Tear It Apart⇸Finnick Odair [2]

05

It wasn't long after the others had left for the night and she was spread out on her stomach, an incredibly loose shirt pulled on on the healing salve that her door burst open and blinding light was jerking her awake along with the noise. It was instinct for her to try and push herself up, but her arms shook and a splitting pain tore through her back. She collapsed forward, a whimpered cry falling past her lips, and she tried to shuffle herself away instead, certain that she was only hurting herself pointlessly instead.

Gloved hands yanked her from the bed and she screamed at the motion, curses leaving her before she had thought it through. Kicking her legs out at the people who tried to grab them, pulling her into the hall and as she looked over her shoulder, spotting Johanna and Peeta in a similar position with a trembling Annie being shoved along.

Something primal and angry burst in her chest, smothering her pain enough for her to fight harder - her bare heel smashing into the viser of a peacekeeper grabbing at her and she snarled with white teeth and lips pulled back. She hit them as best she could, the sound of her whimpered name making her heart beat echo in her ears and before she knew what had happened I needle had been pushed into her neck.

She didn't like the way they looked at her, thousands of eyes of thousands of people with this brilliant, wonderful fascination as they marvelled with all this stupid, unknowing admiration.

Not one of these people could understand what it was like to have this ever constant warmth on her hands that were now stained red no matter how hard she scrubbed and scrubbed at her skin or no matter how completely raw they became. She was haunted with it, the sight of her fingers wrapped so painfully tight around that rock and the ruined ruined boy that had been beneath her.

Still she smiled at them and ducked her head when they called her name to hide each grimace and flinch from prying eyes.

Terra couldn't understand what made her so interesting to all these people when she was here as a mentor for the District 10 girl, only a year since her own Games and the same age as the one that she had followed silently off the train. They continued to scream for her though and Azolla game her a push forward, encouraging her to take the spotlight, and she grabbed hold of her first tribute, Bulla, by the hand and pulled her along hoping to parade her around in her place. If they could love her more, could see her more and she might have a chance to survive. District 10 had always been so underestimated, especially since they were currently one of the leading districts in number of Victorsb even if only by sheer luck.

Bulla, someone she had known growing up, an old friend before her world had ended, was good enough to survive this and she would do all she could to help her.

They were ushered into a building and the tributes were guided away. Lux moved ahead before they were shepherded and she followed after his with clumsy steps, unsure and nervous of how she should act and what she should do.

The series of long hallways lead them to a large, glaringly white waiting room with fancy sofas and a spread set out. There were screens high up toward the ceiling displaying the Capitol insignia and Terra suddenly realised that this is where they were intended to wait until they were set to meet with the Tributes after the parade.

Her stomach dropped, head dizzy, and she wanted to run far, far away because she knew there was blood on her hands despite nobody else being able to see it.

Maybe it was the way she felt partially broken, and so isolated and alone. She got home and was abandoned by her people, disowned by her family, and had only had the privilege of social conversation 6 months ago when she had gone on tour and every horrible moment away from home afterwards. She couldn't find companionship with the other Victors of her District, not when they were raised on the same ideals and belief systems, not when she knew that Marium had lost her own tribute and Terra couldn't remember properly if she had been at fault for that. She couldn't burden them with the pressure of her conscience when she knew they all must feel the heavier weight of their own.