May I please introduce you to the winner of the 69th annual Hunger Games, Bree Daves!
The games changed you in ways that you could never understand. Something that Bree learned the hard way. After being forced to participate in the 69th annual Hung...
"When I tell you I love you, I am not saying it out of habit. I am reminding you that you are my life."
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Bree woke first to the gentle lapping of waves against her skin. And second to the sound of pained screaming.
When Bree snapped back into reality, she scrambled to her feet, pulling out a knife as she went. Based on the fact that the knife was far back, Bree knew she was running out. When monkey time was safe, she would go back and collect some.
Bree suddenly realised that she recognised the screaming. It was Finnick calling her name.
Bree took off, sprinting in the direction that it came from. Bree called out Finnick's name in reply. She figured he was probably looking for her.
As Bree got closer to the noises, she could hear other people's screams in the cacophony of pain.
When Bree arrived, she could see Peeta lying next to the prone figure of Katniss. Bree's head snapped around, looking for Finnick. She could see that Johanna was standing near him as Beetee stood a way off from them. Bree ran towards Finnick and Johanna. Before she could get too close, Johanna let out a gasp as she pulled Bree in for a hug.
"We were so worried about you," Johanna murmured into Bree's hair.
"What's going on with Finnick," Bree asked, panicking. Finnick's body was crouched over as he rocked.
"Jabberjays," Johanna seethed, "he was so worried bout you. When he heard your pained screams, he was terrified that something had happened to you."
Bree sank to her knees by Finnicks body as she pounded at the wall calling his name, hoping that she might make it through by some miracle.
Bree soon ran out of energy as she lent against the wall. Bree figured if she leaned against it, she would know what it was over as she would fall through. Bree's logic held up. What felt like a century later, the wall disappeared. And Bree collapsed by Finnick as she grabbed him in for a hug. Finnick, in his dazed state, stared at her for half a second as if contemplating if she was real.
"You're alive," Finnick finally whispered as she pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug, "I love you."
"I'm okay, love, I'm all okay," Bree murmured as she ran a hand through Finnicks hair, "I love you too."
Finnick refused to let Bree go. She ended up sitting in his lap as he let his hands roam to assure himself that she was all okay and not a figment of his imagination. He kept whispering to her how much he loved her.
Bree could hear Johanna going on a tirade as she screamed at Snow. "They can't hurt me," Johanna shrugged as she looked at their faces, "there's no one left that I love."
"I take personal offence at that," Bree complained. Johanna just laughed, shaking her head.
When Bree moved to stand up to follow the others, Finnick just tightened his hold on her. When Bree looked back to question him, he just stood up with her in his arms. Finnick robotically walked back with the others. When the other sat down, he carried on until he was shin-deep in the water. There he sat down with Bree in his lap again.
Bree knew better than to say anything. He just needed her to be there for him. Bree and Finnick sat in silence as Finnick ran his hands around her body. He wanted to make sure that she was real and not about to disappear from him. Bree just massaged Finnicks scalp in return.
When Bree heard Johanna calling her and Finnick, Bree went to stand up. Finnick, who was still not ready to let go of her, just picked her up again.
"I have got two feat," Bree laughed.
Finnick just pulled her closer to him in reply. Bree smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek next to his scratches. She understood why Finnick was so clingy, and she wasn't going to complain.
"I have a plan," Beetee told them, "Where do the Careers feel safest? The jungle?"
"The jungle's a nightmare," Johanna commented. Finnick just nuzzled into Bree's neck by way of agreement.
"Probably here on the beach," Bree answered.
"Then why are they not here?" Beetee asked
"Because we are," Johanna told him, "We claimed it."
"And if we left, they would come," Beetee told them, "Or stay hidden in the tree line. Which is just over four hours will be soaked with water from the 10:00 wave. And what happens at midnight?"
"Lightning strikes that tree," Katniss told him.
"Here's what I propose," Beetee told them, getting to his plan, "We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lightning tree. That should draw them back to the beach. Prior to midnight, we then run this wire from the tree to the water. Anyone in the water or on the damp sand will be electrocuted."
Bree smiled, "you're a genius Beetee!"
"How do we know the wire's not gonna burn up?" Johanna questioned.
"Because I invented it," Beetee answered, "I assure you, it won't burn up."
Johanna looked at Bree and Finnick, checking that they didn't have anything to say. When I say looking at Bree and Finnick, I more mean Bree. Finnick was too busy memorising every inch of Bree as he occasionally told her how much he loves her.
"Well, it's better than hunting them down," Johanna shrugged.
"Yeah, why not?" Katniss agreed, "if it fails, no harm done anyway, right?"
"All right, I say we try it," Peeta agreed, "so what can we do to help?"
"Keep me alive for the next six hours," Beetee told them, "that would be extremely helpful."
"That shouldn't be too hard," Bree joked.
Finnick had then turned around and walked back to the water. Bree, who had finally convinced Finncik that she was okay and not going anywhere, was seated with Johanna and Beetee.
"You make a great teacher," Bree told Beetee, "Despite it being your plan, I actually felt involved."
Beetee just shrugged that compliment off, "it wasn't that hard."
"I agree with Bree, you know," Johanna added, "you were good at it."
"I will take that into account," Beetee assured them.
"How's Finnick?" Johanna asked Bree, "he keeps looking over her every 30 seconds."
Bree looked over at Finnick, and sure enough, he was looking at her, "I think he is still worried that something will happen to me. He was getting by, but when I went missing, and he could hear me screaming, I think something in him broke."
Finnick, as if able to sense that Bree was upset, had walked back up the seashore. He sat down next to Bree and pulled her into his lap. Finnick then pulled her around and gave her a deep kiss on the lips.
"All right, lovebirds!" Johanna called to both Finnick and Bree and Katniss and Peeta.
Realising that it was time to go, Finnick stood up with Bree. He let her walk by herself but refused to let go of her hand. From there, they then started to trek towards the lighting tree. Finnick had taken up the lead of their little train with his hand firmly gripped on Brees. Occasionally she would ask for it back so she could climb up something. The moment she was up, Finnick would grab her hand again.
They were interrupted when they heard the anthem. Looking up, they could see the faces of the fallen. When Mag's came up, Bree pulled him in for a hug.
"I'm so sorry about Mag's," Bree whisper her apology up to Finnick. Bree felt like it was her fault. If she hadn't been stupid enough to have gotten burnt in the fog that she could have done something.
Finnick squeezed her tighter. When the anthem had stopped playing, they all turned around and carried on walking. No one said anything as there wasn't anything they could say. They just carried on walking.
