Stay with me? [Finnick Odair]

64

༻❁༺
Chapter sixty four
༻❁༺

Once Johanna has joined us, Beetee shoos is back a bit so he can work with the sand. He sketches a circle in the sand and divides it up into twelve wedges.

"If you were Brutus and Enobaria, knowing what you do now about the jungle, where would you feel safest?" Beetee questions, easing us into the answer.

"Where we are now, on the beach," Peeta shrugs. "It's the safest place."

"So why aren't they here?" Beetee asks, continuing to act like a school teacher, Johanna becomes increasingly impatient.

"Because we're here," she says, rolling her eyes.

"Exactly, we're here, claiming the beach," Beetee confirms, smiling ever so slightly. "Now, where would you go?"

"In the tree-line," I shrug. "It's not the safest place, but I could conceal myself in the trees and watch us," I explain, gesturing my hands towards some easy to see places to hide, it's not difficult to camouflage yourself with the trees; so it's not impossible to think that Brutus and Enobaria would have the same train of thought.

"Also to eat," Finnick adds. "The jungle's full of strange creatures and plants. But by watching us, I'd know the seafood's safe." I nod in agreement as we both turn our attention back to Beetee, a smile placed on his lips, he seems to be proud of how we've figured it out without him telling us anything.

"Yes, good. You do see. Now, here's what I propose: a twelve o'clock strike. What happens exactly at noon and midnight?" He questions further, getting us to put the pieces together instead of just telling us, which is proving to make Johanna very annoyed.

"The lightning bolt hits the tree," Katniss answers straight away.

"Yes. So what I'm suggesting is that after the bolt hits at noon, but before it hits at midnight, we run my wire from that tree all the way down into the saltwater, which is, of course, highly conductive. When the bolt strikes, the electricity will travel down the wire and into not only the water but also the surrounding beach, which will still be damp from the ten o'clock wave. Anyone in contact with those surfaces at that moment will be electrocuted," Beetee explains without taking a breath, giving us a moment to digest what he has said, there's no questioning Beetee's method considering he has made such amazing technologies in the Capitol — it's obvious he knows what he's talking about. 

Nobody seems to know how to question it, anyway, we all just steal glances at each other until someone speaks up. Peeta decides to break the silence. "Will that wire really be able to conduct that much power, Beetee? It looks so fragile, like it would just burn up," he questions, but Beetee doesn't even have to think about his answer.

"Oh, it will. But not until the current has passed through it. It will act something like a fuse, in fact. Except the electricity will travel along it," Beetee explains.

"How do you know?" Johanna snaps, clearly not convinced, Beetee seems surprised at this question.

"Because I invented it," he replies. "It's not actually wire in the usual sense. Nor is the lightning natural lightning nor the tree a real tree. You know trees better than any of us, Johanna. It would be destroyed by now, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," she mutters, frowning.

"Don't worry about the wire — it will do just as I say."

"What about us? Won't this thing fry us too?" I question.

"Yeah, where will we be when this happens?" Finnick nods.

"Far enough up in the jungle to be safe," Beetee assures us, I give a hum in reply and pull my knees to my chest. Talking about the careers being so close, watching us without us knowing where they are, is making me feel uneasy.

"The Careers will be safe, too, then, unless they're in the vicinity of the water," Katniss states, Beetee nods in her direction.

"That's right."

"But all the seafood will be cooked," Peeta adds.

"I don't like that," I mumble, seafood has always been my favourite — obviously — and the idea of all of it going to waste just because of our plan doesn't sit well with me. As they continue talking, I take it upon myself to move back to the water, sitting in the shallows, I drive my knife into the water as soon as an unsuspecting fish swims by. By the time they're done talking, I have at least ten decent-sized fish attached to my belt in a pouch I made after I caught them — I basically just tore off a chunk of my shorts, essentially making them ineffective, but they were still hanging on so I don't have to walk around in my undergarments.

Finnick looks at me weirdly. "What? Couldn't let them go to waste," I mutter, moving past him and helping the others to take down the camp. "So, what's happening?" I ask Katniss.

"Beetee wants to check out the tree first, we'll be heading into the jungle after we break camp," she explains and I nod my head, continuing to stomp out the fire pit we had built, kicking sand over the embers, I make sure there's nothing left of it before joining the others. We head towards the section of the beach that houses the lightning sector and head into the jungle, it's a lot less humid without those jumpsuits on, but the sun still beats down on our heads as we trek up the slope; Finnick and Peeta taking it in turns to carry Beetee.

It takes what seems to be hours to get anywhere close to the tree, even then we still had to continue walking, I was getting tired and desperate for a drink. The water from the trees help, but it would be heavenly to have a cold drink of water right about now.

Katniss takes the lead after Finnick suggests she goes first, seeing as she can somehow hear the forcefield, she takes a handful of nuts and begins tossing them in front of her until one sizzles. That's how we know we've hit the forcefield.

"Just stay below the lightning tree," Katniss instructs. Finnick and I are told to watch over Beetee as he inspects the tree and the others do their own thing, Katniss goes off to hunt, but comes back shortly after the ten o'clock wave hits...