The Hunger Games: Camden Shepard

Chapter 17

I had been unconscious for almost two days before I'd woken up. Finnick told me that they'd had to work endlessly on my lung healing the serrated cut in my side. He told me that the droplets he'd sent me to put in the water hadn't been able to keep me safe from all the side effects and that the water poisoning my mind had triggered some type of PTSD induced schizophrenia, which was why I was hearing Jacks voice. He also said the Gamemakers had tainted Daryl's water to see if it would work before implementing it in the Games, and that was why he had attacked me.
After another day in the hospital to readjust the Capitol decided I was well enough to hold the crowning ceremony. I was dressed in another beautiful blue gown, this one poofed out at the bottom and it reminded me of a mermaids tail.
Ceasar introduced me as Camden Shepard at the crowning ceremony and placed the crown on my head. I winced at the name Camden, Jacks voice pierced my head again. Caesar asked me if I had an announcement go the crowd. I smiled at them. In a calm voice I started out into the cheering crowd and said,
"Camden Shepard is dead." The crowd fell silent. "She won for Charlie, and Finnick, and Jack. She avenged Layla and killed Shilo. She was the victor for the 70th Hunger Games, but she died with Jeanette." The crowd was silent. "I am Annie Cresta. Victor of the 70th Hunger Games. But Camden Shepard is dead, and Annie Cresta lives on." Ceasar nodded slowly.
"Well, welcome back, Annie Cresta." He said in a genuinely understanding tone. The crowd was teary eyed. I ignored them and took my seat on the couch in the middle of the stage. The Games began with highlights of my kills. They played the full scene of me killing Shilo. They played the entire battle on the burning building and Bens death. They showed Jack in his hiding spot by the field, they showed Layla helping me collect snow, us curled up in the freezing cold room together, me giving her my medicine and heading out. They played the entire scene of Jacks rage killing Layla and then his lucidity. They showed us in the apartment together, dehydrated, bloodied, and exhausted.
Then it cut to some of Jeanette's kills. She'd only managed to kill about three people before fighting me, but their deaths were the more gruesome of the Games. She'd been one of the major players during the Cornucopia, which is where she had sustained her leg injury.
Then it cut back to Jack and I again, brutally fighting for our lives in the field. I watched myself kill the girl from eight, then the girl from three. I watched the crazed look in my eyes as I tried to revive Jack. I watched myself stab Three's already dead body. I saw the violence in which I broke Nines neck, a boy twice my size, to protect Jack. Then I saw Eight, his eyes clouded with insanity, staring between Jack and I, deciding who to kill. I saw him lunge for me. I saw Jack. He grabbed his spear and dove under Eights body, driving the spear up through Eights body as Eights knife pierced his chest. I saw his look of triumph as lay under Eight and stared at me. His last words rang through the auditorium. Win for me. Jacks voice had lost its menacing hiss and drifted through my mind now, slow, calm. Thank you. Then the voice was gone and I felt empty. I became inconsolable. I felt so alone without Jacks voice. Without him with me. He'd sacrificed himself for me, but he couldn't be gone. He couldn't leave me. I curled up in the chair I was in and buried my head in my arms and sobbed. I could hear the battle with Jeanette raging on in the background behind me. I heard the canon and the Capitol's anthem as my victory was announced. I glanced up and my face appeared on the screen. It was clear to see I was crying, my makeup had dripped down my face. I simply stared at myself before I watched my expression shift into pure grief as a cry forced its way out of my throat and I began sobbing in front of the entire Capitol, all of the districts, Charlie, and Finnick. Ceasar shifted awkwardly as I cried, holding my head in my hands and shaking. Finally Finnick was allowed on stage to help me. He simply picked me up in his arms and carried me off. I watched the rest of the Crowning Ceremony later. Finnick showed it to me after we returned to Four in my new home at the Victors Village.
Returning home had been odd. My district welcomed me back as Annie. My new name was a comfort to me, and people respected my decision. I stood on the edge of the train next to Finnick and Catrina when we pulled into the station and I gave a sad smile to the crowd. Charlie was the first person I saw. I jumped off the train before it stopped completely and ran into his outstretched arms. He kissed me on the forehead as he had the day the Games had taken away his Cam. He held me for a long moment and when he released me there were tears in his eyes. I stood on my tiptoes and wiped away his tears. Then I kissed him softly on the cheek.
"I won for you, Charlie." I whispered. He pulled me back into an embrace.
"Yeah, Cam, yeah you did." I felt his tears in my hair as he rested his chin on my head. I didn't flinch at my name when Charlie said it. I didn't correct him. Part of me had won for him. My love for Charlie, my admiration for my best friend, had motivated me through most of the Game. He was tied to Cam, he was tied to who I was before the Games. I had no right to take that from him. He had saved me first.
Finnick walked over to us, jealousy in his eyes. I pulled myself away from Charlie. Charlie took a step back and looked at me.
"I missed you, Cam." He said. "I'm so grateful that you're alive." Finnick took a defensive step in front of me.
"Her name is Annie." He growled. I put a calm hand on his arm. Charlie looked shocked.
"To Charlie I will always be Cam." I told Finnick. I looked at Charlie. "She loved you so much." I whispered to him. More tears fell from Charlie's eyes. "But I am not Cam anymore." Charlie nodded and looked at his feet. Finnick led me through the crowd andI heard many whispered about the poor girl, the crazy girl, the sad girl. Whispers about what the Games had done to Cam. I ignored them. Cam was dead. I am Annie.