Chapter 12: Victory
Finnick – Game Room
This is all my fault…
I hear Chaff telling someone, "He's making sure your girl is dead." I don't understand and I don't care.
"Shut up, Finnick!" Johanna is shaking me, "The cannon didn't sound!"
Then; it booms. I hear it echo in my ears, reverberate in my soul.
Johanna looks guilty.
Haymitch suddenly shouts, "Two's screen went blank! Finnick, snap out of it! Josie's screen is still on!"
I force myself to look. My eyes are immediately riveted, to the two bodies lying prone on the shore, but they're right. Josie's screen is on. Ash's has gone dark and so has Two's but Josie's is still on. So she must be alive.
But her life-blood is seeping into the ground and staining the river.
One stands in the water and lifts his fist triumphantly.
"I won!" He shouts, the ecstasy and instantly are apparent. "I did it!"
The camera zooms in on Josie's face. I'm aware if everything. Johanna's hands still on my arms, the cold floor beneath my knees, Haymitch breathing heavily behind me and the smell of alcohol on his breath, and Cesar Flickerman's annoying voice: "They must be getting a cannon ready. This is unforeseen! The Games ending in only two days! Such a shame..."
Then, Josie's eyes snap open. I stop breathing.
She carefully, cringing in pain, places both hands flat on the ground and tries to push herself to her knees. She almost shouts in pain. I see her eyes water and she collapses.
One is still crowing in the water.
Josie's eyes focus on him and burn with anger. She carefully reaches out and loads her last harpoon. He hears the sound and turns.
Too late.
She fires and he's hit in the chest.
The mentor from One shouts in dismay but I shout in triumph.
One falls backwards, but is still alive. I see him reaching for a knife.
But Josie, screaming in pain, gets to her feet and run to him. She half-collapses on his chest, pinning his hands down with her knees. She holds his face under the water.
"Trying to kill me near water," she gasps. "Bad choice."
He struggles, his legs thrashing in the water but he soon grows still and doesn't move.
Josie is shaking from the effort and pain.
"You can make it," I whisper. Tears on my face. "C'mon Josie, you can make."
The cannon booms and District One's last screen goes blank.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the winner of the 71st Hunger Games!"
"Damn right," she gasps. Then Josie collapses.
I have to hand it to her, by falling on him, her mouth is above water and she is in no danger of drowning.
Doesn't stop my heart from beating erratically until I finally hold my little sister's hand in mine as they operate.
They try to get me to leave.
It was useless. I'm not going anywhere.
Josie – The Capitol
I probably would've gone crazy if Finnick hadn't been there when I woke up.
As it was, I almost pulled out my IV when I sat up, my back still aching from the memory of the axe.
Song and his assistants were on me like wolves - determined to get rid of the Games. The surgeons had cleaned me already; but they get the little scraps of dirt out from under nails that they filed and painted a soft pink and brushed my hair and curled it and arranged so now it cascades like a waterfall down my back. They painted my eyes so that they look larger and my lips so that they're red. They dress me like a Queen, a warrior Queen of the water with her harpoon. The only thing no one can change is the scar down my back. An wound from an axe is a hard thing cure. Song is finishing me up when I stop him.
"Teach me how to do make-up," I ask quietly.
He looks a bit confused.
"I got the feeling that you liked the natural look, Josephine," he says.
"I do," I reply. A plan is beginning to form in my mind. Another move to finish the Game on my terms. "But the Capitol likes me painted."
Song looks a little sad, but asks his assistants to bring him two busts. He spends the next hour doing simple makeup over and over and having me copy. My attempts look clumsy and childish next to his. But I'll get better.
Sky comes in, almost bouncing with excitement. "It's time for the coronation."
Song hands me a box filled with makeup.
"Blue looks good with your eyes," he tells me. "Gold and amber are for more serious things, dark colors make you look older. And light tones make you look younger." He smiles at me. "I'll see you again, Jo. Congratulations."
His is the only congratulations that I like. I hug him before following Sky.
The crowds love it: the spectacle of showing me off. Snow soon puts the crown on my head.
"Congratulations," he tells me. I almost step back in shock. His breath smells faintly of blood. It's revolting. "Your performance was...surprising."
"Thank you," I reply. I meet his gaze steadily. "I'm good at surprises."
He steps back and regards me with a strange look in his eye. "Would you and your brother accept an invitation to my home tonight before your train leaves?" He asks.
Like we could refuse.
"It would be an honor," I reply.
Snow's office is painted white and red. I hate it instantly. I miss the soft greens and blues of home. This fake brightness caused by the harsh fake lights reflecting off the white and the red like blood is too...terrible. And the chairs we're directed into are stiff and straight-backed, like interrogation chairs. I repress a shiver of disgust. Or fear.
Finnick is silent and stiff besides me. We haven't had time to talk. He doesn't know my plan, and I don't know what he's thinking.
Snow sits down and motions to an Avox servant.
"Can I offer you something? Tea? Coffee?"
I open my mouth to say yes, I don't want to seem rude, but Finnick cuts me off.
"No thank you, we just had some."
I glance at him, as Snow nods and pours himself a cup.
"Fin?" I whisper, so low that Snow can't hear.
"Don't eat. Don't drink," he mutters from the corner of my mouth. I want to ask why. But this is neither the time nor place.
I reach under the table and squeeze Finnick's hand in reassurance, a silent agreement. He squeezes back.
"Finnick and Josephine Odair," Snow begins, "The new Capitol obsession. The brother and sister underdogs that won the game. Poor orphans who only have each other..."
Finnick swallows, I clench my nails into my palms under the table.
Snow looks at us steadily, cunningly, "I don't like underdogs," he says. His voice is too matter of fact. "And I especially don't like underdogs who think they're better than the alpha...who go back on their deal."
He's looking at Finnick now. Finnick nods, and says, "I apologize. Trust me, I will continue in the...ah...business you have placed me in until you feel I'm no longer needed."
"And there will be no silly requests for a premature retirement...?"
"No. I mean, I won't ask for that again."
My hands are shaking under the table. I'm furious. Finnick strokes my knee, trying to calm me down. I remember him crying on the floor after the phone call, it was only a few months ago but it seems like another life time. I want to shout at Snow. Instead, I smile sweetly when he turns his attention to me.
"And you Josephine," he begins. "What should I do with you?"
Finnick's emotions flicker across his face, he loses that care-nothing smile he's been wearing and I feel him tense.
My turn.
"I won't sleep with them," I tell him. I'm not beating around the bush. He doesn't know that he has anything on me. "But I've done a bit of research and a tease is just as...desired...as the actual thing."
Finnick tries not to look shocked at my boldness. Snow looks a bit impressed.
"So you'll strip for them?"
"I'll dance in no more than a swimsuit if you'll show me the same respect as you show my brother," I say.
Translation: they won't see me naked, but I'll please them just the same if you'll leave us alone for it.
Snow nods and extends his hand. We shake on it, then he pulls me closer, I ram my stomach into the table and Finnick jumps to his feet.
"And you will not get any funny ideas," Snow hisses in my ear. "You dance until I say stop."
He lets me go and I get to my feet, backing away. Snow looks at Finnick, "For both of your sakes...and any other people that you want to protect."
We both nod. He smiles, it reminds me of a devil. "You are dismissed."
We're partway out the door when he calls, "Say hello to Annie for me."
The door falls shut and Finnick shudders. I give him and hug.
"Someday..." he whispers into my hair. He doesn't need to finish.
Cesar Flickerman gets me next.
"And there she is! The little sister from District Four! Not so little anymore!"
I smile at him and shake his hand warmly as if he is an old friend. After Snow, I can take anyone.
"Cesar! How wonderful to see you!"
"Always a charmer! And you and your brother have much to celebrate, now you'll be part of life here I hope?"
I laugh, flipping my hair. "Soon. But first I want to feel ocean water under my toes."
"Speaking of water," Cesar says, "You were absolutely phenomenal with that harpoon. Your brother worked day and night to get that sent to you. Specialty items cost extra you know."
I let myself sober up. My heart is pounding. Day and night. A harmless phrase. But it hit too close to home.
"I know. I owe Finnick my life."
"Everyone was rooting for your family not to fall apart."
"Thank you," I say brightly. "I was too."
He laughs. Then, one more thing, "Your ally, Ash,"
My heart almost stops. I see Finnick in the wings, out of the corner of me eye, getting ready to step in.
"Yes?" I say.
"He saved your life, several times, why?"
"I reminded him of his little sister."
Cesar lets the crowd murmur. Before asking, "What would you say to him, if you could speak to him now?"
So many things, Ash, but most of all.
"Thank you," I tell Cesar, "I would simply say thank you."
Finnick - a few months later
Josie screams at night.
I was worried that it would set Annie off, and that I would have two hysterical people to deal with while fighting my own panic. That's the thing about the Games - they never leave you alone. Once you're in that arena, you never actually come out.
Annie still has her own nightmares, I have mine, and now Josie has hers. But, we all protect each other. As if the fear of whoever cries out first keeps the fear in our own hearts at bay.
The first night after our return, Josie screamed in the night. She called out for Ash first, and then for me. Annie and I woke up with a start.
I froze for a second, my heart pounding in my ears, almost jumping out of my chest, before I processed what was happening.
Next to me Annie, my beautiful brave Annie, only whimpered once before suddenly saying, "Finnick, it's Josie. Hurry."
I understood then that as long as it was Josie screaming, Annie would be able to ground herself. There was someone else to protect, so she'd be fine.
I kissed her quickly, but passionately, on the lips and then ran to my sister's room. She was thrashing in her bed, completely tangled in her blankets.
"No! Stop! Stop! She's only a kid! Ash! Finnick! Help!"
"Josie! Josie!" I shook her awake and easily dodged her small fist as it swung for my face. She lay there, gasping and trembling, before throwing herself into my arms and staring to cry.
I stroked her hair, murmuring, "It'll be okay, Josie. You made it. You're okay."
Annie appeared at the doorway when Josie's sobs have quieted somewhat.
"Josie, would you like to sleep with me and Finnick tonight?"
She ended up on one side of me, Annie on the other. All of us clutching each other's hands to ward of the nightmares.
Sometimes, she still crawls in with us. A few times she's simply stood in the dark, watching us before returning to her room. I know the nightmares will never leave - the best we can do is hide them.