Annie's Story

Chapter five

My look goes straight to Finnick. No. No. It can’t be him! Not Finnick! I start to shiver and I see Finnick looking back at me. He mouths: “Don’t worry.” . But I do. How can you not worry. Come on people! Volunteer! Volunteer!

But it remains silence…

Even the woman seems a bit confused that no one volunteers for a fourteen year old. ‘Er… Okay then, come on up Finnick Odair.’ She says not really knowing what’s going on. Finnick tries to look strong and he walks with big steps towards the stage. I put my hands in front of my mouth trying not to scream. A few tears roll down my face. Finnick Odair… The only person who has ever been nice to me. If Finnick wasn’t here, I would be dead already, and now, now he has to fight 23 other tributes! It’s not fair! He’s too young! Finnick and the other girl are escorted inside and everyone around me leaves, pretending nothing happened. Not saying a word. I keep on standing there, crying, staring into nothing. After a while I feel a tap on my shoulder. ‘Young lady? Are you family? A friend?’ I look up and see a peacekeeper. ‘A friend… A friend of Finnick Odair.’ He nods and calls another peacekeeper. ‘Dear, do you want to speak to him?’ He asks me. ‘Yes. Yes I would love to.’ I say a bit stuttering. ‘Follow us.’ He says while he signs me to follow. I follow the two peacekeepers inside the giant building they escorted Finnick in too. They tell me to sit down on a chair and wait. I do what they say and stare in front of me. ‘Finn…’ I whisper while my eyes start to water again. ‘Miss Cresta?’, a deep voice says. I look up at one of the peacekeepers and he signs me to enter a room. I slowly open the door and look at Finnick. He’s standing there, looking so strong for just a fourteen year old. I run in and with a slam I close the door behind me. Finnick opens his arms and I fall into them. I want to say something but I can’t. ‘Annie… I can do this. I can win. Maybe I’m fourteen, but it’s possible.’ He says while I hear that he starts to cry too. I slowly open my eyes and look at his face. ‘I just don’t want you to go…’ I stutter through my tears. He holds me even tighter. ‘I will win. For you.’ He whispers and then the peacekeepers come in. ‘NO!’ I scream while they grab my arm and pull me away from Finnick. ‘No! Finnick!’ I scream while they close the door behind me. I give the peacekeepers a mean look and then I run away. To the only safe place, the lake.