ROOFTOP - finnick odair

chapter nineteen

"couldn't hear the thunder
but i heard your heart race
couldn't see the rain
we're too busy making hurricanes."

~

Finnick's POV:

I yank my trident out of his lifeless body. I look away before I throw up.

"What the hell were you thinking-"

I watch as Cat looks at me; horror locked in her eyes, then down at her leg, then collapses to the ground. I almost feel everything drain out of my body.

"No, no no no," I breathe, dropping my trident and running towards her, lifting her up and bringing her back to where everyone else is. I set her down gently. Her eyes are wide with shock.

"Hey, look at me," I say, not letting my voice shake.

"Cat, look at me. You're gonna be fine, okay?"

Katniss hovers beside me and examines the knife in Cat's leg. "I need to get it out," she declares.

"And you know how to do that?" I nearly shout. I don't even know if I can trust her, despite what I've been telling Cat. After all, she doesn't know anything about the rebellion. She's just as confused as Cat. Katniss kneels down and pushes me out of the way.

"I don't know. But the knife could be poisoned and we need to get it out."

I use one of the other knives and cut out a strip of my wetsuit that's already coming off.

"She'll be okay, right?" I ask. Cat shuts her eyes and winces and strains, her hands clenching into fists. I rush over and kneel next to her across from Katniss, grabbing her hand in mine.

"I'm fine."

I look up at Katniss. She gives me a nervous glance. "We're gonna need water to rinse it out, if it is poisoned."

"How would you know?" My heart slams against my chest.

She looks down at Cat. Her skin pale, cuts forming on her face, blood splattered across her cheek.

"Give me a knife," she demands, holding out her hand.

"What?"

"Just do it," she snaps. I hand her the smaller knife. She cuts open Cat's wetsuit and I feel dizzy. The wound gushes out blood, pouring down from her thigh and dripping down to the ground. Cat's groans and wheezes are getting more frequent and intense as she tries to sit up, but I push her back down.

"Good news," says Katniss. "Not poisoned. And judging by the fact that she's not dead by now, the knife didn't hit any major arteries. She's gonna be okay, I think."

I look up at her wearily. "You think?"

"I'm not a doctor, Odair," she says, rolling her eyes at me.

"Could you hurry up a little by any chance?" I ask, holding Cat's hand tighter and tighter. Katniss holds the knife handle with both of her hands.

"Keep her still," she orders. Peeta comes and holds her feet down and I hold her face as gently as I can. I want to say something, anything, to try and comfort her or at least help, but I can't seem to get a sound out of my mouth. Katniss takes a deep breath and readjusts her grip.

"This is gonna hurt," she says, then without warning, she yanks the knife out in one swift motion. Cat's scream fills the tense, empty air and echoes throughout the entire jungle. I help lift her up as Katniss ties the strip of clothing around her leg, covering the wound.