Nightmares And Seashells

introduction

It was three days after little Avery Winter's 5th birthday.

Today was the day her father was supposed to come back from a deep sea fishing trip, along with his lifelong best friend Harrison Odair.
Mags Flanigan the kind older woman who would watch Avery when her father was away, could hear the little girls feet stamping down the stairs of her house in victors village.

In her haste to get down to the docks to meet her father, she skipped multiple steps on her way down.

"Mags daddy's coming home today, and I can't find the picture I drew him!"
Avery exclaimed her firey curls whipping into her face as she swung herself around the corner into the kitchen.
Mags, walking over to the little girl, pulling her hair into a high ponytail on the back of her head explained.

"It's on the table in the den little Dove. No need to rush, the Odair boys aren't even here yet. Now come sit, eat."

Avery, her best friend Caspian, and his older brother Finnick would always go down to the docks to meet their fathers when they'd arrive home.

This was the first time Lillian Odair was letting Finnick take them down by himself.

Only after he'd scolded the younger two more than herself about dock safety the last time.
Finnick had always looked up to his father. He always tried to make him proud. He'd even wanted to join him on his boat, when he came of age.

The sound of knocking on the door made Avery immediately drop the fork she was eating breakfast with, mid bite. It was the seven note knock of her best friend.

"Mags they're here! May I be excused?" Avery asked bouncing in her seat.

"Of course, lit-"  She didn't get the chance to finish however. The young girl was already gone. Mags then shook her head and chuckled to herself.

Avery looked like the spitting imaged of her mother Margery, who mags loved deeply. Like the daughter she never let herself have due to the yearly hunger games.

She sadly, had died the day Avery was born. It was then that Mags promised to herself to protect the little girl, with all her power. This included watching the little one whenever her father had to go out to sea.

The sun was bright when the three children made it to the docks. Finnick yelling at the two to stop running once they hit the wood.

They chatted as they sat and waited to see the boat coming in. Avery took the opportunity to show them what she drew for her father. Finnick, at first glance asked

"what is it? A messed up otter?"

"FINNY that's rude!"

While Avery was glaring at the boy she heard Caspian pipe in behind her,

"Fin, it's obviously a messed up dog." He said giggling and pushing Avery's shoulder playfully. This earned both boys a punch in the shoulder. Making all three pause and look at each other before bursting into laughter.

After hours of waiting the children were getting bored and hungry. The boat had never been this late before.
Then in the distance they could see a ship. Jumping up and no longer tired, all three children gave each other massive smiles.

Until Finnick, blocking the sun from his eyes and squinting said.

"Somethings wrong guys.. look, why is there so much smoke?"

Just then, a confused Lillian having expected her husband and children home long ago, made her way down the dock.
She could see the three small figures standing that the end.

Once she was stood right behind them she let out what sounded like a mix between a choked sob and gasp.
All three children then turned around. At the sight of her distraught face finnick asked.

"Mom?"

"Mom what's happening?"

Avery's drawing then dropped out of her hand, falling into the waves below as she looked back out to the smoldering boat.

It was a week later when the mass funeral for Johnathan Winters, Harrison Odair and five other crew mates was held. And the sun was setting by the time Finnick was able to pull his little brother away to go home.

Turning back to Avery he said

"Come on Aves hop on you're staying the night with us. Mags already agreed."

Bending down for the now Orphaned girl to jump on his back. During the trek home no words were spoken between the three.

Once getting home Lillian already had a fire burning. That was the first night of many, the two boys pulled all of their blankets and pillows together, and all three fell asleep together on the floor with tear stained faces.

A/N

Super new to writing!! so if there are any mistakes you'd like to point out, feel free.