Rue's Story

Chapter 2 - Reaped

I am frozen on the spot after my name has been called. Everyone turns to look at me and May lets go of my hand.

"Go," she says and gives me a small shove.

I slowly walk up to Amanda, the mayor and the past victors and stand at the front of the stage.

"Are there any volunteers?" Amanda asks but I know there won't be.

As I suspected, the only response to her question is silence. I don't have any older siblings to volunteer for me and my friends are probably even worse off than me. At least I know what plants are edible. I gather them in the meadows all the time. To be honest, it's a mirical I haven't been caught and killed yet! I keep my gaze fixed straight ahead and a little up because I know if I see my family or my friends, I will break down.

"Now, for the boys!" Amanda exclaims.

She walks over to the other glass bowl and performs the again waves her hand over the bowl and selects a slip.

"It's Thresh Owen!"

One of the 18 year old boys steps forward confidently. I don't recognise him so he must be from one of the other villages. Hopefully he's nice.

As soon as he arrives on the stage, we have to shake hands before we are taken back into the Justice Building so we can say our final goodbyes to our family and possibly some friends. The peacekeepers guide me into a very plush room and I take a seat while I wait for my family.

"You have ten minutes," the peacekeeper says as my family enters.

My sisters immediately rush through the door and pile on me. They are all in tears.

"Rue! You can't go!" the youngest, Poppy, cries.

"I have to," I say and give her a hug.

"Why?" she asks, curious. She is too young to understand the idea of the Hunger Games, let alone that I probably won't be coming back.

"I just have to," I say and frown. I don't want to have to explain to poor, innocent Poppy what is going on.

"Will you come back?" the second eldest after myself, Violet, asks.

I sigh. How can I say no to that?

"I'll try," I say. "But I can't promise anything..."

I manage to get up and make my way over to my parents. They have both been crying. I'm sure they know I'm not coming back.

"Be careful, Rue," my dad says. "Just try your best and that's all you can do. We'll be thinking of you. Always."

The ten minutes is up all too soon and the peacekeeper has to drag my younger sisters out of the room.

"I love you!" I call just as the door closes.

I can't help myself, now. Tears well in my eyes and there's nothing I can do to hold them back.

"I love you..." I whisper again and crumple down onto the soft couch.

Before long, the peacekeepers come to take Thresh and I to the train station.

"Are you okay?" Amanda asks me, looking genuinely concerned as she sees my tear-stained face.

I nod but I don't trust myself to say anything. If I do, I will surely break down again. Thresh puts his arm around my shoulders protectively and we climb onto the train.

As we step through the door, my worries are temporarily forgotten as I look out at the huge, colourful train carriage. And this is just the lounge car!

"What do you think?" Amanda asks us, "Amazing, isn't it?"

Thresh and I just stand there, speechless. We haven't ever seen anything like this in our entire lives! Imaging living like this all the time with anything you could ever want at your fingertips. I don't actually know what I would do because I spend so much time looking after my sisters at home, studying at school, gathering food for my family and of course, working in the orchids.

Amanda continues on and we follow her. The next car contains my bedroom and Thresh's bedroom and then the next car along is for the victors and Amanda and then finally, the dining car. I can't believe it is so huge! If the train is like this, what will the Capitol be like?

"Dinner is in two hours so you two can just relax in your rooms or in the lounge car, if you like?" Amanda suggests before heading off into her own car.

Thresh looks at me expectantly.

"So what do you want to do?" he asks. "Maybe we should get to know each other a little?"

I nod and so we head back into the lounge car.

We both take a seat in the lounge facing each other.

"I'll start," Thresh says and launches into an explanation of his life, of how he got here, and of what he is good at. I learn that he is from Village 150 which isn't too far from mine and also explains why I haven't seen him before - our villages don't work together in the orchids. I also learn that he is physically very strong, as is generally the case with the men as they have to carry the fruit back to the loading docks and when they are young they climb trees. He has a very small family, in comparison to myself as his parents were killed by peacekeepers. He was only 6. Now, he lives with his grandmother. I discover that he actually volunteered in the village reaping so that he could avenge the deaths of his parents by emerging victor of the games. It's a huge risk, I think, but he is strong enough to stand a chance.

"What about you, Rue?" he asks, "What's your story?"

I begin hesitantly:

"Well, I am the eldest of 6 and I have 5 younger sisters - Violet, Jasmine, Lily, Daisy and Poppy. I live with my parents and my sisters in Village 240. I don't really think I stand much chance in these games but I suppose I am a good climber - I am always highest up when we work in the orchids - and I gather food for my family as our rations aren't big enough. Maybe that will help, maybe it won't, but I know one thing for sure - I won't be going home. As soon as I have to fight, I'm gone. The best I can hope for is a nice ally who will help me through the games. I need to get as far as I can, for my sisters."

As soon as I am done, I look up at Thresh and see he has tears in his eyes.

"Sorry," I say, "I didn't mean to upset you..."

"No," he says, "That was beautiful. I'll help you if I can, Rue, but as soon as we get into the arena, I just can't. I don't want allies."

I nod. I didn't expect him to take me on as an ally, and I wasn't suggesting he should either, I just mentioned it. There has got to be someone who I can help and who can also help me.

"I'm going to go have a shower before dinner," Thresh announces, breaking the silence that has settled between us. "It was good talking to you, Rue."

I smile up at him as he leaves. It was good talking to him, too.

I sit in the lounge car for a while, alone with my thoughts. My family is probably having dinner around about now. I wonder what they are having, if they can bear to eat at all. Hopefully they don't miss me too much and can quickly get on with their lives. I suddenly remember the dress I am wearing from my mother and I decide to take it off so that I don't crease it. I will ask someone to send it back home when I get to the Capitol.