I scramble up, trying to run out and save somebody I can't, but Haymitch has me by the hips and he's yelling as well. "Shut up!"

He takes Austin by the shoulder and me by the arm and basically drags us upstairs into the rafters of the building. As far as I know, Haymitch has only been here once, on his victory tour, but by the way he navigates this place, he could've been born and raised here.

We finally stop in a loft that he's sure isn't bugged, then he turns on us. "You two have a very simple task."

"I never meant for anyone to get killed, he has to know that," I cry, tears streaming down my face.

"What are you talking about? Who has to know what?" Haymitch asks me obliviously.

"President Snow. He came to see me, he's worried about a rebellion in the Districts, he thinks they don't believe our love story."

"So he wants you to make them believe it," Haymitch susses out.

Austin's livid. "You know, Willow you should've told me that before I went out there and tried to give those people the money!"

I turn on him, just as fiery. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do! He threatened to kill my family!"

"Well I have family too! People that I need to protect!" He fights back.

"What about them? Who protects them?" Haymitch points in the vague direction of the crowd. "Look, Willow, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about Rue!" I snap, imploring him to listen. "Look, Haymitch, I can't do this, please, just help us get through this trip, just help us get through this..."

"This trip, girl, wake up!" Haymitch snaps his finger in my face. "This trip doesn't end when you get back home, you never get off this train! You two are mentors now, which means that every year, they're gonna take you out and broadcast the details of your romance, every year, your private life becomes theirs!"

My eyes widen as I hear this. I can't do this.

"From now on your job is to be a distraction, so people forget what the real problems are!" Haymitch finishes.

"So what do we do?" Austin asks flatly.

"You're gonna smile. You're gonna read the cards that Effie gives you, and you're gonna live a happily ever after," Haymitch says in a fairy tale voice. He opens his arms. "Come here."

I hug him because I have no one else to hug. But out the corner of my eye, I can see the Peacekeepers dragging that man's body away.

☘︎☘︎☘︎

"Willow and I, want to share with you are victory, and our gratitude to the Capitol for bringing us together. It was the bond of love, forged in the crucible of the games that was our greatest prize. For it is love, and true love, that allows us all to bear our hardships. That mends the heart, and banishes loneliness from our lives."

It went on and on like that. District after District. Speech after speech. We talked, we kissed, we (horrifyingly) watched people get killed if they did our three fingers symbol, then we moved in.

In District Nine, it was my turn, I began with the rubbish Effie had given us. "We also want to share with you, the sorrows of your losses, the tributes of this District..."

I watch two people do the symbol, then get dragged off for it. You apparently don't even have to do the whistle now. I look behind me at Haymitch (who, since Eleven, has been with us) and he gives a grave nod. I continue.

"...The tributes of this District were brave and noble warriors, they brought honour to their families and pride to their people. We are all of us United, both Victors and vanquished, in serving a common purpose."

In one District, we get given flowers by two little girls. "Thank you," I say kindly to mine.

"When I'm older, I'm gonna volunteer, just like you did," she said excitedly. I turn away slowly. I don't want to think about the influence that I'm having on her right now.

And of course, on the train, there's the nightmares. I wake up screaming on night, when Austin's not there, but he comes running through in no time. "I'm alright, it was just a dream, I'm sorry," I say, panting.

"It's alright, I get them too," he nods before leaving the room.

I don't ask him to stay. I'm putting him through enough.

District Five is hard for me, having to look at Nina's picture and not being able to talk about her after I went off track about Rue.

I try to give a non verbal apology to her family, but I don't know how good of a job I do.

On the next stop, we see graffiti on the train tunnel again. This one is more meaningful though.

THE ODDS ARE NEVER IN OUR FAVOUR

I try not to think of it as I delivered my speech.

"We are all of us United, both Victors and vanquished, in serving a common purpose. The power and glory of the Capitol-"

The crowd started to angrily shout back.

"Put down the cards!"

"Tell us what you really think!"

"Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever," I finished sulkily.

Finally, we get on the train to District Two, which means only three more stops to go. Whilst traveling, Haymitch calls us in to talk.

"Snow is watching us," he said. "If he wants you to pacify the Districts, I promise you, he's not happy. Instead of being in love you two sound like you're reciting from a drilling manual."

"You try reading that stuff Effie writes us," Austin says with his head angled at his toes.

"Tell that to President Snow when you see him, two days from now!" Haymitch snaps back.

"I'm open to suggestions," Austin shrugs.

"We could get married."

They both look towards me, who muttered it.

"What?" I ask defensively. "You know I don't want to, but-"

"That's not helping," Haymitch rolls his eyes.

"I'm serious," I look up. "If, like you said, we're on this train forever then it's gonna happen at some point. Why not now?"

Haymitch chuckles. "It does make a statement, I'll give you that."

"Fine, whatever," Austin stands up. "Let's do it."

He sounds about as happy as I feel.

☘︎☘︎☘︎

"Ladies and Gentlemen, just when you thought things couldn't get more exciting going into a very special Quarter Quell, our two lethal lovers - my favourite expression - have surprised us, with a new twist in their love affair."

The footage rolled of Austin getting down on one knee and proposing to me. I roll my eyes as I watch it. Right now, I'm in the Capitol, in a black dress with streaks of red and orange, ready for the last stop on tour.

The Quarter Quell is another thing I hadn't considered. You see, when the Hunger Games was initiated, the Capitol decreed that every twenty five years there would be a special Games, known as a Quarter Quell.

These games would have a special rule in them which meant that the Games would be more 'special' in a way. Haymitch won the fiftieth games, so he won during a Quell. As far as I know, the twenty fifth games was that everyone had to elect the tributes, which must've been terrible. And Haymitch's games had twice the number of tributes, which meant that it probably went on longer.

Anyway, I tune back in as Effie's ushering us out of the train and up to President Snow's place, which is a huge building that, for this, is all lit up with lights and has loads of guests both inside and out of it.

"The Presidential Palace, the party of the year," Effie says. She's wearing a very overstated lilac dress with roses in her hair. "Chins up, eyes bright, smiles on. I'm talking to you, Willow."

I roll my eyes as Austin laughs at me. Effie turns and looks at us.

"Now, there will be photographers, interviews! Everyone is here to see you! My Victors!" She turns back round. "Breathe it all in children, it's all for you."

"It's cosy," Austin remarks.

I resist the temptation to laugh.

"Attitude," Effie puts a hand up, turning her back to us again. "Come, come."

She leads us through all the Capitol people that are partying outside. Basically, all the people that aren't rich enough or influential enough to go inside. "Hold hands!" Effie hisses behind her.

I roll my eyes as I reluctantly place my hand in Austin's. My insides squirm as I realise that I have now entered the place where my greatest enemy (though he calls me his ally) lives.

"The library, all mahogany!" Effie says excitedly as we walk through the place. "Ooh, curtains!"

Austin and I exchange a look that's half wanting to burst out laughing and half trying to stay formal. "Everybody who's anybody's here, and they all want to meet you!" Effie tells us. She must expect this to sound like good news.

We enter a ballroom with a buffet on the side and hundreds of people out on the dance floor. For the next hour, Austin and I sit on the sidelines, we eat, we drink, we kiss, we hug, we talk to at least a thousand people. Finally, after what seems a lifetime, I see someone I know. Two of my prep team, Flavius and Octavia.

"Try this," they tell us, shoving a few plates of food onto us as we meet them by the buffet.

"I- I don't think I could eat anymore," Austin stutters.

"Here, drink this," Flavius gives him a tall glassful of a pink bubbly drink.

"It makes you sick," Octavia says like it's obvious. "So you can go on eating!"

This angers me more than she could ever know. It affects Austin as well, but he has better ways of dealing with it than me. "I think it's time for a dance," he says, putting down the drink and the plates of food. "Willow?"

I bit my lip and take his hand, and with that, he leads me onto the dance floor. He grabs my hips and I his shoulders and slowly, we start to move round the floor.

"People are starving in Twelve," Austin begins slowly. "And right here they're just, throwing it up so they can fit more in."

"Don't you think I know that?" I hiss.

"Willow! Austin!" Effie's back, saving us from an argument, and with her she brings a slightly fat man. She introduces him next. "This is Plutarch Heavensbee, new head Gamemaker, successor to Seneca Crane."

"That's a tough act to follow," Austin speaks up. I try to disguise my snort so I don't give him the satisfaction but Effie's not impressed.

"Austin!" She hisses.

Plutarch, however, is also chuckling. "D'you mind if I step in?" He asks Austin.

Next thing I know, he's dancing with me and Effie pulls Austin off to the side. "How d'you like the party?" Plutarch asks me.

"It's quite overwhelming," I go along with it.

He nods, clearly agreeing with me. "Still, if you abandon your will and judgement it can be fun."

"So are you having fun?" I challenge.

"I'm the head Gamemaker, fun is my job."

"Thought that was what happened to Seneca Crane. Too much fun," I say. I know I'm pushing it but it's funny to see his reaction.

"Seneca decided to... quit breathing," Plutarch confides to me.

"Decided?" I mutter.

"It was that or poison berries. Being head Gamemaker has never been the most... secure job in the world."

"So why are you here then?" I just genuinely want to know.

"Same reason as you. I volunteered," he answers.

"Why?"

"Ambition. The chance to make the Games mean something."

"The Games don't mean anything," I say frostily. "They only mean to scare us."

"Well maybe it was you who inspired me to come," he shrugs.

I don't get the chance to ask him what this means because in a second, the Panem anthem is playing. And President Snow is about to be live on air. "Ah, the Presidential welcome," Plutarch drops my hand. "If you'll excuse me."

He disappears into the crowd just as Austin reappears, taking my hand. Then Effie's there. "Come on you two, the President awaits!"

"D'you think we convinced him?" Austin whispers in my ear as we see him come into view.

I look straight at the snake that soaks in blood and bathes in roses, then answer Austin honestly.

"I'm not sure what else we can do."