UNDERDOG | FINNICK ODAIR

Chapter 23

Finnicks leg started bleeding freely. After I pointed it out half a dozen times, he took off his undershirt and tied it around the wound.

"I didn't mean-" I avert my eyes to his and sighed at his dramatics.

"Oh, would you like to take off yours and I'll use that instead? I'd be more than open to the idea." He teased. 

"Haha," I gently push him as the group makes its way to what we thought was the twelve o'clock wedge. We had discussed the sun position and where the lightening tree could be but eventually we just had to pick a beach.

"I still have part of a suit. My head stopped bleeding." I explained, pulling the two foot long, one foot wide scrap from where I had tucked it in my belt.

"Hmm, I think I'll stick with the shirt, I like seeing you blush." He smiled and slipped past me to reach the beach first.

That little-
"Hey Beck," Katniss called to me, "got the spile? I'm going to get water."

"Yeah, I'll come with." I told her, following her into the woods to a good enough tree, making sure I'm to ignore Finnick on my way to her. I take my awl and drive it into the bark, chipping away at the tree.

Out of nowhere a chilling scream shoots through the air. In seconds, Katniss had taken off, darting after the sound. She screamed to someone named Prim.

"Wait Katniss!" I yelled, chasing after her.

The bramble cut into my skin until it fell away to a clearing. Katniss stood there beside an arrow through a dead bird. A jabberjay.

"It's not real, it's a Jabberjay." She said, kicking the dead creature.

"But Jabberjays copy." I remind her as a familiar voice cut through the air. My mother's screams rattled my soul until I to was running, looking for someone who wouldn't be there.

As soon as I slowed, a flock of them descended on us, my hand found Katniss's and we tripped through the forrest back to camp. Birds wings brushed past us, feather light against our skin.

As we reached the others I realized something was wrong. Even over the drone of screaming I should hear them, instead I could see no noise was leaving their shouting mouths. The birds hit a barrier as we did. Their claws and beaks scraping against our skin.

I was glad it was me. If it had to be anyone, I'm glad it was me. If it was Finnick I don't think I could bare seeing his face contorted the way mine was right now and not be able to do anything about it.

But he was stronger, better than me, he could've endured it. Would he feel the pain like I feel it? He always did have a high tolerance for pain.

I felt horrible as soon as I thought it, why would you ever wish this pain upon anyone, much less the one closest to you?

Katniss' screams beside me seemed to seep into my skin until I could feel their piercing cruelness in my core. They were dark and lonely and empty and I hated them.

If I was screaming I couldn't hear it over the screams of our loved ones and my own blood rushing. I could hear Katniss like she herself was a jabberjay. The sound of her pain came from everywhere and nowhere.

I had my eyes open the first few moments so I could see everyone, so I could beg for help. Finnick's eyes piercing me from the other side of the invisible barrier that kept us apart. When I realized they could do nothing for me I left my eyes shut in agony.

The birds screamed for help, for me to do something. Sometimes, for a second, I could hear Nona. She was dead, was this a capitol trick or my own trick on myself?

I kneeled on that ground for a long time. I had twisted and turned so that when it was over, my back pressed against the barrier. When it came down, I went with it, falling back into waiting arms. They held me, first pulling me from the dead birds crowded around us.

The arms held me against someone's chest, and the familiar scent of salt and sunscreen told me it was Finn. My eyes were glued shut from both tears and from forcing them together for so long. I blinked for a moment, letting the light flood my senses. Knicks and scrapes littered my skin from where I had been clawed at.

"For a second in there, I wanted it to be you instead of me." I immediately confessed, "because it hurt, and you are so brave and I am not." I cried. He didn't say anything, just pulled me to him.

"I wish it was me." He muttered after a moment.

"No, you don't. I'm glad it was me and not you. It tore me up Finn. I'm sorry I was weak." I whispered into his shirt.

"You have never been weak," he said after a moment of silence, my head still tucked between his shoulder and head. Only we could hear each other.

"Even the dead serve the capitol, there's no escaping this hell." I whisper more to myself then any other ears.

"I'm sorry, Beck." He said, "you won't ever have to deal with that again, I'll protect you better next time."

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." I said.

"I'll keep this one," he swore, brushing a kiss against my hair. It made me feel safe being here with him.

"That's a nearly impossible oath to keep." I stated, "but I'll be better to. You're all I got, Odair."