Annie's Story

Chapter eight

Finnick's pov

'Mags! Are you sure that was the right thing to do?' I ask when I leave the stage after my interview. Mags walks towards me. 'Yes of course. You needed to do that. Like this every single girl in the Capitol will sponsor you. They all love you! And this will make your chance of winning way bigger.' She says while she pets my back. I stare in front of me. I feel horrible, sick. Because no matter what I said, I am in love with someone. I'm in love with my very own beautiful Annie. But she'll never know... She'll never know I loved her. In the Arena, I will die. And now Annie thinks I don't love her. No, even worse, that I don't even CARE about her. Please let her keep her promise. 'Please, Annie, don't kill yourself...' I mumble.

 

I rise in my tube, surrounded by something that looks like  a giant rocky area. To my left there are mountains, to my right there's a meadow. I need to go to the mountains, that's obvious. There should be water at the bottom of some of the mountains, which could help me. I look at the Cornucopia, right, I know what I'm going for. I hear the counting, from 30 to 1. When the last second passes, I jump off my plate faster than anyone else. I run towards the Cornucopia and grab the first things I see: Some spears, a green bag and some knives.   I see I'm far ahead of the other tributes, but I need to get out of here, FAST. I start running towards the mountains. Don't turn around Finnick, don't do it. Don't watch how all those people die. I can't help it to look behind just once. I see children stabbing each other, shooting each other, murdering each other... But no one's following me. I guess they think I'm not that important. In disgust I start running quicker, and further away from them. 

After what feels like three horrible hours of fear and running, I think I'm deep enough in the mountains to take a break. I throw myself on the ground and just keep on lying there for a few minutes. I stare up at the sky. What would Annie do right now? Is she concerned about me? Did I break her heart by saying I didn't even care about her? I don't hope so... Maybe she didn't even like me in the first place. That would be better right? Yes, it would be better. I sigh and slowly stand up. There are no other tributes near here. I open my green bag and see it contains two bottles of water and two 20 packs of chocolate chip cookies. 'Thank you.' I whisper to no one in special. I can live with this. I'll survive this if no other tribute is going to kill me.  What to do? I look next to me, where a giant mountain stands. I grab one of the knives, and start drawing a human on it. I'm going to use this as a dummy. I need some practice with knives and spears. 

The next few hours I spend with practicing throwing knives and spears. It goes pretty well right now, I can throw it right into the face if I want to. My aim has always been good, so that helps me really much right now. I stop and grab one of the water bottles. I drink just a few sips and then sit down. I guess I should rest a little while. 

It quickly turns night and I look up at the sky, seeing the faces of all the dead tributes. Eleven died in the bloodbath, it's almost the half of us. I smile by the thought that I haven't killed anyone, that my hands haven't spilled any blood. I close my eyes for a second, but open them quickly. I hear something... It comes from my right. There she is, a girl with brown hair and green eyes. Layla, if I remember correctly. She stares at me in fear and her eyes open wide. I slowly stand up and stare back. 'Er... Hi?' She says uncomfortable, knowing I can kill her straight away. In my mind I quickly make a decision. 'I won't hurt you, do you want to be my ally? I'll protect you.' I tell her. She stares at me in disbelieve. 'Why would you do that? You can just kill me now and you have less competition.' I sigh. 'I won't kill you, just accept it alright?' She nods slowly and I sign her to sit down next to me. 'Make yourself comfortable.' I tell her with a slight smile.

She was right, I could have killed her right away. But she looks so much like her... It would feel like I'm killing her. Like I'm killing Annie...