Safe and Sound (The Hunger Games)

Chapter 31 - The Promise

I slept quietly. No dreams, which meant no nightmares, which was a relief. I have enough nightmares in reality as it is already.

I'm awake, but I don't feel like opening my eyes. If I open my eyes, I'll have to talk to doctors. I'll keep getting questions like 'How are you?' and 'Do you need anything?' Ugh, they are all so annoying. Not Maia though, she's nice. She said Annie would be here soon. Maia said Annie was here a lot while I was knocked out. I honestly never thought I meant that much to her. I thought Elliot was always her favorite. They always laughed and had good times together. Had. Elliot is dead now. I have to keep reminding myself that. My dream yesterday felt so real... as if I actually hugged him, Crystal, and Dylan... I miss them so much.

I hear footsteps walk in the room, and the door closes. I hear the heavy footsteps get closer, and then I hear that person sit down in a chair nearby. My heart starts to beat faster, I can tell by the way my heart monitor beeps faster. The person lets out a huge sigh, one that is heavy, and I can bet that this person isn't Annie. Probably another freaking doctor.

Alright, I'll just get the 'How are you feeling?' conversation over with. I just wish they would leave me alone... I open my eyes and turn my head to see the doctor, or who I thought would be a doctor.

President Snow sits a few feet away from me, reading a book. Maybe I can close my eyes quickly and he'll never know I was "awake"... too late. We made eye contact. "Oh hello Kaya. How are you feeling?" President Snow asks me with concern, fake concern I bet.

I clear my throat and adjust myself in bed. "Not my best as you can tell." I tell him truthfully.

"Yeah, you had quite the experience after you won." He smiles.

"I don't really remember-"

"I know." He gruffly says. President Snow sits up and puts his book on the table next to him. "We have to talk. I was told you weren't in the best condition to leave yet, so I had to come here to tell you."

"What are you going to tell me?" I ask.

"Please don't interrupt me." He says with a touch of annoyance. "Anyways, you said a few things in the arena that you are not proud of, correct?"

"What do you mean..." I say with confusion. Things I'm not proud of? I didn't say anything I'm not proud of. I'm not proud of killing children-

"Excuse you Kaya, we are not going to talk about you killing children. I meant the things you said in the arena." He says.

"How did you know I was thinking that?" I ask him.

"You said that out loud. You seem to not know what you are saying lately..." He teases. He pulls out a device about the size of his palm, and sets it out on the table. Then before my very eyes, a hologram appears. The video appears instantly, and I am shown in the arena, sitting against a tree wounded and alone. This must be after the mutt attacked me.

"I can't take this anymore! They send twenty four kids in to fight to the death, and only one lives. Twenty three innocent kids die at the hands of the Capitol every year."

My jaw drops, no one in history has ever said that about the games ever. But I did.

"This has been going on for many years, too many years. If the Capitol wanted to change, they would have changed awhile ago. More like seventy years ago. Maybe they like seeing twelve year olds die every year. Maybe they like seeing twelve districts starve every day. The people who live today weren't part of the rebellion years ago, so why do we have to pay for it now? More than seventy years of kids dying. President Snow must love this TV show if it's on its seventy first season."