hunted • haymitch abernathy

fifteen

fifteen; DROWN IN IT

The eyes that followed the young girl were hungry, either eager to converse with the newest victor or surprised that the girl that none had rooted for was the very tribute standing before them.

Ember shifted uncomfortably as her gaze quickly moved away from a man who hadn't bothered to hide his staring.

Ember tugged on her short dress with a frown, and she allowed her hand to hover at the material of her dress which covered her navel, where she should have felt the raised skin of Paris' parting gift.

When she had left the arena, Capitol doctors swiftly dealt with the fatal wound, and the puffy scarring immediately removed, as well as every other injury she received during her games. Along with even the smallest of marks, every blemish, every mole she'd already had walking into it.

Her stylists assured her that she would be perfect.

And yet, she had never felt more hideous, disgusting, foul.

"You look like you're having fun." A deep voice uttered, and Ember turned, a fake smile spreading across her face as she turned to the handsome man who had stopped to join her.

"Most definitely." She lied through her forced grin, "Though, I'm not yet used to such lavish living."

The man chuckled softly, taking a long drink from the glass in his hand, and when he removed the cup from his lips, his smile was bitter.

"You can cut the act, sweetheart." He murmured, "I see right through you."

Ember exhaled harshly but didn't allow the smile to drop from her lips, "Whatever do you mean? I'm just overwhelmed by Capitol life."

"I'm Haymitch Abernathy." The man's smile was still bitter as he stared at her, at the recognition that she was talking to a fellow victor and not a citizen of the Capitol, "We seem to have quite a lot in common with just how overwhelming and lavish the Capitol truly is."

Ember continued to tug on the hem of her dress while she attempted to maintain her fake smile. You never know who could be watching. Woof had told her that before they arrived.

"I suppose we do." She nodded.

Haymitch Abernathy turned to his left and plucked a glass from a passing Avox. He handed it to her with a hint of a smirk, "How about we chat?"

Ember exhaled shakily, "Yeah, that'd be nice."

It hurt to breathe.

The weight of the red rain, the blood, fell heavily on the five as they sprinted through the woods. Running as fast as possible, Ember could barely see the few inches in front of her, let alone where the rest of her alliance were.

All Ember knew was that Wiress was just behind her, holding her hand in a vice grip, sharp nails threatening to leave indents in her flesh.

The sound of blood slapping against each member of the alliance drowned the sound of much else. Ember could taste blood. Her lungs screamed for her to stop. Though, somehow, the rain poured harder if she even so much as thought about slowing her pace.

"I can't see!" Blight shouted over the noise, but Ember couldn't be sure just how further in front of her he was.

She'd lost sight of Beetee long before and could only hope he was close. She was confident that Johanna was nearby, considering the number of curse words she'd heard that hadn't come from her lips.