тнε нαηgιηg тяεε

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғᴏᴜʀ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴜɴᴋ, ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇғᴜʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴɢʀʏ

   I was starting to get very impatient very fast.  Effie has promised that Haymitch would take the time out of his drinking to at least acknowledge our existence. And he did just that.

Haymitch walks into the car that all three of us are in, stumbling and mumbling to himself. His long, blonde hair stuck to his sweaty forehead, and stuck up messily. His skin was tan, but yet he was still light skinned. You could tell that his hands will be forever stained because he worked in the coal mines before the games. His dull blue eyes met the sight of my light blue eyes. He rolled them, and looked directly to the liquor cart.

"Okay. So, uh... so when do we start?" Gale asked after a long and awkward silence. I looked over to the handsome brunette, then I quickly looked away.

"Woh. Woh. You're so eager. Most of you aren't in such a hurry." Haymitch said to Gale, pouring himself a drink. The fact that he was taking this so lightly makes me very angry. And we all know I don't do angry well. It's most likely that it's in my best interest to stay quiet, seeing as my life is in the hands of Haymitch's."

"Yeah, I wanna know what the plan is. You're our mentor, you're supposed to..." Gale started before he was cut off by Haymitch, who breath reeked of alcohol.

"Mentor?"

"Yeah. Our mentor, you're supposed to tell us how to get sponsors and give us advice." Gale said.

"Oh. Okay. Um...embrace the probability of your imminent death. And know, in your heart, that there's nothing I can do to save you." Haymitch's words made my blood boil. His lack of hope in the both of us makes me quite sick. This whole thing is sick.

"So why are you here then?" I asked the man. He removed his gaze from Gale, meeting my annoyed stare. He hold up his glass, smiling. He had a huge gap in his two front teeth. Apparently dental hygiene wasn't his thing. Haymitch takes a seat next to gale on the sofa, making Gale shift to the side uncomfortably.

"Oh darling I'm here for the refreshments." He said. I rolled my eyes yet again.

"Okay I think that's enough of that." Gale said, trying to grab the glass from Haymitch. He wasn't having it apparently because in one swift motion, Haymitch brought his bare foot to Gales chest, pushing him back down onto the couch. The liquid inside of the cup splashes onto Haymitch's pants, making him look down annoyed.

"You made me spill my drink. And these are new pants." Haymitch said in a monotone voice. I couldn't help but groan at his selfish behavior. "I think I'm going to finish this in my room." Haymitch stood up, quickly stumbling out of the room, leaving Gale and I in silence.

"He will eventually come around." Gale said softly. Gale stood up, following the drunk.

"It's no use, Gale." I said to the boy.

"Have a little hope, Akah." Gale said, leaving me all alone in the car.

☾

I rolled out of my very comfortable bed, groaning as the bright sun hit my eyes. I have never really been a morning person. I sit up in a room that is not my own. This bed could possibly be the last bed that I ever sleep in. The thought will forever haunt me.

I stood up quickly, loosing my balance as all the blood rushes from my head. I quickly grab onto the bedpost, steadying myself so I don't fall. I finally can move once again, so I walk out of my room, and head to the dining car.

"You'd freeze your death." I hear Haymitch say.

"No, cause I'd have a lot of fire." Gales voice said, cutting through all the clutter.

"That's a good way to get killed." Haymitch said. I walk quietly behind the two, speaking out suddenly.

"What's a good way to get killed?" I asked, making Haymitch look up.

"Oh, joy! Why don't you join us? I was just giving some life saving advice." Haymitch said, motioning for me to sit down at the table. Effie was sitting in the couch, Filing her nails. I take a seat next to gale, who smiles at me softly. I looked at him, nodding. I wasn't really up for smiling.

"Like what?" I asked Haymitch, not removing my gaze from my best friend.

"Oh, I was just asking about how to find shelter." Gale said. It was almost like he was in a trance, answering in a monotone voice. His gaze never leaving mine.

"Which would come in handy if in fact you were still alive." Haymitch said, breaking my gaze. I shift my eyes to the older, messier, man.

"How do you find shelter?" I asked, honestly curious.

"Pass the jam?" Haymitch asked, completely ignoring my question.

"How..." I started off, "...do you find shelter?"

"Give me a chance to wake up, sweetheart. This mentoring is very taxing stuff." Haymitch says, grabbing a flask out of his pocket, pouring it into his coffee. I looked over at a butter knife, picking it up quickly so that no one would notice. "Can you pass the marmalade?" He asked me again.

In a fit of anger and rage, I end up stabbing the placemat that was right next to his hand, missing it by a hair. I didn't wanna stab him, I just wanted his attention. Everyone suddenly gasps.

"That is mahogany!" Effie said in a high pitch voice. I rolled my eyes, ignoring her.

"Look at you, you just killed a place mat." Haymitch said, mocking me. "You really wanna know how to stay alive? You get people to like you." I was expecting that answer. I'm assuming my face gave me away. "Oh! Not what you were expecting. Well, when you're in the middle of the games, and you're starving or freezing, some water, a knife or even some matches can mean the difference between life and death. And those things only come from sponsors, and to get sponsors, you have to make people like you. And right now, sweetheart, you're not off to a real good start."

We started to enter the capital. Gale got up out of his chair, walking over to the window.

"There it is. It's huge! It's incredible." Gale said. He started to smile and wave at the cheering crowd. His smile was so bright and his eyes were so beautiful that you couldn't help but melt in your chair. I, sadly, had to keep my tough girl composure.

"You better keep this knife, he knows what he's doing." Haymitch said, making me lean back in my seat in defeat. I truly am doomed.

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1135 words

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