The Capitol Games

Chapter 53

When the thee of us finally reach the cornucopia, the rain is pounding, and we're completely soaked. The whirlpool is swirling again, but with the help of our other allies, we make it inside without minimal problem. The moment I'm through the whirlpool and the spray of rain that's getting blow in from the cornucopia, warmth hits me like a truck. I shiver in contentment, and Finnick actually sighs. My legs are frozen, and I pretty much can't feel them anymore so I sit down immediately.

Summer comes up to me almost instantly. She's in her white inner shorts and inner shirt. In fact, almost everyone is wearing the bare minimum. I was so tired when we hauled ourselves out of that whirpool, that I didn't even realise "There's a heater here," Summer says as a way of greeting, her face completely lit up. "We're dry." She lets out a small laugh of disbelief, and darts away.

That's when I take a good look at the cornucopia. It looks completely new. It's arranged in sections now, instead of the random messy scattering that was there the last time I was here. There's one section for weapons, one with piles of fresh cooked, hot, aromatic, food, one with an impressive arrangement of medical equipment, and another with clean new gear clothes. At the very back, there's a large machine that hums. Most of my allies are crowded around it, but a faint red-orange glow of a heater comes through the gaps.

"Is that hot food?" Finnick asks in stunned disbelief, and walks over to the food section.

Zeke crouches down besides me. "Are you okay?" He asks. "What do you need?"

I'm just about to answer him, when Addie comes over.

"Hey," she says to the both of us. "How's you leg, Lian?"

"Fine," I nod.

"Zeke, do you want to go change or get dry?" Addie asks him. "I'll help her."

Zeke nods enthusiastically, smiles sheepishly at me, before darting after Finnick. I look at his retreating figure, smiling at the ridiculous grin he just gave me.

"Still smiling like an idiot, huh?" Addie asks. She lets out a small laugh, and sit's down besides me. She's barefoot, wearing clean, dry pants and a white inner shirt. Her red hair is wet, but brushed back neatly into two braids.

"Yeah," I say in response to her first question. The I pause as I take off my boots. "Wait, they have hairbrushes here?"

"And moisturiser," Addie says nodding earnestly. "Do you want me to get you a towel and fresh clothes, milady?"

"Yes please."

As I slowly take off my wet clothes, and rub myself dry with a towel, I observe everyone else. There are towels laid out on the floor, so that metal surface doesn't get too slippery. Laython is almost fully clothed as he and Mayra poke through bundles of rope, wire, matches and flashlights. He smiling, which makes me happy considering how sad he was this morning. Mayra's blonde hair is in a messy bun, and she looks comfortable and relaxed, rather than her usual scowling demeanour. Summer is talking to an awkward Kace, although I notice that she's purposely trying to ignore Leigh who sitting slumped on the ground with a scowl on his face as he picks at an orange. He looks pretty miserable as he sits there in pants and a loose blue outer shirt, with no one talking to him. I would feel bad for him, if I wasn't so preoccupied with getting warm, and rubbing some feeling into my left leg.

Finnick and Zeke, apparently done stuffing themselves, shove their way towards the heater. Zeke takes off his boots, socks, and jacket, and when he pulls off his shirt over his head, I feel like I should look away but I really don't want to. His skin is tanned, and his torso is lightly muscled. There's a dark mark running across his chest where his stitches are, but really, it almost makes his seem more attractive to me. I feel heat rush up my cheeks and my heart beat speeds up. His fingers reach his pants, and that's when I snap my gaze away, blushing like crazy.