Chapter 36.

Finnick

I hadn't been allowed to see Annie since she'd been back, which was exactly two weeks. The weeks apart had turned me into a sort of monster, I was cold and unfeeling to everyone around including Mags. When the women called upon me for dates, I was actually relieved because it got my mind off of her and what they were doing to her in whatever place she had been sent. Over and over I used girls and tossed them away like the capitol had tossed my Annie away, I guess in a way it was my own sort of revenge to them. I got paid with jewels, money, etc but it only left me feeling worse and I scrubbed for hours in the shower after. Without Annie, my life had become empty and endless much like a moonless night. I couldn't function without seeing her, without knowing beyond any doubt that she was alive and alright, or at least alive and safe. Nightmares came more often while I waited and I felt my own mind slipping away as surely as hers had in the arena. We were one in the same and without her I couldn't function.

I had been informed this morning that I would be permitted to see her, if only for a little while. I jumped at the chance and dressed in a haste not paying any mind to what I put on, just wanting to see her face again. I couldn't hold her until we were back in Four but just seeing her would be enough to satisfy my cravings. She was like my heroine, and no one said anything about my excitement maybe because they were happy I was doing something other than staring blankly at a wall. A young man was sent to fetch me and he was currently leading me to a slick, black car outside the training center where I still stayed. He didn't say anything to me, even his offer had been in the form of a note from the hospital. I followed him into the car and fought back the anxiety that grew when I saw that the windows were blacked out. Ever since my time in the arena, I hated the feeling of being trapped but I would do it every day for the rest of my life if I could only see Annie for a few hours.

The hospital was massive, as to be expected and most of it was put to plastic surgery and minor things the capitol's people bothered themselves with. I tried not to roll my eyes when they screamed my name and got my autograph or pictures. I barely flinched as woman after woman draped themselves over me and finally we had made it to the top floor which was held for the winning tribute after the games. I didn't remember much of it, because I hadn't been in it long but looking at it now I found it smelled displeasingly of antheseptic and death. A man came out of practically nowhere nodding the boy beside me as if dismissing him and then turning to me with a fake-looking smile plastered onto his medium blue skin. He had sparkles covering his body and shining a brilliant silver and his eyes were completely emerald green with no pupil or white in it anywhere. It was frieghtening and I shuddered but when he reached his hand out for a shake, I took it trying to ignore the sharp razor-like nails protruding from his skin instead of fingers.

"Hello Finnick, my name is Calic. I am the one assined to Miz. Cresta." He spoke slowly as if I were incompedent and stopped every other word while his accent seemed to carry on in the silences. "It seems your tribute has lost her sense of reality. Her situation is quite delicate."

"Delicate?" I asked suddenly my face unfreezing and my heart clenching in a way I hadn't thought was possible. Was she in critical condition? What if she didn't make it?

"Oh no worries, physically she is as healthy as a horse." He chuckled now bringing a stony glaze out of me.

"Ah, I assume we may see her now then?" I shot back and he nodded before turning crisply and leading me through a door on our right and into a small all-grey room. There were other capitol doctors bustling around without looking at us and Avoxs in the corner serving their every need. I turned my head away in disgust and stared in wonder at a huge mirror-like structure on the far wall. Calic seemed to notice my glance because he nodded and walked to stand next to me.

"That is so we can keep an eye on the patient. She cannot see us, but we see everything." He said in a low tone making me move to the wall instincivly. I saw Annie on a hospital cot in the middle of a blazing white room. There were maching around her and she had in an IV, but she seemed to be awake. She was sitting straight up, her dark hair stringy and in her face with her sea-green eyes covered behind. It seemed to serve as some sort of veil to protect her from everything in here as if she sensed our presence.

"Can we go in now?" I asked excitedly, my hands getting clammy. I ignored his funny look and let him lead me through yet another room and down a thin hallway before we eventually came to Annie's room door. I stepped in behind him and saw Annie move, one eyes peering through her hair. I froze wanting nothing more than to go run to her and hold her for the rest of our lives. Instead I lifted my hand in a half wave. I had expected her to smile, to beg for me to come to her, something of that sort. Instead, her mouth opened with hair falling everywhere and she let out a blood-curdling scream that made me feel like my eardrums were rupturing.

Annie

Darkness, pain, needles, voices. It happened over and over again. They had planted something in me, by my rib cage. Some metal contraption that was a new device they were trying out, Dr. C said it would put images into my mind and help me get along but so far all I saw was horror films in front of me. Blood filled my room threatening to swallow me, dead bodies came to me and whispered my name. Things scratched and bit me and I struggled and fought for what seemed like years until I finally gave up. Instead I became withdrawn and learned to hide behind my hair, trusting no one. Dr. C was nice enough and I began to at least answer his questions sometimes, trying to be polite. But I was terrified. I wanted Finnick, yet at the same time I hated him. Something in my brain told me he was the reason this happened he was why I was going insane. Still, I couldn't make myself believe it. I begged to see him until they finally caved and Dr.C said he'd be in the following morning. I had been up all night and was still up when they walked in. But Dr. C was different. He looked at Finnick with cruel eyes and I saw it happen like a movie. Finnick moved a bit and Dr. C brandished a knife turning into a dead corpse spilling blood and guts. I screamed to warn Finnick but then he just ran to me instead of to safety. I started to cry then trying to tell him, to explain that he was in danger. Dr. C had backed into the wall looking actually scared of me while Finnick sat on my bed whispering reassurances. My eyes widened and I looked at him, my heart beating until I slapped him across the face my fury coming back to me.

"OW what the hell Annie?" Finnick cursed and put his hand to his cheek making me feel smug until my eyes deadened again. It threatened to take me back, into the empty blackness but I fought to stay here in reality to answer him.

"Why haven't you come to me?" I demanded tears coming again. Finnick looked lost, as if not knowing was do to and settled on playing with my hair.

"They wouldn't let me." He whispered so low I almost didn't hear them then I realized why; They must be listening, the ones who were after us.

"They're going to kill us Finn, slowly. It's all my fault, they'll kill you too!" I was pleading again, hoping he'd realize that I was danger but he just put a finger to his lips.

"I'm going to get you out of here soon, Annie. I promise you that alright?" I may have been crazy but I still believed him nonetheless. The voices in my head told me not to, but I argued with them for once because this was Finnick and he'd never tell me a lie. I would trust him until the end, no matter what they tried to make me believe. I saw Dr. C stand up in the side of my eye and winced, knowing he'd ruin my moment with Finnick just because he could.

"Alright, that's quite enough for today. Finnick you may observe until visiting hours are over but you can't see her again until tomorrow." He hissed turning to walk out obviously wanting Finnick to follow. I knew they were watching so I just touched the necklace he still wore that I had given him and nodded before turning from him so I wouldn't start screaming while he left. I'd see him tomorrow I reminded myself, fighting back the shadows when he said goodbye. I could do this, for him. I'd be strong.

AN: so I'm not sure what length this will be but I have limited time so there's not much I can do. Dx. Sorry guys. Five reviews and you'll see chapter 37.