Plenty of Fish in the Sea. (Hunger Games)

Chapter 18

"Johanna."

Finnick said quietly, before breaking out from behind the cover of the trees and jogging down the beach.

I peeked out to see for myself and caught a glimpse of three muddy red figures stumbling toward the water. One of them had short, dark hair and was holding an axe.

"Johanna!" I cried out and began jogging down the beach after Finnick, glad to see that my friend was still alive.

I reached Johanna and wrapped her in a hug, not bothered by the blood she seemed to be covered in. She was already speaking to Finnick and I began to listen to the conversation.

"... All the way deep into the jungle where I thought it was going to be safe. That's when the rain started. I thought it was water, it turned out to be blood. Hot. Thick. Blood. It was choking us. We were stumbling around gagging on it, blind... That's when Blight hit the forcefield. He wasn't much but he was from home."

All the while Wiress from District 3 staggered around us, chanting 'tick tock.'

"What's wrong with her?" Katniss finally asked, glancing to Beetee for answers.

"She's in shock. Dehydration isn't helping. Do you have fresh water?"

"We can get some." Was Katniss's reply.

Finally, Johanna had enough. "Just stop it!" She yelled, as Wiress grabbed her shoulders. Johanna shoved Wiress to the ground and Katniss exploded into retaliation.

"Hey! Get off her!" Katniss lunged forward to pull Johanna away from Wiress, the two of them wrestling for control of the other as Finnick stepped in to seperate them.

"What are you doing? I got them out for you!" Johanna yelled, still being held back by Finnick's arm around her waist.

I sent a quick glance toward Finnick, wandering exactly how we were going to explain that statement to Katniss and Peeta.

Finally I sighed and said firmly, "Alright, enough. Katniss, how about you take Wiress to get cleaned up. Johanna come with me. I snatched up Johanna's hand and marched us both in the opposite direction to where Katniss had begun helping Wiress to the water.

"Come on, I'll help you wash out your hair." I said quietly, guiding Johanna to sit down in the water.  I watched Johanna's face carefully, perfectly aware of her angry state.

"What the hell was that?" She asked finally, "I rescued Nuts and Bolts for her!"

"You shouldn't call them that." I commented, massaging her scalp in an effort to wash out the blood still matted in her hair. "And you need to be careful of what you say in front of the other two." I added.

"You mean Katniss and Peeta? What's that supposed to mean?"

I leaned down close to her ear and whispered, "They don't know about the rebellion."

"But how-" I cut Johanna off before she could continue. "Shh!" I cupped my hands full of water to pour over her head and rinse away the last of the blood.

"You can't be serious." She said, turning to face me.

"That's just how it is." I muttered in reply, straightening to walk back out of the water as my fingers started to wrinkle.

I heard Johanna splashing out of the water behind me and stopped to wait for her. I looked back along the beach and watched as Finnick strode along the sand with his trident in one hand, presumably off to find some water.

Johanna finally caught up to me and had a sly grin on her face as we began our slow walk back to the others.

"Speaking of lovebirds... how are you and Finnick?" She asked with a wink. I rolled my eyes, knowing full well where this conversation was heading.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Oh don't play coy with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about."

I sighed. "I just feel so guilty!" Johanna looked at me quizzically.

"For wanting something I can't have." I elaborated, my eyes wandering back to Finnick who was now sitting on the sand sharing a cupped leaf of water with Beetee.

"If this is about Annie-" I hushed her quickly, knowing we might be within earshot of the rest of the group by now. Johanna glanced at the others before hissing, "We both know she's off her rocker. If you're looking for the right time to make a move on Finnick, it's now... not to mention we will all probably be dead within the next few days."

"You have such a positive outlook on life." I commented with a scandalised look.

"Just something to think about."

Johanna sauntered back to the others, her axe swinging from her hand. I shook my head, Johanna had a way of speaking the absolute truth, no matter how awkward- or brutal it was.

I finally made it back to the group on my own, joining Finnick, Beetee and Johanna who had made themselves comfortable under the canopy of a tree leaning over the beach. Johanna made some room between herself and Finnick, sending my a sly grin, to which I rolled my eyes and smiled. I sat down and got to work starting another fire.

Katniss then came striding out of the water with Wiress in tow, looking strangely excited.

"It's a clock! It's a clock! She exclaimed. Wiress still stumbled up the sand chanting her favourite phrase of 'tick tock' over and over.

"What are you talking about?" Johanna asked snarkily, however she had lost the element of anger in her voice that had been there earlier.

Katniss joined us on the sand and began to explain. "This entire arena seems to be laid out like a clock, with a new threat every hour but they stay only within their wedge. It all starts with the lightning, then the blood rain, fog, monkeys. That's the first four hours. At ten that big wave hits from over there." Katniss points to the area across the water where the huge wave had washed through the trees.

I abandoned my attempts at fire making and instead straightened to take in the arena, I couldn't help but notice that Finnick had done the same and that his hand now rested on the sand behind my back, his forearm brushing against my skin as I breathed in and out.

I shook my head and focused back on the arena, finally realising how the arena's circular shape resembled a clock, with each two pedestals in the water within each 'wedge' as Katniss had put it, were meant to represent a number on a clock.

"You're a genius Wiress!" Finnick smiled at the poor woman who had taken to rocking back and forth on her knees. She replied with a pleased "tick tock", and returned to staring out at the water.

Ok guys, here's another chapter for those of you who have been asking for an update. Sorry I haven't written in a while, I just don't have the time anymore now that I'm in university. However, as I've mentioned before I will be continuing with the story... just very, very slowly. Anyways, hope you all enjoy!