act one , prologue ...
false victor !

( now playing ... right
turn ─ alice in chains ! )

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" AND THE WINNER OF THE FIFTIETH HUNGER GAMES IS ... HAYMITCH ABERNATHY ! "

SO CALLED VICTOR OF THE HUNGER GAMES . He had won the game. He had survived. He made it out alive after killing more than half the tributes that were after him. But was he a winner? Was it all worth it? He needed to be alive. He was alive. But at what cost? What did he do to win the bloodbath that they called The Hunger Games. He was celebrated while he also lost many of the people that he loved. People he sacrificed just to win. It all came down to the moment that he had dreaded. Being crowned as the victor for District 12. Supposedly, nothing was more gratifying, more valuable than the gold laurel crown that they placed on his forehead. He didn't even deserve the crown he was given.

When the commotion is over, a head pops up from the marshy water that he supposedly killed the lady tribute in. Clyde Mulaney was the survivor. He hadn't died and he should've. He crawled out of that body of water gasping for air. Hoping, praying that someone couldn't go back to kill him. He didn't want to die. He just wanted to go back to his family. Clyde was weak. But strong enough to stand up on his own two legs. Cold and drenched. Tears run down his face as he tries to walk the grounds of the arena all alone. He could barely hear anything else with the water in his ears, other than his own heartbeat.

From under the water he heard the announcements. The cheers people gave. It was an ultimate betrayal of his trust. The person he trusted the whole way through, only for him to try and kill him when it came down to it. And he was now left cold, shivering. Deep into the arena with no other people around. It was torture. Tired. He was so tired, he body ached. Ears were still ringing as he tried to warm himself up with a fire. It hasn't burned yet. He tries to remember what Haymitch taught him. But due to the cold temperatures, he couldn't think straight. He couldn't even keep his eyes open.

Clyde was so drained of everything. He was drained physically, mentally. Drained in ways that he didn't even think that could be drained. He wanted to go back home. He wanted to see his family. His siblings. Haymitch. He probably wasn't going to talk to him ever again. He would probably forget all about him now that he was the so-called victor of the Quarter Quell games.

He finally gets the fire spark. Now sitting in front of it. Clyde's head was buried in his knees, quietly sobbing. Sobs turn into hiccups. He could barely breathe because he was sobbing so hard and so quietly as if anyone could hear him. He was alone. He had nothing. Maybe he should've drowned. But Clyde, being one of the most distinct swimmers in his district, being in water wouldn't let him die. He couldn't die in the water, because water was his best friend in any situation. Even this one.

Sitting in front of the small fire crying his heart out, he quickly lifts his head up. Clyde quickly becomes silent when he hears the rustle in the bushes that are in front of him. A sniffle comes from him. Wide eyes staring at the bush in fear. He gulps, slowly moving backwards. Trying to be as quick as possible. It quickly fails when he steps on one of the tree branches. It snaps, and he falls backwards with a yelp escaping his lips.

"I knew it was too good to be true."

He says nothing back. Only but his breathing is heard. Clyde is too afraid to say anything. He's paralyzed with fear as he looks at the shadow that the fire creates. He doesn't recognize it. But the voice. . . That he does recognize.

"Clyde Afton Mulaney. District Four's best swimmer. I knew you couldn't have drowned in the water."

Effie Trinket.

Clyde moves back until he can't anymore. His back against a tree. Effie Trinket finally comes from the depths of the trees and bushes. Wearing her usual colorful clothes and her colorful hair. For some reason it makes Clyde feel a little safe. But with her being from The Capitol, he couldn't let his guard down. He looks at her, brown puppy dog eyes just begging not to be killed.

"Please don't kill me," He breathes out, practically shaking due to fear, as well as the cold, "I don't wanna die. Don't tell them I'm here."

"Kill you? You're a career. We wouldn't do that to one of you," Effie replies back.

Clyde was quiet again. Still shaken up from the bitter cold. "What do you want from me?" He asks.

"Nothing of the sort."

"The Capitol will kill me if they know I'm alive," Clyde tells her, "They'll know, I-I Can't─"

"No one will know," Effie repeats, walking closer to Clyde.

He flinches. Not wanting anyone to come closer to him, let alone touch him. Clyde didn't know what to do. He didn't know what else to say. But his mind was racing with so many thoughts. So many things running through his head. In and out. It makes his head spin.

"The ultimate betrayal. He turned your back on you," Effie says softly, "And you couldn't kill him."

"What do you want from me, Trinket?" Clyde asks again.

"To help you."

"To. . . Help me?" Clyde questions. He stiffles out a sarcastic chuckle, shaking his head. "No. People like you don't help people. You ruin the lives of others. Even mine."

That stung. Even though she had this job at The Capitol, she tries to make up for the things that she has to do while in it. She didn't want poor Clyde Mulaney to die out here in the cold. Seeing him shake like that made her have a heart. Feel guilty. Sometimes she adores helping for The Capitol. Other times she doesn't.

"I wanna help you hide."

Clyde looks at the colorful girl in front of him. They're the same age, but she has already made a name for herself within it. She's only an escort, highly respected. Why did she want to help him out of all people?

He thought for a moment. Wondering if he should even believe the statement that Effie had just said to him. Clyde finally sits up against the tree, his hands still planted on the dirt and grass below him. He looks up at the colorful Capitol member, his brown eyes still staring at her wide, but only with surprise this time. "How are you going to do that?"

"We'll send you back. You sleep where you used to sleep before the games. We'll keep you there. You'll be safe," Effie explained.

"And what about President Snow?"

"Not a word," Effie answered, "We'll hide you when necessary. He rarely visits there anyway. Once we figure out what place we put you in, you will stay there."

Clyde thought about this for a moment. This was either a trap, or Effie was being sincere. While he was in the games, he learned to think about both sides. He learned to read body language. Who actually wanted to help and who was going to deceive him (not that it helped when it came to Haymitch). And Effie looked like she was telling the truth. Not one lie, not one look to the side. Just a worried facial expression that begged Clyde to accept her help.

His eyes slightly soften up, realizing that Effie may actually want to help him. A sigh escapes his lips, and you can see the air escapes with it. "Fine," He finally tells her, "I will go with you. I just don't ... I don't wanna die."

"You won't," Effie whispers softly. She reaches her hand out.

Clyde looks down at her hand. There's a moment before he actually grabs her hand. Effie slightly pulls the other , helping him up.

"You sure that he won't know?"

"Positive," Effie answered quickly, he arm around Clyde so that she could help him walk, "I'll keep it from him. So will the others. Besides, they would rather have a career like yourself to survive anyways."

"Why's that?" Clyde asks.

Effie shrugs. "Who knows? Snow always has a grudge. He never smiles. He needs to learn how."

A slight scoff escapes from Clyde. "I wouldn't be surprised if he smiles when someone dies in the arena."

"I wouldn't be either."

They keep walking for a while. The cold air was making him stiff. Clyde barely knew how he was walking. He doesn't know how much longer he can take. The cold air and his drenched body slowly made him sick, as well as slightly dizzy. He didn't know if he could walk anymore. He was limping, scar from the piranha that bit him just days prior. It was still pretty painful.

"We'll be able to heal the scar, too," Effie tells him.

"The scar isn't what I'm worried about," Clyde replies back, a cough escaping his lips. He looks at Effie again. Another worried expression on those big brown eyes, "You're sure I'm going to be safe? No one will find out?"

Effie gives the male a small smile. "Not if I can help it," She answered, "If someone else does know, it's probably the rest of your district. You have family, don't you?"

"They don't really like me much," Clyde replies, sighing sadly.

"That's alright. If we can't place you in the Capitol, we'll place you in the outskirts of your district," Effie explains, "You will be safe."

"Promise it," Clyde told her.

There is a pause between them. The two of them stopped walking. Effie turns to Clyde, giving him a brightly colored lipstick-stained smile. She puts a hand on the swimmer's shoulder as a gesture of reassurance.

"I promise," She says sincerely.