𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫

THIRTY-FIVE

xxxv. District Twelve

The flight to District Twelve was quieter than Finnick had expected, though the silence didn't bother him. Under the rumbling of the hovercraft's engine, he laid back peacefully and watched as his peers got lost in their own imagination – in other worlds that were far better than the one they were trapped in. At some points in their hour-long journey, even he joined in, closing his eyes instead to find what memories his mind would conjure up.

Glancing over at Katniss, he saw as she stared down at her fingers blankly. There was no doubt she was nervous to see the destruction of her home once again.

He moved his eyes to Cressida who was fiddling with her camera along with her two other cameramen. His eyes followed up the thorn tattoo scattered across the side of her shaven head, wondering what she must've looked and dressed like back at the Capitol. There was no doubt he could've picked her from the crowds of men and women clad in the usual Capitol fashion.

Meanwhile, Gale sat in the corner of the hovercraft, nearest to the exit. His face was somber and expressionless, though Finnick followed his mindless gaze to find that he was staring at Katniss' sleepy figure. If this had been any other day, in any other world, he would've laughed.

Eventually, Finnick tightened his grip on the strap of his seatbelt, messing with it to pass the time as his thoughts continued to wither away into nothing. It was only a matter of time until the hovercraft made a horrendous screeching noise had everyone on board gotten ready to exit.

Finnick stood from his seat, stretching his muscles as Gale handed him a rifle. He eyed the weapon momentarily before strapping it over his shoulder, silently praying he wouldn't have to use it any time soon.

His mind wandered back to his very brief training session with Ace in the armory, in which he'd panicked with his first shot and nearly dropped the firing weapon onto the floor.

A blinding light filled the small room as the door opened, forcing Finnick to cover his eyes slightly as they neared the ground. With a friendly shove from Gale, he proceeded off of the platform, jumping onto the dirt-covered landscape below.

When the light had adjusted and Finnick uncovered his eyes, his mouth instinctively fell open in shock, as the sight came into view. Miles and miles of endless debris from the giant concrete buildings that once stood. Though the closer he looked, the more he saw the remains of what once lived in District Twelve.

Cressida and Katniss prepared to shoot ahead, while Gale and Finnick stood back. The loud engine of the hovercraft faded away as it flew into the sky, leaving behind an eerie quiet.

"Oh my god," Finnick muttered under his breath, choking on the dust that filled his lungs.

Katniss took the lead with cameras pointed at her. She gazed over what was left from the Justice Building, a mixture of distraught and exhaustion on her face.