RUINS ( FINNICK ODAIR ) ✓

xix. ━━ lightning strikes

· 。ﾟ☆: *.☽
▎ RUINS   ▎
»»————-　act one. uneven odds
NINETEEN ━━ lightning strikes

before you start a war, you better
know what  you're fighting for

— the cab

MAKING A TURN TO THE LEFT, ERIN RUSHED THROUGH the thick jungle her heart thunping rapidly against her ribcage and she could hear someone running not far behind her. The sound of hurried feetsteps grew louder and without any warning she was tackled to the ground and the force of impact had the wind knocked out of her.

She coughed hoarsly before kicking her attacker hard in the shine. She stumbled to her feet grabbing her katana firmly in her hands as she watched Brutus standing across from her a sinister smile on his face with blood drippling down his chin.

Erin's mouth turned into a snarl as she watched the man approaching her. Brutus had no weapons, but that didn't mean he couldn't win.

Erin was suprised by his sudden movement as he knocked her down again, making her drop her katana out of reach.

Erin screamed, thrashing underneath his heavy weight as he tried to strangle her but she fought back with all her strength while scratching his eyes.

For a moment he lost his grip and Erin managed to flip them over and put him a choke hold trying to strangle him now.

He trashed underneath her grip but she didn't falter. He let out a deranged laugh before elbowing her in the chest throwing her back to the ground as he threw punch after punch in her face, his thick knuckles crashing into her  jaw.

Erin could taste the familiar metallic blood in her mouth, the throbbing pain growing as blood streamed down her face.

Brutus sent in another hit and Erin barely managed to dodge the incoming blow.

She rolled to the side when he tried go kick her in the ribs and she swiftly grabbed her katana again without a second wasted she launched forward stabbing him right through his chest.

His eyes were still wide in shock as he pulled her weapon back out and she dropped to he knees, breathing hard.

She could see blood dribbling down his suit and a cannon went off, echoing in the eerie and dark jungle. 

"Erin!" Desperate shouts sounded through the jungle. "Erin!" 

Erin watched as Finnick came into view his eyes wide and wild as he searched for her and when his eyes fell on her bloodied figure on the ground his heart rate picked up as he rushed to her side.

"Erin?" He asked grabbing his face in his hands, pushing her brown hair out of the way. "Talk to me."

"F-Finnick." Erin wheezed out while trying to look up at him.

"Are you alright?" He asked again.

"Nothing I can't handle." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his body and burying her head inside his chest. "I'm fine. I'm fine." She repeated.

"W-We have to f-find Johanna and g-get back to K-Katniss ," She breathed out blood pouring from the wound on her head. 

Finnick nodded helping her stand back up again before she wrapped her arm tightly around his neck to help her walk as they made their way back to the lightning tree. Both oblivious as to where Katniss was. 

Finnick's grip around her waist was strong as the two carefully trekked through the jungle both on high alert, the hard expression on his face saying more than words while her determination didn't fade from her eyes even in the poor condition she was in. 

Erin knew the tree was a few yards away from them and suddenly a flash of light erupted ahead, and Erin mind immediately went to Beetee. "Beetee." She stated looking at Finnick with wide eyes.

Faintly, the two could hear Katniss yell in the distance, "Peeta! Peeta!" 

Finnick looked ahead and started walking faster, hauling Erin with him.

Rushing into the clearing, Finnick and Erin panted as they saw Beetee lying motionless on the ground a few feet away from them.

"Katniss, where are you?" Finnick shouted as his eyes swept the area and to his surprise, Katniss was crouched down behind a bush, her arrow aimed straight at them

"Katniss?" Erin called out carefully taking a step closer. "What are you doing?" She asked dropping her katana to the side while Finnick dropped his trident and raised his hand in surrender, locking eyes with her.

"Katniss." Was the only thing his brain could come up with in this situation before saying "Remember who the real enemy is." 

Slowly, Katniss lowered her bow and looked up at the sky, the clouds swirling above the tree to indicate that the lightning was about to strike the tree.

"Katniss, get away from that tree!" Finnick shouted at her.

She ignored him and instead started to wrap piece of the copper wire around her arrow and aimed it upward.

Erin eyes widned in shock as she took another step forward. "Katniss no!"

Finnick desperately took a step forward. "Katniss, get away from that tree!" 

Katniss shot the arrow once she saw lightning flash down, a scream ripping from her throat. Finnick was flung back by the explosion and he watched with wide eyes as he saw Erin being flung close to him but her head made a hard impact with a tree trunk. She didn't move, her eyes were closed and from where he was it looked like she wasn't breathing either.

And then everything was black.

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