Rewrite The Stars | Finnick Odair

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0.0 | That Moment 

District 12 

Five years old

I walk silently walk to my old house waiting for my 'guardian' to turn back. The Seam mourns those who were lost in the mines. Those out send me pittyful looks knowing all the family I had was him and my mother side of the family. Me and my mother never got along since I was the mistake of all her children. A drunk one-night stand I was told. 

Sleep was something I couldn't reach knowing that when I close my eyes I will only hear gunshots. The sound of the whip, the word treasonous echos in my mind. All I see is my father's corpse I was forced to hold in his last moment as he bled out. My cries were silent but everyone knew I had because of the dried river that was left on my cheeks. 

A strange man approached me a day later telling me that he promised my father he would watch after me. I learned his name was Haymitch. He was the only victor in our district.  But the town never referred to him as a victor but as 'the drunk man'. He had a attitude but he reminded me of my father would describe me. Sassy, stubborn or 'persistent' as he said, and over all a victim of being caught for someone elses actions weather it was to keep someone alive or themselves. 

We didn't speak unless needed. He let me sleep in his house seeing as I did not want to go home yet. We bonded not once but twice, over our awful sleep habits. I heard his screams from my room one night and I jumped up from my sleep. I slowly tiptoed to the older man's room and saw him sitting up in his bed breathing heavily.  He asked why I was there in a loud voice but I knew better cause under that harsh tone was a broken man like I was girl. I said nothing but slowly made my way to the other side of his bed and got under the covers. I pushed him down softly not wanting to scare him. He layed down eyeing me wondering what I was doing. I layed my head on his chest and grabbed his hand. I told him how I slept with a jeweled switchblade my father gave me when I was about three. He lisned and never once spoke. I noticed he wrapped his arm around me and brought me in closer to his side. We both fell in to a dreamless sleep, but when we woke up we acted as though it never happened.  

I smiled gently remembering that special moment that it felt I still had a father figure in my life. We finally reach the last house in the Seam. We both stand in front of it waiting for me to open the door.  

I take a step foreward. Then another, and another till I am standing right next to the door. I turn to see the sober victor watching me. I notice he holds his gold ring in his hand-the same one that was his token. He also holds a leather necklace that has nothing on it. He kneels infront of me and tries the ring to the necklace.

"You are to young to deserve anything that's thrown at you. And I'm sorry about leaving you but... I can't raise a child. But you can always remember me even if we don't see each other." Haymitch say as he puts the necklace over my head.

I lift the ring and notice it was his ring. A gold band with what looks life engraved vines in the ring. 

I give a small smile though it does not last long. I wrap my little arms around his neck and put my chin on his shoulder. 

"Thank you." I say so softly I almost didn't even hear it. 

He lays his chin on my head and wraps his arm around my back. When we pull away he gives me one last look before going back to Victor Village. I turn back to the door and push it open. I don't know what I should focus on but infront of me is my father's peacekeeper helmet and a simple white rose.

I walk in and see all our old photos. Some fron when my father took me to District Four and I saw the ocean for the first time last year. One of me and my oldest sister-Enobaria-from when we visited District Two when I was much younger. But the one that finally broke me was the one of me, my father, Enobaria, and Johanna. I felt my knees buckle and my hands shake as I slowly dropped to the floor. I felt hot tears stream down my face as I truley mourned. I felt grief and anger but most of all loneliness. My other two sisters here in twelve knew of me but ou-their mother did not approve of it.  Katniss who was the third oldest was only a year older than me. And Prim who had a heart of gold was the youngest by three years.

For the first time I felt broken. I cried myself to sleep that night. I told myself I would only go into my father's room if I had a nightmare but other than that I would go about my business.  At such a young age I was already playing adult. And it's a dangerous thing to do when you live in a place controlled by a tyrant.