Title: Yacht

Written For Caesar's Palace Summer Olympics Challenge (Cycling Road)

1,081 words of actual story

Hunger Games

Pairing(s): Odesta, onesided Finnick/OC

Short Story

Only five Victors are desperate or foolish enough to travel to Clamson Beach on the mangrove coated fringes of District 4. All five travel at varying speeds; one lazy, one leisurely, one excited, one limping, slow, and one frantic, hopeful, really. Five Victors arrive at the hidden blue gray shack, hidden by a cluster of mangroves, drenched by the salty sea and weathered by the whipping sea breeze. Five Victors meet with thin smiles as night falls and they wait for Finnick Odair.

Guinevere Harthen of District 10, Victor of the 67th Annual Hunger Games, grins as she rides lazily over to her next door neighbor, District 4. Her driver is plump, like her, but not rich like her. Guinevere is the perfect example of an outer District Victor gone sour. She gorges on food, burrows herself in money and men and jewelry. She lives luxurious, lazy life, and when she receives the note saying that Finnick Odair is throwing a secret yacht party, she doesn't think twice. Guinevere Harthen loves a good party, after all. What could be so wrong about this one? Guinevere is the third party guest to arrive.

Chaise Lungs of District 1, Victor of the 54th Annual Hunger Games, takes his time preparing for the rave that will definitely happen on Finnick Odair's yacht that night. He calls up his private hovercraft and boards, telling the driver to take his time, to fly leisurely. Chaise is good friends with Finnick. Finnick won't mind if he's a bit late. He enjoys the ride, and tips his pilot after he departs from the craft. Finnick Odair can surely throw a mean party, and Chaise is a great party goer. Chaise Lungs is the fourth party guest to arrive.

Lynna Johnson of District 6, Victor of the 61st Hunger Games, races excitedly down the streets, looking for someone to drive her to the yacht party. She finds a Peacekeeper who is happily willing to take her. For a few coins, of course. She gets in the Peacekeeper's old jalopy. The thing is breaking down and not very fast, but Lynna's spurring and excited aura make the Peacekeeper drive quickly. By the time the sun is setting, Lynna Johnson has arrived at the shack. She will make Finnick Odair love her now. He cannot avoid her advances any longer, even if he is dating that crazed Annie Cresta girl. Lynna Johnson is the second party guest to arrive.

Needle Montgomery of District 8, Victor of the 13th Hunger Games, takes his sweet old time driving his broken down pickup to the yacht party. He does not like parties. He does not like noise. He does not like people, really. But he especially does not like the Capitol. Needle is convinced that this party is secretly a rebel meeting. After all, Finnick, Beetee, and the Mockingjay have all escaped the arena, it seems, if his sources are correct. They are safe in 13. What if this is a message from Finnick, telling any rebellious Victor that the way to join the rebellion is to meet at the shack? Needle Montgomery is the fifth and final party guest to arrive.

Annie Cresta of District 4, Victor of the 70th Hunger Games, hesitantly rips open the letter. She sees the words "Finnick" and "party" and "meet you there", and she is already bawling. Finnick...alive? Her baby, her lover, her fiance? Tears flood from her eyes. The word flood brings her back to the arena, and she stumbles inside before she starts screaming as the events of the 70th Games play in slow motion in her head. She watches Seaward's head fly from his shoulders, courtesy of the boy from 1's blade. She watches the water pour in. She watches as the poor 13 year old from 9, who Annie had been chasing, drowns ten feet away from her. Annie screams until she can't any more. Then she packs her things and runs to the shack, to the mangroves, to her lover. Finnick has come back for her. Annie Cresta is the first party guest to arrive.

The five Victors spot the yacht when it's about a quarter mile out from the beach. Multicolored strands of light glitter across it, and people are already aboard the ship, partying and drinking and laughing and having fun. Guinevere and Chaise share and excited look, liking the looks of the party. Lynna is shaking with excitement; seduction is already bubbling through her veins as she thinks of the ways to seduce Finnick. Needle is baffled. Is this actually a simple party, and he over analyzed the message? And Annie is pushing back tears. Finnick is on that boat. Her love is so close. She can feel it.

The yacht arrives, and the five Victors climb aboard, some hesitantly, others quickly, ravenously. Guinevere and Chaise fade into the party immediately, grabbing flutes of the nearest drink and pouring them down their throats. Lynna starts asking everyone where she can find a bathroom so she can change into her seductive dress, and Annie and Needle ban together to search for Finnick. It's strange, Needle realizes, that most of the people on the yacht have painted faces, glittering nails, strange ornaments. Then he realizes somethign that makes him stop right in his tracks and start running for the exit.

All of the party goers are Capitol citizens.

It's already too late for them, though. Guinevere and Chaise are already dead, their drinks poisoned with liquid nightlock. Lynna has a gun pressed up against her head, courtesy of a hidden Peacekeeper. Lynna screams Finnick's name as the bullet enters her head. And a dozen or so Peacekeepers encircle the cowering pair of Annie and Needle. One Peacekeeper kicks Needle in the chest, and he goes into cardiac arrest from fright. They leave him there to die as the yacht is evacuated of the gloating Capitol citizens. Some are sad to see some favorite Victors dead, but it's either the Victors' lives or theirs. So they comply.

The Peacekeepers take hold of Annie, handcuffing her, kicking her to silence her sobs, her screeches, all of it inhuman. They shove her in the pantry of the kitchens and lock the door. Annie weeps in the musty, dark sliver of a room.

And the yacht sails towards the Capitol, its ride easy and short. Smooth sailing indeed.