The Daughter of the Sea

▬▬ 𝟏𝟏 ∙ 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝝩𝗵𝗲 𝝩𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗿𝝾𝗽𝗲

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽

˚✩ ⋆｡ ✩┊ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚 ┊✦ ˚ · .

▬▬ 11 ∙ 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎

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I woke up to Mila shaking me, looking very alert and awake. "It's been a few hours, I'd say almost 3. I had a few grapes while you were asleep; I was too hungry."

    "It's okay, do you want to get any more sleep?"

    "No, I'm ok."

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yes," she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

    "Ok, want to discuss shifts for the nights?"

    "Sure." She wasn't saying much more than simple one-word answers, and it concerned me.

    "Did something happen when I was asleep?"

    She was hesitant, but said, "District 8." I understood that to mean that there was yet another who had left. "9 tributes left now. The end is approaching." Mila took a big breath. "I saw it all."

    I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

    "There was a wind blowing, it lifted the cloth a few inches, but it was enough for me to peek out. I saw it, I saw the Careers kill him." She began sobbing, probably replaying the scene in her head. "I should have tried to help, I should have tried. He was so young."

    "We're all too young," I agree, hugging her. "But it'll be ok. That's just the way it goes."

"But in the end, it won't end up being ok..."

    "Will anyone come out being okay?" a boy's voice said from below. We froze, not daring to make a sound. "Are we allies then? Like you told me that day during training," the voice asked.

    "Danny?"

    "It's me. How did you two get up there?"

    "We climbed. Are you coming up too?"

    "Can I?"

    I looked at Mila, who nodded. "If you think he's trustworthy, then he will be a big asset."

    "Get a long, sturdy branch from the trees in the back, and climb up using that."

    I watched Danny walk to the back and use a sword, which he had probably gotten from the Cornucopia, and propped it up. The branch made numerous cracking noises as he pulled himself up, but he made it safely. I pulled the lock to let him in, then closed the trapdoor quickly.

    "Nice little space you've got. Much better than mine, at least."

    "Where have you been?"

    "Over there," he pointed to the house directly across from us. "But it has a ledge in the back, that's how I got up."

    "How did you find us?" This time it was Mila who spoke, sitting on the bed, curled up in a ball like a hedgehog in danger.

    "Remember when you looked out the window before you covered it with that? Well, I saw you, but I didn't want to risk running into the Careers. What's up with her, by the way? Is she mentally okay?"

    "Hey, don't be so rude. Other people have been through much more already, you know?" I said angrily, but Danny didn't seem very fazed.

    "One thing you'll learn," he began, "Is that whatever manners and kindness you have, none of it matters. This is the Hunger Games."