Seventeen

                                    

                                          
The sudden blow to Marissa's head renders her unconscious for a moment. Her limp body is thrown around harshly in the rapidly churning water surrounding the Cornucopia. When she finally regains her consciousness, panic floods her system. She knows how to save herself from drowning, the survival skills regarding water have been drilled into her since she could toddle but, she's not strong enough to do anything against the force of the water. She already swallowed too much water when she was unconscious and, her head injury only adds to her disorientation as she struggles against the current of the water. The saltwater stings at her eyes, burning her throat and, no matter what she does, she cannot resurface. The weight of her throwing knives are weighing her down and, without the buoyancy aid, her tired limbs grow too heavy to move.
                          
Eventually, Marissa gives up. Her arms feel like lead and, she's been thrown around so violently by the waves she's not even sure which way is up anymore. The lack of oxygen is affecting her severely now. She can't have been under there for any longer than five minutes but, it feels like she's been trapped for eternity and, she's so tired that she lets her eyelids fall closed. 
                          
When Marissa's parents had drowned, she'd been told that drowning is a peaceful way to die. Marissa had been lied to. She doesn't feel at peace now. All she feels is a crushing sense of anguish; she's letting Finnick down. Finnick, Mira, Mags, Annie. They'll all be so disappointed
but, she doesn't have the energy to please them this time. 
                          
Thankfully, somebody else has the energy for her. A hand wraps around her bicep and pulls her to the surface. Katniss Everdeen hauls her up onto the now still island around the Cornucopia and, Peeta Mellark coaxes her into his arms. Peeta holds her tight as she coughs up all of the water she swallowed, her tears mixing with the already salty water covering her. 
                          
"Finnick, we found her!" Katniss announces to Finnick Odair, who is frantically searching the water on the other side of the Cornucopia. 
                          
"It's okay, Marissa," Peeta soothes, patting her back as she continues to spit up water. Her trembling hands cling to his arms as she struggles to bring up the water she's swallowed. 
                          
Finnick runs around the Cornucopia so fast he almost falls, dropping to his knees beside Marissa and Peeta. Johanna is not far behind him, supporting Beetee, who holds on tightly to his coil of wire.
                          
Finnick pulls Marissa into his own embrace, resting his forehead against hers now that she has finished coughing up water and is gasping for the oxygen she's been denied. Despite the blazing sun and suffocating heat, Marissa's skin is cold to the touch and a bluish hue that drains any of the colour in Finnick's face. 
                          
"Are you okay?" Finnick asks. His arms are shaking as he holds her, the fact that she could have died terrifying him. "Did you get hurt? Can you breathe all right? Do you need me to do anything?"
                          
"I-" Marissa tries to reply but, she just starts coughing again. Finnick runs his hands over her back, unsure of how else to help her. Peeta carefully undoes the belts of knives from around her waist and sets them on the floor beside her, hoping this will make her a little more comfortable. "I'm fine."
                          
"Marissa, you're not fine," Finnick shakes his head. "You nearly drowned and your heads bleeding too."
                          
"No, I'm fine. We should go onto the beach," Marissa insists before breaking into a cough again. Thankfully, no more water spurts from her mouth; the group take that as a good sign.
                          
"Marissa, we're going to stay right here until you're ready to move," Peeta says firmly. "It doesn't matter how long that takes." 
                          
Marissa rests in Finnick's arms until the rest of her allies agree that she's well enough to start moving again. She still has a terrible cough but, the throbbing in her head has lessened, she isn't gasping for air anymore and, her hands have stopped shaking.