First Seashell // Accidental Video

[madgirlfromhome]

[Only dark curls of hair and a bit of pale skin from an ear could be seen on the screen as Annie held the watch into her hair, her hands clenched on her head.]

Finnigan! Where is Finnigan? I lost my son. Real or not real? Finnick. Finnigan. Gone. Not the Capitol...where am I? Where is Finnigan?

[A sob tore from her throat and echoed down the

Comments

[rea_norton]

Andrea heard the sob and wandered over. She was distressed to see the stranger crying; she remembered how much she had cried when she landed here. The feeling of being lost and completely helpless... She wanders over with as kindly a smile as she can muster - it really is going against her nature.
"Hey, are you ok?"
Dumb question, Andrea. She's obviously not ok.
"Hey, look. I'm Andrea. What's your name?"

[madgirlfromhome]

Annie's eyes flicker up at the girl and she scrambles back a little bit falling over her own feet her crouched position. Her appearance is startling, but not plastic and bright like the people of the Capitol. Annie swallows.

"My son. Have you see my son?"

Finding Finnigan is the most important thing.

[rea_norton]

"Your son? He was the one you were calling for?... I'm sorry, I don't know anyone of that name here. I don't think he is here."
She puts out a hand to help the woman to her feet. She knows shw looks intimidating, but she's only small, and she's trying to smile and speak as gently as her Cockney accent will allow.

[madgirlfromhome]

"Finnigan. Not--Not Finnick. My husband." Her voice cracks and she press her hands to her face briefly. "He's only a baby, not even a year--"

Annie breaks off and hesitates watching her extended hand.

"This is the Capitol. Real or not real?"

She leans forward ever so slightly waiting on Andrea's response.

[rea_norton]

Andrea has no idea what she means.
"This is the Capital...city. Of England. London... except, it's called Londinium for some reason..."
She takes a step forward. "I won't hurt you... but there are no babies here."

[madgirlfromhome]

Annie flinches away from her answer at first until she continues with the strange words. After a long moment she places her thin hand in Andrea's and uses it to pull herself up with surprising strength. She almost buckles again when Andrea says there are no babies, but then it occurs to her that if she came to a new place her son must still be on the beach with Johanna. Johanna would keep him safe, she knew. She just had to focus on that and maybe she could stay lucid long enough to figure some things out.

"Real, my name is Annie O--" She shudders away from her married name knowing that's the perfect way to lose herself in wishing Finnick was alive and with her. "My name is Annie."

[rea_norton]

"Annie? Well, I'm Andrea. But most people call me Rea... look."
Rea is NOT good at this.
"Look, Annie, you're stuck here. We can't leave. But it's not so bad... we get free money..."

[madgirlfromhome]

"Stuck?" Annie's voice gets higher in pitch.

"Like in an Arena? Is this a Hunger Games?" Her breathing starts getting shallow and quick for a few moments before she wraps her arms around herself and controls it, shoving it down forcing herself to take deep breaths.

"Sorry. I'm sorry..Rea."

[rea_norton]

Oh crap. Usually, it's Rea having mental breakdowns, not trying to comfort the one having them...

"Annie... it's ok. It's ok. I don't have a clue what a hunger game is, and I'm pretty certain I'm not in one... and neither are you. This world seems safe. Boring, even."
She watches the woman, unsure if she's supposed to hug her. Re hates hugging, but always, when she has breakdowns, people end up hugging her. She goes to - but she can't do it. She just isn't that type of person.

"Are you hungry? We could get some food, if you want?"

[madgirlfromhome]

Annie blinks at her. Andrea didn't know what the Hunger Games were. How was that possible? The curiosity burns a hole in Annie's fog and helps her to focus. She stands a little straighter and her eyes get a little clearer as she looks at Andrea intently.

"You don't know what the Hunger Games are? How?"

[rea_norton]

Ohhhhhhh rubbish. Where are the stupid Drs when you need them?

"This is gonna sound mad right? But I think I'm from a different universe to you. I live in London, really... we don't have Hunger Games, whatever they are. We have hunger. Lots of that. But it's not really a game..."

[madgirlfromhome]

Annie bites her lip considering. Different universes? Mags told old myths about how the world was created but, there were never...other universes. How could she know in her state if this woman was telling the truth?

"London....Do you know of a country called Panem?"

[rea_norton]

"No. Is that where you live in your universe?"

[madgirlfromhome]

Annie nods slowly.

"In the Fourth District of Panem. What was once called..." She presses her hand to her forehead thinking about her old school lessons. "North America."

[rea_norton]

"Oooooooooooooooh America? You must be from the future. Or, my future. It was 2007 when I left home. How about where you were? Doyou still have years like that?"

[madgirlfromhome]

Annie shakes her head. "It's the 77th year where I'm from or-- the 1st since the Mockingjay war."

She stumbles on the last part inhaling shakily.