RUINATION | FINNICK ODAIR

WOEFUL RESOLUTION

"They're back."

Those two words were all Finnick and Katniss were waiting for. As soon as they heard it, they went rushing into the medical center.

Katniss was the first to burst through the doors. She stopped out of sheer horror from the sights she saw; Finnick did the same.

Johanna, as stubborn as ever, ripped off any medical help the doctors tried to give her. Her head was shaven completely and her eyes were bruised purple. She locked gazes with Katniss and bitterly chuckled. It wasn't like before though...it was dark and broody in a way that pinned the blame on Katniss.

Enobaria didn't even look too harmed. She was asleep from the medicine but her body seemed relatively fine besides a couple of cuts and bruises. Snow must've taken it easy on her since she truly wasn't part of the rebellion to begin with.

Finnick looked to his right and saw Annie. When she saw him, she screamed his name in delight. He sighed in relief and rushed forward to meet her halfway in a tight hug. She leapt into his arms and held on.

"You're safe," he whispered. He repeated that phrase until he felt the shake in her bones lessen. That's when she let go and looked him in the face.

"I'm sorry," she cried, "I tried to help her but they...but Snow-"

Her sobs made it hard for him to understand her. He tried to get her to calm down so she could explain but she was getting hectic. The doctors recognized it and tried to pull her back to the medical tent to give her a sedative.

"What happened to Lara?" Finnick shouted at the room. At that point, he didn't know what to do.

Johanna, from all the way across the room, shouted back at him.

"She's fine!"

He snapped his gaze and quickly marched up to her. She yanked out the IV in her arm, causing her body to tense.

"She kept us alive," Johanna stated, "Snow took out his anger on Lara instead of us. We wouldn't have made it without her."

Finnick leaned forward, "But where is she?"

Johanna shrugged, making him pull back. Tears of frustration started to fill his eyes. He began to think that the worst had happened and she never made it out.

But Haymitch called Finnick's name from over by the door. He motioned for the man to follow him down a separate hallway where there was a more secluded and intensive medical suite. Finnick practically ran alongside Haymitch until they reached the room.

Before he could burst through the door, the elder victor stopped him.

"It isn't pretty," he warned, "And Boggs said she's not exactly in a great mental state. Just be careful with what you say."

Finnick nodded and calmed himself down. If he went in there like a crazed lunatic then Lara would react badly. So he took a few deep breaths before placing his hand on the door handle.

His body trembled with just the thought of seeing her again. It was ironic that he was nervous to see her after all he'd done for the longest time was wish to be with her again.

He pushed the door open and instantly saw her.

It was worse than what he expected. She didn't even look alive; her bones showing through her skin more and her face being hollowed out and deathly pale. Bruises and cuts littered her body, making her skin look like a large mass of purple and crusted crimson.

But most of all, he noticed the dull look in her eyes. He'd never seen Lara so void of emotion or thought. He could see she was stuck in her mind but there was nothing to reflect that on the outside. She was just still and unmoving like a shell of herself.