Liberosis - The Hunger Games

12

Gaia wakes me the next morning with tears in her eyes, something inside me wants me to pull the covers over my head and never wake up. I can't get up, partly because of the growing dread that I'm about to be thrown in an arena full of murderous teens and partly because Finnick's arms are wrapped so tightly around my waist that I physically can't move. "Finn, let me go," I whisper, shaking the boy awake.

"I can't," He whispers back, pulling me even closer than before, "If I let you go, you might not come back," He added huskily, burying his head into the crook of my neck. I want to cry; I want to break down and stay here with Finnick forever. But then I remember the number of government officials that are ready to rip me to shreds if I even think about defying them and I slowly begin to pry my best friends' arms from me and get out of bed. "I need to say goodbye," He says, his strong arms wrapping around my waist, holding me in my position.

I take in the faint smell of sea breeze that has grown weaker since our time at the Capitol, I can still smell it on him, it reminds me of nights at the Cove. Walking along the sandy beach with my family, taking Finnick's hand and jumping into the water below, diving into the ocean and letting the wave roll over my head. I can hear Asher singing her little songs around the campfire, Addison's head buried into my mother's shoulder, Andante and Finnick goofing around on the sandy beaches.

I'll never see it again, "Please look after my family, especially Addison, she'll really struggle," I tell, him cupping his face with my hand. "Promise me you'll take care of them,"

"Rory, you have to come back to me," Finnick places a kiss on my forehead and I feel myself want to try, I want so desperately to try and come back to him, to find my way to his arms again. But as Gaia sympathetically leads me away from the boy, I remember what my job will be when I get inside the arena. Protect Thorn, protect Elsie while I can, look after Beck, Thorn, Elsie, Beck. I repeat the names over and over again in my head, Thorn, Elsie, Beck, Thorn, Elsie, Beck- Finnick. Why does it always come back to him?

My hand travels to the pearl around my neck, I think to my father who will be watching the broadcast of my death on the pearl farm. My mother, who holds Addison close as she weeps, Andante, who has taken my place working the farm, Asher, whose songs will have become too heartbreakingly captivating.

Gaia forces me to eat at least something, I know she's trying to help me, I know that the more food I can get inside me the better. I shake any thoughts of home out of my head, I need to have a steady mind if I want to survive in the arena. I managed to scarf down some food as Gaia weaves my hair into two braids, no doubt my braids will be ridiculously frizzy well into the first day but for the first part at least my hair will be out of my face.

Soon she hands over the outfits the tributes will wear, it's a stretchy navy-blue fabric with similar shoes that comfortably stick to my feet like a second skin. The stretchy fabric the bodysuit is made out of reminds me of the wetsuits the divers wear in District Four, water, it has to have water. My eyes clench together with pure nerves as I look at myself in the mirror, the wetsuit clings to my body tightly and bite my lip fearfully. Something's missing, I have never worn the outfit before but I know that something's missing. Gaia answers the question before it's even left my mouth, holding up the pearl necklace, Finnick's pearl necklace, Finnick. The thought of his name makes me want to scream, I was leaving him, I was already gone.

"With that fabric, you can expect water, tropical conditions, you're at an advantage," Gaia says, sweeping one of my braids to the front, "Do me proud Aurora," She whispers, pulling me into a tight hug. I'll miss Gaia- I'll miss most people, Blaze, Sylvia, maybe even Titan and Venus, I'll miss Mags' hugs, Asher's melodic voice, Addison's happy smile that she only brings out for certain people, Andante's unhelpful training advice. I don't even feel guilty saying I'll miss Finnick the most, as much as I like to think I helped him, I know he's helped me too, I loved him more than he could ever know.