Chapter 7- The Illness
Unfortunately, my nightmare returned. It was scarier than ever. Instead of my mother completely disappearing, she molded into Finnick. Finnick's eyes turned red and his teeth changed into shark's teeth. Then, he attacked me. I swam through the bloody lake until he caught me but, just as he was about to bite into my throat, I woke up to find sweat dripping down my neck. What a wonderful imagination I have sometimes. I think sarcastically.
I kiss my father on the forehead to note good morning (even though he is still deeply snoring) and change to look suitable. As I am sweeping the front porch, something isn't right. Then, I notice it. There is no humid breeze choking me today. Instead, it has been replaced with the smooth air of the season of Fall. In the Capitol world, people would be celebrating its arrival; they would be excited about new trends in fashion, the beautiful world of winter. Here, in District 4, children will be running back to school with a brand new fear tingling through their spines: The Hunger Games.
It's like a slap in the face…remembering it. In my time with Finnick I completely forgot about the cruel event. It sickens me that the Capitol people call it 'entertainment.' I count the slips that will have my name on it this year…14. My heart sinks. No it can't be 14 Annie! But I count again and end up with the same result. Father will be furious but, I can't help it that in Winter the ice freezes over and fish stop biting. This means that fishermen don't need supplies, which means that there is close to nothing in the cashier box on the cold winter nights. Tesserae was the only thing that kept food on our table. I was forced to take it out and put more and more slips with my name into the bowl. And if the odds aren't in my favor, I will be forced into The Hunger Games. I shake the thought away. Annie you are over thinking it. You will cross that bridge when you get there.
"Hey let me take over that for you." I jump at the sound of Finnick's voice and he chuckles, "Just me boss."
"What did I tell you about calling me that?" I respond with a kiss on his cheek. He smiles and returns sweeping.
Something is still not quite right. Father hasn't yelled good morning yet like he usually does. I haven't even heard his wheels against the floor. By routine, he should have gotten up about 1-2 hours ago. I go in to check on him because I know he hates oversleeping.
He's not snoring. Out of panic, I scream his name and try and shake him awake. I guess Finnick heard my screaming because he is right beside me in seconds.
"Get the doctor Finnick! Get the doctor! He's not waking up!" I scream at the top of my lungs.
I'm still shaking the man with no response. I don't know how long I do so. All I know is that somebody-the doctor- is prying me away from the room. I scream so loud that my ears ring but I don't care.
"That's MY father!" I keep on screaming and screaming even though the door is already closed.
Suddenly, arms enclose me. I know it's Finnick. He brings us down to the floor, and cradles me until there are no more tears to cry. Even after that I stay in his arms.
"What if… he doesn't wake up Finnick?" I manage at last.
He puts his finger to my lips. "He's okay Annie. The doctor knows what he's doing."
The door to my father and I' s bedroom door creaks open and the doctor walks out…his forehead decorated with beads of sweat.
"I'm sorry about my…screaming." I say.
"It's quite alright." He says. He's a dark skinned man who always has a serious look to his face.
"Is he alright?" I stand up from Finnick and I's position.
" This is unlike anything I have ever seen. It seems that he has over-exerted himself the last couple of weeks and had a heart attack in the middle of the night. Then after that he slipped into a coma."
I can't talk. Words cannot escape my mouth.
"Will he be okay?" Finnick asks from behind.
"Hard to say. I would spend some time with him the next couple of days just in case."
"Thank you sir. Let me show you out." Finnick shakes his hand and the doctor is gone.
I am standing exactly where he left me. I cannot move. It takes a while before I remember to breathe.
"Annie. He'll be okay." Finnick says. We are in the same position we were before the doctor interrupted. I start shaking from fear.
"It's my fault. It's my fault. I let him work. I knew he was sick. It's all my fault." I can't stop shaking.
Finnick grabs my face in his hands and makes my eyes meet his. Carefully he says, "Annie, don't you dare blame this on yourself. I won't let you."
Then the sobs begin again. I don't know how long Finnick and I sit there on the floor. He stays though…just rocking me back in forth. He doesn't talk. He understands that no words will soothe.
"I want to see him." I barely whisper.
"You sure?" Finnick asks.
"Yes…I'm sure."
With Finnick's arm around my waist, we walk through the door. There he lies. The doctor put a moist cloth on top of his chest but, other than that nothing has changed. He looks 10 years younger when he sleeps.
"You know, my great grandfather went into a coma. They told my mom that when people are in a coma they can hear everything you say," Finnick whispers. "She said it made her feel better to talk to him."
I try his suggestion. I sit by my father's bed and grab his hand.
"Hi Dad. Sorry for screaming…I just got scared. I'm going to be right here until you wake up alright? I know you'll wake up. I'm sorry for letting you work so long. I just liked to see the smile on your face."
I don't know how I generated more but, tears come again. Finnick strokes my hair to soothe me. After about an hour, there are officially no more tears in my system.
"Do you want me to stay Annie?" He asks in a hushed voice.
"Your parents are probably worried."
"Do you want me to stay?" He says and tilts my face to meet his.
"Of course I do Finnick," I respond.
"Then it's settled."
He grabs a pillow for us to sit on and drapes us with a blanket.
I needed a distraction from this cruel event. I needed to make my mind go elsewhere…even for just a moment.
"Why did you save me that day? When the peacekeepers came? You didn't even know me. I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't" I have been wondering about it for some time now.
"I just figured that a newspaper to the face wasn't a nice way to introduce myself. I have kind of been admiring you from a distance, the way you took over the store when you were just 11 years old. I could have never done that. I wondered about you: why you haven't given up yet, how you managed to do it. You were very…interesting to me. And I wanted to make myself known to you because I wanted to see who you were. I guess, in a way, you … crept up on me through the years," he says with a smile.
I blush and he laughs, "Why did you always look at me when I delivered your newspapers?" He asks.
"Oh. You noticed that?" I ask and he nods. "Because I thought you were pretty. But in a manly way of course."
And we both laugh. Somehow, in the middle of the night, we find sleep. I have not a dream nor a nightmare. Instead I have deep dark sleep. Suddenly, I feel something squeeze my hand and awake immediately. I feel the squeeze again and look to see father's hand still in mine. He squeezes once more and I turn to look at him. His eyes are barely open, like it is painful for him to do so. He slowly lifts his hand to touch my cheek.
"I love you, my seabiscuit," he barely mumbles. With that, his hand goes limp and his eyes shut once more. His chest no longer rises.
"What is it? Is he awake?" Finnick asks.
"No Finnick, he's dead." I respond. And the tears start again.
