Battle Cry ➳ Finnick Odair ³

5 | The Endless Night

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Chapter Five
THE ENDLESS NIGHT
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Standing in front of an empty chair across from me was a man dressed in all white. He had specs of berry pinks and dark red eye shadow that covered his eyes and cheekbones. His strawberry-blonde hair was left down in small curls, with a few strands of it littered with small sparkles of red. He looked tired and nervous at the same time, which wasn't helping my own nerves. I would have preferred his plaster the fakest smile he could muster.

"Over here, please." He instructs.

In his hands, he has a brush in his right hand. On his left was a small palette of eyeshadow. Shooting me a weak smile, he points to the chair in front of him for me to sit. Sitting down on the velvet chair, I held my head up high as the make-up artists started to paint my face. First, he added dapples of concealer to hide what I was assuming were the bags under my eyes. Trying to mask the restless nights I've had.

Gripping at the silk skirt I was wearing, I shut my eyes as he started to apply a variety of shadows of brown and bronze to my face, in hopes of making me look more lively and less sick. Chewing on my bottom lip, I forced myself to relax. If I were to give any signs of my discomfort, everyone would pick up on it. And the last thing I needed was for Snow to use it against me.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers to me, making me open my eyes.

"You didn't do anything," I whisper back, muttering under my breath.

Hearing a throat clear behind me, I looked over the make-up artist's shoulder, only to find Caesar standing there. His hair was now a bleach blonde ━ no longer a vibrant purple. He was also dressed in all white. A pair of pear earrings and pearl rings decorated him. He looked posh. Clean. Well fed. Not a single spec of imperfections in sight.

"Hello, miss Graves, it's been a long time," Caesar said, his eyes watering up slightly.

"Oh, don't get teary-eyed with me Caesar," I say, weakly smiling at him.

"Oh, I know, but it's so good to see you alive and breathing," he says, sitting in the chair directly across from me.

Looking down in his hand he flipped through a couple of cards, inspecting whatever was written on them in interest. Looking back at me, I could see his eyes widen as the make-up artist added a powder onto, what I believed was my already protruding cheekbones. I hadn't been given a mirror or anything remotely reflective since my shower twenty minutes ago. So I had no idea what I truly looked like at the moment.

"Read what the monitor says and do as it says. Now starting." A peacekeeper says as the monitor turns on to reveal words.

Looking at the monitor, words started to appear on the screen; 'Three. Two. One. Action.' Stiffening up in my seat, I roll my shoulders back and make eye contact with Caesar. Before glancing back at the monitor. The screen was blank, but it still had a loading screen and showed it was online.

"Hello Panem, with these dark times, we will continue to air our regular broadcasting programs and systems. But today we have a special. My name is Caesar Flickerman and joining me is, the Golden Girl, Ember Graves." Caesar says, looking into the camera with a small smile.

"Hello, Caesar. Hello Panem." I say, nodding my head at the camera in acknowledgment.

"Now, Ember that last anyone has seen of you was a few weeks ago in your last broadcast. Are you awake of Katniss Everdeen's rebellion?" he asks.

Yes, of course, I knew about it, I am a part of it. I furrow my eyebrows, "Rebellion, what, no ━ I wasn't aware that there was any rebellion. I didn't even know that Panem was at war until now." I say, licking my bottom lip as I try to think of what else to say.

"Yes, well, Katniss Everdeen along with Beetee Latier and Finnick Odair managed to destroy the arena, allowing the rebels and the rebellion to interfere with the games. It is also said that these actions have caused an uprising in the districts, sending Panem into a civil war." He explains, making me tense up in my seats.

They know I was a part of the rebellion. I literally saved Katniss when the lightning struck. Everyone knows, why are they making me say this? Glancing over at the monitor, it says to 'pause and shows distaste for the war,' making me want to flip them off so desperately. This was exactly what we needed. The Capitol has been in power for too long. So many people died because of them.

Biting my tongue, I force myself to look at my hands and pretend like I was actually upset with the news of the rebellion. Sucking on the inside of my cheek, I forced myself to take a deep breath to stay as calm as possible. I want nothing more than to scream out my true feelings.

"War?" I whisper, shaking my head.

"Indeed. Now miss Graves, there were whispers that you were involved with the rebellion. Are they true?" he asks, giving the camera a mixed look of fear and interest.

Looking at the monitor I was shown to see what it said. "Yes, I am involved with the rebellion," I said, confused why they were making me deny it and now admit I was a part of it.

Caesar looks at me sadly, "It has been an honor to know you Ember." he says.

I stare at him confused by his words. They sounded almost like a goodbye. "What?" I asked completely ignoring the monitor.

"You are a part of the rebellion," he stated as a few Peacekeepers came up behind me and grabbed my arms making me stand up. "and to be a rebel means death."

I instantly feel dread rise inside of me. "You're going to kill me?" I ask. I begin to panic and then I realize that I am still on camera that is broadcasting to all of Panem. "Finnick, if you are watching, I love you."

Staring at the screen as the Peacekeepers try to drag me over to the center of the room, a red mockingjay flashes up onto the screen. Feeling my mouth go dry, I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out, just small sputters of disbelief. The screen glitches as if it was battling between two different systems. It's enough to give me the strength the fight.

I yank my arm free from one of the Peacekeepers and use it to punch the other one. He is taken by surprise and releases my arm. Quickly I scan my surroundings for anything that I could use as a weapon, but I only see the guns that the Peacekeepers have.

Three more runs onto the stage and I dodge as one of them attempts to shoot me with his gun. I can hear Caesar from somewhere on the stage, I don't know what he is saying, I can't focus on anything other than getting my hands on one of those guns.

One comes towards me and grabs my arm but I use the closeness to grab his gun. I twist my arm out of his grip, I don't even feel the pain. I raise up the gun and point it at them, knowing that their armor is bulletproof. I feel my heart beating so fast as I take in my odds of survival.

I could shoot one but surely another would shoot me. I could run but they could still shoot me. I scan the surroundings looking for anything. I see an electrical outlet, I could cause a blackout with a bullet and then run away unnoticed. But that entire plan relies on me shooting it, and I have never even held a gun before this moment. A part of me wonders what the people that are watching think of all of this or if the broadcast has been cut off.

Before I even get the chance to take the shot I hear a voice coming from the monitor. A voice I have grown very familiar with. Finnick. I can just make out what he is saying.

"Ember, Beetee is hacking into the system, when he does run." his voice finally comes through clearly. I feel tears form in my eyes at the sound of his voice. He is alive and he is helping me to stay alive.

Beetee was thinking the same thing as I was because soon without notice, the power goes out. I don't take the time to stand there and see how long it takes them to get it back on before I bolt into a direction that I can only hope leads to the outside.