Rise From the Ashes

Chapter Three

I glance at the closet. It's filled with clothes, Effie said I could wear whatever I want. I strip out of the green dress I had on and walk into the shower, I've never had a shower before. It's like a warm summer rain. It's nice, it makes me miss the woods. I slip into a pair of pants and a forest green shirt, I remember the pin and pin it to my shirt. It's a little piece of home, it's fitting. A Phoenix. My dad always said I'd be reborn from the ashes. I have dinner in a few minutes. I rise and walk to the dining room. I slip into my chair and cross my hands in my lap. Gale sits across from me, he glances at me expectingly. I chose to ignore it. This is no place for loyalty.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asks. I shrug, I've decided to avoid him until I have to talk to him.

"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap," Gale answers.

"Well it's been an exhausting day." Effie answers. She seems relieved, I'm relieved. After all Haymitch seems is unpleasant. He liked my father so he gave me some money when he died, everyone liked my father. Everyone liked my sister. After all Drift is adorable. She's able to charm her way through everything. She gets to be a kid and maybe someday I'll teach her how to hunt but for now she just helps Mrs Everdeen with the herbs.

The supper comes in courses. Thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit, a chocolate cake. Effie keeps reminding us to save room because there's always more to come. I've never seen this much food. I'm stuffing myself because the food is better than anything I've ever had. Plus if I have extra weight I'll probably last longer.

"At least, you two have decent manners." Effie sniffs as we're finishing the main course. "The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion."

The pair last year were two kids from the seam, who'd never had enough to eat, not once in their entire lives. After being that hungry for so long and seeing this much food, manners wouldn't have mattered to them, it would've been the furthest thing on their minds. Gale grew up with parents who taught him about manners. Plus he's never had too much food to worry about. My parents taught us manners. Although Drift, only had a year to learn before they were taken from us. So yes we can handle utensils but I hate the what Effie said. I set down my utensils and make a point to eat with my fingers, at the end I wipe my fingers on the tablecloth. This makes her purse her lips.

Now that we're done eating, I'm fighting to keep the food down. I can tell Gale is a little green too. Neither of us are used to such rich fare. But I've held down the worst of What twelve can offer, and I can hold down this.

We go to another compartment to watch the recap of the reapings. They try and stagger them so you could watch them all in a row but all the districts have their own reapings so only the Capitol can do that.

One by one the reapings happen, the names are called and volunteers step forward. The boy from one is large and well muscled, the girl from two is slight but beautiful, a fox faced girl from five, a cripple boy from ten, a large muscled boy from eleven, and worst, a small slight twelve year old. She reminds me of prim, of Terra, and of Drift. Finally it's twelves turn. Prim getting reaped, me volunteering, Katniss tried to volunteer, something I had missed, Prim getting pulled off me, me taking my spot, Effies face, and finally Gale getting reaped. The commentators are unsure what to do about the crowds refusal to clap when I volunteer. They are happy to have Haymitch to laugh at afterwards.

Effie is disgusted at the state of her wig. "Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behaviour."

Gale laughs. "He was drunk. He's drunk every year."

"Everyday." I add. I can't help the smirk the crosses my face.

"Yes," hissed Effie. "How did you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death."

Just then, Haymitch stumbles into the compartment. He's definitely drunk. "I miss super?" He slurred. Then he vomits all over the expensive carpet and falls into the mess.

"So laugh away!" Effie says. She hops in her pointy shoes around the vomit and flees the room.

For a moment Gale and I stare at the mess. We take in Haymitch trying to rise up from the vomit. We glance at each other. Obviously Haymitch isn't much but Effie is right, he is our lifeline. Gale and I step forward together and help Haymitch up.

"I tripped?" Haymitch asks. "Smells bad." He wipes the vomit on his face, smearing it.

"Let's get you back to your room." Gale says. "Clean you up a bit."

We half drag Haymitch back to his compartment. Since we can't leave him on the bed, we take him to the bathtub and turn the shower on.

"It's okay, I'll take it from here." Gale says to me. I can't help but be grateful, the last thing I was to do is strip Haymitch down. Gale might be trying to make a good impression but Haymitch probably won't remember this.

"All right. I can send of the Capitol people to help you." I say. There's a lot of them around the train. Waiting on us, guarding us, taking care of us is their job.

"No. I don't want them." Gale says. I nod and head to my room. I understand why. I can't stand the Capitol people myself. But them having to deal with Haymitch might be revenge. Gale must be doing this to be kind.

That pulls me up short. A kind Gale is a deadly Gale. It would make him harder to kill then he already is. Now I'm left hoping either I go first or someone else kills him. It's got to be time to set him free. No more Gale Hawthorne.

When I get back to my compartment the train is stopping to refuel. I grab the cookies and toss them out the window slamming it shut and turning away. Unlike Katniss I had gone to the woods immediately. It provided safety, and food. I couldn't do much with my sisters since they were nine and two at the time. Plus I didn't get money to support them. None of us could get a job and we were supposedly living with the Everdeens. So I went where I felt safe. Where I felt free. I eventually led Katniss out with me when she decided to return to the woods. There we met Gale. From there it's history.