Waves Breaking Over Rocks Part 2

Chapter 16

Finnick

"We have to do it tonight. That's what it said. The lightning will strike the tree and we'll electrify the water. That will be our signal." Beetee tells us. Katniss, Peeta, and Annie are sleeping. It's the perfect time to discuss the escape.

"Got it, but remember: she must be with her so they can leave together." I remind him.

"Yes, Finnick, we remember." Johanna says, rolling her eyes. But I had to make sure. She's my top priority. I'm not leaving this Arena without her.

I walk back down to wake up the rest. When they're up, we get going.

It's a long, tiring walk to the tree at one end of the Arena. This tree gets hit by lightning when the clock strikes 12. Of course, there are no actual clocks in the Arena.

I hold Annie's hand as we walk through the jungle, excitement flowing through his veins. This is to be their last night in the Arena, and he can't wait. Annie will finally be safe and I... I don't know what will happen to me.

Finally, we arrive, and Beetee explain the plan to some unknowing Annie, Katniss, and Peeta:

"Here's the plan:" He says. "I am going to wrap this wire around the tree and Annie, Katniss, and Johanna will take it to the beach. The electricity will electrocute the Careers and everybody around the beach, so you should get out of there as fast as you can."

"I want to stay with Peeta." Katniss complains. And I want to stay with the real love of my life, but you can't have everything, Katniss.

Then, I look at Annie in the eyes and tell her: Goodbye, love.

I watch as she walks away from us with her group. She can take care of herself, I tell myself. But as she turns around to give me one last sad glance, I know something is wrong. This is not going to end well.

Annie is out of sight all too soon, and I can't drown the feeling of uneasiness that is tearing away at me.

"Finnick, Peeta, check the perimeter." Beetee tells us. "I'll get started on the wire."

We do our rounds until Beetee is finally finished. Then, we wait for midnight to come.

The feeling of wrongness just increases as time passes. That's when the wire goes slack.

"What's going on?!" Peeta asks worriedly. The wire went slack. Something happened to the girls. Something happened to my Annie.

I start running into the jungle, aware of Beetee's yells. I can only think of one thing; Annie is in danger.

"Annie! Annie!" I have to save her. She's in danger. "Annie! Annie!" I can't find her. Then, I see something move behind a tree and run in the opposite direction. It is quite obviously a woman, but I doubt its Enobaria because the woman's hair is down. I run after her, thinking its Annie.

I run after her until she reaches the lightning tree. She disappears in the shadows the second she gets there, though. That's when I see a pair of dark eyes looking at me from the bushes and the tip of an arrow pointing out from the side.

"You going to shoot me, Katniss?" She doesn't lower her bow. "You going to kill me? I wouldn't be surprised if you did... We're not that different, you and I. Your goal was to protect your love, and so was mine. So go ahead; shoot me. As long as she's alive I don't care anyway."

After some thought, she lowers her bow. Then she turns around and walks back to the tree. I'm too concentrated on Annie to realize what she is doing. It's too late, when I realize it, the lightning is already coming down and her arrow is already going up.

"Katniss, no!"

Then everything explodes.

When I wake up, my head hurts. I can barely see anything. Then I realize there is nothing to see. The room I'm in is entirely white; the roof, the floor, and the machines hooked to my body. I instinctively turn my head around to the left, hoping to see the green eyes I'm used to waking up to. But there's no one there.

The white turns to black and then everything's gone.

When I wake up again, I already fear the worst. I can't feel my legs, let somehow I get up and start walking, yanking the tubes from my body. As if in a trance, I walk to a room across the hall. Where is Annie? Is all I can think of.

She has to be alright. She has to be. I made sure of it.

But something feels wrong.

"Where is Annie?" I ask the group of people in the room across the hall. Plutarch Heavensbee, the name of a friend.

"Finnick... She is in the Capitol... We couldn't get her out in time... I apologize..." I can't hear the rest. The room is spinning but all I feel is nothing. I'm empty. Annie is gone and she took my heart with her.

Plutarch Heavensbee, the name of a traitor.

The door opens and I can barely process it. She's gone. Because of my plan. She's in the Capitol. She's being tortured. Or worse...

Then the truth of what they're doing to her sinks in.

No, no, no, no! It can't be... Only the cruelest of people would do that to her...

Then I remember my mother and her family and my punishment... And I break.

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