𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 ☘︎ 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 ☘︎ 3

Austin and I get rushed out of the Justice Building and onto a train. Effie Trinket is there, ranting on about the train and all the Capitol benefits that it offers.

"Two hundred miles per hour and you can hardly feel a thing!" She tells us when we settle down in seats. "You know, I think that that's one of the great things about this experience. That even though you're here and even though it's just for a little while, you get to experience just a little bit of the Capitol lifestyle!"

I cringe as she refers to the games as an 'experience'. It's not that to us, Lady.

When neither me nor Austin say anything, she stands up. "I'm going to find Haymitch, he's probably in the bar car."

Haymitch. Him.

Okay, so, when you win the games, you become a Victor, and the Capitol falls in love with you, you get moved to a special part of the District called the Victor's Village.

But District Twelve has only ever had two victors. One's dead as she won it in the first few years that the games were initiated. The other's an old drunk that's called Haymitch Abernathy. He's notorious basically everywhere in District Twelve, but I've seen him around the Hob a couple times, buying liquor.

Whilst I'm thinking about all of this I fail to notice that Austin has started to look towards me. "Have you ever met him? Haymitch?"

I look towards him. "Is that how we're playing this? Forgetting all those times when you've taunted me and made me regret my life?"

"You know, Willow, he is our mentor, he did win this thing once," he continues.

"He's an old drunk that's been living at the bottom of a bottle for twenty five years, trying to forget," I retort.

"Look, Willow, I understand if you don't wanna talking but I just don't think there's anything wrong with getting a little bit of help," Austin practically begs me.

I look towards him and try to see the boy that once saved me. I don't.

Suddenly, the doors slide open and Haymitch appears. He has long ish blonde hair, dead eyes and a suit and trousers on that doesn't look fitted to him.

He looks at us for about two seconds before taking a glass and filling it with some alcoholic drink. "Congratulations."

He looks inside a pot. "Where's the ice?"

I rolled my eyes as no one answered him and he decided to settle himself by taking the whole bottle of the drink.

He sits opposite Austin who leans forward. "So... when do we start?"

"Whoa, whoa, so eager," Haymitch laughs. "Most of you aren't so... ready."

"Yeah I wanna know what the plan is, you're our mentor," Austin says like it's obvious.

"Wait, wait, mentor?" Haymitch asks.

"Yeah, our mentor, you're supposed to tell us how to get sponsors and give us advice," Austin seems worried.

"Okay, umm," Haymitch looks upwards and closes his eyes. He opens them again to look at us. "Embrace the probability of your imminent death, and know, in your heart, that there's nothing I can do to save you."

"So why are you here then?" I ask.

"The refreshments," Haymitch shows us his drink before taking a sip.

"Oh, piss off," I roll my eyes. "It's bad enough we're going to die and now you tell us you're not even going to try and help us?"

"Oooh, she's a feisty one in the corner!" Haymitch gave a drunken, slurred chuckle.