07

HAYMITCH ABERNATHY

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Evelyn stepped out of the elevator and scanned the small bar of the apartment complex that was designated for the Huger Games tributes every year. They had built a communal hangout area near the lobby with a bar and pool tables, obviously anticipating that the tributes would want to hang out before they were forced to murder each other. But they were wrong, hardly any tributes were seen there and it was more of a place for the mentors to place bets and earn sponsors for their tributes.

She quickly spotted the two drunkards, Haymitch and Atlas laughing loudly on their stools, leaving one space between them for Evelyn to sit on when she arrived. So when she did, she made herself comfortable and began to instantly snack on the pretzels and peanuts on the counter, gaining the attention of both the mentors.

"Ah, how nice of you to join us, Miss Miracle," Haymitch grinned and sipped on his bourbon loudly, drinking it right from the bottle, "I was afraid that you weren't going to come."

"Can we make it quick? I am scheduled to die in a week and I do not want to spend my last few living days sat at a bar with my head in a bottle of bourbon surrounded by two idiots. No offence."

Atlas stared at Haymitch before they both broke out laughing, silencing themselves when they received a lethal glare from the girl before she continued to eat the snacks. Organising the pretzel on the counter to stop her hands from shaking. It was usual and more frequent as the Hunger Games neared them, the body goes into overdrive and would begin to run of nerves and anxiety.

"I'll get straight to the point then," he pushed his hair from his eyes, "Are you planning on joining an alliance for these Games or dying solo? Because I have got a proposition for you, a once in a lifetime opportunity if you will. Ever since the 74th Games, there has been muttering of an uprising, a rebellion almost. All because of a certain brunette archer. Now I know that this sounds like a personal agenda but it isn't. I wouldn't ask you to do it in the first place if I didn't think that this could actually work, okay?"

There was a brief moment of silence between the three as Evelyn thought about it, "So, let me get this straight, you want me to put my life on the line so that Katniss can survive?"

He nodded his head, too busy drinking from the brown bottle to actually speak to her.

"And let's just say that I agree to do this, what will I get in return?"

"Anything within reason," he replied, a small smile dancing on his features at the thought of having Evelyn on his side.

"Fine."

"Wait, what?" Atlas gasped, his eyes almost bulging from his face with shock, "Evelyn, think this through. I understand that Katniss is important to the future and all, but this is your life that you are risking and think of your family. Especially Aeliana!"

She shrugged her shoulders with defeat, it had been on her mind ever since her daughters birth. She would have nightmares of having to send Aeliana into the arena and watching her die in the most brutal ways possible. "If I don't help Katniss win, then there is no future. Of course I want to be there for Aeliana. But what happens when she is old enough to be reaped? Snow would never pass up that opportunity." Evelyn felt blood burst in her mouth as she bit down too hard. "But I do have some terms to our agreement, my family is to be moved from District 11. Rue's family too. Thresh's sister and grandmother. Chaff's brother."

Haymitch patted her back and watched as a tear fell from her eye. "And-" words caught in her throat, "And you get my daughter out of there no matter what happens. You tell her that her mother died to save her life and so she can have a future, alright?"

His eyes softened with the realisation that Aeliana was indeed Evelyn's daughter and not her youngest sister after all. 

Within that second he knew, that no matter what happened, Evelyn was to be rescued from the arena with Katniss. No matter what the cost was. Evelyn was a fighter and she would be useful to the agenda of District 13 and the rebellion. She could even be on the front lines along with Katniss once the Games were over. She was a symbol as well, one for a better life. For a future.

She wiped her eyes quickly and snatched the bottle from his hands, downing the rest of it in a few gulps. Evelyn left the two boys at the counter with saddened expressions and a lot to discuss.

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Along with the other twenty-three tributes, Evelyn waited for her name to be called for the personal assessments. After several training days over the past few days, Evelyn was left sore and exhausted. So much so that she let her head rest on her hands whilst they all waited with a soft chatter filling the waiting room.

She had waited until the very end until it was just Katniss, Peeta and herself left. All of them too terrified to say anything, but the loud noise sounded from the speakers above them.

"District 11, Evelyn Miracle. Report for individual assessment."

Katniss and Peeta watched the girl stand up silently and take a single white rose from the bouquet near the door of the training room. There was a devilish smile on her features and a wicked light behind her eyes.

"What do you think she is going to do?" Peeta asked his fiance with an intrigued mindset. Evelyn had always been a curious book to try and figure out and Peeta was having a hard time reading her.

Katniss shook her head with a grin fighting past her lips, "Make a statement."

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Evelyn looked up at the viewing room where the gamemakers watched with needy eyes and had glasses of wine in their hands, frowns always carved onto their faces. One particular one caught her eye, Plutarch Heavensbee. He was the new Head Gamemaker and they had met briefly at the Presidential Palace weeks ago, but now he only sat up in his seat. "Miss Miracle, you have ten minutes to present your chosen skill."

Evelyn nodded slightly before she made her way to the blonde trainer in the centre of the sparring mat, who also sprouted a frown on his face. She grinned widely as she passed the weapons rack, pulling two swords from the midst and a few throwing daggers that she strapped to her legs. As she passed a dummy that they had used as target practice a few days ago, Evelyn pined the white rose to the chest of the mannequin. She earned many conflicting chatters from the viewing balcony and curious gales, and stepped onto the mat, passing the much taller man his own sword to spar back with.

"Your time starts now," Plutarch's voice echoed through the room just as Evelyn lunged at the man with all her might, slicing the sword downwards at his torso. He luckily managed to block with his own blade, he pushed her backwards simply and hoped she would trip. Evelyn kept her footing and slashed the sword at his head with a small battle cry, which he managed to also deflect.

The two trained attackers continued to spar with many grunts of pain emitting from the two and yells of anger, yet neither gave up. With one last thrust of his sword, the trainer managed to pass through Evelyn's defence and slice her cheek with the blad. His eyes widened as she stumbled back a few steps, her hand on her cheek. Eve pulled her fingers back to see many drops of blood on her dainty, calloused fingers before releasing a cry and attacking the man with a newfound strength. A strength that she only ever felt in the arena.

He desperately brought his weapon up to protect his face, falling right into her plan as Evelyn trusted her own sword upwards. She cut his fingers, making him drop his own sword to the mat and whimper. With one last thrust, she ripped through his protective padding under his shirt and pierced his stomach. Blood gushed down her hands, some spraying over her uniform and neck.

Everyone became alert; peacekeepers raising their guns at her and yelling at her to drop her weapon to which she complied with and the game makers yelling for order. Evelyn stepped back before quickly pulling one last trick; throwing a dagger at the dummy from earlier that she had pinned the white rose to, hitting it in the head and embedding itself so far that only the hilt of the blade was visible. A thwack echoed in the stunned assessment room.

Evelyn smiled as the blood dripped from her cheek and raised her three fingers to Plutarch Heavensbee. Blood dripped down her fingers and palm as she switched those three fingers around into one. Just the one finger.

As she left, she met the eyes of Peeta Mellark, his widening at the sight of the room she was leaving. Peacekeepers struggled to pull a wounded trainer out, a bloody sword not too far and a training dummy mutilated. Evelyn wiped her own blood from her cheek with the back of her hand and sent him a wink before leaving the room altogether, now several guards right behind her.

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Evelyn let a loud wince leave her lips as Octavius dabbed plenty of makeup over her wound to try and hide the swelling and discolouration. "Octavius! If you try any harder, you will reopen my bloody stitches!"

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before scarring your face the day where my finest work is yet to be displayed on television to the whole country!" he almost cried before wiping all her makeup off and starting to apply a light blue to her eyelids, "I think you will like this dress, I even got encouragement and feedback from your dearest Aeliana. She was very fond of the colour indeed."

Evelyn's eyes shot open with joy, "You spoke to her? Is she okay? Is Jaime okay? How are they holding up?"

He laughed and pulled a gadget from his desk, "Here, watch this."

She pressed a button on the side before a hologram appeared of her daughter in Jaime's arms, both wearing smiles. "Hi Mommy!" Evelyn let out a sob, "I miss you so much, please try and come home soon! Uncle Jaime misses you too but he won't admit it. Uncle Tavi said that you would like to hear me play my music."

Jaime placed his niece in front of the piano if the living room of their home to which she began to press on the keys rhythmically to play the tune from her favourite song, it was a simple ballad from District 12. Jaime's lips silently mouthed the lyrics.

Evelyn cried and rubbed her tears away with the help of Octavius, "Uncle Tavi, it's a cute name but as soon as this is all over, I think we need to get a different one."

Evelyn laughed before closing her eyes so that Octavius could finish her makeup and hair. Evelyn felt a few more tears slip from her eyes before she gently pushed her stylist's hand from her face, "I'll be right back, I promise!"

She ran from the room in her dressing gown, barefoot, knocking on his door. When Finnick opened it, he was surprised to see none over then Evelyn Miracle in a silk robe and half-complete makeup.

"Evelyn-" she cut him off by shoving the hologram device in his hands. Her eyes met his and the anger that she felt and slipped from her mind. 

"This might be the only time you get to hear her play. Make the most of it."

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Soon the Hunger Games actually begin and you'll see many more flashbacks to her own Games