Something Worth Living For [THG] // Finnick Odair

XXXIII

The first thing I notice is the  Cornucopia, I have to stand on this metal platform sixty seconds until I have to run as fast I can towards it to get supplies. Small light blue crystal-coloured waves smash against the platforms. Then there's something else I notice, going there won't be as easy. The ground between the Cornucopia and the platform we are on, is sand. Have you tried running in sand? I haven't but I have read about it, it will slow us all down, except the tributes from District 4, who are probably used to it, it won't affect them as much.

Forty-five seconds.

The waves make me pay more attention to the water instead of the Cornucopia, which is just placed on a small kind of island made up of white sand. We have to swim to get to the rest of the arena. There are only about five feet of ground covered in sand, followed by a dense quantity of trees at the other side. It looks like a really vast and dark jungle. Now I understand why the outfit is waterproof, we have to swim and it may rain in there.

Thirty seconds.

I look to my right then, I see a brunette girl, her brown eyes are fixed on the Cornucopia. Luciana from District 5, she doesn't look scared like I must look. She looks determined. I look to my left and I almost jump out of the platform, Zane Hay, the boy from 11 is right next to me. He's the scariest tributes and his tribute partner is the next. I look around but I can't really see her.

I can't see Ryle either, he must be at the other side of the Cornucopia right in front of me. Kade is about four people away on my right, he seems more than ready to go running for the weapons. I bet he is. I look to my left again, right next to Zane I can see Kellen, he looks from the Cornucopia to me and so on, it gives me chills.

Fifteen seconds.

Everyone is ready to jump out of the platforms as soon as the gong rings out. Only fifteen seconds left until the blood bath starts, probably only ten now. In the few seconds I have left I decide to not go to the Cornucopia, I will be slowed down because of the sand. My choice might make me not have weapons or any kind of supplies, but right now I want to live, I'll worry about that later.

Five seconds.

Kellen turns to look from me to the Cornucopia one last time, he's probably just thinking how to kill me.

Four seconds.

No one is even blinking, they are all concentrated on the weapons laying right in front of us, welcoming us to go for them.

Three seconds.

I don't want to be here, there is no turning back now. The only way out is facing the games and be the last one standing.

Two seconds.

Finnick is waiting for me. Finnick didn't waste several hours of his life for me to die on the blood bath, I have to pay him for what he did for me and the only way is getting out of here alive. And I promised my brother, I promised we will always have each other, I won't break that promise. Now that I remember, I also made a promised to Finnick. I promised him I'll win, I'm not sure about that but I'll try my hardest to not break that promise either.

One second.

I turn around quickly and as the same time the gong rings out I take a deep breath preparing for these days that will be closest to hell that I've ever been. The other tributes run as fast as they can to get to the Cornucopia before the others, while I go the other direction, right into the water.

I glance back for only a second, Kade is already at the Cornucopia, grabbing weapons and a dark green backpack, while all the other tributes still have a few yards to go, in just a moment there won't be twenty-four tributes anymore, I wonder how many will end up killed at the blood bath, don't get me wrong but I hope most of them do.