The 130th Hunger Games

Chapter Sixteen

When I arrive at the Career camp, I’m in the happiest mood possible for someone who’s in the Hunger Games. I walk to my sleeping spot with a little skip to my step, completely ignoring Daniel’s contagious misery. I sit down, humming the anthem of Panem because it’s the only song I know.

“What is wrong with you, Sandi?” I look up to see Axel standing over me. He is not showing pride in his scowl like he usually does; I know he is very unhappy about the situation with Daniel. “You’re acting like you just won the whole of Panem!”

“I’m…uh…really starting to feel the…Career spirit,” I improvise, putting on a grin that certainly does not come from feeling the “Career spirit.” But I know I have no other choice, so I continue with my stupid idea. “I feel so much stronger, like I could kill one hundred other tributes and…win…and…do other Career stuff,” I say awkwardly. “You know that feeling?”

Axel stares at me like I’ve sprouted ten heads, mutters “Weirdo,” and walks away.

Looking away from Axel, I turn to examine Daniel, who is pacing and muttering to himself, too. I have a feeling it will take a long time for Daniel to actually walk somewhere with purpose and communicate clearly with another human being. Oh, well. The more time Jane, Damian, and Sabrina have to prepare for the final killing, the better. And the more time I get to see Dusty.

I form a small smile to myself, and then it becomes a wide grin, and suddenly I’m giggling like I’m insane.

I feel eyes on me. I look up to see Daniel, who has stopped pacing and stopped muttering to himself. He is just staring at me.

The whole camp is quiet, and I realize it’s because no one can believe Daniel is actually not pacing, not talking to himself, and he is staring at a live person, not the ground.

Daniel opens his mouth to speak. “Why are you laughing like that?”

There is silence for a few seconds, and then the Careers are whooping and getting up to give Daniel a nice, hard clap on the back. “You talked, man!” Xavier shouts. “You talked!” Mackenzie and Sidney clap. They all drag Daniel down to the grass and sit with him, laughing and talking.

She’s gone,” Daniel says.

“We know, dude,” Axel answers, rolling his eyes when Daniel’s not looking.  

Sidney glances at Axel and then begins speaking to Daniel. “As soon as you get over this, man, we’ll be ready to go out and kill all the rest of the tributes with—”

“She’s gone,” Daniel repeats, kicking the grass so hard it sends pieces flying into the air. Then he stands up. “But I’m going to fight for her.” His voice grows stronger and he starts to yell at the top of his lungs. “You hear me, Paige? I’m going to win this for you! For you! Every time I kill someone, I will say your name over their body! You hear me? You are my forever, Paige! You are my…” Daniel’s voice grows weaker as he sinks to the ground again, rocking back and forth in the fetal position, covering his face in his hands, repeating “you are my forever” over and over again between sobs.

“I’ll go get him some fresh water from the pond,” I say, grabbing Daniel’s almost-empty canteen which he has been refusing to drink. Sidney gives me a grateful look and nods for me to go.

I run towards the nearest pond, roll up my pants, and slip my ankles into the clear, sparkling water. Its coolness calms me down.

Seeing Daniel so stricken with grief has made me hurt. I keep thinking, What if I was in Daniel’s place, so wounded by one of my friend’s death that I couldn’t even say a word to anyone for three days?