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▎ RUINS ▎
»»————-　act two. fan the flames
TWENTY FIVE ━━ fight another day

I looked death in the eye
and it blinked first

— unknown

SHE DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING AS SHE WAITED FOR HER eyes to adjust to the darkness but it never happened. She was trapped in nothing, a dark illusion of the unknown.

She turned her head in all direction in search for a clue that would tell her where she was, for a light that would guide her through the dark.

Erin blinked as she spotted it in the distance like a small beacon of hope to guide her. The brunette started to approach it, but with every step she took it only seemed to get further away. She clenched her jaw in irritation a small glimmer of panic in her eyes as she stared ahead where the small source of light became less.

In that moment she just wanted to give up, but a voice in the back of her mind reminded her of the girl she used to be. The girl who didn't go down without a fight.

So she shook her head before she started running as the small flame became dimmer but she didn't give up and she pushed herself to her limits and beyond.

And when she came close enough she stretched her hand out touching the source before everything rushed back.

Her memories were flowing though her head, like puzzle pieces finally falling together, forming the whole picture of who she was.

The girl who looked death in the eyes and made it blink first.

A loud gasp erupted from her pale lips as air rushed through her lungs and her eyes shot open, the brown orbs staring up at the stark white ceiling as all the noise around her was muffled amd a buzzing sound remained in her ears.

She blinked slowly as the sounds of everything in the room rushed through her ears like a deafening scream, like a wakeup call.

Doctors surrouded the girl in no time, checking her vitals before someone else pushed his way through and her eyes landed on those of her older brother, tear stains on his cheeks and red puffy eyes, but his features we soft and reliefed

Alex sighed in relief once he locked his gaze on his breathing sister, her heart beating strong and steady. But what he noticed was that small spark in her eye that had been lost the moment she opened her eyes in district thirteen.

The flame had finally returned, stronger than it was before.

She no longer had the eyes of a lost girl, she had Erin's eyes.

From behind him, both Katniss and Finnick walked up, pushing some of the nurses and doctors away, their eyes too red and puffy as they stopped beside the oldest Benton.

Erin's gaze however was locked on Finnick's a glimmer of familiarity in her eyes as tears welled up, ready to spill as she stared at the man from district four. The man she'd fallen in love with.

"Finnick..." She whispered, her voice soft as she looked at the blonde man in front of her, all their memories flashing before her eyes like a movie. Her breathing picked up and she heaved her chest as she struggled to get air in her lungs. "I-I-I remember. I remember." Her voice was panicked as he heart rate picked up.

"You'll need to leave the room. She's having a panic attack." One of the nurse pushed the three towards the door while they tried to see what was happening to Erin.

"No, I want to stay with her!" Alex demanded, his eyes trained on his sister before tiving the nurse a fierce glare.

"Sir you have to leave. It is the best for your sister." She told him.

Finnick sat beside Erin's bed, large purple bags beneath his eyes as he stared at the love of his life with worry. He had insisted that Alex got some sleep after staying up so long to watch his sleeping sister with the promise he would watch over her himself.

To their relief the doctors had finally explained what happened and what caused Erin to faint and almost die. Apparenly the rush of her memories returning sent the girl into a panic attack and the injuries from the arena had a bigger impact on her than what they originally thought.

Luckily for everyone Erin was a fighter, a survivor who didn't give up without a fight.

She had won the battle.

She cheated death again.

Finnick rubbed small circles over the back of Erin's palm. Her hands felt cold in his, a little lifeless even but he had to remind himself that she was aright.

His eyes snapped up towards her face when he felt a small squeeze and he held his breath.

Slowly Erin's eyes fluttered open and she turned her head to the side, locking her gaze with Finnick's.

"Finnick..." she breathed out, trying to sit up only to be quickly pushed back Finnick.

"Easy there." Finnick smiled reassuringly, interwinding their hands again. "You need to stay down and rest."

Erin shook her head frantically, her brown locks sprawling across her face in the progress. "We can't, Finnick. Their is a rebellion going on." She denied, pushing his hand away and ripping the iv from her arm. "I need to help." She gritted her teeth as she tried to sit up.

"Erin please calm down." Finnick said worried as he stood up from his seat.

"I have no time to calm down." She denied quickly swinging her legs to the side and she clenched her jaw as a jolt of pain surged through her spine.

The brunette pushed herself from the bed, landing on two feet as she stumbled before dropping to the ground.

"Erin!" His eyes were wide as he rushed towards her and helped her up again.

"I can walk myself." She snapped harshly before her features turned soft. "Sorry."

"It's okay." He whispered, swinging one of Erin's arms around his neck. "I don't think you can leave though."

Erin grinned her eyes ablaze like someone poured gasoline into the flame. "Watch me."

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