Safe and Sound (The Hunger Games)

Chapter 23 - Happy Birthday

"Oh my god! Thank you so much!" I say as he puts his handmade necklace on me. He used some string he found and a few shells he had found on the beach. This may look like nothing back home, but here in the arena it means the world to me. "I love it." I say as I kiss him.

"You're welcome." Elliot says. "Now who wants cake?"

"You have cake here?" I ask.

"Haha no, I have something a little more exciting than that." He says. He runs over to his bag and pulls out an apple and a stick sticking out of the top. "Make a wish!"

We all start laughing hysterically until I take the red apple in my hands and hold it in front of me. I only have one wish, and it's the last one I'll ever make. I wish that Elliot makes it out of the arena alive.

I blow on the stick and we all pretend that I blew out the candle. They start singing happy birthday to me while I cut the "cake" into thirds.

"Mmm... Did you make this cake Elliot?" Crystal giggles.

"Yeah, it's a secret family recipe so I'm sorry I can't tell you." He laughs. We all finish our slices and we sit there in awkward silence for awhile. It's weird, the whole country just saw all of this when we are supposed to be fighting to the death. I guess it all can't be kids killing kids all the time. They have to make room for alliances and now love.

"So Kaya, tell us your favorite birthday. That's what we do in my family." Crystal says.

"Hmm... Although being in the arena on my birthday is a blast," I say, and the two of them giggle. "I would say my sixth birthday."

"Oh was that the year-" Elliot starts saying.

"Shh! Let her tell the story!" Crystal says.

"Okay, so my sixth birthday was a really great day. It was nice outside so my whole family went to the beach because it was a Sunday. My mom and my brother stayed on the sand while my dad and I ran for the water. He was a good sport by staying with me where I can stand, rather than swimming where he can stand. I asked him everyday when we came to the beach if I can come with him to where he can stand, and everyday my mom told him I can't because I was too little. That day I asked him again. He looked back at my mom, hoping she would say yes. And she did. He picked me up and I sat on his waist as he walked deeper. He told me over and over again not to let go of him no matter what. I agreed of course, and wrapped one arm around his shoulder. My feet were free beneath the water, not touching the ground, and I loved it." I tell them.

"Aw, that's a great story." Crystal smiles. "I wish we had beaches where I lived."

"You don't have beaches in District One?" Elliot asks.

"Not where I live. Maybe somewhere else in District One, I fall asleep during geography class." She laughs.

"So tell us what it's like in District One." I ask.

"Well, kids like me train for the games. I can easily kill both of you right now if I wanted to right now, but I won't of course. I'm guessing you guys could do the same, but I don't want to talk about the games right now." She sighs. "At home my dad is the mayor. Yeah, that says a lot. We have money, so I never had to work. I never had to put my names in more times either." I don't look at Elliot, but I think he knows I would be. Out of the three of us, he's the only one that put his name in more times. "I used to have two older sisters, they both volunteered and died in the games."

"I'm so sorry." I say.

"Thanks, but it's fine. They were both really mean to me when I was little. I wasn't like them. I wasn't fearless and strong. I was a little girl who instead of playing manhunt in the dark with them, I would pick flowers in the meadow and make them into bracelets." Crystal says while smiling. Then her smile disappears and she takes a minute to think. "They beat me up because they thought that it would make me stronger. But I never fought back. I would cry for my mom to get them to stop. She did, and she would cuddle with me in bed and read me a story." She says. "Anyways, that was my life. I'm going to sleep for a little bit. Can you guard if you don't mind?"

"Sure, Kaya you should sleep also." Elliot says.

"Okay. Thanks for the gift and cake again." I say as I lay down.

My eyes close, but before I fall into a deep sleep I think I hear Elliot say "I love you."