Chapter 17: I'm okay
Annie's P.O.V
Drip. Drip. Drip.
There's a little stream at the top of our shelter. Every second, another drop falls to its death. I think of them. Poor little drops. They were destined for death. They were destined to fall down into their muddy pit of despair and loss. Just like us. We are destined for the epic fall of our lives that will end us. We may not see the end coming, but as we inevitably slide down, we see others fall ahead of us. We see them gone into the pit beneath us all. Death is inevitable even for the simplest little things.
You know, you're the only person who could make such a deep connection with drops of rain. The voice whispers.
Why are you so quiet lately? Is it because you are satisfied with your torture? I counter.
Oh no, princess. I'm not done. I never will be, it says. You're too stupid. You're a stupid girl- stupid stupid stupid. You neeeeeed me. I can never leave you.
And what if I finally destroy you? Chills creep up my spine as I hear what sounds like a cackle in the back of my mind. The voice is laughing.
You are so stupid! You are such a failure! Don't you understand? I've told you before: I am you. You are me. We are one. You can never get rid of me….unless, of course, you get rid of yourself. Ha! Yes. Go kill yourself. Make it easier on you. Get yourself killed in here, please.
No, I whisper weakly.
The voice speaks louder now. Why? For Finnick? You think Finnick would actually love you after all of this? Do you think Finnick would love us? He would want you dead just as much as I do. You aren't Annie anymore. You aren't his Annie. You're just another weak tribute. He's ashamed of you.
"No…No! You're wrong!" I scream.
I scream.
I just said that out loud. Demere and Hektor both awake from next to me as soon as the words are out of my mouth. They can't know what happened.
"Annie! Are you okay?" Demere asks. His eyes are wide with fear and concern, as Hektor's are filled with annoyance.
They can't know what happened. "Yes, yes. I'm sorry. I-I, um, you know," I stutter.
"A bad dream?" Demere asks in a soothing voice.
"Yes! Yes. A nightmare- a horrible one," I say, relieved.
"Jeez, Annie! I was having such a good sleep too. Unlike you, I had an amazing dream," Hektor says. Half of his hair is matted down with mud.
"Hektor, it wasn't her-" Demere starts angrily.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," I say, interrupting him.
"No, Annie. Don't apologize. You can't control your dreams. It's not your fault," Demere says as he looks at Hektor.
"Whatever," Hektor says. "I'm starving. I haven't eaten anything since those parachutes."
This catches me, "Parachutes?"
Demere nods, "While you were out, I got some parachutes filled with food. It was all fresh too; bread, crackers, some meat that was still warm. I mean, we got everything. Even some fancy Capitol stuff."
I look at him questioningly, "You think Beth got all of it for you?"
Hektor looks at us, "Who?"
Demere answers, "Beth, my mentor. No, I don't think it was her at all. I know her. She didn't have any faith in me."
The bitterness and pity of his words stings me like acid. However, a light flutter of my heart starts. If Beth wasn't the one who sent the food, then it had to be Finnick.
"Well, other mentors aren't allowed to send stuff to other tributes. Or, at least, it's rude," Hektor says firmly.
"I think it was all meant for Annie," Demere says.
The butterflies flutter faster. "What do you mean?"
"Well, Hektor and I were going to leave you here while we went to hunt and gather some food. Then, the parachutes came and we didn't have to hunt. We had just enough food that we didn't have to leave you. We could stay here, to protect you," Demere says.
Hektor rolls his eyes. "I wasn't protecting anybody."
"You know, Hektor, if you were protecting me all the girls in Panem would flock all over you. There's nothing girls like more than a boy who saves a damsel in distress," I say with a grin. The corners of his mouth edge upward.
"Oh yeah, because I'm so worried about my image right now," he says sarcastically.
Then, a moment of silence; we listen to the drip of raindrops.
Demere's voice comes through, "Annie, you must be starving. You haven't eaten for two days."
"No, I'm not that hungry. I'm just thirsty really," I say.
"We've been using the water traps we invented," Demere says with a grin.
"Good! So water isn't an issue then."
Demere gets out from our shelter and gets a bottle filled to the rim. It's fresh, and somehow cold. I down it all within a matter of minutes. It's like caffeine. Its cold charge runs through my veins like someone just flipped a switch. My foggy mind clears while my weak joints strengthen.
"Whoa, your color's coming back," Demere says.
"Really?"
"Yeah, Annie, you look like normal again," Demere says, excited.
Hektor looks disappointed. I don't blame him.
"My head feels so much better. Maybe we should hunt. Some fresh meat would do us good," I say with renewed strength.
Hektor perks up at that, "Good. I need to get out of this shelter."
"Yeah, maybe some fresh air would do us good too," Demere says.
And with that, Hektor leaves the lean-to and gathers his supplies. Demere waits for me. I lift up slowly, no pain. Then I manage to make it on my knees, no pain. Finally, with Demere's help, I stand. I'm sore, that's for sure, but no pain.
No pain.
My happiness energizes me to the point of excitement. I'm okay. Demere smiles with me as he gets my backpack. I weave my arms into it immediately. My bite from the beast stings a little, but it doesn't bother me. I get my knife out of the side pocket. Dry blood covers it. Flakes of the stuff drift down into the mud. Images of the bloodbath from the cornucopia suddenly blind me. It shocks me. The knife in my hand digs into someone's back. Blood splatters onto my face. Rain and blood shower all around me. Blood- blood everywhere.
Demere's hand is at my back, slightly pushing me forward. Just his slight touch anchors me down to reality. I'm okay.
As we enter the woods, leaving our little camp, the images haunt me. I'm okay though.
I'm okay.
Hektor practically skips as we make our way back to camp. He has three bunnies slung over his shoulder, and a fat squirrel in his backpack. Demere and I gathered some berries, and even found some grapes.
Now that Hektor's happy, the three of us can actually relax with the lack of tension. We tell jokes to each other and get along. It's nice in a way.
The sun finally makes a reappearance from behind the clouds. Its bright rays warm my skin and dry the mud that's plastered in my hair. I probably look like a mad woman. So, I use some of the water we gathered in our bottles to rinse my hair out. The boys do the same. Now clean of mud and with some meat to cook, we haven't been this nice to each other since the Game started.
But it doesn't feel right. I don't know why, or how, but something inside me tells me to run. From what or who, I don't know. It's quiet in the forest. Our voices are the only things I hear.
"You know, I've always wanted to learn how to ballroom dance," Hektor admits.
Demere laughs, "What?"
"Yeah! Do you know how many ladies you get when you learn how to dance?"
"No, I don't. I've never tried to learn," Demere says.
"And you don't have a girlfriend, right?" Hektor asks.
"Right."
"Well there you go! Learn how to dance and you'll have a girlfriend like that!" Hektor snaps his fingers for emphasis.
"Do you have dance classes in District 7?"I ask.
Hektor laughs, "No! The most exciting thing we get to do is find a new remedy for splinters."
"Hey, lumberjacks are attractive," I say.
"Oh yeah, okay. So my grandfather, who is like a hundred years old, sweaty and muddy, is attractive to you?"
An image comes up in my mind. I make a face, "Okay, I take it back."
Hektor's voice booms in laughter.
"Is it like some rite of passage for the people in Seven to cut down their first tree?" Demere asks.
"No, not really. To get your first axe though, that's a big deal," he says.
"When did you get your first one?" I ask.
"Oh, jeez. I can't remember. When I was eight? Ten?" Demere says. "It was cheap metal. The thing dented as soon as it hit the wood of an oak, but it meant so much to me! I used to sleep with it like a teddy bear-no joke. I wouldn't let anyone else touch it. Especially since my dad gave it to me."
I smile, "He must've been excited to give it to you since you were so young."
Hektor's smile doesn't falter. "I wouldn't know. He died before he could teach me how to chop anything."
Silence takes over us. Hektor's light attitude remains intact somehow.
"Oh come on guys. No big deal," he says, looking back at us. "Is it some rite of passage to catch your first fish in District 4?"
"We wouldn't know, really," Demere says, shrugging.
"Why not?" Hektor asks.
"I worked the shoe shop and Annie worked the supplies store."
"Oh, so you guys were the rich ones," Hektor says smiling.
"Nobody's rich in the districts," I say.
"True, true. But some make it out lucky."
"I don't know. District 1 seems pretty rich," Demere says.
"Yeah! Those guys are rolling in it," Hektor starts. "I think of Panem as like a family or something. The Capitol is the parent, and the districts are the children. Districts 1 and 2 are the favorites and get the most allowances."
"That makes sense," I say.
"And then District 3 is the smart one that always brings home A's on their report card. District 4 is the athletic one, and the rest are all awkwardly shy."
"They all do their separate chores for the Capitol, and barely get anything in return," Demere adds.
"Except for 1 and 2," Hektor says.
Demere and I nod. It makes sense to me. Hektor was smart to think that. He must be smart in there somewhere, he just never showed it. He really is a nice guy. I bet if he were to live in District four, that we would be good friends. He just isn't a morning person.
Suddenly, a loud screech goes through the arena. The three of us freeze in mid step. It sounds again, this time louder. Two things register in my mind; it isn't human, that's obvious, and it's close to us.
The screech sounds somewhat familiar. I don't remember what sounds like it, but all that I know is that we need to-
"Run!" I yell.
"Which way?' Demere asks.
That stops me. The sound is so loud that it echoes off of the arena. The sound is equal from all sides. I panic and point to the right of us. The boys immediately follow my lead. Weighed down with our supplies, we go slower than usual. A slight ringing in my ears begins to form. The screech goes off again, this time even closer to us.
Hektor stops and points to the left of us, "This way!"
Demere and I follow, blinded by panic. We don't know what it is, or where it's coming from, but we all can unanimously decide that it can kill us.
Another screech - louder and more intimidating. We all three stop.
"Where the hell is it coming from?" Demere asks.
Hektor sounds aggravated, "How am I supposed to-?"
An animal jumps out from the bushes. It leaps and catches Hektor's throat in its claws. A sickening crack makes its way through my mind.
BOOM! Hektor's canon sounds.
Slowly, the thing turns to Demere and I. It's bigger. It's stronger. Its venom drips from its fangs then sizzles as it meets the ground.
The beast.
I have no time to mourn Hektor as I grab my blood-crusted knife. My shoulder stings to remind me what this thing can do. I beat it once, I can do it again.
"Demere, run!" I yell.
"Not without you," he says.
The beast looks at us, amused. I swallow down the urge to push Demere out of its view, and to make its focus on me. I know it wants me. I know it wants to finish its job. I do too. I want to finish what I started with this thing. I look at Hektor's limp body, now plastered with a mixture of blood and mud. I think of a small boy, getting a small axe for Christmas; a father who will never teach him how to use it; Hektor.
With a mixture of avengement and anger, I scream and charge at the mutt. It screeches back and charges too. Knife forward, I crash into it. Yellow fur clouds my vision as I drive the knife into any portion of flesh I can find. It roars in pain, and drives its fangs into my shoulder … right where it did last time.
The renewed agony blinds me. It's numbing. White spots threaten to cloud my vision, but I blink them away. This thing needs to die. Not me, not Demere… the beast.
I jump back, taking my knife with me. I stabbed him in the gut. Green blood pours out from him. It looks angrier. His claws try to slash at my abdomen, and only one makes contact with my flesh. A blood curdling rip sound comes from my skin as I feel warm blood soaking my shirt.
It doesn't hurt though.
I take my knife, my hold slippery with blood and sweat, and drive it right into its eye. Its screech of suffering rips through my thoughts. Now disoriented and blinded on one side, I've made a dent in its strength.
Demere's messing with something in his backpack. The sound of clinging supplies makes its way through my senses, but doesn't distract me. I grab a smaller knife that I hid in my boot and wipe the green blood off of my hand.
Slowly, I tiptoe around the squirming beast. I travel around the eye that I blinded so it doesn't see me. Its back is rippling with unnatural formations of muscles. It regains composer and looks around, wondering where I've gone. Its eyes find Demere, but before the thing could even take a step towards him, I jump onto its back.
I drive the knife right at the back of its neck. It screeches again, this time annoyed. I slash its flesh a couple more times before its claws find me. Each one pops into the flesh at my side. It feels like four knives driving into me at once. The world turns red.
Its claws fork into me and twist me around to face him. For a moment, the beast seems terrified, or curious, and stares at me. Its red eye bores into mine. It stinks of rotten flesh and sewage. For a moment, a look of sadness flows into its gaze. Why is this thing sad? Does it pity me?
The look is quickly replaced with hatred. It drops me, my blood dripping off of its claws. I splash into the mud. I am numb. I cannot move.
I give up.
The beast towers over me, claws and fangs ready to devour. I close my eyes. I'd rather not see my intestines be eaten by an animal. I wait. I hear Demere's voice, and his footsteps from behind the beast. I open my eyes.
Demere stabs something into its back, I don't know what, and the beast screeches and falls backward. Demere grabs me, and slides me far away from the animal. The thing panics and claws at whatever is in its flesh. He turns and I see why.
A single stick of lighted dynamite is sticking up from the hole in the back of its neck that I made with my knife. It's so deep into him that I only see the fuse and a little bit of the red on top.
The spark on the fuse slowly makes its way down. Could it work? Could it kill it?
3…2…1
BOOM! Not a cannon this time, but an explosion is what deafens me. I close my eyes once more. The lack of screeching excites me. I slowly lift my lids to see the chaos.
The beast is no more. Scattered flesh, green blood, yellow fur and scorched bones are all that's left of it. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Demere just exploded a beast.
I look up at him, and notice that he's talking to me. I can't hear him but he looks panicked. I can't really feel anything either. I can taste the pool of blood in my mouth, but that's all I feel. Demere is crying now. Why is he crying? I think I'm okay. I look at Hektor's lifeless body and smile.
Now your father can teach you how to chop, Hektor. Now you're with him.
Blood is all over me. Blood. .
I'm okay, Finnick. I'm okay.
A mixture of light and dark consumes me.
I am okay.
Hi Everyone! I hope you liked this chapter! I had fun writing it :) *maniacal laughter*
Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Tiggy17705, Kate-The-Great-And-Powerful, HogwartsDreamer113, 19KristenMarie, and themeadowsabove You all are WONDERFUL and I LOVE YOU THANK YOU! (check out their stories everyone! They are amazing!)
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Karlee (FinnickandAnnieForever)