( 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔 )
twenty four.『 WHO TO TRUST 』
IT WAS A CRUEL GAME. That was unquestionable. But now, the game seemed to be laughing at Indie who could barely move as her eyes set on the sparkling water. Laughing at her. Taunting her as it splashed against the pedestal she now stood on, trying her best to get her bearings and remind herself that this was just water.
That's all it was.
Water.
She had been bitten, torn apart, nearly killed, and now she couldn't focus as the water pushed against her pedestal.
As though distantly, she could hear the countdown. But her heart hammered louder than the countdown in her chest. Her ears rang with familiar screams of the girls and boys from five years ago who were no more. A green scaly creature burst from the water. . .
She took a breath, closing her eyes and trying to calm herself. Focus on anything but the water. But what if it happened again. What if as she prepared to jump in something shot out and snatched her up in its jaws and crushed her bones? What if this was payback for fighting back? For the careers she's pushed into the water without a second thought, killing them in horrible ways she could never imagine?
She couldn't jump.
It was suicide.
She'd die the second she jumped in. The scaly beast from her memories and nightmares coming back to haunt her in one harsh blow.
Vaguely she heard someone call her name, and opened her eyes, looking over to see Finnick on the pedestal next to her. He was saying something but she couldn't hear. She looked away, looking around seeing twenty seconds on the clock. She focused on anything but the splashing water. A jungle surrounded it. She wasn't accustomed to the thickness of the jungle, nor the vines or the thick trunks and green plants she didn't recognize. It was so thick she couldn't see what was in there.
What horrors would it hold?
"Indie! Indie!" She looked around, to see Finnick still looking at her.
Everything was clearer now. The water was just water. No one was screaming. There was only the banging of the gong.
"Find Mags!"
Indie nods in understanding. She can still feel her heart hammering as time ticks down slowly, but she knows what to do. Get to the strip of land several meters away, more so than she was used to swimming. But she could make it. It was doable. How long it would take her, that was the question.
It was hard not to think about the creature that could roam the depths of the water. Hard to not think about what would happen if she grew tired and drowned as she heard of people doing. Got a mouthful of water and suddenly struggled to breath. There weren't swimming lessons in District Five. This was one of the hardest challenges ever.
But it was doable.
She could do it.
With that final thought she dove as best she could into the water. It was hardly graceful, she was shocked she hadn't landed on her stomach in a rather painful wave. A water rushed around her, filling her senses and she held her breath. The water was salty. Something she hadn't been prepared for and was caught off guard by it. Almost so caught off guard she nearly made the fatal mistake of opening her mouth and welcoming a mouthful of unwelcome water.
Indie struggled. The current was forceful. She had no doubt others navigated through it with ease. But people like her who were less accustomed to swimming would struggle along with her. She pulls her body through the water, kicking furiously and most likely looking like a child learning to swim. But even as her limbs grow tired she reaches the strip of land, pulling herself from the water and looking around wildly.
It doesn't take her long to find Mags. The older Victor was paddling through the water and Indie frowned seeing her heading towards the opposite direction, then sees Katniss standing there, armed. Indie hesitates, wondering if Katniss would shoot her before taking the chance to trust that the younger girl wouldn't, running over to her. She knew Katniss was much more untrusting than Peeta.
However, after a moment of hesitation and a quick glance over her shoulder, she realizes it's best to join the gathering group as the four from districts one and two were gathering, and she didn't have a weapon yet. Surprisingly she arrives with the others uninterrupted, and thankfully Katniss doesn't attack her, instead simply pursing her lips and letting her join without any resistance. Finnick, who was helping Peeta across, must've told her to trust her. Or she knew if their already formed alliance.
Helping the two onto dry land, Indie accepts the knives Finnick had snatched from the cornucopia for her as Peeta gives Katniss a kiss, looking around at the other three.
"We've got allies." He states rather plainly.
"Yes. Just as Haymitch intended." Katniss is quick to answer, although Indie notices she doesn't sound too pleased.
"Remind me, did we make deals with anyone else?" Peeta asks.
"Only Mags, I think." Katniss replies, nodding at the old woman walking towards them.
"Well, I can't leave Mags behind," Finnicks adds. "She's one of the few people who actually likes me."
"Mags likes everybody." Indie says. "Don't think you're special, fish brain."
"I've got no problem with Mags." Katniss says, glancing to the other two rather warily, the distrust in her eyes clear. "Especially now that I see the arena. Her fishhooks are probably pure beat chance for getting a meal."
"Katniss wanted her on the first day," says Peeta.
"Katniss has remarkably good judgement." Finnick says, before reaching down and scooping Mags out of the water with one hand as though she weighs no more than a puppy. Mags says something, but mumbles so lowly none of them can hear it.
"Look, she's right, someone figured it out." Finnick says, pointing to Beetee who flails in the wave but manages to keep his head above the water.
"What?" Katniss asks, confused.
"The belts. They're flotation devices." Answers Finnick. "I mean, you have to propel yourself, but they'll keep you baron drowning."
Indie frowns, looking down to her own belt. "That would've been much better to know five minutes ago." She comments.
Finnick pats her back. "You did just fine on your own."
Indie just hums in reply, looking rather indignant.
Katniss' gaze lingers on Beetee, almost longingly and Indie realizes that she'd rather have Beetee as a ally. She doesn't say anything though. Instead she suggests they get going, handing Peeta weapons to protect himself. Mags stops her though, babbling into Katniss gives her an awl, which she gingerly clamps between her gums. Finnick tosses his net over his shoulder, hoisting Mags up onto his back and holding his tridents in hand.
The heat causes the sea water to evaporate into nothing, but as they hike along their path, sweat replaces it, causing the suit to cling to their bodies. Peeta is in the lead, cutting back the leaves with the long knife Katniss had given him. Finnick allows Indie to follow Peeta, and Katniss walks behind Finnick as they start their trek over the steep incline into the foreign land.
Jungle.
The word sounds foreign. In District five, they didn't have any jungles. Why would they? As far as Indie knew, there were no jungles in Panem. Only ones she'd seen in textbooks. It's humid, and as her hair dries she can feel it becoming slightly frizzy.
They climb rapidly, even Finnick who has the extra weight of Mags, each one of them in good form. However, about a mile in Finnick decides to request a rest, which they grant him.
Katniss scales a tree to get a better view as they rest, Indie taking a moment to check their surroundings for anything she might recognize. There's nothing though. And no sight of clean, fresh, drinkable water. She looks back at the others, the trio sitting and waiting for Katniss. All of them sweating badly in the hot air. But Finnick looks slightly off. His jaw clenched and he's holding his trident defensively. After her talk with Haymitch, she knows that he wouldn't kill Katniss or Peeta. But he was still going to defend himself.
The reality of the situation hit her with full force. They may be friends, and she trusts him and Mags with her whole heart. But part of her wonders if any of them would be willing to stab her in the back to save their own skin. Katniss would, to protect Peeta. And she knows Finnick would to protect Mags and part of her hopes that he'd do the same for her.
But what if he didn't.
What if she left her only true ally, Isaac back in the massacre. She hadn't even thought of Isaac, and guilt over takes her. She'd left him, back there. And maybe, just maybe he had survived. But what if one of those canons was his? And she had left.
She feels herself tense up, now clutching her knives more closely, especially as she hears Katniss drop down from the tree. But then, her grip loosens. Sure, she should be tense. These people could very well turn around and kill her. But she shouldn't let her thoughts ruin her alliance. These were still her friends. Finnick and Mags were. Peeta and Katniss were kids, no older than eighteen who were just looking out for themselves. And she couldn't really kill them. Not even if they stabbed her in the back.
"What's going on down there, Katniss? Have they all joined hands? Taken a vow of non-violence? Tossed the weapons in the sea in defiance of the Capitol?" Finnick asks rather causal, trident still raised defensively.
"No." Katniss answers.
"No." Finnick repeats. "Because whatever happened in the past is in the past. And no one in this arena was a Victor by chance." But then his eyes move to Peeta before adding, "Except maybe for Peeta."
Indie frowns, seeing the two get worked up. Katniss is clearly ready to kill Finnick, who takes his own defensive stance. Indie backs away, but reaches for her knife again, knowing if things happened she'd chose a side. And as much as she loved the idea of revolution, it would most likely be Finnicks. But Peeta moves in the way, stopping them from killing each other.
"So how many are dead?" He asks, Indie's stomach somersaulting at the thought.
"Hard to say," Katniss answers. "At least six, I think. And they're still fighting."
At this, Indie takes a step forward. "Did you recognize anyone? Could you tell. . .?" She gulps, her mind wandering to places she rather it wouldn't.
Katniss' stony gray eyes glance to her, softening for a moment. "Couldn't tell. It's hard to make out."
Between her question and Peeta in the way, Finnick and Katniss seem to have forgotten about whatever it was. Or at least it was pushed to the back of their minds.
"I'm sure he's fine." Finnick tries reassuring.
Indie shrugs, hopelessly, feeling sick at the thoughts that swirl through her head. "We'll find out soon, I guess."
There's a feeling of almost pity, or sympathy in the air as Peeta suggests they find fresh water. Reminded that they could easily dehydrate, just as easily as they could be killed by each other.
There is no water.
Not from at least where they can see, as they tell higher and higher. Indie feels like they are in a basin. Or bowl. A never ending circle that only goes higher and higher before you reach the edge, and then the drop. What would be the drop this time?
Her question is answered as Katniss lets out a warning cry, Indie looking up sharply but it's too late.
There's a sharp zapping sound, as Peeta's blade connects with a fire field they hadn't seen. He flies back, Indie feeling the wind knocked from her as he lands on top of her, and she can feel his body lay motionless on her, unresponsive as Katniss rushes over, pulling Peeta off her and onto more stable ground.
And as Katniss checks for a heartbeat, Finnick quickly at their side, Indie can tell from the look on Katniss' face that there isn't good news.
( a / n ) : how is everybody? i'm using the book instead of the movie although some points i may use the script from the movie. hope you don't mind if i switch back and forth ever now and then. i hope you enjoyed! also, I published a fleur delacour fic if anyone wants to check that out.
( w / c ) : 2110