the terror in the nightfall, katniss everdeen

v, not the girl you knew

chapter five

OLWYN'S WITHDRAWAL FROM all conversation after she was thrown headfirst into the abyss of her own mind had really dampened the already bleak mood. The sixteen year old hated herself for it, not knowing why she wasn't okay after two full years of being the foolish winner. Why couldn't she mentor? She could barely function without multiple crutches. Olwyn viewed herself as pathetic, she couldn't even keep it together to help the baker's boy and her ex-best friend have somewhat of a fighting chance of getting out of that horrid arena.

"These are brand new pants", Haymitch told Peeta, after the boy had attempted to pry the drink from his hand, resulting in a drop or two landing on his trousers. "You know, I think I'll go finish this in my room", the mentor asserted, stumbling out of his chair with alcohol in hand.

"You'll be okay, miss sunshine?", Haymitch asked his mentee, ruffling her crown of golden hair. The overpowering stench of stale alcohol invaded her senses, nearly evoking a nasty gag from the back of Olwyn's throat. The girl tersely nodded in response, eyes focused on the intricate details of the mahogany table. Haymitch had retreated to his room, leaving a frustrated Peeta and a confused Katniss in the care of the currently mentally unstable victor.

"He's gonna come around", Peeta declared, rising from his seat to follow his drunken mentor. Determination seeped from his pores as he began to march to Haymitch's room. Olwyn didn't know what he was going to do, but she found the parallel between Peeta Mellark and her own district partner astounding. She never wanted to think about that charismatic boy; because wherever Ares Mallor went, bad memories followed.

"It's no use!", Katniss shouted at the boy's retreating head, earning herself a dismissive wave in response. Peeta disappeared through the automatic door, leaving both Katniss and Olwyn alone. Both parties were suffocating in the tense silence, pain and anger choking them with their own bare hands. Burning, that's the only word to describe the searing sensation in Olwyn's fragmented heart.

"Olwyn", Katniss muttered, watching as her adored girl paused before making eye-contact. Her eyes were still as breathtakingly beautiful as ever. Her coffee irises with the streak of golden green were still the most intricate piece of art Katniss had ever had the pleasure of looking at. And despite the anguish residing behind them, they were still equally as gorgeous as the day Katniss had first met a bouncing blonde on the steps of the school building all those years ago.

Olwyn took a moment to say anything. The cogs in her head were frantically turned in search for some sort of answer. "I- I'm sorry this happened to you, Kat", her hoarse voice croaked as she broke eye contact. Olwyn swallowed, however the imaginary, guilty, thick lump in her throat remained.

"It's not your fault. You don't control who goes and who stays", Katniss stated, her eyes focused on the trembling girl before her. Her own hands twitched with the urge to wrap the blonde in her arms to stop Olwyn from shaking. But, her mind was thinking of other things. More specifically, the gigantic elephant in the room. With a gulp and a breath of air, Katniss chose to tackle the elephant head on.