𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐞 ☦︎ 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐧

𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 ☦︎ 2

As I rap on Haymitch's door with my freezing knuckles, I take time to look at the expensive new watch on my wrist. Good, it's just over an hour before the cameras (and Cato) get here. Exactly when my drunk of a mentor told me to come and wake him.

"Haymitch!" I yell, opening his door, because I know he will likely be passed out drunk. I walk in, yelling again. "Haymitch!"

His house is the same as mine, and I have been in it a couple times since coming back, so it is easy to navigate my way to the kitchen. There, I find my mentor, sitting slumped at the table, head in his crossed arms on it. The table is littered with bottles and half eaten food, and it doesn't smell very good. I hesitate to go near it.

"Haymitch. Wake up, it's tour day," I say to him, rolling my eyes and braving the walk round the table to stand behind him. There, I shake his shoulder, but he is properly out, and doesn't wake at this. "Haymitch."

Seeing that he isn't waking up from my shaking him, I look to alternative methods. I find a half empty tankard of liquor sitting on the table, and shrug.

Then, I proceed to throw it on him.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!"

With a loud roar and a lot of flailing, Haymitch awakes, instantly getting up out of his chair and wielding his knife, which I forgot he always sleeps with. When he realises it's just me, he relaxes, but is still just as angry.

"What are you doing?" He demands, pointing the tip of the knife at me.

"Cameras are gonna be here in an hour," I tell him. "Along with Cato."

Saying his name pains me, especially after my talk with Snow.

Haymitch slams his knife down, advancing towards me. But I advance right back, telling him. "If you wanted to be babied, you should've asked Andrew."

"Asked me what?"

Neither of us had heard the door open, but as we both turn we realise it must have, because Andrew Archer, my second mentor, stands before us.

"Asked you to wake me without giving me pneumonia!" Haymitch yells.

I roll my eyes as he tells me. "You are a strangely dislikable person."

"The feeling's mutual," I reply darkly.

Andrew chuckles. "Well, you've got some warming up to do before the cameras arrive, Sage."

I sigh, because I do not need to be reminded of that anymore.

"Which is, in an hour, so... take a bath, Haymitch," I reply, starting to make my way out the house.

I decide to ignore his comment. "I just did."

I have more pressing issues on my mind.

☦︎☦︎☦︎

By the time I get back to my house, more visitors have arrived. Only this time, they are more pleasant ones.

"Hello!" Effie says, all posh and formal as she swans into the house in a gold wig and a ridiculous fur coat. "Oh! There she is, my greatest triumph!"

"Our little superstar!" Flavius, one of my prep team, agrees as he and the other two, Octavia and Venia, enter. "Sweetie, we've missed you," he tells me, kissing both my cheeks.

"Oh, what a cute little house! So quaint, isn't it?" Effie swoons. "Of course, you've heard about Cinna?"

This gets my attention. "What happened to Cinna?"