Deep in the meadow； hidden far away
A cloak of leaves； a moonbeam ray
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when again itˇs morning； theyˇll wash away。
Here itˇs safe； here itˇs warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
The final lines are barely audible。
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you。
Everythingˇs still and quiet。 Then； almost eerily； the mockingjays take up my song。
For a moment； I sit there； watching my tears drip down on her face。 Rueˇs cannon fires。 I lean forward and press my lips against her temple。 Slowly； as if not to wake her； I lay her head back on the ground and release her hand。
Theyˇll want me to clear out now。 So they can collect the bodies。 And thereˇs 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 Rueˇs pack from her back as well； knowing sheˇd want me to have it but leave the spear in her stomach。 Weapons in bodies will be transported to the hovercraft。 Iˇve no use for a spear； so the sooner itˇs gone from the arena the better。
I canˇt stop looking at Rue； smaller than ever； a baby animal curled up in a nest of ting。 I canˇt bring myself to leave her like this。 Past harm； but seeming utterly defenseless。 To hate the boy from District 1； who also appears so vulnerable in death； seems inadequate。 Itˇs the Capitol I hate； for doing this to all of us。
Galeˇs voice is in my head。 His ravings against the Capitol no longer pointless； no longer to be ignored。 Rueˇs death has forced me to confront my own fury against the cruelty； the injustice they inflict upon us。 But here； even more strongly than at home； I feel my impotence。 Thereˇs no way to take revenge on the Capitol。 Is there？
Then I remember Peetaˇs words on the roof。 ¨Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to 。 。 。 to show the Capital they donˇt own me。 That Iˇm more than just a piece in their Games。〃 And for the first time； I understand what he means。
I want to do something； right here； right 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 canˇt own。 That Rue was more than a piece in their Games。 And so am I。
A few steps into the woods grows a bank of wildflowers。 Perhaps they are really weeds of some sort； but they have blossoms in beautiful shades of violet and yellow and white。 I gather up an armful and e back to Rueˇs side。 Slowly； one stem at a time； I decorate her body in the flowers。 Covering the ugly wound。 Wreathing her face。 Weaving her hair with bright colors。
Theyˇll have to show it。 Or； even if they choose to turn the cameras elsewhere at this moment； theyˇll have to bring 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 middle fingers of my left hand against my lips and hold them out in her direction。 Then I walk away without looking back。
The birds fall silent。 Somewhere； a mockingjay gives the warning whistle that precedes the hovercraft。 I donˇt know how it knows。 It must hear things that humans canˇt。 I pause； my eyes focused on whatˇs ahead； not whatˇs happening behind me。 It doesnˇt take long； then the general birdsong begins again and I know sheˇs gone。
Another mockingjay； a young one by the look of it； lands on a branch before me and bursts out Rueˇs melody。
My song； the hovercraft； were too unfamiliar for this novice to pick up； but it has mastered her handful of notes。 The ones that mean sheˇs safe。
¨Good and safe；〃 I say as I pass under its branch。 ¨We donˇt have to worry about her now。〃 Good and safe。
Iˇve no idea where to go。 The brief sense of home I had that one night with Rue has vanished。 My feet wander this way and that until sunset。 Iˇm not afraid； not even watchful。 Which makes me an easy target。 Except Iˇd kill anyone I met on sight。 Without emotion or the slightest tremor in my hands。 My hatred of the Capitol has not lessened my hatred of my petitors in the least。 Especially the Careers。 They； at least； can be made to pay for Rueˇs death。
No one materializes though。 There arenˇt many of us left and itˇs a big arena。 Soon theyˇll be pulling out some other device to force us together。 But thereˇs been enough gore today。 Perhaps weˇll even get to sleep。
Iˇm about to haul my packs into a tree to make camp when a silver parachute floats down and lands in front of me。 A gift from a sponsor。 But why now？ Iˇve been in fairly good shape with supplies。 Maybe Haymitchˇs noticed my despondency and is trying to cheer me up a bit。 Or could it be something to help my ear？
I open the parachute and find a small loaf of bread Itˇs not the fine white Capitol stuff。 Itˇs made of dark ration grain and shaped in a crescent。 Sprinkled with seeds。 I flash back to Peetaˇs lesson on the various district breads in the Training Center。 This bread came from District 11。 I cautiously lift the still warm loaf。 What must it have cost the people of District 11 who canˇt even feed themselves？ How many wouldˇve had to do without to scrape up a coin to put in the collection for this one loaf？ It had been meant for Rue； surely。 But instead of pulling the gift when she died； theyˇd authorized Haymitch to give it to me。 As a thank…you？ Or because； like me； they donˇt like to let debts go unpaid？ For whatever reason； this is a first。 A district gift to a tribute whoˇs not your own。
I lift my face and step into the last falling rays of sunlight。 ¨My thanks to the people of District Eleven；〃 I say。 I want them to know I know where it came from。 That the full value of their gift has been recognized。
I climb dangerously high into a tree； not for safety but to get as far away from today as I can。 My sleeping bag is rolled neatly in Rueˇs pack。 Tomorrow Iˇll sort through the supplies。 Tomorrow Iˇll make a new plan。 But tonight； all I can do is strap myself in and take tiny bites of the bread。 Itˇs good。 It tastes of home。
Soon the sealˇs in the sky； the anthem plays in my right ear。 I see the boy from District 1； Rue。 Thatˇs all for tonight。 Six of us left； I think。 Only six。 With the bread still locked in my hands； I fall asleep at once。
Sometimes when things are particularly bad； my brain will give me a happy dream。 A visit with my father in the woods。 An hour of sunlight and cake with Prim。 Tonight it sends me Rue； still decked in her flowers； perched in a high sea of trees； trying to teach me to talk to the mockingjays。 I see no sign of her wounds； no blood； just a bright； laughing girl。 She sings songs Iˇve never heard in a clear； melodic voice。 On and on。 Through the night。 Thereˇs a drowsy in…between period when I can hear the last few strains of her music although sheˇs lost in the leaves。 When I fully awaken； Iˇm momentarily forted。 I try to hold on to the peaceful feeling of the dream； but it quickly slips away； leaving me sadder and lonelier than ever。
Heaviness infuses my whole body； as if thereˇs liquid lead in my veins。 Iˇve lost the will to do the simplest tasks； to do anything but lie here； staring unblinkingly through the canopy of leaves。 For several hours； I remain motionless。 As usual； itˇs the thought of Primˇs anxious face as she watches me on the screens back home that breaks me from my lethargy。
I give myself a series of simple mands to follow； like ¨Now you have to sit up； Katniss。 Now you have to drink water； Katniss。〃 I act on the orders with slow； robotic motions。 ¨Now you have to sort the packs； Katniss。〃
Rueˇs pack holds my sleeping bag； her nearly empty water skin； a handful of nuts and roots； a bit of rabbit； her extra socks； and her slingshot。 The boy from District 1 has several knives； two spare spearheads； a flashlight； a small leather pouch； a first…aid kit； a full bottle of water； and a pack of dried fruit。 A pack of dried fruit！ Out of all he might have chosen from。 To me； this is a sign of extreme arrogance。 Why bother to carry food when you have such a bounty back at camp？ When you will kill your enemies so quickly youˇll be home before youˇre hungry？ I can only hope the other Careers traveled so lightly when it came to food and now find themselves with nothing。
Speaking of which； my own supply is running low。 I finish off the loaf from District 11 and the last of the rabbit。 How quickly the food disappears。 All I have left are Rueˇs roots and nuts； the boyˇs dried fruit； and one strip of beef。 Now you have to hunt； Katniss； I tell myself。
I obediently consolidate the supplies I want into my pack。 After I climb down the tree； I conceal the boyˇs knives and spearheads in a pile of rocks so that no one else can use them。 Iˇve lost my bearings what with all the wandering around I did yesterday evening； but I try and head back in the general direction of the stream。 I know Iˇm on course when I e across Rueˇs third； unlit fire。 Shortly thereafter； I discover a flock of grooslings perched in the trees and take out three before they know what hit them。 I return to Rueˇs signal fire and start it up； not caring about the excessive smoke。 Where are you； Cato？ I think as I roast the birds and Rueˇs roots。 Iˇm waiting right here。
Who knows where the Careers are now？ Either too far to reach me or too sure this is a trick or 。。。 is it possible？ Too scared of me？ They know I have the bow and arrows； of course； Cato saw me take them from Glimmerˇs body； but have they put two and two together yet？ Figured out I blew up the supplies and killed their fellow Career？ Possibly they think Thresh did this。 Wouldnˇt he be more likely to revenge Rueˇs death than I would？ Being from the same district？ Not that he ever took any interest in her。
And what about Foxface？ Did she hang around to watch me blow up the supplies？ No。 When I caught her laughing in the ashes the next morning； it was as if someone had given her a lovely surprise。
I doubt they think Peeta has lit this signal fire。 Catoˇs sure heˇs as good as dead。 I find myself wishing I could tell Peeta about the flowers I put on Rue。 That I now understand what he was trying to say on the roof。 Perhaps if he wins the Games； heˇll see me on victorˇs night； when they replay the highlights
of the Games on a screen over the stage where we did our interviews。 The winner sits in a place of honor on the platform； surrounded by their support crew。
But I told Rue Iˇd be there。 For both of us。 And somehow that seems even more important than the vow I gave Prim。
I really think I stand a chance of doing it now。 Winning。 Itˇs not just having the arrows or outsmarting the Careers a few times； although those things help。 Something happened when I was holding Rueˇs hand； watching the life drain out of her。 Now I am determined to revenge her； to make her loss unforgettable； and I can only do that by winning and thereby making myself unforgettable。
I overcook the birds hoping someone will show up to shoot； but no one does。 Maybe the other tributes are out there beating one another senseless。 Which would be fine； Ever since the bloodbath； Iˇve been featured on