Waves Breaking Over Rocks Part 1

Chapter 11- The Games

The Games

"Annie! Annie, wake up! Today is your big day!" Garcia reminds me as I struggle to get up.

It's today.

I sit up straight as soon as I process her words. Today would be my last day of life as I know it, and possibly my last day of life at all.

I walk to the door slowly, trying to live every moment. I see the door open and Finnick comes in. He takes me in his arms and just holds me.

Just holds me.

He smells of woman, and I hold him closer because of it. I don't know why holds me, though, I'm a little chickadee who will never win the Games and he's Finnick Odair.

Mags comes in next and hugs me then takes my arm and leads me to the dining room.

I'm not hungry. I'm empty. I had gone to sleep crying, not for my fate, but for Finnick. So I'm all cried out now. I don't want to eat, I'm not hungry, but I do it, anyways because Dad always told me not to leave food on my plate. I realize I had made a mistake in eating when I start to puke everything out. Still, I can't go into the Games on an empty stomach. I need to survive them. If I don't, I'll never see my family again.

When I'm done with what little I could consume, Garcia walks me and Tyson, who has actually gone very pale, to a huge room with a hovercraft. Finnick and Mags had been following us, but now they have stopped at the door, not coming in. I realize why. Tyson and I are going to the Games now. I'm never going to see Mags again, kindly, motherly, gentle, caring, woman she is. And I'll never see Finnick.

"Say goodbye to your mentors and get in the hovercraft." Garcia says in an excited voice.

I run to Finnick and put my arms around his neck and my head on his shoulder. He puts his in mine and wraps his arms around my back, holding me tightly. He's my best friend. I could never ask for anyone better.

I hug old Mags and look at Finnick one last time.

I walk to the hovercraft, not looking back. My last vision of Finnick Odair being his sad green eyes, moving like the waves in the ocean.

Tyson and I are quiet on the ride to the arena. He's pale and his hands are shaking, but when I look at his face he smiles at me. I probably look horrible, with messy hair and bags under my eyes and my skin so pale my freckles probably look black in comparison.

Garcia has the decency to stay quiet meanwhile. I never thought she was capable of that.

We finally arrived at the arena. We get off the hovercraft into another room. There were no windows, so I haven't had the chance to see what it looks like, but I'm sure I will know soon enough. We walk through corridors and we reach one big hallway with twelve doors to each side, all labeled from 1 to 12. Garcia directs Tyson into the door on the left that is marked with a 4. I take it that I should go into the door in front of his, which is ajar. I go in and find Louis. I run and hug him, thankful for something familiar. The room is small, with an outfit hung on one wall and a small makeup set. There's a tube, big enough for me to fit into it, which would probably take me to the arena.

"Come on, let's get you ready." He says. I let him dress me and brush my hair. The outfit I'll be wearing for the Arena includes comfortable green and brown pants and a light jacket of the same colors.

"What will the Arena be like?" I ask Louis.

"From the looks of your outfit, most probably a forest. The colors you are wearing would be perfect for camouflage, but if you don't do something about your hair it will give you away. Your jacket will not serve you against cold or water, but it will be too much if the temperature is too high. With these clothes, it will be easy to run and climb trees, but it won't serve for almost anything other than that so I recommend you steer clear of swimming and mountains."