Drunken Semaphore

Effie retreated to her room and lay on her bed in her dress and wig still on her head. The sun shone through the window, blinding her. She squinted her eyes and pondered over Haymitch's words. A part of her wondered what she had gotten herself into when she had decided on a career in the Hunger Games. She wondered if it might have been a mistake. The thought of having to go through all of this every year from now on made her heart pound in her chest.

Pushing aside the thought of giving up, she dismissed it entirely. It was out of the question. She would tarnish her family's reputation. Her mother had been relieved when Effie had decided to pursue a path that befitted a lady after studying architecture. As an escort of a District, one was among the most sought-after women in publicity. Everyone in Panem knew their faces, and they were invited to a series of exclusive events that were withheld from most Capitol citizens. The chances of marrying a wealthy sponsor or even a Gamemaker were very high.

Effie thought back to the Reaping. The moment she had called out Elowen's name and the girl had stepped forward, she had felt a sense of disappointment. She had seen her own chances of the spotlight diminish as she looked into the sweet face of the twelve-year-old child. Even then, her instincts had given Elowen only minimal chances.

Was she really blinded by the aura that surrounded the girl? Had she let herself be put under a spell that prevented her from seeing things realistically? She didn't want to admit to herself that Haymitch could actually be right. This alliance with District 1 had to have an advantage, Effie couldn't believe anything else. She didn't want to. Elowen was small, but nimble and inconspicuous. If she could just survive the cornucopia, she would be able to hide from the other tributes.

Effie sighed and dangled her legs over the edge of the bed. Her eyes were glued to the ceiling, and she raced through her own thoughts, trying to come up with a realistic plan. She went through all the possible alternatives, thinking everything through three times. It was a dilemma and made Effie's heart beat faster with the effort. Haymitch was right. If Elowen really did join the Career tributes, she didn't know how the girl would get out of it at the end without being killed by one of the others. Compared to the other tributes, Elowen was like a small, delicate bird. The tributes from 1, 2 and 4 would show no mercy. Effie couldn't remember any Games where an alliance with the Careers had worked out well for the underdog.

oOo

The following day, Effie hardly caught a glimpse of Haymitch either. He had retreated to his room and didn't want to be disturbed. He didn't even come out for meals. She couldn't tell what was wrong with him and whether he was acting so childishly because of their argument or whether he had simply lost patience with them all. Of course, she didn't know that this was exactly what he had been doing all those years before. She didn't know that being a mentor meant nothing more to him than staying away from the action and occasionally keeping Chaff company at the bar.

The further training phase of the tributes proceeded uneventfully. Elowen learned from her mistakes and gave up drinking. However, she continued to spend her time with the boy from District 1. At dinner, she briefly told Effie about her day and what had happened during training. She mentioned Magnus each time in an almost admiring tone, which increasingly worried Effie. But Haymitch wasn't there to take on the mentor's role. He wasn't there to give his opinion on the matter, and Effie was too torn by her own thoughts to speak up. She couldn't bring herself to let the potential chance for sponsors slip away. She couldn't be the one to cut off Elowen's last thread of hope. She wanted to believe in the chance. She wanted to believe in a good outcome. And so, Effie let things take their course.

On the day of the individual sessions, Effie fetched the children alone in the grand foyer of the Training Center. Haymitch had still locked himself in his room. She knew she should actually force him to stand down here with her and wait for the two of them. They were their two tributes after all. But the anger towards him and his views hadn't subsided. If she was honest with herself, she was glad that Haymitch wasn't present. There was no direct to-do for him anyway, and so he would only linger around her, burdening her with his unbearably grudge-bearing attitude.

Effie had tried to get him out of his room once. She had tried to put aside her displeasure with him and had knocked on his door, asking him as politely as possible to join the others for dinner. But even to her own ears, her voice had sounded more distant than diplomatic. Her success had been limited. Haymitch had not wanted to open the door and had instead shouted confused words at her. It was the only and last time she had tried to get him to come.

Shaking her head, Effie banished thoughts of his unfortunate behavior and focused her gaze on what was happening in the entrance hall. The first tributes left the cordoned-off area of the training facility and came towards her. She recognized Cashmere and a little further away Elowen was walking with the boy from District 1, Magnus. Magnus was quite tall and broad for his sixteen years. If you didn't see his face, you'd think he was eighteen. But the playful look in his blue eyes and the innocent grin on his lips emphasized his young age. He ran his hand through his blond hair and touched Elowen's upper arm goodbye before turning to Cashmere and catching up with her.

Elowen watched him for a moment with an equally naive smile, then spotted Effie in the crowd of escorts, peacekeepers and staff. She was waving happily, her dark blonde hair shining in the sunlight that streamed into the Training Center through the large windows.

Effie's heart clenched at the sight of the girl. She forced a wide smile onto her lips and welcomed her tribute. "Good afternoon, love," she said, patting Elowen's shoulder for a second. She was glad that Elowen had learned from her mistake and had not let herself be persuaded to drink again.

"Haymitch hasn't changed his mind," Elowen remarked with pursed lips, then sighed.

"Unfortunately, not," was all she could reply. Haymitch's absence was clearly bothering Elowen. She was afraid that he wouldn't be able to control himself until the Games began. Even now, she was missing a few pieces of advice, but if he didn't pull himself together when the Games started, Elowen would be stuck in the arena without a mentor. She was worried that he would let her down. Effie couldn't blame her. She had promised her that she and Haymitch would come up with a strategy for her. Tomorrow was the day she had to turn that promise into reality, as the interviews would take place in two days.

Effie and Elowen watched as Ramon was received by his Peacekeeper escort. The boy hadn'T exchanged a word with Effie since his attack and hadn't given either of them more than a disinterested, grim look. Although it was actually her duty to treat both tributes equally, she had shied away from talking to him. Tomorrow, that would have to change, because Effie had to talk to him about his strategy too. Whether she wanted to or not: sending him to the interviews unprepared was the same as killing him right there and then. Whether he would take this chance was another question, but Effie didn't want to have to live with pangs of conscience after his death in the arena because she hadn't helped him to perform in a sponsor-friendly manner.

But she would need Haymitch for that. Without Haymitch, she wouldn't be able to get to Ramon. Even with Haymitch, the chances of that weren't overwhelming. Effie was all the angrier when he didn't show up for dinner again. He couldn't hide in his room forever. Again, she felt the anger boiling up inside her. She was angry at his ignorance of the fate of the tributes. She was angry at his arrogance in always knowing better than her. She was angry at his fear, which kept him in his room. Because it could be nothing other than fear. He was a coward to face things.

So after escorting her tributes to their rooms, Effie proceeded to his door, announcing her arrival with a forceful knock before marching straight in. Manners didn't concern her because she wouldn't achieve anything with them here. Manners were a foreign concept to him.

Haymitch sat in a chair beside his bed, slouched and holding a bottle of some liquor in his hand. Effie's stormy entrance made him flinch, and he stared at her with a confused gaze veiled by a cloud of uncertainty. "What the hell are you doing here?" His voice was hoarse, and he had to clear his throat as these were the first words to leave his lips since her last visit.

Effie pressed a hand to her nose as she breathed in the sickening, stuffy smell of his room. She ran to the window and ripped it open to let in some fresh air, looking at the mess on the floor. His clothes were scattered everywhere, thrown carelessly, as were empty bottles, some of them tipped over. Small, dried puddles were visible on the carpet. Cleaning up this sticky mess would take a long time.

"Enough is enough, Haymitch," Effie said, her voice shaking, unsure whether it was anger or disgust. She stood next to him with quick steps and snatched the bottle from his hand. It wasn't difficult because he was obviously too surprised by the whole situation. His brain must have been in some kind of trance when she had burst in and was now slowly waking up again. "You are not here for fun. You have a duty to fulfill!"

Haymitch blinked several times, and then the veil lifted from his eyes. His gaze first fixed on the bottle in Effie's hand and then on her face. He furrowed his brows, swaying as he rose to his feet and now towering over her. "Get lost," he hissed, stepping into her personal space with the next stride. "You've no idea why I'm here."

Effie, refusing to be intimidated by him, defiantly lifted her chin towards him. His eyes were only inches from hers. "You are the mentor of District Twelve, and in the past few days, you have done your job less than poorly. That ends now," she retorted, planting her hands on her hips.

"I'm only here because I'm forced to be," Haymitch yelled at her, and she almost stumbled back in shock. "I don't care about them. I can't change their fate anyway!"

Effie simply shook her head, determined not to be misled by his words. "That is not the truth," she whispered now, narrowing her eyes to slits. Her voice took on a cold, haughty tone. "Swallow your resentment. You are their mentor and responsible for these children; you have to prepare them for the arena."

Haymitch laughed grimly, showing his teeth. "And you're the Capitol's perfect puppet," he retorted, his voice devoid of any trace of guilt. It was what he did best: belittle others."Open your eyes and try to activate some of your intact brain cells, if you have any. Your delusion that Elowen has even the slightest chance is ridiculous."

Effie didn't see the blow coming, and apparently, neither did he. His words had stirred something deep within her. Every time he spoke like that about the girl, her stomach clenched, and she felt the fear coursing through her veins. The fear of not being able to save her. Her hand trembled as it collided with Haymitch's cheek, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Haymitch looking quite surprised and Effie increasingly shocked. Then she took another step back, her widened eyes almost unbelievingly fixed on her flat hand, which lingered between them in the air.

"I ..." Effie faltered, and for a moment, Haymitch feared she might faint. "I'm so sorry, Haymitch. I ... How could this happen? This is unforgivable." Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and she couldn't believe what she had just done. She had never hit anyone before; it wasn't something one did. Only someone uncivilized would do such a thing.

Haymitch failed to reply, too incredulous about what had just happened. Her expression shifted between dismay and horror, and Haymitch could barely restrain a grin. Her slap hadn't been gentle; it actually stung, and his cheek throbbed, but he wasn't angry with her. He had wanted to provoke her, even though he hadn't dreamt for a moment that she would actually snap. After all, she was the exemplary Capitol resident who would never succumb to violence and knew only to resolve any conflict through friendly dialogue. But in his eyes, this confrontational behavior suited Effie's character. And he liked it. Whenever they argued, he saw the fire in her eyes. So far, she had been very good at controlling it.

"I expected some things, but I didn't anticipate you getting physical," remarked Haymitch, completely calm, as he regarded her with inscrutable gray eyes.

"I don't know what came over me, Haymitch," Effie whispered, her blue eyes widened with fear fixed on him. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? My behavior is unforgivable, and an emotional outburst like this will never happen again, I swear!"

Haymitch raised an eyebrow and grinned. "But, but, are you offering me a favor there?"

"Haymitch!" she hissed, a mixture of outrage and astonishment, now scrutinizing him more closely, then adding more softly, "You ... you're not angry at all?"

"Of course not, who do you take me for?" Haymitch nervously chuckled, amused and bemused at the same time. "You sure pack a punch, gotta give you that, sweetheart. Don't worry, I'm not taking it personally."

"No, Haymitch, this isn't funny," Effie retorted, avoiding his gaze now. "Violence is never the solution. I should have known better."

"Sweetheart," Haymitch sighed, taking a step closer and placing his hands in a feather-light touch on her shoulders. His eyes rested on Effie, a faint smile playing on his lips. "This business is tough, and sometimes emotions build up. That won't be the last time you feel the urge to let them out."

"But–"

"No, Effie." Saying her name made her look up, and now she met his gaze directly. "I don't hold it against you, and please stop making such a big deal out of it. Let's just leave it be."

Effie nodded, then shook off his arms, which were still resting on her shoulders. They now hung limply at his sides, as if he had no use for them anymore. "If you say so," she murmured. Her cheeks still burned, and she hoped her makeup would absorb the redness. "Then can you please do me a favor and accompany me to dinner?"

For a moment, Haymitch wondered if she had set all this up just to wrap him around her little finger. His expression remained impassive as he considered it. But the thought was absurd, a step too far even for him and his delusions. So he sighed as if he were actually considering it, but he already knew the answer. No more involvement. He just had to find a way to get her out of his room without reigniting her anger in the same breath.

But Effie beat him to it, as she did in so many moments. "They only have us, Haymitch." Her voice had taken on a nondescript tone and her eyes were fixed on him, revealing not even a hint of emotion. "We must be there for them, because we are the only ones who care about their fate."

This woman never ceased to amaze him. Every time he thought he had seen every facet of her, she emerged out of nowhere and revealed another. Haymitch hated the Capitol more than anything else in this damn world. But every time he looked into her eyes and realized how multifaceted she was, he couldn't help but forget his hatred for a moment. Every time he looked into her clear, blue eyes, he realized that she felt. Just like he felt, and like the other people in the Districts did too. Every time he looked into her beautiful, infinitely deep eyes, the line between right and wrong, good and evil, District and Capitol blurred.

Only to be jolted back into bitter reality by one of her actions or statements. She meant well, but for the wrong reasons. Because she would never see the big picture. But did that make her a bad person if her intentions were still good despite everything?

Haymitch narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze to the bottle Effie still held tightly in her hand. He could see the intensity with which she clutched the bottle, as if her life depended on it. Her knuckles stood out white, and her long pink nails dug into the glass of the bottle. Again, he lifted his head and looked at her. Then he nodded.

oOo

Dinner proceeded quietly. When Haymitch appeared behind Effie in the dining room doorway, Elowen's eyes widened with joy and relief. She brought him up to date on the training progress. Ramon sat silently, but for once, he seemed almost interested, his eyes darting between his potato gratin and Elowen's plate. Effie left the floor to Elowen and Haymitch. She didn't want to interfere with Haymitch's advice, even though she knew what he would say about everything the girl told him.

He didn't disappoint. After Elowen finished her story, he pursed his lips. "I don't think forming an alliance with District One is a good idea. In the past, it rarely turned out well for Twelve, if there were even any alliances at all. There's a reason we're the worst District in terms of the odds. Why would Magnus want to work with you?"

Elowen stared at him, speechless for several seconds, probably because no one had so clearly expressed a contrary opinion to her plan before. "Well, apparently he sees something in me if he chooses me as an alliance partner."

Her voice brimmed with conviction, surprising Haymitch. He had known her as a reserved, quiet girl, not someone who stood up for her cause or was genuinely convinced. He must have been mistaken. Or the hope the boy from District One gave her was so great that everything else became collateral damage for her. If only she wouldn't risk her life for it.

"What did you show him on the first day of training that made him so enthusiastic?" he asked almost sarcastically, earning him a rough kick from Effie. Elowen was silent and seemed to think about it. "There you see," he continued, taking advantage of her hesitation. "The alliance has only one purpose in his eyes, and that is to have one less potential competitor."

Now she shook her head vehemently. "Never, he wouldn't do that. If you knew him, you'd know he's not like that. I watch the Games every year, I'm not stupid."

"And that's exactly the problem. You think you have experience in your decisions. Forget the past Games! It's too risky to get involved in this, especially when feelings are involved."

"No." Elowen's answer was so vehement that Haymitch was lost for words for a moment. He sighed to himself. On the surface she was a shy girl, but underneath lay the defiance of the Seam. This wasn't going to end well. "Now forget about him. He's my only chance for sponsors."

"You won't get any sponsors anyway, sweetheart. Who do you think the sponsors are more likely to send gifts to, you or the boy? Whose chances are better? You're the underdog." Haymitch couldn't shake the feeling that this debate was pointless. He reached for a strawberry muffin that an Avox had just brought to the table in a small basket. As he gobbled down the muffin, he gave Effie a piercing look. What was she thinking? She should have talked Elowen out of it from the start. "What do you think will happen if you get hurt, or if it's just the two of you left in the end? Open your eyes, girl, this is no place to make friends. He'll betray you."

"I've got it all under control," Elowen whispered, breaking the icing on her plate into pieces with a fork. "He won't betray me. Our paths will part soon enough that we won't have to fight each other."

"Fight?! You can't even fight! It would only take one swing of his sword to send you back to Twelve in a coffin! It would happen so fast that you wouldn't even realize it!" Haymitch laughed, earning himself a furious glare from Effie, which he skillfully ignored. The next kick of her shoe was so painful that he almost dropped his glass. But he didn't waver. She was partly to blame for this disaster. "I didn't think you were this stupid. Once you're surrounded by Careers, you're doomed."

Elowen's small body jerked so violently back from the dining table that her fork clattered to the floor with a clang. Tears welled up in her widened green eyes, but her mouth remained shut. Even Haymitch, who usually avoided his tributes, knew he had crossed a line. Yet he would do it again. She needed to accept reality before entering the arena. Effie interrupted the discussion with a sharp smile, one that couldn't have been more artificial. "Perhaps you both can reconsider your positions, and we will continue this conversation tomorrow morning with more appropriate manners. Take tonight to sleep on it."

Haymitch rolled his eyes but nodded. He didn't hold high hopes that Elowen would see the world differently tomorrow. The child was so shortsighted that it was almost pitiful. She was running straight into her own demise. And that was precisely why he kept his distance from the tributes.

Elowen glared at him one last time, as if he were the culprit here. A tear-streaked look of anger that would have once pained him. But now Haymitch didn't allow the children to get so close to him anymore. Elowen would never admit her mistake; that was the way people from the Seam were. She believed in Magnus, and in another world, that wouldn't even be reprehensible. But in the world they lived in, such a mistake could cost one their life. But what was she anyway? She was a twelve-year-old child. She didn't know any better.

That was why Haymitch couldn't stand being in the presence of his tributes.

-

Hi guys,

I predicted my next upload wrong again, sorry! I arrived in Croatia and it's so hot and I love it! I wanted to upload earlier but my life was busy the last few days and then there were issues with my laptop because at home, I have a real computer and somehow the Microsoft system messed up. 

Well ... the new chapter is here now, I hope you like it. A like and review would make my vacation even better! ;)

See you soon,

Skyllen