Johanna POV
We sat on the beach as the sun started sinking below the tree line. Iris sat alone cradling her arm. She pulled a knife from her belt and looked up at the sky. It seemed she was contemplating something. There was cannon fire again and a hovercraft appears. It dipped down five different times to collect the scattered body parts of a tribute. I wonder how that happened.
The anthem plays in the sky and Iris looks down at her forearm. Another 7 tributes were dead. That makes 15 in total. The faces of Mags, Blight, Wiress, Cashmere, Gloss, the female tribute from 6, and the district 10 male appeared in the sky. Iris sat and made the additional cuts in her arm. I found myself staring at her. Tinges of red danced across her hair in the orange sunset. She was strange but there was no doubt that she was beautiful, especially in this light. I mentally smacked myself. What are the thinking Johanna?
I tried to resist but I was being drawn to her. So I gave in and sat beside her in the sand. "Do you mind?" I asked her. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, a shadow of a smile playing on her lips. "Usually people ask before they sit, but I doubt anyone would refuse you. You'd scare them too much." She said softly, pulling her arm out of my view. I couldn't hold back the laughter at her comment. She was watching the sun going down. It almost made her eyes look like they were on fire. The orange and pink of the sky reflected back in her eyes. I found myself transfixed.
Her head turned and she looked at me. My stomach felt like a lead balloon suddenly. My throat felt like it was swelling and my palms started sweating. I wanted to say something; anything to break her gaze. She smiled and turned her head back to the sunset. "It's a shame we're here under these circumstances." Something danced in her eyes. It resembled pain, maybe even longing. For a moment I had forgotten we were in this arena. I looked at the sinking sun too and managed a nod. My heart raced.
Days before, I had found those piercing eyes disturbing, dark and empty; but now in this magnificent light I could see that she was as damaged as I was. "How's your arm?" I managed to say, although my voice sounded hoarse. She shrugged, her uninjured shoulder brushing ever so slightly against mine. "I've had worse." When did I become so suddenly aware of her? I felt light headed. The last rays of the sun were disappearing. "We should go back." Her eyes locked onto mine. My lead balloon stomach suddenly fluttered and my breath caught in my throat. She stood; but before I could stop myself my fingers closed around her wrist. I let go, realising what I was doing and cleared my throat. I mumbled about getting water and went off into the trees.
When I returned, I couldn't look at her. I was being stupid. Why was I feeling like this? I stayed near to the trees. We would have to go to that lightning tree to hook up Beetee's wire if we wanted to fry those district 2 tributes. I must admit, something about the plan felt wrong; like there was an alterior motive behind it.
I felt a presence behind me. I turned, ready to land a blow but a hand caught me by the wrist. Finnick motioned for me to follow him into the trees. He hugged me and whispered in my ear. "Tonight, if nothing else, cut those trackers out. Get yours out too." He smiled at me and pulled me along to where everyone was sitting or sleeping. I lay down on the sand and closed my eyes, realising how tired I was.
I dreamed of hazel eyes. Swimming in them; no, I was drowning in them. The flames licked at me, but it wasn't burning me. It warmed me to the deepest part of me and calmed the storm within. All the anger I had pent up melted away and I felt like I could breathe for the first time.
I woke with a start. My lungs constricted again and I felt the calmness of my dream dissipate. It was dark but everyone else was asleep. The weight of the situation crashed down on me. I wanted so badly to be back in that dream. I wiped angry tears from my eyes and sniffed. "Fuck all this." I mumbled. "Yeah, just fuck everything." Her voice climbed from my toes up my spine in a shiver.
Iris sat a few yards away, leaning against a tree. "Do you ever sleep?" I asked her, trying to sound annoyed with her, but failing miserably when my voice cracked a little. She just shrugged and twiddled a stick in her fingers. "Do you always shrug when someone asks you a question?" I asked, trying to lighten my tone. There was a sound of sleep mumbling a little way away. Katniss was talking in her sleep, wrapped in Peeta's arms. Iris chuckled softly and motioned for me to come closer.
I got up and strode over to her, sitting cross legged next to her. "Now we can talk without waking everyone up." She smiled. "I don't always shrug. I'm just not very talkative." I watched her twiddle her stick. "I noticed." I said. "How long was I asleep?" She shrugged and replied, "Probably an hour tops." I smacked her shoulder playfully. "Shrugging is so... impersonal." I nagged her. She laughed, trying to keep her voice low. We sat quietly for a while. My heartbeat was so strong and fast that I'm sure she could hear it pounding.