Visions of Johanna

"The ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face…"

Chapter 1

The Promise

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

As a baby cries incessantly, Johanna commands him over and over to stop, but it is no good. There is no stopping the crying.

"Annie, would you get your baby to be quiet? I can't take it anymore!"

Annie pats her baby on the head and snuggles him close, hoping to calm his mood. The baby feels Annie and begins to settle down.

"Finnick Jr. is a very good baby. He listens to me well."

"He certainly doesn't listen to me!"

Johanna stops to think about her scenario for a moment. Here she is, living in District 4 with Annie, helping the new mother raise her child. How did she get into this?

"Johanna, I'm going to help Katniss on her mission to kill Snow," Finnick tells a bed-ridden Johanna.

"You better kill him," Johanna replies.

"We will."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Finnick turns as if to walk away, but then stops for a moment.

"Johanna, if I don't make it back, you've got to take care of Annie."

"Don't talk like that, Finnick! That's the talk of losers!"

"I'm serious! I made a promise to you, now you promise me that you'll take care of her."

"Fine, whatever. I'll see you once this is all over, and we'll pretend this conversation never happened."

But the conversation did happen. And Johanna made her promise to Finnick. So after the fall of the Capitol, she made good on her agreement.

"They're letting the Mockingjay off the hook," Haymitch announces. "Say she's too insane to control her own mind, that's why she killed Coin instead of Snow."

"No jury's dumb enough to buy that!" Johanna responds.

"Exactly," Peeta states. "They figured out that Coin wasn't any good, so they are using that as an excuse to free her."

"Well, I guess that settles that," Haymitch states. "I'm going back to 12. You too, Peeta?"

"Yeah, as soon as Katniss is freed. What about the rest of you?"

"Going back to 3 to start an electric company," Beetee states. The word "electric" makes Johanna shiver.

"Back to 2," Enobaria remarks. "I have unfinished business to take care of there."

"I'm off to 2 too," Gale adds. "I'm going to help out with the military."

Something tugs at Johanna as he says this, but she remains silent.

"I'm going back to 4, where I'm going to raise my baby," Annie joins in. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

"No," Johanna responds.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to 4 with you."

"But why? You live in 7."

"I have nothing left for me back in 7. And also… I promised Finnick that I'd help take care of you."

Annie smiles warmly. "Thank you."

"When I made that promise, I had no idea how annoying a baby can be!" Johanna complains to Annie.

"Oh, it's okay," Annie replies. "Finnick Jr. loves you too."

"I'm sure. I'm going out in the forest to get some firewood."

"Please stay safe!"

Johanna almost laughs as she hears Annie say that. What could possibly harm her in 4? She has been through it all – and still survived.

She walks off towards the forest, about 100 yards from Annie's house. District 4 is a vast region, known best for its beaches. Still, it contains the environment of any other area, with mountains in the distance and a grassy valley in the middle.

When Annie came back to District 4 after the war, she found Victors' Village destroyed. Johanna suggested that she should move into her old home, which was near the forest. Annie refused at first, thinking of the memories, but she realized she had nowhere else. And no one else.

Annie's family had been killed in either the uprisings or the war. It didn't matter. She has no one left. Except Johanna, who fulfilled her promise to protect her. And of course Johanna has no one left herself.

So all the two have is each other. Johanna works with strong men in the forest to obtain wood for building. It's the only income the two have, as Annie is too ill to work. It's not much, but it's enough to get by.

"If I were no good with an axe, I'd be no good at anything," Johanna sighs, while chopping some wood for her house. She then feels something on her arm. Something that causes her to jump in fear, then go into a panic attack.

A raindrop.

Quickly, she grabs whatever wood she has and rushes back toward the house, while the rain sprinkles on her. She makes it back to the house just in time before the rain begins to pour.

"This weather is very fickle," Annie comments. But Johanna has other worries.

"Is this a drop of rain here, on my shirt?"

"I'm afraid it is."

"And on my pants? I can't wear these!"

She quickly throws off her shirt and pants, going completely naked.

"Oh, Johanna… I promise you, you're never going to be tortured again."

"Water brings back bad memories! I can't drink a glass without feeling like my cheeks are going to explode!"

This is why Johanna drinks milk, or juice, but never water. She never showers or bathes, with her extreme fear of water overcoming her. Annie sometimes waits for her to fall asleep, then scrubs her with a sponge. Often Johanna wakes up, yelling profanities and screaming in fear at the same time.

"Some day, Johanna, I'm going to take you down to the beach. Then I'll show you that there's nothing to be afraid of."

"You don't know what it's like! The Capitol didn't torture you, did they?"

Annie remains silent. The Capitol captured her, but since they realized she knew nothing, they did not use any of their many devices on her.

"I can still remember it, clear as day. Standing in my cell, feeling the water pour down on me…"

Johanna hears a sound like a button being pressed, and suddenly she finds herself soaking wet. Ice cold water pours down on her, while she stands there, unable to move a mere inch.

She pauses, wondering what kind of punishment this is.

And then… the shocks come.

Electrocution, in every part of her body, all over it. From the top of her head, to her breasts, to her aching legs. She feels every bit of electric pain possible, and all she can do is pull her head back and scream at the top of her lungs.

After standing through an hour of extreme pain, the shocks stop, and she gasps for air, trying to catch her breath. Every part of her body hurts. Her arms and legs uncontrollably twitch. She looks in the mirror at herself and tries closing her eyes at the hideous sight.

"And throughout it all, I never gave a bit of information to the Capitol – not one bit at all. While Katniss was doing her little propaganda stunt, I was saving her butt."

"We all are grateful, Johanna."

Johanna sees the rain pouring down outside a window and averts her eyes. "I've been through it all. And what do I have to show for it? A crown?"

"You have me, and Finnick Jr. His spirit lives on, not only in me, not only in him, but also in you, Johanna. He… he…"

Suddenly Annie has a breakdown, losing control of her mind. She covers her ears with her hands. Johanna rushes over to comfort her, knowing that this is a common occurrence when the topic of Finnick is brought up.

"It's okay, Annie, it really is. You're here, you're alive, and your baby is alive. I'm going to protect you."

Johanna sighs, seeing how difficult it is to bring Annie back. Often Annie could lose her mind for hours on end, and only with constant comforting by Johanna could she stay stable.

This is why Finnick wanted me here, she thinks. If I wasn't here, what would have happened to Annie?

The next day comes, and Annie is back to her normal self. She holds on to Finnick, while Johanna turns on the television.

"Amazing what you can see these days without state-controlled television."

Districts 7 and 9 are currently playing a baseball game, in a newly-built stadium in District 9. Johanna finds it amusing that these people are playing an ancient sport, one that was nearly forgotten during the Dark Days.

She cheers as a District 7 player hits a home run. "Nice hit! I bet that guy could give me a run for my money!"

"So you still do like District 7?" Annie asks.

"Well, it is my home. Or… was my home."

"Johanna, if you want to go back…"

"I never want to go back. Never want to see it again. But I do feel a connection to anyone from 7. I feel for them."

She turns her attention back to the television as the District 9 squad comes up to bat. Just as they do, the broadcast is interrupted by some sort of news report.

"What is this garbage?" Johanna yells.

"We have breaking news out of District 2, where district representative Enobaria is prepared to speak."

Johanna turns to Annie. "Can you believe that bitch got elected as representative?"

"No swearing, Johanna. Not in front of Finnick Jr."

"Good afternoon," a formal-looking Enobaria addresses a crowd. "We here in District 2 have received disturbing news today, that several other districts, such as 7, 8 and 10, are refusing to give our district any more imports unless we capitulate to their demands. In addition, two District 2 men were killed while trying to negotiate with District 8. The only course we have now is to take swift action and secede."

"Secede?" Johanna exclaims.

"District 2 hereby declares its independence from Panem! We no longer are part of your country! We shall overcome this adversity and build a new empire, stronger than Panem, and free for all! And I warn you, do not mess with District 2. That is all."

As the television switches to a couple of talking heads discussing the issue, Annie looks very worried.

"What does this mean? Are we going to starve?"

"Relax, they're in masonry. I'm the only Mason who can kill."

"But why would this happen? Why would we fight amongst our districts?"

"There's some sort of power play going on here. Certain districts want things that other districts can't offer. I expect this to blow over when Paylor has a chance to calm everyone down."

As she says this, the television now switches to a press conference with Paylor.

"Greetings," she states. "With the word that District 2 has seceded from Panem, we must all rise up and prove ourselves to be stronger than ever before. I have begun to build a central military that will defend our districts from any action District 2 may take."

"Central military?" Johanna wonders. "What does she want to do, bring back the Capitol?"

"Our new military will be too powerful for anyone to defeat. District 2 will have no choice but to surrender. This will be a warning to any other district, that they should never secede from Panem again. This military will be the new power of Panem."

Johanna gasps. "No way."

"No way what?" Annie wonders.

"Paylor wants to bring back the Capitol."