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Effie sat alone at a table, stirring the boring soup with a spoon. No one spoke to the woman freed from the clutches of the Capitol's government, except Coin, Kitniss, Plutarch, Haymitch, and other close associates of the face of the revolution. The people of the District preferred not to have contact with the Capitolian, considering her clearly superfluous here. However, Coin, for one, had other thoughts on the matter, like:
- Look, even the Capitol is willing to bow its head before our power!
Naturally, these were thoughts to herself. But subconsciously Effie felt like an extra and tried not to show that she was lonely. She lived alone in the room. From time to time Kitniss dropped by, but more often Haymitch came in.
Trinket noted that they talked much more often than they had before the revolution. Haymitch could stay with Effie for hours without yawning or rolling his eyes, as he had done a few years ago. Mentor found it interesting to spend time with his changed companion. With all the ridiculous outfits and wigs gone, Haymitch had relaxed and was finally able to realise that he was looking at a real, open, funny, but also serious woman.
Effie had heard the mentor compliment her on more than one occasion. Often they were veiled or subtle, but the woman understood all the winks, smiles, and gestures of Haymitch.
On several occasions, the mentor had defended the capitol woman from hateful comments from the residents of District 13. Lately, he'd started coming to the dining hall, something he hadn't done before.
This time, Haymitch didn't show up in the dining hall. Not that Trinket was worried, but in this situation it was odd. For about a fortnight now, the mentor had been coming into the dining hall practically with Effie and they sat at the same table.
Sometimes Kitniss and Gale would join them, but this time there was no one else, and Effie felt the loneliness again, and a lot of stares from all sides.
Behind her, a whole bunch of gossipers sat down all the time, finding different topics of conversation. Usually they would sit further away to discuss Effie, but this time their conversation had to be about something more interesting.
- Were they going to rescue those traitors? - A surprised whisper reached Effie's ears.
- Mockingbird wouldn't agree to help the district unless they were freed," she said. - I think they've already left.
- I heard that alcoholic among them...Haymitch, I think? - Effie's consciousness refused to accept these words.
She froze in a strange pose, dropping the spoon, which immediately fell to the floor, leaving behind a rattling sound. Her eyes were wide open. The voices behind her stopped, and Effie realised that her reaction had given her away. But there was no time to speculate. Trinket jumped up abruptly and ran to the main control centre where the President and Plutarch were.
Haymitch couldn't fly away without informing her, he just couldn't. After all, they shared everything, or was it too personal for him?
Effie swung the door open without a knock and ran inside. The woman ignored the surprised looks in her direction and without taking her eyes off the screen that clearly showed six people flying on a glider to a tall building. The image was fuzzy and every single one of them was wearing the same clothes, but Effie recognised him. He was staring, slightly slouching, at one point, namely the hatch that was about to open.
- Why did you let him in? - Effie whispered, still standing with her back to Plutrach, Coin, Kitniss and Beetee.
Only now did Effie realise that she had said those words out loud. Everything inside her was building up to tension, and her heart was pounding furiously.
- We haven't had time to make an election," the President said coldly, "He volunteered to be one of the first.
- We're on our way," was Gale's voice.
- Proceed as planned," Beaty said.
Next to the first image, Effie noticed a second image that had Finnick on it, talking about President Snow's dirty secrets. Trinket immediately realised that this was a distraction that Snow would likely uncover quickly. The President isn't that stupid. But that was of little interest to her right now. More important was the first screen, and the man who was there.
The entire city had been cut off from power. It was dark and quiet all around. The glider stopped and threw out a special rope for everyone to climb down. Following Gale, Effie saw Haymitch. Though she couldn't see the people behind her now, she could feel their gazes on her.
Ten minutes later, everyone was in the right place. Effie could hear the conversations of all the 'jays on the other side of the screen thanks to the numerous walkie-talkies in Beetee's possession. Trinket bit her lip when she saw that everyone had split into groups of two.
Haymitch stayed with Gale, but after a couple of minutes all the Jays met up again.
Mentor deftly tossed a smoke bomb out the door. Then he kicked the door with his foot and radioed that all was clear. The room, or rather hall they entered, was similar to the one Effie had been "lucky" enough to visit. A bunch of torture chairs, flasks with mixtures, instruments, conductive objects. Almost all of it Trinket had experienced first hand. True, she hadn't been skinned alive with those frightening tools. Only Haymitch was privy to the details.
The other rooms checked by the squad were empty. Only a few had peacekeepers in them. There was one last place left, the training room.
As the squad approached the hall, the system began to malfunction, and Effie was afraid to lose sight of Haymitch walking ahead.
Mentor glanced over to Gale and threw the smoke bomb again. Footsteps were heard. Haymitch swung the door open sharply, aiming his scope at an unseen target. The peacekeepers could easily blend in with the white mist, so the squad took its time.
Suddenly the image distorted and the screen went blank. The last thing that could be caught was a peacekeeper emerging from the mist with a weapon in his hands. Effie pressed her palm to her mouth, holding back the flood of emotion rushing out. She heard Kitniss sobbing behind her, and then her voice:
- Beaty, do something!
- I'm doing everything I can. Try to contact the president while I get the guys in touch," Beaty suggested.
Kitniss went to the microphone and started repeating the same phrases into it, trying to get Snow's attention. Effie kept her eyes on the screen. After a few minutes, the image of the president appeared. He flashed his eyes angrily, glaring around at those present.
Effie slowly walked over to Kitniss and stood beside her, trying to catch every word of the dialogue.
- Miss Everdeen, what we love most destroys us. Remember that," Snow paused, savouring each word, "You think I don't know your friends are at the training centre?
Kitniss literally gasped at those words.
- Turn it off," Snow ordered, and the screen went blank again.
- No, no, no, no!" Kitniss mumbled, gasping for air.
Effie rather clutched the poor thing tightly to her, feeling Kitniss wrap her arms around her, snuggling into her shoulder. Her shirt was instantly soaked with salty tears.
At Effie's mute question, Plutarch only shook his head. Trinket couldn't imagine what could be done to those unfortunate people left captive in the Capitol now.
***
After two hours of silent waiting in the dining room, Effie decided to start a conversation:
- My fault for not being able to prevent it.
Kitniss looked questioningly at her companion, her eyes were downcast, but she could clearly see a couple of tears running down her cheek.
- What do you mean?
- The Harvest," Effie said, "the same Harvest I had the misfortune to get your names out at. If it hadn't been for me.
- No, Effie," interrupted Kitniss, "If it wasn't for you, this revolution would never have happened. We wouldn't have the hope for a new life that we have now.
Effie was silent, trying to sort out her muddled thoughts. Kitniss was right. But had one event ever brought anyone happiness and a serene life? It was still the same, only worse.
The door opened abruptly, and one of Coin's subordinates ran into the dining room.
- President Snow wants to see you. Not you. - The guy rambled on, noticing Kitniss coming up. - You.
Effie looked at Kitniss in surprise, not quite sure why the president needed her, but there was no time to find out. The girls followed the guy to the headquarters where Coin and Plutrach were waiting for them.
Nothing had changed since they had last left. Only the screen showed the smug face of Snow, who broke out into a gloating grin at the sight of Trinket.
- Hello, Miss Trinket.
Effie walked slowly forward, standing at the microphone that had already been set up by Beaty. She didn't say anything in response to the greeting, only silently scrutinised the President's face.
- Miss Trinket," Snow spoke slowly and stretched out, "all this time, I thought there was nothing else in your brain but Capitol outfits and entertainment. And in a way there is, since you have gone over to the rebel side.
- My decision was voluntary and I have no regrets," Effie retorted.
- Don't tell me you're happy with your position," the president said quickly, looking at the capitol girl's clothes.
- Shall I say my previous sentence again? - Effie raised an eyebrow - I stayed here for personal reasons.
Snow gave an odd chuckle.
- You might be surprised, but I even know what those reasons are.
At that moment, Snow stepped aside, revealing to everyone in the headquarters the horrible sight of a heavy-breathing Haymitch being dragged into the president's office, forcing him to look up at a shocked Effie, who was barely able to catch her breath. The still bleeding wounds and bruises on Haymitch's face were clearly visible. Tattered clothes hung down on him in a large, incomprehensible heap. His eyes looked straight into Effie's eyes, as if begging for forgiveness.
- Amazing, isn't it, Miss Trinket? - Snow returned to his seat. - How quickly you can be broken. Just like a doll that's lost its head to a drunk. Switch it off!
The screen went out, and with it, the last hope.
- They're back! - shouted a joyous voice from behind.
But he wasn't back. Effie struggled to find the table behind her and grabbed onto it with a dead grip to keep from collapsing to the floor. A lump began to rise in her throat and her whole body twitched. Effie began to breathe loudly and frequently, feeling her legs shake and her eyes swim. She felt someone's hands on her and could see the face of a worried Kitniss and Plutarch standing next to her. It was the last thing she could capture in her memory.
***
- Effie," a hand gently runs over her cold, pale cheek, forcing her eyes open.
The woman sees him. Without the slightest trace of scars, scratches or wounds on his face. He smiles, watching her wide-eyed as she touches his hand. They're real. Warm and soft. Effie jumped up from the bed and hugged the man tightly around the neck, making him collapse back down with her. A nervous laugh echoed through the hospital room, turning to laughter.
He lay down beside her, putting his arm around Effie's shoulders and touching her blonde hair lightly.