The Capitol Games

Chapter 54

I never completely understood why authors kill off some of their beloved characters until now. Sorry for killing Addie, here's another chapter that might make up for it. - S
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Shock roils through me.

The rain beats harder. The wind blows so hard it blocks out all other noise.

No. No no no no no no. This can't be happening. This can't possibly be happening. "Addie!" I scream. "Addie wake up! Wake up!"

The wind whips around me. It get stronger and stronger. Two hovercrafts appear instantly. One picks up Jett, and one comes toward Addie and I. But I hold on to her, screaming her name over and over. The wind intensifies. The rain is so slick, that my hands slip away from Addie's, and I slide across the metal surface.

"No," I push up onto my trembling legs, and and try to move towards her. But the wind pushes against me, keeping me away.

Then a metal claw dips down from the second hovercraft.

"No!" I yell. Then I lose it. "Help! Help her!"

I claw against the barrier of wind, but it's too strong. I'm forced to watch as the mesh-covered claw wraps around my best friend. The mesh comes free of the claw, and fastens itself around Addie, sealing her away. The wind suddenly stops, and I fling myself towards Addie. But the claw is already around her mesh covered body, and starts rising. "Wait!" I scream.

Then there's someone behind me.

"Addie!" Comes Finnick's voice.

I whip around, and he his drenched figure run past me, to the metal claw. He whips around. There are cuts all over his face. "What happened?!" Finnick screams at me. "What the hell happened?"

Finally, reality washes over me and racking sobs take hold of me. My legs give away suddenly and I crash to my knees painfully. But it's nothing compared to the agony that tears at my heart. It's Addie. Addie.

"Lian!" Finnick's voice comes. "Lian get up!"

I feel him grabs my arm roughly and yanks me to my feet. He overshoots, and I stumble, but Finnick's is already turning away from me.

"Look!" He screams pointing to the hovercraft's ascending claw.

I know. Addie's dead, I think miserably, and squint through the rain to catch one last glimpse of my best friend.

And then I see something strange. Addie's... moving. Her hand is moving. Is it the breeze? No it can't be, her hand is moving against the breeze.

"She's alive," Finnick yells into my ear.

Alive. The fog from my clears in a snap. Focus.

We have to get her down from there. Without a doubt, this isn't being aired, so no one is seeing this. No one but Finnick and I know that Addie is actually alive. And once that claw goes into the hovercraft, we're never going to get her back. That much I know with certainty. We can complain about it, but everyone will just call us crazy.

I reach back into my second quiver, and take out the grappling hook arrow. The claw is rising faster and faster, and I only have one shot. I draw the arrow back. My finger sits steady over the hook release flap, and I take a heartbeat to adjust my aim. One shot. I release the arrow.

It shoots through the rain, through the claw, and tangles itself perfectly into the mesh. The gaps in the claw are big enough for Addie to slip through, and I just hope it works. I throw down my bow and grasp the wire that connects to grappling hook with both hands. I begin pulling. Addie's body get's knocked against the metal rods of the claw.