Rue's Story

Chapter 9 - The Plan

As soon as we wake the next morning we set up our plan. We make the trail of fires which takes until around lunch time.

"There," Katniss says and places the last branch, "that should burn with lots of smoke."

I nod and smile at her.

"I'll meet you back here when it's done, okay?" she says and I nod again.

"Wait," I say before we go our separate ways. "We need a signal, so that if one of us gets held up, the other knows they are okay."

She nods. "Okay, but how?" She asks.

"Listen," I say before whistling a few notes. Immediately the mockingjays start to repeat my song.

"Mockingjays..." she says with a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah," I reply. "We use them in the orchards back home to tell when it's time to leave. You try."

She whistles a four note tune and the mockingjays break into song again.

"Great!" I say and smile at her. "I'll see you this evening!"

She smiles back and gives me a hug.

"Good luck, Rue," she says quietly, "see you tonight."

With that, we head our separate ways; I go to the first fire and Katniss goes to the careers camp. When I get to the fire, I wait a little while before lighting it. It smokes up just the way we planned. I'd better get running. I climb up the nearest tree and fly among the branches from tree to tree until I reach the second fire. I hesitate and am high enough spot the careers at the first fire. Time to light the next one. I clamber down and light the second fire. They will probably be on to me by now.

At the third fire, I again spot the careers at the second fire. They seem preoccupied by something at the moment so I don't feel the need to light the last fire. I'll just wait here until Katniss gets back.

I am jolted out of my daydream by the sound of huge explosions. That must be Katniss! She blew up all their food! She should be here soon. At that moment, I see a huge berry bush not far from the fire. I might just grab some of those for dinner tonight. They can be something a little special to celebrate our success! After clambering down my tree, I head towards where I saw the berries. They are further than I thought - about half way to the second fire.

One moment everything is fine. The next, I'm trapped, pinned to the ground by a net. I hear Katniss' whistle and call out to her.

"Katniss!" I scream as loud as I can. "Katniss, help!"

"Rue!" I hear a call back a fair distance away. "I'm coming, Rue!"

"Rue!"

She found me! Katniss runs over and starts cutting at the net. She just gets me free when he throws the spear. He doesn't go unnoticed by us, though, and Katniss immediately shoots him through the heart. He dies instantly. The spear hits me in the stomach.

The pain is unbearable. I slowly pull the spear out and Katniss turns back to me.

"Rue!" she says, shocked, "you're gonna be okay."

I know I'm gone. She knows it too and starts sobbing. I will never see my family again. My parents, my sisters... I truly hope they will be okay. The village will look after them.

"You have to win," I tell her seriously. She just nods. "Can you sing?"

It's my last request. Mum used to sing to me all the time at home. I love music. She cradles me in her arms and begins:

Deep in the meadow,

under the willow.

A bed of grass,

a soft green pillow.

Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes,

and when again they open, the sun will rise.

Everything is getting fuzzy. It's quiet other than Katniss' singing.

Here it's safe, here it's warm,

here the daisies guard you from every harm,

here dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true.

Everything goes black and all I hear is the final line:

Here is the place where I love you.