A Tale of a Boy and His Flower

I Should've Learned to Swim

I jumped off the pedestal and reached my arms out trying to catch the rocky ray. The breath was momentarily knocked out of me as I slammed into the side of the ray. It took all my strength to regain my composure and pull myself up onto the thin rocky path. 

The first cannon of the game had already sounded. I had fallen way behind. I could see many tributes already fleeing the cornucopia. Suddenly the fear that my axes had already been taken hit me. 

I quickly got up and started to sprint towards the cornucopia. Without my weapons I would be screwed. But then I remembered Peeta. I needed to make sure he had made it to the cornucopia. 

I looked around and couldn't see him anywhere. My eyes then landed on two people struggling in the water right next to the rocky ray I was standing on. It was Peeta and the tribute from district 9.

I knew that if I jumped into the water to save him I would most likely drown myself, but it might at least give Peeta a chance to escape. I weighed the options. Get my axes or save Peeta. 

Unfortunately Peeta won. 

I spun around on my heel and sprinted back towards my pedestal and jumped into the water. I immediately began struggling to keep my head above the water. In a desperate attempt to help Peeta I wrapped my arm around the neck of the man in front of me. He was trying to drown Peeta. 

He let go of Peeta and he grabbed for my arm around his neck shoving us both under water. I struggled under his weight as we quickly sank to the bottom. I somehow managed to flip around to where I was on top of him as we sank deeper and deeper to the bottom. 

My chest was on fire. I was starting to lose focus as I grabbed his neck with my hands. If I was going to drown then so was he. He kicked and struggled as we reached the sandy bottom. Suddenly his kicking and struggling slowed down. My grip on his neck loosened as I started seeing black spots. The tribute floated in the water unmoving. 

My chest burned. I needed air. 

With my last strength I pushed against the sand and shot up towards the surface. I gasped for air when I resurfaced. I then remember I couldn't swim. I began to flail around in the water desperately trying not to join the tribute I had just killed. 

"I got you." A voice said as strong arms grabbed my torso keeping me steady above water. My eyes lids were heavy from exhaustion as we pulled ourselves up onto the rocky ray. Peeta extended a hand to me. I grabbed it and stood up. 

"You don't know how to swim?" Peeta said as we both caught our breath. 

"Let's just say my talents lie outside the water." I looked towards the cornucopia. Finnick and Katniss were heading our direction, Mags and Zach were trailing behind them. I could see the Careers gathering in the center of the cornucopia. 

Finnick immediately started looking for any signs of injuries. 

"Finnick," I said finally getting him to calm down. "I'm okay." I said trying to assure him I was fine. 

"We should probably run." Peeta said eyeing the Careers. Finnick agreed and he hefted his trident up and we made our way down the ray and onto the beach. Finnick and the others needed to get going before the careers started to hunt us down. 

"I got these for you." Zach said handing me two doubled bladed axes. Zach still remained with a machete secured to his back.

"Thank you." I said genuinely smiling. I thought I would have to go without them or wait until someone gave us enough money to sponsor me a weapon. I took the weapons in both of my hands and set off into the forest.