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The boy from District 1 dies before he can pull out the spear My arrow drives deeply into the center of his neck He falls to his knees and halves the brief re in his own blood I&039; my aim from side to side, while I shout at Rue, "Are there more? Are there more?"

She has to say no several times before I hear it Rue has rolled to her side, her body curved in and around the spear I shove the boy away fro her from the net One look at the wound and I know it&039;s far beyond my capacity to heal, beyond anyone&039;s probably The spearhead is buried up to the shaft in her sto helplessly at the e words, in telling her she&039;ll be all right She&039;s no fool Her hand reaches out and I clutch it like a lifeline As if it&039;sinstead of Rue

"You blew up the food?" she whispers

"Every last bit," I say

"You have to win," she says

"I&039; to win for both of us now," I promise I hear a cannon and look up It must be for the boy frorip on ht here," I say I ently brush the dark, thick hair back behind her ear

"Sing," she says, but I barely catch the word

Sing? I think Sing what? I do know a few songs Believe it or not, there was once music in my house, too Music I helped make My father pulled me in with that reher the sa My throat is tight with tears, hoarse froue But if this is Prim&039;s, I mean, Rue&039;s last request, I have to at least try The song that cory babies to sleep with, It&039;s old, very old I think Made up long ago in our hills What my music teacher calls atomorroill be more hopeful than this awful piece of tih, s hard, and begin:

Deep in the reen pillow

Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes

And when again they open, the sun will rise

Here it&039;s safe, here it&039;s waruard you from every hars them true

Here is the place where I love you

Rue&039;s eyes have fluttered shut Her chest htly My throat releases the tears and they slide downfor her

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away

A cloak of leaves, a et your woes and let your troubles lay

And when again it&039;s , they&039;ll wash away

Here it&039;s safe, here it&039;s waruard you from every harm

The final lines are barely audible

Here your dreas them true

Here is the place where I love you

Everything&039;s still and quiet Then, al

For amy tears drip down on her face Rue&039;s cannon fires I lean forward and press ainst her temple Slowly, as if not to wake her, I lay her head back on the ground and release her hand

They&039;ll want me to clear out now So they can collect the bodies And there&039;s nothing to stay for I roll the boy from District 1 onto his face and take his pack, retrieve the arrow that ended his life I cut Rue&039;s pack fro she&039;d want me to have it but leave the spear in her stomach Weapons in bodies will be transported to the hovercraft I&039;ve no use for a spear, so the sooner it&039;s gone fro at Rue, s I can&039;t bringutterly defenseless To hate the boy from District 1, who also appears so vulnerable in death, see this to all of us

Gale&039;s voice is in er pointless, no longer to be ignored Rue&039;s death has forced ainst the cruelty, the injustice they inflict upon us But here, even ly than at hoe on the Capitol Is there?

Then I re I could think of a way to to show the Capital they don&039;t own me That I&039;m more than just a piece in their Games" And for the first time, I understand what he ht now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol that whatever they do or force us to do there is a part of every tribute they can&039;t own That Rue was more than a piece in their Garows a bank of wildflowers Perhaps they are really weeds of some sort, but they have blossoather up an armful and come back to Rue&039;s side Slowly, one ste the ugly wound Wreathing her face Weaving her hair with bright colors

They&039;ll have to show it Or, even if they choose to turn the ca them back when they collect the bodies and everyone will see her then and know I did it I step back and take a last look at Rue She could really be asleep in that meadow after all

"Bye, Rue," I whisper I press the three ainst my lips and hold the back

The birds fall silent So whistle that precedes the hovercraft I don&039;t kno it knows It s that humans can&039;t I pause, my eyes focused on what&039;s ahead, not what&039;s happening behind ins again and I know she&039;s gone