ecause even though the information seems harmless； they donˇt want people in different districts to know about one another。
At Rueˇs suggestion； we lay out all our food to plan ahead。 Sheˇs seen most of mine； but I add the last couple of crackers and beef strips to the pile。 Sheˇs gathered quite a collection of roots； nuts； greens； and even some berries。
I roll an unfamiliar berry in my fingers。 ¨You sure this is safe？〃
¨Oh； yes； we have them back home。 Iˇve been eating them for days；〃 she says； popping a handful in her mouth。 I tentatively bite into one； and itˇs as good as our blackberries。 Taking Rue on as an ally seems a better choice all the time。 We divide up our food supplies； so in case weˇre separated； weˇll both be set for a few days。 Apart from the food； Rue has a small water skin； a homemade slingshot； and an extra pair of socks。 She also has a sharp shard of rock she uses as a knife。 ¨I know itˇs not much；〃 she says as if embarrassed； ¨but I had to get away from the Cornucopia fast。〃
¨You did just right；〃 I say。 When I spread out my gear； she gasps a little when she sees the sunglasses。
¨How did you get those？〃 she asks。
¨In my pack。 Theyˇve been useless so far。 They donˇt block the sun and they make it harder to see；〃 I say with a shrug。
¨These arenˇt for sun； theyˇre for darkness；〃 exclaims Rue。 ¨Sometimes； when we harvest through the night； theyˇll pass out a few pairs to those of us highest in the trees。 Where the torchlight doesnˇt reach。 One time； this boy Martin； he tried to keep his pair。 Hid it in his pants。 They killed him on the spot。〃
¨They killed a boy for taking these？〃 I say。
¨Yes； and everyone knew he was no danger。 Martin wasnˇt right in the head。 I mean； he still acted like a three…year…old。 He just wanted the glasses to play with；〃 says Rue。
Hearing this makes me feel like District 12 is some sort of safe haven。 Of course； people keel over from starvation all the time； but I canˇt imagine the Peacekeepers murdering a simpleminded child。 Thereˇs a little girl； one of Greasy Saeˇs grandkids； who wanders around the Hob。 Sheˇs not quite right； but sheˇs treated as a sort of pet。 People toss her scraps and things。
¨So what do these do？〃 I ask Rue； taking the glasses。
¨They let you see in plete darkness；〃 says Rue。 ¨Try them tonight when the sun goes down。〃
I give Rue some matches and she makes sure I have plenty of leaves in case my stings flare up again。 We extinguish our fire and head upstream until itˇs almost nightfall。
¨Where do you sleep？〃 I ask her。 ¨In the trees？〃 She nods。 ¨In just your jacket？〃
Rue holds up her extra pair of socks。 ¨I have these for my hands。〃
I think of how cold the nights have been。 ¨You can share my sleeping bag if you want。 Weˇll both easily fit。〃 Her face lights up。 I can tell this is more than she dared hope for。
We pick a fork high in a tree and settle in for the night just as the anthem begins to play。 There were no deaths today。
¨Rue； I only woke up today。 How many nights did I miss？〃 The anthem should block out our words； but still I whisper。 I even take the precaution of covering my lips with my hand。 I donˇt want the audience to know what Iˇm planning to tell her about Peeta。 Taking a cue from me； she does the same。
¨Two；〃 she says。 ¨The girls from Districts One and Four are dead。 Thereˇs ten of us left。〃
¨Something strange happened。 At least； I think it did。 It might have been the tracker jacker venom making me imagine things；〃 I say。 ¨You know the boy from my district？ Peeta？ I think he saved my life。 But he was with the Careers。〃
¨Heˇs not with them now；〃 she says。 ¨Iˇve spied on their base camp by the lake。 They made it back before they collapsed from the stingers。 But heˇs not there。 Maybe he did save you and had to run。〃
I donˇt answer。 If； in fact； Peeta did save me； Iˇm in his debt again。 And this canˇt be paid back。 ¨If he did； it was all probably just part of his act。 You know； to make people think heˇs in love with me。〃
¨Oh；〃 says Rue thoughtfully。 ¨I didnˇt think that was an act。〃
¨Course it is；〃 I say。 ¨He worked it out with our mentor。〃 The anthem ends and the sky goes dark。 ¨Letˇs try out these glasses。〃 I pull out the glasses and slip them on。 Rue wasnˇt kidding。 I can see everything from the leaves on the trees to a skunk strolling through the bushes a good fifty feet away。 I could kill it from here if I had a mind to。 I could kill anyone。
¨I wonder who else got a pair of these；〃 I say。
¨The Careers have two pairs。 But theyˇve got everything down by the lake；〃 Rue says。 ¨And theyˇre so strong。〃
¨Weˇre strong； too；〃 I say。 ¨Just in a different way。〃
¨You are。 You can shoot；〃 she says。 ¨What can I do？〃
¨You can feed yourself。 Can they？〃 I ask。
¨They donˇt need to。 They have all those supplies；〃 Rue says。
¨Say they didnˇt。 Say the supplies were gone。 How long would they last？〃 I say。 ¨I mean； itˇs the Hunger Games； right？〃
¨But； Katniss； theyˇre not hungry；〃 says Rue。
¨No； theyˇre not。 Thatˇs the problem；〃 I agree。 And for the first time； I have a plan。 A plan that isnˇt motivated by the need for flight and evasion。 An offensive plan。 ¨I think weˇre going to have to fix that； Rue。〃
16
Rue has decided to trust me wholeheartedly。 I know this because as soon as the anthem finishes she snuggles up against me and falls asleep。 Nor do I have any misgivings about her； as I take no particular precautions。 If sheˇd wanted me dead； all she would have had to do was disappear from that tree without pointing out the tracker jacker nest。 Needling me； at the very back of my mind； is the obvious。 Both of us canˇt win these Games。 But since the odds are still against either of us surviving； I manage to ignore the thought。
Besides； Iˇm distracted by my latest idea about the Careers and their supplies。 Somehow Rue and I must find a way to destroy their food。 Iˇm pretty sure feeding themselves will be a tremendous struggle。 Traditionally； the Career tributesˇ strategy is to get hold of all the food early on and work from there。 The years when they have not protected it well one year a pack of hideous reptiles destroyed it； another a Gamemakersˇ flood washed it away those are usually the years that tributes from other districts have won。 That the Careers have been better red growing up is actually to their disadvantage； because they donˇt know how to be hungry。 Not the way Rue and I do。
But Iˇm too exhausted to begin any detailed plan tonight。 My wounds recovering； my mind still a bit foggy from the venom； and the warmth of Rue at my side； her head cradled on my shoulder； have given me a sense of security。 I realize； for the first time； how very lonely Iˇve been in the arena。 How forting the presence of another human being can be。 I give in to my drowsiness； resolving that tomorrow the tables will turn。 Tomorrow； itˇs the Careers who will have to watch their backs。
The boom of the cannon jolts me awake。 The skyˇs streaked with light； the birds already chattering。 Rue perches in a branch across from me； her hands cupping something。 We wait； listening for more shots； but there arenˇt any。
¨Who do you think that was？〃 I canˇt help thinking of Peeta。
¨I donˇt know。 It could have been any of the others；〃 says Rue。 ¨I guess weˇll know tonight。〃
¨Whoˇs left again？〃 I ask。
¨The boy from District One。 Both tributes from Two。 The boy from Three。 Thresh and me。 And you and Peeta；〃 says Rue。 ¨Thatˇs eight。 Wait； and the boy from Ten； the one with the bad leg。 He makes nine。〃
Thereˇs someone else； but neither of us can remember who it is。
¨I wonder how that last one died；〃 says Rue。
¨No telling。 But itˇs good for us。 A death should hold the crowd for a bit。 Maybe weˇll have time to do something before the Gamemakers decide things have been moving too slowly；〃 I say。 ¨Whatˇs in your hands？〃
¨Breakfast；〃 says Rue。 She holds them out revealing two big eggs。
¨What kind are those？〃 I ask。
¨Not sure。 Thereˇs a marshy area over that way。 Some kind of waterbird；〃 she says。
Itˇd be nice to cook them； but neither of us wants to risk a fire。 My guess is the tribute who died today was a victim of the Careers； which means theyˇve recovered enough to be back in the Games。 We each suck out the insides of an egg； eat a rabbit leg and some berries。 Itˇs a good breakfast anywhere。
¨Ready to do it？〃 I say； pulling on my pack。
¨Do what？〃 says Rue； but by the way she bounces up； you can tell sheˇs up for whatever I propose。
¨Today we take out the Careersˇ food；〃 I say。
¨Really？ How？〃 You can see the glint of excitement in her eyes。 In this way； sheˇs exactly the opposite of Prim for whom adventures are an ordeal。
¨No idea。 e on； weˇll figure out a plan while we hunt；〃 I say。
We donˇt get much hunting done though because Iˇm too busy getting every scrap of information I can out of Rue about the Careersˇ base。 Sheˇs only been in to spy on them briefly； but sheˇs observant。 They have set up their camp beside the lake。 Their supply stash is about thirty yards away。 During the day； theyˇve been leaving another tribute； the boy from District 3； to watch over the supplies。
¨The boy from District Three？〃 I ask。 ¨Heˇs working with them？〃
¨Yes； he stays at the camp full…time。 He got stung； too； when they drew the tracker jackers in by the lake；〃 says Rue。 ¨I guess they agreed to let him live if he acted as their guard。 But heˇs not very big。〃
¨What weapons does he have？〃 I ask。
¨Not much that I could see。 A spear。 He might be able to hold a few of us off with that； but Thresh could kill him easily；〃 says Rue。
¨And the foodˇs just out in the open？〃 I say。 She nods。 ¨Somethingˇs not quite right about that whole setup。〃
¨I know。 But I couldnˇt tell what exactly；〃 says Rue。 ¨Katniss； even if you could get to the food； how would you get rid of it？〃
¨Burn it。 Dump it in the lake。 Soak it in fuel。〃 I poke Rue in the belly； just like I would Prim。 ¨Eat it！〃 She giggles。 ¨Donˇt worry； Iˇll think of something。 Destroying things is much easier than making them。〃
For a while； we dig roots； we gather berries and greens； we devise a strategy in hushed voices。 And I e to know Rue； the oldest of six kids； fiercely protective of her siblings； who gives her rations to the younger ones； who forages in the meadows in a district where the Peacekeepers are far less obliging than ours。 Rue； who when you ask her what she loves most in the world； replies； of all things； ¨Music。〃
¨Music？〃 I say。 In our world； I rank music somewhere between hair ribbons and rainbows in terms of usefulness。 At least a rainbow gives you a tip about the weather。 ¨You have a lot of time for that？〃
¨We sing at home。 At work； too。 Thatˇs why I love your pin；〃 she says； pointing to the mockingjay that Iˇve again forgotten about。
¨You have mockingjays？〃 I ask。
¨Oh； yes。 I have a few that are my special friends。 We can sing back and forth for hours。 They carry messages for me；〃 she says。
¨What do you mean？〃 I say。
¨Iˇm usually up highest； so Iˇm the first to see the flag that signals quitting time。 Thereˇs a special little song I do；〃 says Rue。 She op