Finnick Odair's Story: Dark Secrets (The Hunger Games Fanfiction)

Escape (Part One)

Johanna arrived a few hours ago and we were on our way to the station before I could say any kind of goodbye to my stylist and escort. Hiding behind a large shrub in the garden, Johanna did my hair and makeup, turning me into a Capitol citizen. I am now sitting on the train to District 4, opposite Johanna, wearing a bright blue wig and long false eyelashes. My skinny jeans are so tight they feel as if they could rip with the slightest movement, and the fur coat I'm swamped in is probably a step too far; I think Johanna just wanted to humiliate me.

I watch her as she flicks through a magazine, occasionally wrinkling her nose in disgust at the articles. She pushes her chestnut brown hair from her face and sighs deeply as she delicately turns the corner of a page. Like me, she is almost unrecognisable with the amount of makeup she is wearing. We look like a couple from the Capitol, bravely venturing away from our luxurious home comforts for a little holiday. No one has questioned our identity, yet.

"Johanna," I whisper, in case anyone hears us.

She looks up sharply from her magazine and glances around the almost empty carriage hastily.

"Fuck, I told you not to call me that," she snaps in an annoyed whisper.

"No one can hear us, everyone is either asleep or minding their own business. Chill out," I retort, noticing the bags under her eyes that have only just appeared.

"Don't tell me to chill out," she says. I hold my hands up in surrender and her expression fades to a calmer one as she playfully punches my arm.

"I was just wondering whether you wanted a snack. The buffet carriage is right next to this one," I tell her, standing up to go and get some food.

"Only if it's simple food, none of that Capitol shit. Like, a burger," she says.

I nod and begin to walk along the aisles, trying to avoid any eye contact with other passengers. Would people easily recognise my sea green eyes? The electronic doors slide open for me as I make the transition to the food court, which immediately puts me in a better mood. Luckily, there's a bar selling all kinds of food - including burgers.

Relieved, I join the queue behind two young-ish Capitol women, who are poring excitedly over a magazine. I catch occasional snippets of their conversation as I wait to be served.

"I just adore this outfit! So summery and elegant."

"I just loathe her, she's awful! What would ever possess a person to match those colours together?"

"Ooh, the new tributes are going to be chosen soon. There'd better be some eye candy, we've been rather lucky in the past few years."

I almost swear out loud as I remember how I am supposed to mentoring the latest batch of victims from District 4 in just a few weeks time. Instead, I'm standing in the queue for gourmet burgers, eavesdropping on random strangers whilst wearing an electric blue wig and false moustache.

As the women babble like baboons, I find myself thinking about Annie as my brain so often chooses to do. She probably doesn't even want me to come and find her, she's probably happier in 4 without me anyway. I try to stop myself thinking this but it doesn't work and my throat starts to close up.

My palms are shaking and sweating. I glance around the blurred room frantically, needing air. Suddenly, I am brought to my senses by an excited squeal from the two women in front of me.

"Don't you just love him?" squeals one woman excitedly, jabbing a rosy pink fingernail at the glossy two page spread. Curiosity gets the better of me as I lean forward to see what they're so interested in, and my heart plummets and slows to a tense beat.