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"Patience Finnick. Good things come to those who wait," my father said.
I was eight years old and just learning how to fish. It was later than most boys in District 4 learned, but my family, with my victor father, didn't have t worry about food. We fished for sport. My father sold the fish we caught to the poor district for a low price.
"But Dad, wouldn't we catch more fish if we used a net? That's what Jonathon Verana's father does!" I say.
"True, but we feel much better having to wait for our fish. You must learn how to use the trident," my father says. He motions to the trident in my hand. I'm supposed to be spearing fish with it, but so far, I have no luck.
"But why Dad? If I ever have to fish for food, I'll use a net and get lots of fish! I'd never have to worry about food!" I argue.
My father looked at me, for the first time in five minutes stopping his vigil, staring at the water, waiting for a fish to swim by. He bent down so his face was level with mine.
"Finnick, I fear there may be a time when you must use a trident, not as a tool for fishing, but as a weapon. I have made a terrible mistake, and I fear you might have to pay for it. I cannot prevent this, but I can teach you to fend for yourself," my father said.
"Father, do you mean, the Games?" I ask is a whisper.
"Do not speak of it here. Not anywhere. You must not tell anybody this. Do you understand?" he asked me.
"Yes," I said.
"Good, now I want you to stand here and spear a fish. You must stand still. I'll be back in two hours too check on you. Call me if you need anything," my dad said.
He trudged back to shore. He nodded to the Peacekeeper on duty there. Th Peacekeeper didn't respond. I don't think my father expected or wanted him too.
I turned around, looking at the water, searching the green waves for silver fish glinting in the sunlight.
Suddenly, there was a shriek, and then a splash. Someone had fallen off the dock, landing in the water. I looked back at the Peacekeeper to see if he was going to do anything. Nope. I swam over to where the girl was splashing about and hauled her back to the dock. She pulled herself up on the wood, coughing up water.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
She nods. She has dark carmel colored hair, eyes that perfectly matched the color of the sea, and creamy porcelain skin. Her light skin color was unusual for District 4, most of whom spent their days outdoors, fishing.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Annie Cresta," the girl says.
"Finnick Odair," I say.
Her eyes widen. "Is your dad the victor?"
"Yes," I reply.
She doesn't say anything for a while.
"What were you doing down near the water?" I ask.
"I was going to teach myself how to swim. My family… Well we're not the wealthiest people. My father disappeared a month after I was born. Out at sea. My older brother died in the Hunger Games just this year. Now it's just my mother and I. My mother is very ill, and can barely walk. I never learned how to swim, so I thought that if I could teach myself, I could fish, and then we wouldn't starve, and then I could sign up for tesserae when I got old enough," she says, staring at her hands.
"How old are you?" I ask.
"Seven. How old are you?"
"Eight. Do you want me to teach you how to swim?" I ask.
She nods shyly.
"Come on," I say coaxingly. She slides into the water, and I help her float.
I spend an hour teaching her to swim, and then we dive in and out of the waves. She somehow manages to catch a few fish with her bare hands, and I tell her that she has a talent. When my father arrives to see how I'm doing, he sees Annie and I swimming, laughing, and talking. He see's the bucket with a few fish in it.
"Come on Finnick! Your mother wants you home for dinner!" he called.
"Coming! See ya Annie! Same time tomorrow?" I say.
"Sure! See you tomorrow!" Annie says.
"You can have the fish, you were the one who caught it," I said.
"Thank you!" she said, eyes filling up with tear.
I don't realize until that night that those fish were probably the best meal Annie and her mother have had in a long time. There were four fish, and if they eat two tonight and tomorrow morning, they can sell the other two, letting them use the money for anything they want. I smile. They deserve it.