwing roses onto the stage. He picked one up, gave it a sniff, and then winked into the camera. Effie could hear some of the women in the audience swooning.

The interview with Caesar signalled the ending of the 72nd Annual Hunger Games, and until six months from now when they did the Victory Tour, there would be nothing more for Effie to do for these Games.

Since it was officially the end of her first Games, she was required to report intel back to her superiors from Britain. She had been writing detailed reports of what she had witnessed and leaving them in her letterbox for collection as she was instructed, but she never heard anything back. It wasn't until a week after the Games, and Effie had essentially become a shut-in, that she finally got a letter in the mailbox that was for her.

Inside was a single line of handwriting, containing a date, time and place. It wasn't for another 3 days, so Effie threw herself into her work, going over the copies of the reports she had written to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

On the day of her meeting, she donned her best Capitol wear, put on the pounds of make-up she hadn't bothered with the last week or so, and took one last look at her apartment. She didn't think she would be returning to it if this meeting went how she hoped.

When she arrived at the café after a ten-minute walk, she headed to a table in the corner and ordered herself a cappuccino. She was a few minutes early, which gave her time to stake out her surroundings. There weren't too many people here- just one young family with two toddlers, and an elderly couple in the corner opposite her. She gave them a little smile when they looked at her.

Her cappuccino arrived just as Spurius did, dressed in a well-tailored mint-green suit which complimented his dark skin well. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before sitting down opposite her, putting his leather briefcase on the floor next to his chair.

Effie calmed down after seeing Spurius. She had been surrounded by so many strangers lately that it was comforting to see someone from home.

After quick hellos and discussions of the menu, Effie jumped into telling Spurius all about the Games: how the kids reacted when they were chosen, about how trying to get sponsors worked, about the training programs the kids do. She told him of the delicious foods and the interviews. Finally, when she had run out of other things to talk about, she told him about watching the Games and seeing her two tributes die. She told him about how no one had any sort of reaction, while Effie had to work to keep it all internalised.

Spurius listened to all of this, not interrupting, nodding and shaking his head in the appropriate places. After Effie finished her tale he asked, "And how are you doing?"

"I'm… fine," Effie lied coolly.

Spurius raised an eyebrow. "After hearing what you just described? I don't believe that for a second."

It took all Effie had not to break into tears in the café. "I can't do this anymore, Spurius. It's awful. I had no idea what it was going to be like." Effie was speaking in whispers, trying not to attract the attention of the other customers.

"What part did you not expect? Did you not know that the Games were cruel before coming here?"

"I did… it's just. I got to know Iris and Cinder. I helped them get sponsors. I cared for them, tried to comfort them. I tried not to let myself get attached but it was too hard not to. I watched as Cinder killed a young girl who trusted him. A young girl who was just trying to get home to her parents, who already lost their other daughter years ago!" Effie could feel her volume rising. She looked around but luckily no one had looked over.

Spurius hushed her and took her hand. "Effie, I know this is hard work, but this is what you have been trained for. This is what you signed up for. We can't put a stop to these Games unless we know how they work. This was something you once believed in. Do you not believe in that anymore?"

"I do… I just. I can't picture myself doing this year after year after year. I'm… not strong enough."

"You're one of the strongest people I've met, Effie," he replied.

Effie couldn't meet his gaze. "I just want to go home," she muttered.

Spurius removed his hand from hers. "Fine. If you want to give up Effie, give up. Someone else from the Capitol will take your place, and they'll happily march those kids to the arena for their 5 seconds of screen time. These Games will last for hundreds more years, and thousands of kids will be slaughtered."

Effie was taken aback. Spurius had never spoken that way with her before. He was always calm and collected. "I… I…" She was struggling to find words to say.

"The Effie I met on her way over here was determined to put a stop to these Games. It's what she had been training for years to do. I know it hasn't been easy for you. I know that you had to watch those kids die. I'm not saying you should ignore that. But if you want this to end, YOU must be the one to do something about it."

"I… can't."

"Fine. I'll let the Intelligence know to come back and get you. They'll leave another note in your letter box as to when they're going to come get you."

With that, he stood up, picked up his briefcase, and stormed out. The tears that Effie had been holding onto finally broke free.

Effie stayed in her bed for days after that meeting. She only left the house once a day to check the mailbox, and day after day, there was no letter. She was starting to wonder if the Intelligence had forgotten about her.

Her day revolved around thinking about Iris and Cinder, and the 21 other kids who lost their lives. Her night featured dreams of seeing them repeatedly being slaughtered.

She couldn't do this anymore. She needed to get out, but no matter how much she wanted it, she couldn't leave until the letter arrived to tell her where to go. After a week of being in bed, she started checking her mailbox twice a day. Still no luck. How long could this possibly take?

Poor Iris, betrayed by Cinder. Having to enter the arena just years after her sister died. Who tried her hardest to get stronger so that she could win and return to her family. Who was struck down by a boy who was willing to sacrifice a win for his district to get ahead. A boy who killed her and then died the next day.

If she was to do this again next year, she would read out two more names, people with families and friends, and then deliver them to be killed. There was no hope of anyone from District 12 ever coming back from the arena. She remembered the faces of the crowd, mostly sickly children, who have never had enough to eat in their lives.

After thinking on this for a second, she remembered one face from the crowd: Katniss Everdeen. Even in the brief glimpse she got of her, she seemed better fed and stronger than someone else in her position. Could she have a possibility of winning?

Effie played out the scenario in her mind and pictured what would happen if Katniss was reaped. Katniss would fight to get back to her sister, sure, but would that be enough to make her able to win? What would happen if Katniss were to win?

For the first time in weeks, Effie got out of bed, prepared herself a proper meal, and sat down at the table and started trying to map out a strategy.

The letter arrived the next day, telling her to meet at the air strip at 8pm the next night. She scrunched it up and threw it in the bin. Turns out she wouldn't be needing it after all.