𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞➳𝐟.𝗼.➳

𝟸𝟾 - 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍

Song- My Blood by Ellie Goulding

Finnick and I continue to hold each other's hand as we find our way backstage. Annie meets up with us and we go back to the Living Quarters. I can't believe it. We'll be going into the arena tomorrow.

I change out of the gown into sweatpants and a T-Shirt. Finnick is on the couch, wearing something similar.

"Where's Annie?" I ask walking to him. "She wanted to regroup her thoughts." Finnick shrugs. I sit next to him, watching the fire burn.

The elevator dings behind us, revealing Nadiyah and Haymitch Abernathy?

"Tess, Finnick. Haymitch wants to discuss an important matter with you." Nadiyah sets a glass of champagne on the table. "I'll give you some privacy." She says and walks to her room.

"Haymitch." Finnick greets as the drunk sits down. "Katniss has requested to ally with you, Tess," Haymitch says. "I think that's a fine plan." I start.

"That's not why I'm here." Haymitch scoots closer, and his voice goes down to a whisper.

"We're planning a rebellion against the Capitol. But we need Katniss alive."

~

Finnick and I share one last hug before going with our stylists under the arena.

"I'll be going into the Cornucopia to find Katniss. Try to get there, if not, find Johanna and Blight." I take a deep breath of him. "Please put yourself before Katniss. I know the rebellion needs her, but I can't live without you." I plead. Finnick kisses my forehead. "I will, angel." He kissed my lips. I wrap my hands in his hair and kiss back, desperately.

We go our separate ways, and August comes in. He dresses me in a wet suit that's black and white. Finnick had the golden bangle that Haymitch gave him, so I wore the promise ring he gave me a year ago.

August gives me a small smile and a hug before the countdown begins. I step into the glass tube, and it lifts me a few moments later. The immediate light blinds me, but a few seconds later I can see again.

I look around, and to my surprise, I see Finnick a few pedestals away. He spots me too and gives me a reassuring nod.

5

4

3

2

1

The games begin.

I swim to the black rocks beside me and pull myself up. I see one of the Morphlings run in the other direction. I run on the rocks, being careful not to slip from the water. But I see Cashmere already at the Cornucopia. She tries to throw one of her knives, but I duck and jump in the water to swim to the shore. I run into the thick jungle hoping to find Johanna.

I find a good hiding spot in a small, rotten log. I crouch down to catch my breath. I'm weaponless and sweaty as hell. It's only a matter of time before I run into someone.

I get up and find a better hiding place deep in the jungle. It's getting dark now, and hunger is slowly setting in on me.

I snuggle my way in between the two trees, resting my back against one of the trunks. I was mostly covered by the thick vine things hanging from mostly every tree.

I'm slowly dosing after the 12 bongs when I hear footsteps. Multiple footsteps. I don't dare move or even breathe. My eyes closely track who is passing me.

I let out a relieved sigh as I see short black hair with a streak of red. "Johanna!" I whisper. She turns and has her axe ready. I then realize she can't see me.

"Johanna! It's me! It's Tess." I slowly crawl out of my hiding spot. I see Johanna's face and arms relax.

"Tess, you scared me." She hugs me tightly. "I've never been happier to see you." I hug her back. Slowly, I see Blight, Beetee, and Wiress emerge from the darkness.

"Those are the last people I ever thought you'd ally." I smile at Johanna, confused. "Katniss." She whispers. "Right."

We all decide to camp where I was. We take turns on guard, waiting until morning. No danger had come across us, mutts or tributes.

But the next day, when we were trying to find water, I felt a drop of liquid fall on my hair. I smile. "It's raining." It starts to rain harder, but when I look down, I seem to be covered in blood. That's strange, I'm not injured. The blood is coming down in buckets, choking us. We scramble around, trying to get away.

I get knocked down hard by something, I can barely see that it's Blight. I cough, and roll over, trying to get him off of me. Johanna sees me and rolls him off.

I grab Wiress and lift her onto my back. Johanna sees a way out of the jungle and takes off, Beetee followed close after us. I see the light form from the beach and push myself to carry Wiress for Katniss.

We finally get out, and I roll Wiress on the ground gently. I crouch down on the ground and throw up hot blood.

"Tessa! Johanna!" I hear Finnick's sweet voice call out. I wipe my eyes and continue to puke the blood I inhaled. Johanna and Finnick hug for a quick second before Finnick comes over to me. He pats my back as I sit up, wiping my mouth.

I see Katniss and Peeta come jogging up behind Finnick, who was looking at me worried. "Well. We got 'Em out." I rasped, standing up.

"We were all the way deep into the jungle where I thought it was gonna be safe." Johanna laughed. "That's when the rain started. I thought it was water, it turned out to be blood." She explained. I stood with Finnick as Wiress continued saying "Tick tock."

"Hot, thick blood was coming down. It was choking us. We were stumbling around gagging on it blind!" Johanna sarcastically smiled. I felt a bruise start to form on my stomach from where Blight crashed into me.

"That's when Blight hit the force field. He wasn't much, but he was from home." Johanna sighed. Wiress was about to make me go crazy with her saying "Tick tock," again and again.

"What's wrong with her?" Katniss asks. Beetee comes up to shore from washing himself. "She's in shock. Dehydration isn't helping." Beetee says.

"Do you have fresh water?" I rasp, looking at Katniss. "We can get some." She reassures me.

"Just-listen, stop it!" Johanna shrugs Wiress off of her. "Hey! Get off her!" Katniss barges over and pushes Johanna away. "Hey!" Johanna exclaims. I walk over to her and hold her back.

"We got them out for you!" She yells at Katniss. Finnick also comes over and we wash off most of the blood on her. After she calms down, I also decide to wash off. I scrub my hair with salt water, thankful to get the blood out. Johanna comes over, and lightly taps my arm for me to come to the beach with her. One of the trees across from us is struck with lightning from clouds overhead.

I sit next to Finn in the sand, resting my head on his shoulder.

"This entire arena seems to be laid out like a clock, with a new threat every hour. But, they stay only within their wedge. It all starts with the lightning, then the blood rain, fog, and monkeys, that's the first four hours. At 10, that big wave hits, from over there." Katniss explains as we reach the Cornucopia.

"Wiress you're a genius." Finnick compliments her as we walk past her. She is.

Peeta makes a drawing of the wedges and the threat, Wiress singing Hickory Dickory Dock in the background. I then hear Wiress gasp, and she goes silent. I turn and see Gloss has stabbed her dead.

Word Count
{1331}