Querencia | Finnick Odair

Chapter VI

I once again shower way longer than I should and settle in my bed, hoping that I could get some sleep since I didn't get any last night. I grab my book from the nightstand, Sherlock Holmes third case, and start reading. Eventually, my mind slips into darkness, but soon it turns white. My breathing ragged and all I see is my feet stumbling over each other. Then there are claws. Over my back, my legs, my hips. Teeth tearing at my arms. Trying to rip off my limbs. I trash and scream, but it only makes it worse. With a high pitched scream, I wake up. Covered in cold sweat and panicked breaths leaving my mouth I detangle myself from my sheets. Then I grab training clothes from the closet and move into the training centre. I need to focus, I need to show myself that I can still fight, that I am still strong.

It is quiet and dark, the only source of light being the moon and the city lights outside. I grab a simple staff, close my eyes and concentrate. Moving it around my head, spinning it and hitting not a dummy but air. My grandfather showed it to me as a way to meditate and calm down. Apparently, it was taught throughout lands on a continent called Asia and then passed down through our generations, just like fighting with katanas was. My grandmother has the same hair colour as me, while my grandfather's hair is black. They are my family and raised me and I love them more than anything. I can't wait to see them again.

Suddenly I am afraid that they can't look at me anymore. They always taught me peace and calamity and now I killed eleven people and acted proud. I take a deep breath and continue with closed eyes, imagining myself not here but in a field surrounded by wheat, next to my grandfather who corrects my stance, my shoulders and my posture. Until I hear a slow clap.

"Someone stole my gym hours or what are you doing here?", a girl asks me.

"Couldn't sleep. And since when is someone claiming this godforsaken place?", I question.

"Since the 67th Hunger Games my dear. But don't worry, we can share. I am Johanna", she introduces herself.

"Talisa", I reply.

"Oh, I know who you are. 11 kills. I have to say, I didn't tell my tributes to watch out for you. Mistake on my side, but they were fools anyways. Crossing ways with a girl with two katanas? Stupid plan", she continues.

"I do not want to talk about that. So if you'd be so kind?", I question.

"Nobody wants to talk about that, but you got to, just as friendly advice goes."

"Well I am not gonna talk about it with you", I mumble.

"I know. I am not Finnick", she grins.

"Finnick?", I raise my brows.

"Oh, we are best friends and he just couldn't stop talking about the girl on the roof. Which is why I didn't expect to see you down here."

And that is how we end up sitting on one of the blocks of the obstacle course, talking about unimportant stuff for some time, until the sun starts to rise.

"I got to head back, otherwise Silas is going to kill me. And my prep team, for looking so down. I mean really?"

Johanna laughs. "You'll get used to that too. See you around little T", she calls out as I leave the big room.

And I was right. Silas is up when I entered and scolded me until my prep team literally drags me away and orders me to shower.

Then they curl my hair and give me a flowy golden dress that has off the shoulder sleeves and flowery lace covering it. The makeup is held simple, only some brown eyeshadow, something for my lashes and glossy lipstick.

We eat breakfast and then leave for the train station, where I have to wave and smile and blow kisses once again.

I settle in the back of the train with the books I took from the Capitol. It's not like anybody is going to miss them there anyways.