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Jimmy stared out to the horizon, the white sand under his feet, the crashing waves a song he knew by hearth. He was happy, his life was truly wonderful, he didn’t need anything more, not the fancy lives of the Capitol, nor the anger of the District people. All he wanted was to live in the moment forever. The familiar landscape of the beach where he’d grown up was comforting, the shouting from the neighbourhood kids playing around him filled him with euphoria and the sun warmed and dried his skin gently, still sticky with the sea salt. Someone called out to him and threw him a ball. Made from scraps and leaves, it was prone to breaking apart, but Jimmy had fixed it hundreds of times now. He joined the game happily, all the younger kids going against him in an attempt to score, which they managed once they tackled him to the ground.
“You guys play dirty, you know that!“
“And what are you gonna do about it?”
One of them teased.
“Get revenge!“
With a roar and a laugh he picked up two of them under his arms and dragged them into the sea, while everyone followed and sprayed him in an attempt to stop him, and so one of the most epic water battles District 4 had ever seen ensued. Only once the sun was getting low on the horizon did they leave the water, taking on calmer games, like sand castles and drawing on the shore. Jimmy sat behind them, watching the play unfold and enjoying the warmth of the sand under his hands. Eventually, hands circled him from behind and hugged him tight.
“How’s my little lifeguard doing?“
“Mum! I thought you were at the docks today!“
“I was, and then I wasn’t needed anymore, so I thought I’d bring you a snack to share!“
Jimmy looked down at the feast hidden in his mother’s bag. Buttered sandwiches filled with preserved fish, cut coconuts and bananas that where still mostly yellow. A feast worthy of a king by his standards.
“Wow! This is incredible! Where did you get all this?“
“I called in a few favours, but it’s worth it, sometimes you just need to celebrate don’t you?”
Jimmy stood up, calling all his little friends over to join into the feast, only taking a bite once he’d make sure all of them — and his mother — had something to eat that he took one of the sandwiches without realising that everyone else there, even the youngest kids, had made sure that his favourite was leftover for him to have. He was loved and he only partially knew that, but still he was and his life was full of beauty and friendship and that was enough.