Things change (Haymitch and Effie)

Chapter 5

Things change (Haymitch and Effie)

Chapter five.

Within her dreams, Effie remained terrified - not daring to open her eyes - fearing what she might see. She stood in a ruined victors village, buildings in a state of decay. Smoke flying away from gravity and blackening the sky.

"Haymitch?!" She cried out, tears streaming down her rough cheeks. "Haymitch?!" She could hear JabberJays sending out ripples of Haymitch cries of terror - making her tears more frequent and her ears began to ring.

Then she heard Katniss and Peeta, the cries from the games. Everyone that she cared about and had seen hurt was now crying in pain. A haunting sound she could not escape.

She bolted away from the village, the JabberJays following close behind - still tormenting her.

The rest of the district was in a similar condition, like it had never been rebuilt after the war. There were no citizens, only peacekeepers that accompanied the JabberJays.

She found her way into the woods, the bodies from the war dug up and now lifeless across the dying weeds and plants.

But eventually she tripped and peacekeeper surrounded her. Screams became louder, she clenched her ears with her hands but it only enhanced the sound.

A white for transformed just inches away from her - symbolising the exit from this nightmare, she clawed her way to it, but she made contact more JabberJays attacked her and the whipping down her back began.

She began to cream herself, cries that begged for the escape that was now so far away from her reach.

She remained imprisoned in her night terror.

*!*

My mind did not allow me to sleep that night. I was almost grateful for that. Effie slept (If it could be called sleep) But she shivered and shook feverishly in my arms. She let out the odd miniature cry from her lips. I broke me to witness her experiencing these terrors of the night.

I knew if I woke her, her screams would have increased. It was incredibly hard for me to comprehend what hunting images she was living in the nightmare. I tightened by grip around her which calmed and soothed her ever so slightly and placed a kiss on her neck.

He had both come so far, yet our fall had been just as deep. We remained in abyss, the daytime hours would seem almost normal, but as the evening crept up on us, our minds would swim with fear, as we predicted night terrors. That's when the abyss becomes darker, and they, eventually, our vision is stolen from us and so is our ability to think. All we keep is our fear and unhealthy panic.

The wind began to send out high-pitched howls the caused Effie jolt awake. Her eyes were remotely hidden by a veil of eyelashes, but there were still teary. She cried into my shoulder. I couldn't bare this, Effie did nothing wrong, she did absolutely nothing to deserve a life like this.

She continued to shake, and my embrace could only do so much. We were always told an experience like this would always make you stronger, but only if you could get over it, when you are stuck in the centre of the terror, it weakens and withers you, like a plant suffering from it's own kind of starvation.

A young tribute unable to drink. Your past grabbing you by the throat and strangling you as it drags you down to some kind of flaming underworld. I placed a tiny kiss on her forehead, causing her to look up at me. Her eyes were teary but they were still a beautiful deep sapphire blue.

She pulled my face down and pushed our lips together for a meaningful kiss and our bodies melted together into one. But I pulled away.

"Are you okay, Princess?" I asked shyly.

"I'm not sure…."

"What did you see?" After the question left my lips, she hesitated a moment. I kissed her cheek softly.

"Take you're time, but it'll make you feel better when you've spoken about it."

"The district was…in ruins, all of it, even the victors village-" Her voice began to crack. "JabberJays were everywhere, I heard Katniss and Peeta, but, most of all I heard you, you were screaming out in pain. I called out to you, but there was nothing." She takes a sharp breath. "I ran towards the woods, screaming JabberJays and peacekeepers stalking me, there were bodies all of the lifeless woods and as I tripped, all the screams became louder and more and more fierce. I couldn't take it. An exit presented itself but more JabberJays pushed me back, and the whipping began again, I could feel the pain down my back an my ears rang. I was stuck there…It all seemed so real, all of it."

"I know, Sweetheart, I know what it's like."

"I felt all of it, the whipping, the shrilling screams…all of it."

"Shhh, it was all fake, Sweetheart, none of it was real."

"I don't think I can do this…" She wept helplessly.

"You can, Sweetheart, you can get through this." I ran my fingers through her soft blonde curls. "Stay strong, I know you can do this, you've been through so much, and this is where it all ends."

"How could I have been so blind? To let the torture of this world just wash over my head and never realise what people were going through."

"You can't blame yourself for any of that, so many other people were blinded by the Capitol, it could have happened to anyone, most people in fact." She gave me a questioning look. "And once you have been blinded like that, unfortunately, it takes something drastic to pull that veil from over your eyes."

"You don't think any less of me?"

"Of course not, Sweetheart, I could never think less of you for something that wasn't your fault."

"I'm sorry, I must sound so desperate for attention and your affection." I chuckled.

"The more you crave, the more I can give." I said stupidly and smiled.

"Then why don't you give some?" She said flirtatiously. I beamed at her.

"I think I will." I leaned in and kissed her deeply and continued to stroke her hair. She smoothed her hand up and down my chest - enjoying the feeling of the muscles located there. I slid my hand away from her hair and felt her soft skin and travelled my hand up and down her curves.

She swiftly made one movement and she straddled my hips - leaning down to place kisses down my bare chest. Both naked now, I rolled her onto her back, but as she looked up at me she let out a wailing shriek. I lay by her side and gently gripped her shoulders.

"Effie?" I panicked. "What's wrong?" She gazed at me - teary eyes and heavy breathing.

"Y…you…I don't know….I saw…I saw… I don't know, but, it was… from…my nightmares." I embraced her protectively.

"Shhh." I soothed. "Close your eyes, rest." I placed one last kiss on her forehead. Then I whispered to her: "I'm here, nothing can hurt you now."

Authors notes: I really hope you enjoyed that, so sorry that was only short