[Warning.. scenes in Annie's POV are… graphic and extreme.]
Finnick POV
Annie and Dorien have made it to the final eight. Today interviews will be conducted. I miss Annie.. and it's horrible to watch her in the arena. I wish I could see her, in real life, just one more time. Kiss her again. Remind her how much I love her. She blew me a kiss this morning and my longing and anger threatened to over-power me.. I stare at my wedding ring. What would people think if they knew that Finnick Odair's fiancée was in the Hunger Games? I can imagine the shock of the Capitol, the sadness of the Districts. I wouldn't have to sell my body anymore, that's for sure. Over the past few days, Annie and Dorien have gained hundreds of thousands of dollars in sponsor points. It's tempting to send Annie a small gift, but I know I should save the money so if she ever needs medicine she can get it. I look down at myself in disgust… I'm not proud of what it took to gain all that sponsor money. Some people contributed because of Dorien's unexpected heroism and shocking kill, some because of Annie's beauty and unwillingness to bow, but mainly people were… convinced by me. I apparently have thousands of 'lovers' in the Capitol, those who think I actually care about them. Those who think I'm not using them.
Mags and I are lead to our interview spot. Mine, as usual, is first. I'm lead into a large room, chock-full of cameras and reporters. The interviewer is female. Her hair is orange and permed, and she's wearing a see-through white dress that completely exposes her chest. She's tattooed and her eyes are an unnatural neon green, to match her dyed lips and tongue. She's ugly and too-perky. I suppress a sigh and plop down on the plush couch, mentally preparing myself for the questions that I don't want to answer.
The interview was long. I gushed about how amazing my tributes are; and tried my best to convince people to sponsor them. I was asked about Annie's ring, my ring, and I made up charming, smooth lies. Annie has a boyfriend back home. My ring is in remembrance of my family, those who were killed in a … boating accident. Mainly, though, the interview revolved around me. While I was interviewed for about an hour, they only keep Mags for 10 minutes and then throw her out. Mags and I are allowed to watch a portion of the family interviews before going back to the tribute interview. We curl up on the couch and I sigh as I watch them.
They must've forced Annie's father back from the sea only recently; because he looks shocked and sad and surprised. His eyes are still red. Her mother's not there. Her father is asked about Annie's talents and her alliance with Dorien and, of course, the ring. He improvises, and you can clearly see he's bewildered.. he hasn't seen any of the Games. Dorien's father and mother are both solemn, anger and fire in their eyes. They've already lost a daughter, they don't want to lose a son too.. but they will. Only a few questions are dedicated to Dorien, the rest are to his sister.
His sister was the second year I mentored. She always talked about Dorien, not to the cameras but to the other mentor and I. She adored him, and she'd be rolling over in her grave if she knew Dorien was in the Games. She was beautiful, sponsor money was bountiful, and I believed she was going to win. But another tribute got lucky and managed to one-up her.
I have no time to wonder or worry about Annie's mother when officials swoop in to take me back to the tribute room. Nothing is going on. Annie and Dorien are searching listlessly for water, and as usual my heart does a somersault when I see Annie suffering. I go to our sponsor account and am shocked by the amount. It's massive. I can certainly afford to send her some. I want to be unreasonably generous, but I restrain myself and send them one canteen. Annie's face lights up as the small silver parachute floats toward her, and she blows kisses toward the camera. I smile and wish she could see me returning the kisses.
There are only a few mentors left in the room. Those with dead tributes have left; and the atmosphere is tense. The final eight is the most bloody part of the arena. Not much has happened so far. As I stare at the screen, I can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen. Something is going to happen soon…
Annie POV
[Be warned. The scenes in this are graphic .. I think they're really necessary to Annie's character, as much as it pained me to write them.]
Dorien and I walk, with somewhat of a spring in our step. We're trying to find more water. We just finished up nine's canteen, and even though we're hydrated now, it's vital we find more. I'm carrying my back-pack, an axe, and a knife, while Dorien has nine's back-pack and his knife. We're anticipating a battle, and the only plan we have for one is to make sure we have weapons handy at all times.. well, that and making sure we're ready to sprint away at a second's notice. I mention to Dorien the streams on the mountain. As I go on about somehow finding a back-way to them, he gives me an odd look. "I don't think that's a mountain. It's a volcano of some sort, I'm not sure if there's lava in it," My eyes widen. "How do you know?" He tells me how it's shaped like a volcano; and it seems to have the setting of one. He blushes when I ask him how he knows so much about volcanoes, he simply insists that he's seen it in a book.
We go as far as we can, and it's exhausting. It's clear there's no back-way to the volcanoes, and though it's incredibly risky to sneak past Career base, it's discouraging to admit defeat when we've come so far. We're both upset and sad when a streak of silver lights up the sky. Water! Finnick sent us water! I blow adoring kisses to the sky, to my lover. Dorien and I each have a few sips of the canteen, and both of us are energetic again in no time. We each feel that we're deserving of some food, so we pool together the small amount we have. We have only two slices of bread – it's hard, but I give Dorien both slices. He seems hungrier than I feel, and he certainly deserves it. The anthem plays, but there are no faces in the sky tonight. It immediately tenses both of us up, and we're on our guard. The Capitol is getting bored. And we must pay.
"Annie, you should really go to bed. You haven't slept much..," He's right. My eyelids are drooping, and I've been yawning non-stop for half an hour. We hug, to comfort ourselves. "Annie, thanks.. you're.. so kind. Anyone else would've ditched me by now.. you remind me of my sister, or of my mom." He leans his head against my chest and I stroke his hair. "Dorien, get this right. I will not abandon you until I die," He looks happy and shocked. "Keep watch, okay? If you get tired, wake me up." I clutch a knife to my chest, as ridiculous as it is to sleep armed with a weapon. I fall into a dreamless, peaceful sleep. It feels like I've only slept for minutes when someone is waking me up. I want to resist, but I know it's urgent. Dorien's worried green eyes flash into my plate of vision. "Careers," He whispers. I can hear them. They're loud, and they've almost found us. We can't run now. We have to stay here.. I leap up from my sleeping bag and clutch my knife and the axe. I try my best to look threatening, but I have a feeling I'm failing miserably. Dorien holds his knife and looks brave. I kick our supplies out of the way and know there's no way we can keep them or afford to carry them. The Careers strut into our clearing, and as they see us, their eyes light up like they won the jackpot. "Who wants two more kills added to their kill list?" They all bicker good naturedly and chime out with a 'me'. I hate their selfishness, their indifference to taking a human life. I know I'm probably going to die by one of them and I don't care. All I know is that hopefully I'll be taking down one of them with me… preferably that witch from District 1.
Then I realize.. Dorien. How can I protect him and myself? I can't. If I die, so does he. That really messes up my go-down-fighting plan, doesn't it? I know what I have to do. I'll distract them.. while he runs. "Dorien, RUN!" I shriek. That's all it takes for the battle to begin. All the Careers advance on me, but Dorien doesn't run. I want to yell again, but that's when I realize there's an axe flying my way. The District 1 girl is grinning at me, but I'm frozen in place. My legs are jelly. I can't move. I want for the impact. I want for the darkness. It doesn't come.
It happens in slow motion. Dorien whispers to me, "It's easier this way. The one person I love the most is gone. I'll be with her now. You still have someone to live for. Bye, Annie," I hear a thud and a pained cry and it's over. Dorien's head rolls to the ground and lays there. The axe decapitated him. The Careers are frozen. Even they're shocked that they took down a helpless twelve year old, they're horrified that his head lays on the ground. They watch me, wait for my reaction, and even the District 1 girl's expression is that of surprise. I see his head. What was once a smiling, happy child is now a grotesque mask of suffering and extreme pain. He was only twelve. He never had love; apart from me. He hadn't lived. He was my friend..
That's when I go insane. My anger keeps me from thinking straight, as does my sadness, and my thirst for revenge. I pick up the axe that ended Dorien's life and shove it just as easily into the District 1 boy's chest. His cannon booms a second later. By now the Careers are prepared, but I can tell they hadn't expected this in a million years. They're afraid of the manic look in my eyes. The District 2 boy is strong, but I make it look like I'm going for District 1 and carelessly shove a knife in his chest. It takes him a minute to bleed out, and then he's gone too. The District 2 girl is about to launch one of her knives at me when I punch her in the temple and knock her out. I jump on the District 1 girl, and though she's stronger than me, I pin her down for a few minutes. I claw her face as viciously as I can, the rest of my weapons lodged in the internal organs of the other Careers. Her face is a bloody mess and she manages to push me off, and though I expect a fight, she runs away screaming. I want to pursue her, but I don't bother. She'll come back, sooner or later.
I stare at the scene. Dorien's head.. his blonde hair tousled. His face crimson with blood. His green eyes lacking the light that once made him so friendly. I begin to sob, and then turn away. I can't bear to look anymore, so I glance at the Careers I killed. The girl is still knocked out cold, and I take Dorien's knife and slit her throat. I'm covered in blood, and so are they. These… these.. children look so innocent in death. What did they do to deserve this? Why did they do to deserve the wrath of my fury? They train and kill because they have to. They're cold-blooded killers, but underneath, they're just kids. Kids who were made this way because of the Hunger Games.
I retrieve all my weapons and stare at the scene. How could I have done this? How could I have killed them all? The District 1 boy's sapphire eyes are open and lifeless. The ugly wound in his chest is still seeping blood. The District 2 boy, his mouth opened in pleading. His face still in an expression of terror. The District 2 girl. Once so pretty, her hair and face is soaked in blood. And Dorien… his head, detached from his body, lies in the ugly blood-stained grass.
That's the final straw. Dorien. Once my ally, the one I trusted with my life, now… this. I start to scream and tear at my hair and cry. I run as fast as I can, clutching the axe and Dorien's knife in my hand. I finally collapse, and start to sob. I should've cleaned him up. I should've cleaned the Careers up. I should have made them look like they were sleeping children. Now, my last image of Dorien will be his bloody head, his lifeless eyes.
I start to vomit and finally black out. My dreams are of the disgusting scene.. Dorien is fine, and this time it's me who cuts his head off. I picture a horrified Finnick and Mags, disgusted at my actions. I picture my Mother, finally driven off the deep end by my unthinkable killing spree. I picture my community, Panem, viewing me as a horrifying psycho. How could I have killed three people?
I'm a murderer.
I sleep, wake up for short periods, and sleep more. I don't arouse myself, I simply lay on the ground clutching my weapons. None of my sleep is peaceful or restful. I have horrible nightmares and awake as exhausted as I was when I gave in to the blackness. I don't know how long it's been. Sometimes I dream of Finnick, and our engagement. Does he still love me? Or does he know I'm too far gone? I know it's hopeless to think he still cares even a bit for me. Who could love a monster of my level? I glance at my wedding ring, and though I know I should probably take it off my charm bracelet, I can't bring myself to. I know I have to get up eventually. Maybe my brutal, exciting killing spree is keeping the head Gamemaker from murdering me. I don't know.
I hope the District 1 girl finds me soon. As impossible as I would've found this a week ago, I find now that I would welcome death with open arms.