Annie Cresta- Beyond the Sea

Chapter 27

Was I dreaming? Was I seeing things? Or was this really Finnick?
I didn't know; I couldn't know. Seeing his reflection meet my gaze after everything that's happened- it should be a relief. But I feel numb.
He reached out his hand and stroked my face, although my nerves seemed to have failed. His usually warm soft touch just felt like the cold arena water. So I couldn't tell if he was real. He could just be some trick the Capitol was playing on me, he could lock his hands around my neck any second.
That thought scared me, so I hesitantly swam up to the surface, after giving him one last look. I missed him. And I wanted to see him one more time. I wanted to tell him everything.
My head popped out of the water, and then two canons sounded. Dart and Astrid's heads appeared in the sky. Their faces looked forlorn, although steady. They must've drown or hit their head on a rock. But it didn't make sense, they swam just fine when they dragged me to the cornucopia. Suddenly, the answer to my mystery came crashing down on me. Really, it crashed down on me.
I didn't see it coming, but another colossal wave came and hit my head like a baseball bat. It had to be at least thirty feet high; it almost completely ripped my backpack off my shoulders. Forcing water into my mouth, flooding my nose, and down into the deepest part of my lungs. I couldn't breathe. My lungs were screaming for air. Pain blossomed in my chest and forehead, and began spreading everywhere else, like a contagious disease.
The wave sent me deep down under the water. My chest felt like it was going to explode, I was so far down. My ears rang, and my body was still stinging from the cuts everywhere. I thought I was dead. I couldn't win this. Bello was this years victor. That's how it always was going to be.
A flashback popped into my mind.
The wave's aggressive arms pulling me back, violently forcing me in one direction. It becoming very hard to keep afloat. Trying to scream, but having more water pour into my mouth than words pour out. Almost a minute under the water and six-year-old me passes out, just as a similar sized hand reaches down and bracelets my wrist.
When I first woke up surrounded by people, it wasn't his voice I heard, but it was his eyes I saw.
"Did I save her?" he asked, after a minute of gazing. He was so hopeful. I still missed the innocence the games stole from him.
"Hardly. She's gotta fight for herself now." A sigh. A light breeze blew some sand onto my face, and I became aware of how soaking wet I'd become. "If she makes it, you have to teach this kid how to swim."
Another thought crossed my mind. Everyone was waiting for me back home. I needed to live. For Finnick and my grandmother and anyone else who had cheered me on even once.
For myself.
With all my strength, I kicked my legs. The pain in my chest reached an inferno, but I had to keep going. I swam to the surface as fast as I could without hurting myself. It was a long way until I reached it, but I did reach it. Eventually.
Coughing and gasping, trying to get the water out of my lungs, I swam to a tree top sticking out of the water. I rested my hands on it, only my upper body visible. I was shaking so hard. The whole ordeal reminded me of the flashback: coming to, vomiting saltwater, feeling as though I'd been tossed in a washing machine and left to drown. I just sat there and breathed heavily, my chest heaving up and down, up an down; lifting my body with it.
I took a good fifteen minutes to breathe and expel all the water, when another parachute sailed out of the sky. I caught it, opened it, and read the note.

Annie,

The finale has begun. It's you against District 1. Shes a career, be careful. I can't say if she'll be hunting you right away or not, but chances are, she'll be recovering slightly longer than you, even if you're hurt. She can't swim like we can;). You can do this. A surprise is waiting for you when you get home. Now win this, and come back to the safety of our home. We don't want the Capitol hurting you anymore.

-Finn and Mags

I stuffed the note in my jacket pocket as a lucky charm. I opened the parachute to find an orange and a fishing hook. I plopped a piece of the fruit in my mouth and put the hook in my pocket. The waves have died down, I noticed. But I knew it wasn't over. The Capitol always added some sort of deadly animal or something to make the finale interesting and make sure all of Panem is watching. It's sick how they always did this.
With my trident ready, I swam over to the cornucopia silently. I just wanted to get this over with, wether I was dying or winning.
Bello was in the corner, crying.
Why? I didn't know. There's a lot is possibilities. Maybe she really liked Dart and Astrid. Maybe all the regret is catching up to her.
Maybe they broke her, too.
I climbed in the cornucopia, purposely being somewhat loud. I wanted her to turn around and fight me. Well, really, I wanted to win and go home. But Bello just continued to cry in the corner. It didn't sound fake, so either this wasn't a trap to get me to go closer to her, or she was a very good actress. For my sake, I guessed she was a very good actress, and readied my weapon. Finally, she stood up, axe in her hand. But tears were still streaming from her face, leaving clean tracks on her filthy, saltwater face.
"Before we end this, and one of us wins, I just want to say I'm sorry," she said. A pause. That's not what I was expecting. I kept my guard up. It was brave of her to do that, I partially felt bad I misjudged her. But I could never forgive Bello for what she did to Dallas, or Safiya, or anyone else she brutally murdered. They deserved better than that. But I just nodded and said, "I- I guess I am, too.."
Then, out of complete nowhere, she threw her axe at my head.