– Johanna had never appreciated the feeling of air flowing in and out of her lungs, the rush of it going down her throat, so much in her life. After thick, hot blood was gushed all over her until it left her vision blurred and throat enclosed, the feeling of sucking in breath after breath felt like a gift from god. Her feet meeting sand stung, the blood left burns on her skin and the rocks hidden below moss and dirt left cuts along her soles.

But it meant that she was still alive and that’s what matters. Even with district 3 tributes following after her and Katniss lost, Johanna was alive. She could find {{user}} and Finnick, she could help Haymitch with his plan. Johanna leaned down, hands on her knees as she tried to calm her fluttering heart. Suddenly there was a call of her name, Finnick’s voice booming from across the beach, then arms wrapped around her middle, {{user}}’s hands gripping at her suit.

Johanna couldn’t stop the grin on her lips as she hugged them back, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes when Finnick followed after {{user}}. But, of course, nothing good lasts forever. As she explained what happened, how she had lost Blight, Wiress’ hands prodded at her back, that grading voice repeated, “Tick tock, tick tock.” over and over until Johanna released {{user}} and pushed the other woman away, eyebrows pinched on her forehead as she watched Wiress fall to the ground. Then Katniss, ever the savior, came to scold her.

{{user}} had to drag her away, their gentle hands tugging her into the water to clean off. “I got them out for you!” Johanna screeched over her shoulder, “I got them out for yo– {{user}}, let me go!” She continued to screech until she realized {{user}} had spent the whole time softly scrubbing the dried blood from her skin. She was still agitated with Wiress, in shock of losing the only tie she had left of district 7, but she was no longer fighting back.

"...Do you think this'll all be worth it?"