70th Hunger Games: Annie Cresta

When We First Meet

   I own NONE of the Hunger Games characters or any of the original story. They belong completely to Suzanne Collins! I hope you enjoy this!   ~M

   I close my eyes tightly as pa picks me up out of the cold, salty water and into the air. I cherish the sense of falling before I hit the freezing surface and everything seems to sharpen. The water bites at my arms and face until I have to come up. I love holding my breath and only focusing on the movement of water over my skin. Pa laughs when I push off of the ground and shoot up, water hitting him in the face. I hear ma's laugh as well and I smile. She doesn't laugh much, but when she does, it is the most beautiful thing to hear. Like birds singing in the morning and only a lucky few hear their sweet melody.

    "Annie! My goodness! You hold your breath so well! Nerissa, did you see!" Ma laughs again at his euphemism. She looks at him with such love and admiration and I wonder if someone will ever look at me like that. 

    "Annie the Fish! Why don't you two come in and I will make some lunch! We are going to the square for for the feast in a few hours." I forgot! How could I forget! The Harvest Festival is the biggest celebration for a district. They are somewhat common in 4, but not as much as 1 and 2. They signify the end of the Victory Tour where the district comes together to celebrate the Victor while the other one family mourns the death of their child that had to die. This year the 'heart-throb' Finnick Odair won. Through his entire game, ma and I would laugh about every time his wide eyed fans cried because his perfect little face was scratched. Those love sick girls will be at the feast and I will have to resist the urge to laugh every time they pretend to faint when his name is mentioned. I, like ma, don't trust people who look like that. They only break hearts. Pa isn't perfect and captivating like Finnick, but he is real and not trying to impress anyone but ma and I. I love him, not the Finnick Odair.

    "Can't wait!" I shout as I swim back to the shore. Pa picks me up by the waist and throws me over his shoulder. I snort and his chest rumbles as he laughs. I feel like the little girl who would twirl and flap stupidly in the water as they watched in amazement at my joy. "Ma! Help me!" I squirm until pa sets me down.

    "You two are crazy." Ma says as she hands us our towels. She gives an affectionate smile and pa kisses her head. "But I love you more than anything. Come on  crazies. We leave in two hours." I run ahead, the small rocks biting into my feet since I didn't bother to put my shoes on. The small familiar blue roof of our home appears around the corner and I race to the smooth wood steps. I push aside the net curtain and tie it aside with a spare piece of rope. The floorboards creak as I make my way to the washroom at the far back, leaving sand clumps scattered on the ground.

   Once all of the sand flows down the drain, I turn the water off and grab my towel. A simple white dress hangs neatly on the carved door handle. I change quickly and run to the dining room table where pa sits with a sandwich on his plate. I smile when I hear ma humming a familiar song and I join in. Pa joins in after and we finish the final verse. 

   I went down to the water fair

   To see if my dearest love was there

   I told her to go so we could be free

   But her body washed up there to greet me

   Her body was ice, but her eyes were fire

   I knew that she found what she desired

   And I will join her soon

   Ma laughs as we finish the last note out of tune before handing me a sandwich similar to pa's. "You look beautiful, Annie. Now eat up. We are leaving in an hour." I comply as I eat in silence. When I finish, I place the plate on the counter and sit in the door opening; the salty air brushing over my face.