𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐞 ᶠⁱⁿⁿⁱᶜᵏ ᵒᵈᵃⁱʳ

ELEVEN

Grace Lee wasn't sure how long she sat there, crumbled up and shaking, but a voice brought her out of her thoughts. 

"It's over. It's okay. They're gone." 

Peeta. He was talking to Katniss.

"The hour's gone. The hour's up. It's all right." 

She heard how Katniss jumped up and asked for Prim. 

Grace looked up and stared into the emptiness, feeling completely numb. 

"Grace. Are you okay?", Finnick asked, kneeling down to her and placing his hand on her shoulder. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine." She raised her hand and waved him off. His hand trailed through her hair. He understood that she wanted to be alone now, but still he sat down next to her and intertwined his hand with hers. He gave her hold. 

"Your fiance's right. The whole country loves your sister. If they tortured her or did anything to her, forget the districts, there would be riots in the damn Capitol.", Johanna said to Katniss.

"Hey, how does that sound, Snow?" Now Johanna screamed, Grace turning her head up and looking at her. "What if we... What if we set your backyard on fire? You know, you're can't put everybody in here." 

Grace quietly laughed to herself, but her face was numb. She adored Johanna, she wasn't scared. They all looked up to the black-haired, shocked. 

"What? They can't hurt me. There's no one left that I love." She sighed. "I'll get you some water." Johanna walked away. 

Finnick stood up and held his hand out for Grace to take. "Come on." 

Slowly she lifted her hand and took his, standing up. 

The rest followed them back to the Beach. 

Once they arrived, the woman broke the hand holding between the both, walking alone to the water and sitting down, leaving Finnick alone. He sat down next to Katniss, who sat next to Betee and Peeta, not taking his eyes off the orange-haired. 

Johanna came from behind and gave Katniss an empty coconut shell with water inside. "Thank you." She knelt down next to them. 

Katniss turned her head to the blonde, lowering the shell. "Did she tell you who she heard?" 

He turned to her. "No." His eyes went back to the woman, who trailed with her finger through the water. "Can you tell me?" 

The archer sighed, not sure if Grace would like if she told him. "You." 

His eyes widened, not expecting this answer. 

"Love is weird.", Johanna spoke, causing them to turn their heads to her.

"I have a plan.", Beetee spoke. 

Finnick stood up. "Grace!" 

She turned around and sat up, walking next to Finnick. 

Grace was tired. All she wanted to do was lay down. 

"Where do the Careers feel safest? The jungle?", he asked. 

"The jungle's a nightmare." 

"Probably here on the beach." The blonde placed her hand on her forehead. Why was her head hurting so much?

"Then why are they not here?" 

"Because we are. We claimed it." 

Finnick laid his arm around her waist, placed his hand on her side and carefully moved her to him. Grace laid her head against his shoulder, his hand moved to her back and started caressing it.

"And if we left, they would come." 

"Or stay hidden in the tree line.", the blond man spoke up. 

"Which in just over four hours will be soaked with water from the 10:00 wave. And what happens at midnight?" 

"Lightning strikes that tree." 

"Here's what I propose. We leave the beach at dusk. We head to the lighting tree. That should draw them back to the Beach. Prior to midnight we then run this wire from the tree to the water. Anyone in the water or on the damp sand will be electrocuted." Beetee sounded like a teacher.

"How do we know the wire's not gonna burn up?" 

"Because I invented it. I assure you, it won't burn up." 

Johanna looked at Finnick, who slightly nodded. He then looked down to Grace, who felt his eyes on her and turned her head to him, looking into his eyes. Finnick took this chance to admire her face. His eyes wandered over the features. He loved her eyes and nose, it caused him to have the urge to place a kiss on it. She nodded too and looked back to Beetee. "Well, it's better than hunting them down." 

"Yeah, why not? If it fails, no harm done anyway, right?" Peeta nodded. 

"Alright, I say we try it. So, what can we do to help?" 

"Keep me alive for the next six hours. That would be extremely helpful."