The Last Mockingjay [ON HOLD]

14. Rue's Secret

Mum scurries out the door, knowing that this would break me into pieces. And she's right - there is nothing more horrible than having to kill your best friend. Especially if it's Gale. Though I now deny it, we were once one. I felt empty without him - guity, almost, when I was with Peeta. Though it is quite different now, it is obvious that the one person who knows me best is Gale. I trusted him, and vice versa. How could I break that?

An incomprehensible pain enters my heart. Gale is not just any other person. He's my first love - the one who promised to keep my family aive. And though at the end, he killed one, he tried his hardest not to shatter that promise. Though I hate the concept of ownage, it's simple. I owe him.

As my eyes squeeze every last teardrop out, someone else comes in. I look up slowly, to find that it is Peeta, him too looking at me with puffy red eyes.

'I'm... I'm so sorry Katniss. I never thought... Gale would cross to the other side.' He sits next to me, and puts his arm around me. I resist, and try to shake it off childishly.

'You knew, Peeta. You knew what they were all doing. Yet you didn't tell me. I'm supposed to be your wife,' I stand up and walk out of the room, leaving Peeta to sit still, stunned.

I honestly do not know what I am meant to do. Follow Paylor's orders? Kill even more people? Kill Gale?

I lean against the wall, dizzy. No wonder Finnick acted so strange. I had agreed right in front of him to kill Gale.. and Beetee.

I keep walking, trying to find Paylor. Talk some reason into her. I walk into a different room, and is about to leave when I hear a soft sob.

It almost melts my heart. It's the kind of sob that Rue from district 11 once let out as life drained away from her body. The sob Rue, my daughter used to make when she was sad and scared.

I immediately scream out her name. 'Rue? Rue?'

'Mom, I don't know what to do...' I hear a faint whispering.

'It's okay,' I find myself answering.

'I'm sure I went through it too, darling,' I roll my eyes in exasperation. I was never the motherly type - I didn't knw what to say! This method usually seemed to work on kids her age.

'You were only faking though. Haymitch told me.'

Suddenly, I get a feeling that the situation is much more serious than I thought. 'Why did you talk to Haymitch?' I ask instantly, without remembering that he was only acting to follow Paylor's plans.

'There was no one else. Who would I talk to? Grandma?' I let this sink into me. Like me, Rue also knows that Mom is not that kind of mother. The one who would listen and give advice.

'So you talked to Haymitch?' I let out a chuckle, although I block my mouth quickly once I hear the sobs grow louder.

'I... I feel like I'm dying. Slowly - day by day, I'm getting weaker. I need him, Mom. Please.'

What is she talking about? She sounds so much in pain that I cannot help but treat her like she actually is an adult. After all, I had grown up by the age of 16 too.

I wait for her to continue.

She swallows, and keeps quiet.

'What is it, Rue? You can tell me. I'll make it all alright,' I say, remembering when she was little and scared.

This time it's Rue that laughs. 'Mom, I'm not eight anymore. Stop with the act - treat me like I'm... what you were when you were my age.'

I nod, imagining how frustrated I would've gotten if I was her. I zone back in just in time to hear what she is saying. 'After all, we are pretty much the same - star crossed? Head of the rebellion?'

My head spins. 'Head of rebellion?' I ask her.

'I'm the second mockingjay.'

My eyes grow wider. 'No, Rue. You cannot. Please - it will scar you for life.'

She sighs once again. 'I'm... I'm not a child anymore. I am the mockingjay. Why can't you understand? I tried so hard to make you see. I... just can't deal with this anymore. Inside of me, hatred keeps growing and growing, and I try to hide it. What am I supposed to do? I've lost everything... '

Then I see it in her eyes. The same fire of determination sparking vigorously. That's when I know, she indeed is the second mockingjay.

I nod. 'I understand, Rue. The aching pain - just know, it will never go away. Are you sure you want to do this? Risk your entire life?'

Rue stares at me. 'I can't be the mockingjay though. Not anymore.'

I suddenly become puzzled. Isn't this what she had been asking me for?

'What do you want, Rue?' I ask, slightly annoyed,

She then breaks into a frenzy of sobs once again.

'To save him. I can't let him go... how could I?'

'Who? Who are you talking about?'

Rue looks down, almost ashamed. 'Beetee,' she mutters under her breath.

That's when I finally begin to see. Rue loves Beetee. I love Gale, though not in the same way. The rebellion's point is to kill them, with every single person against Plutarch.

Rue and Beetee, are the real star crossed lovers of District 12.

And we have to rebel against the rebellion.

I hope you really enjoy this chapter - now here is where the action begins! Keep reading to find out what happens next. Thanks again to my fans - comment and vote! 9 votes for this chapter and I will upload the next.