Enchanted; A Finnick and Annie Fanfic ♥ (Currently Revising/Editing)

Chapter 26:The Nudge That Brought Me Back To Reality

As soon as Johanna said the words, I was gone. I was back home in District 4, where he saved my life after a failed attempt to teach me how to swim. I was splashing around in the ocean water with him the night before he was reaped. I was in the Justice Building saying my goodbyes to him when he first told me he loved me, and I said it right back without hesitation. I was in my living room late at night, watching as he won the Games, knowing that he would come back home to me.

I was sitting on the beach with him when he told me what the Capitol forced him into to protect me. I was in his bedroom when Coin tried to come between us, and I stood up for him. I was at my own reaping, my punishment for taking a stand, where he swore to me he would do whatever it took to keep me alive. I was on the Capitol stage with Caesar Flickerman, announcing to the world my love for him, and I was there again when he proposed to me in front of everyone.

I was running through the tunnels of District 13, trying to find him, when we collided and held each other. I was in our compartment that night where we finally proved our love. I was on a walk with him above District 13, holding his hand and enjoying the sunshine that warmed our skin.

I was walking down the aisle in a room of District 13 to marry him. I was dancing with him at our reception as he told me I was beautiful. I was kissing him as much as I wanted, because I could.

I was anywhere except the Control Room of District 13, because if I were there, I would have to accept the inevitable, and I wouldn’t do that.

I heard some muffled commotion while I walked with him down the beach, but I figured it was just some kids nearby playing the day away. For some reason, when he picked me up to carry me to our compartment in 13, his arms felt different, more feminine, but I didn’t question it.

Then it got dark, and I screamed because I couldn’t find him anywhere and I couldn’t see anything. I screamed for a long time, until my voice gave out and I couldn’t scream anymore. The darkness frightened me, but that’s what it wanted, and I let it consume me.

Finally it gave me up. I was in a small room that was so bright, it hurt my eyes. It was the complete opposite of the darkness. I started to slowly realize that the darkness hadn’t been real, and that this white room was. There was a soft bed under me and a steady beeping somewhere behind me. I heard a voice trying to say something to me, but it was out of focus.

“Annie?” it said, “Annie, can you hear me?”

I tried to say yes, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. I began to panic again, thinking the darkness was coming back for me, when the voice reached out to me. It held my arms down at my sides and said, “Annie, sweetheart, it’s alright. Calm down, Annie, it’s okay. You’re safe now.”

My hands were still clinched into fists, but the darkness let go of me, and I was back in the white room. Things were starting to become clearer, and I could see that the voice belonged to a woman with short brown spiky hair. Something in my brain clicked, and I realized she was a friend. She wouldn’t hurt me. Again, I tried to speak to her, but I couldn’t find my voice.

“You probably won’t be able to talk for a while, or so the Doc claims,” the woman said, and then taking my clinched hand, she continued, “We’re gonna play a little game, okay Annie?”

She massaged my hand until it flattened out. She held my now open palm in her hand and said, “I’m gonna ask you some questions, okay? And if you want to answer yes, squeeze my hand. If you want to answer no, don’t squeeze, okay Annie?”

I found that I could still move my body—the darkness hadn’t taken that away from me—so I squeezed her hand gently.

I think she smiled. “Good. Okay, first question. Do you know where you are?”