The Poor Mad Girl

The Final Interview

We get to the floor the interview is on and Mags, my stylist, and my prep team leave to go sit down. Finnick waits with me.

"Finnick what are you doing? I thought you couldn't be back here with me?" I say confused.

"I'm just making sure that you're ok before you go on," he tells me.

"I'm fine, I guess," I say with a sigh.

"You'll do great!" Finnick tells me and kisses my cheek.

"I have to go now but I'll see you after," he tells me and walks off to join Mags.

"Please welcome to the stage ANNIE CRESTA, VICTOR OF THE 70TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES!!" I hear Caesar announces.

I walk up onto the stage. I search for Finnick and find him sitting right in the front.

Caesar kisses my hand and we sit down.

"So Annie I must say you look very beautiful tonight!" He tells me.

"Thank you, Caesar," I say.

"So as you probably already know tonight we have the interview, then the rerun of the games, and then your crowning!" Caesar tells me.

Rerun of the games?! Finnick never said that I had to relive the games!

"So Annie we've all been dying to know this ever since your first time on this stage...who are you in love with?" Caesar asks me.

"I'm in love with-" I get cut off by a flashback.

I'm in the arena seeing Luke's head roll off of his body.

My breathing gets heavy and my vision blurs. I put my hands over my ears and tears feel my eyes.

I feel someone touch my shoulder and try to calm me down.

"Annie hey you have to calm down. You're no longer in the arena," I hear the gentle voice of Finnick.

I slowly remove my hands from my ears as the tears fall from my cheeks.

Finnick sits down beside me and I control my breathing.

Caesar looks at us.

Everyone thinks I'm crazy and insane now.

Caesar just stares at me and Finnick.

Finnick gets up and whispers in Caesar's ear. I don't know what he says, nor do I care.

All I want is it to get back to district 4 and feel the sand between my toes. I want to hear the ocean crash against the sand. I start giggling thinking about the sand and the ocean.

Finnick sits back down beside me.

He looks at me.

"What are you giggling about, Annie?" He asks with a smile.

"The sand and the ocean back home!" I tell him and continue to giggle.

"Well everyone it looks like this interview is going to be cut short due to Annie's condition and there will be no reruns of the games as of tonight. All we are going to do is move on to the crowing!" Caesar says.

I see Snow walking up with a crown in his hands.

I continue to giggle as Finnick helps me stand.

Snow gets to us and I can smell blood. I stop giggling as fear engulfs me.

"Well done Annie Cresta but this won't be the last time I see you," He whispers in my ear. I stand there paralyzed in fear as he places the crown on my head.