Against the Current (Finnick and Annie)

Chapter 12~Finnick

"Run!"

The adrenaline gets me up and before I even know what's happening I'm running with a still sleeping Mags on my back. Katniss is in the lead with Peeta by her side but I easily catch up to them.

"What's wrong?" I get out between breaths.

"Fog," Katniss says. "Poison."

I look behind me and see a white wall of glittering fog approaching slowly but surely. It seems to be coming from all sides and increasing its speed. A blind panic immediately consumes my mind at the thought of being trapped.

We all continue running blindly, tripping over branches and getting hit in the face by vines. I just hope we're not heading straight for the force field.

The poisonous fog is creeping in. I can feel it beginning to blister my skin before it even touches me. I break through a thick veil of vines and back up frantically. Shit. Wrong turn and now the fog is right on us. I turn to run but I'm not fast enough. The fog touches my arms, and I yell out in shock as sharp pins of pain explode on my skin. Immediately I lose control of my arms and they begin spasming. Mags tightens her grip around me as I sprint away.

I'm so focused on getting me and Mags out of this alive that I forget about my job to protect Katniss and Peeta. All I'm aware of is the approaching danger. It's Mags who gets me to break from my panic and stop.

"They're falling back," she says in my ear.

I turn around and sure enough Katniss and Peeta are way behind us. Peeta can walk and run fine with his prosthetic but sprinting through a rainforest as a deadly fog comes closer is a whole different story.

"Come on! You guys can do it!" I yell.

But no they can't. Katniss tugs frantically on Peeta's arm which causes him to trip again. The fog is too close to them and their limbs start twitching in a chilling manner. Peeta totally lost control of his legs. Katniss is trying to drag Peeta forward. Meanwhile the fog keeps coming. They won't make it.

I run over, place Peeta's arm over mine, and continue running. Together me and Katniss take him, but with Mags still on my back we're not fast enough.

"I need to carry him. Can you take Mags?" I ask Katniss. She doesn't look happy about that but she nods.

Mags quickly goes up Katniss' back while Peeta goes on mine. I begin leading the way down to the beach. Maybe there we can escape this fog. I don't know how much longer I can go. I'm no longer holding on to Peeta since my arms have a mind of their own. My skin is full of burning blisters and my legs are beginning to feel heavy.

I look behind me when I hear a yell from Katniss. She's on the ground with Mags beside her. I run back to them and help Mags up. Katniss looks helplessly up at me.

"It's no use. Can you take them both?" She asks me.

I look at Mags and feel my throat tighten. Tears sting at my eyes. I shake my head. "I can't. My arms. They're not working. I'm sorry."

Mags, who's been like a mother to me these past ten years, looks at me, her mind made. She doesn't look afraid. Only a little sad. She knows what she has to do. I know what she's going to do.

"Mags no," I beg.

Mags smiles at me. She walks up to me and leaves a kiss on my lips. She holds my face in both of her hands. "I love you, Finnick. Take care of Annie."

Before I can stop her, Mags turns and runs straight into the fog. Her body contorts wildly and I can't do anything but stare in shock. No. She can't be gone. But the loud boom of the cannon tells me I'm wrong. I turn away with tears running down my cheeks. This time I don't fight the urge to escape from everything bad in my life. This time I run and don't look back.