Safe and Sound || Hunger Games

Chapter Twenty Two - Blue Moon

Chapter Twenty Two - Blue Moon

I woke up on day twelve in the arena, to find that Grayson wasn't in the sleeping bag. I was used to it, though. He did it quite often. He was one of those people who were used to either not getting much sleep or waking up really early. Perhaps even both. As I was waking myself up by rolling up the sleeping bag and putting it into my backpack, I heard the cannon go off. My back immediately straightened and my head snapped up, almost cracking my neck. Was Grayson okay? I quickly pulled on my backpack and quiver on over the top, before picking up my bow. Grayson's backpack wasn't here with me and neither was his belt. Had he left me and managed to get himself killed? I started to get frantic. I jumped out of the tree and then put my belt on. I stormed forwards and into the trees.

"Grayson!" I called out. "Grayson? Grayson, where are you? Grayson!" I started to pick up my pace to a gentle jog that didn't feel quite so gentle. My heart pounded in my ribcage and my lungs seemed to be gasping loudly. "Grayson!" I shouted.

"Harper?" I turned around and towards where Grayson's voice was coming from. I sprinted towards it to see that Grayson was standing by the tree we had slept in, looking completely unscathed. I ran forwards and head butted his chest, almost sobbing. I held back my tears of relief back as I took in the fact that Grayson was alive and doing pretty well.

"Grayson Stengard, you almost scared the last bits of life out of me! I do not need to be panicking first thing in the morning, especially when the cannon goes off." I scolded, but I wasn't mad. I leaned against a tree and did what Grayson had done the day before, fanning myself with a big leaf. Grayson smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, where were you?" Grayson held out the Katniss flowers.

"What can I say, I like Katniss flowers." Grayson said, casing me to chuckle slightly. "Who do you think it is?" Grayson then asked me. I shrugged in response.

"I have no clue. I mean, there's now nine tributes left, aren't there?" I answered. The forest went eerily silent as the hovercraft dipped down into the trees. As it rose, I swore I could see a wave of chocolate brown shine in the sunlight. My jaw dropped and I choked on my own breath out of pure shock. "I-Is that Caritta?" I exclaimed. As the hovercraft disappeared overhead, my worries were confirmed by the sheet of brown hair that glistened in the wind. I stood were I was staring at the I was about to take a step forwards, but Grayson pulled onto my shoulder.

"Harper, you're going to end up hurting yourself. I can tell." He said, completely calmly, but I turned on my heel and glared at him.

"That girl-" I pointed in the direction of the hovercraft, blinking back tears. "-saved my life. I only knew her for a few minutes, but I swear, she is probably the nicest person in this arena. She had no reason to save my life, but she did it anyway. She could have sat and watched me being torn to pieces. But no, she came up and killed it. She, for you information, was the one who told me that you were still well. She let me know that you were doing well and so I wanted to come after you. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here right now. So for heaven's sake give, me a few minutes!" I was crying by the end of it. My voice had grown into a maniacal shriek that caused several mockingjays to fly overhead and away. Grayson stood there, silent. He didn't stop me as I stormed off. I walked towards a tree and sat down in front of it, leaning against it. I sat there in silence for a couple of minutes, before the regret hit me. I turned around and punched the tree, crying out in anguish. My knuckled started to bleed, but I didn't care. I had let myself become attached to the girl. I didn't even know anything about her past or her present, besides her name and District, but she saved me. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here.

I slumped against the tree, knocking my head against it a few times. I ignored the pain that I was giving myself and continued to knock my head. I shouldn't have snapped at Grayson, he was just looking out at me like all good allies would do. I guess Caritta's death took me by surprise and that seemed to be my instinctive reaction. I had to sort that out. So much had happened in a space of a few minutes and it was making my head feel weird. Well, maybe the bruise on the back of my head was making me feel that way, but the shock wasn't helping. I wanted Grayson to come over to me so I could apologise, but that wasn't going to happen. He was probably going to wait for me, perhaps not at all.