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Rue's Death: A different kind of paradise

I grin for a moment, pleased and relieved the Careers took the bait. I really hoped Katniss had done it. Blown up the Careers supplies. I imagined their faces, the disbelief and horror on their features. Especially Cato. Supposed Mr macho. Priceless. I had to suppress a laugh. Since the games I had precious little to laugh about. Being forced into an arena against twenty three other tributes with a very slim chance of surviving until the end, was really depressing. Though my family would be suffering more than I would. Once I was dead it would be over for me. No more pain or suffering. Hopefully a heavenly paradise with angels singing, waiting for me like mother described. The singing part sounded good. Music had been the one thing besides my family which lifted my spirits.

What am I doing thinking about the wonderful paradise waiting for me after death? When I really should be thinking of my family. Mother and her cheerfulness and sweetness. Father working hard on the fields to provide for us and his jokes. Spending time with Mo, practically my best friend despite being eleven and my brother. Funny little Sunny and her more serious twin Peony. Energetic little five year old Chav. And sweet little Sierra a month shy of her second birthday … Her birthday that I most probably would not be alive that long to see. Suddenly instead of feeling hopeful and happy I felt like crying.

No, Think of the plan. This plan had actually given me just a bit of hope. It gave us a real chance of winning… There can only be one winner. Not two. My heart gave a jolt as I remembered. Sooner or later one of us would have to die. If Katniss and I were the last ones standing… No don't think of it. I could never bring myself to kill Katniss or anyone for that matter. Except Cato or Clove, perhaps. That's not the point. Katniss is like family. The responsible and awesome older sister I had always longed for. I had always looked after and watched for and helped mother with my younger siblings. Except for Mo who gave me a helping hand. Mo and I were inseparable. He was quite a daydreamer. When I took the risk of foraging for food in the fields for my siblings, I always insisted on doing it on my own. The consequences of getting caught were severe… I was the oldest and I would feel responsible if mo was caught alongside me. What would he do without me? Or me without him? I doubt Katniss would have the stomach to kill me. She volunteered to be in the games for her sister. That takes serious guts. She cares about her. She cares about me. But if I am the only obstacle between her and seeing her family again… Aggghhh!

My thoughts are interrupted as I stumble into a net. I curse. Idiot. I had been so absorbed in my thoughts I had not noticed it. Careless Idiot. I scream. I panic and keep screaming. Oh, Katniss where are you! What if a career finds me? I'm relieved when Katniss appears, panting and looking distressed. Like a superhero come to save damsel in distress. She reaches for my hand in the mesh. Unfortunately Katniss had not been the only one alerted by my cries. The boy from district one appears shortly . Could have popped out of the ground , for all we know. Before we even see him the spear enters my stomach. Simultaneously Kaniss' arrow goes through his neck. He's trying to pull the arrow out his neck, though he's drowning in his blood. But I know my predicament is no better. The pain in my stomach is intense. There's a lot of blood. I know I'm a goner. Katniss knows it too. She frees me from the net and crouches before me, the tears pouring down her cheeks. There are tears in my eyes too, as I realize I will never see her or my family ever again. If only I had been paying attention. If only the boy from district one had not found me. How I hated him. But let's face it. Even if he hadn't thrown the spear, I would have been finished sooner or later. Or worse have to fight it out with Katniss… It's really the Capitol's fault. I want to shout and rage at them. I want to strangle them and make them suffer the way they have made us suffer in the games. But not just in the games. Our oppression and curbed freedom. Our suffering and poverty. I'm not normally such a violent person. But this… just pushes me over the edge.

Katniss grabs my hand. "Did you blow up the food?" I whisper.

"Every last bit" Katniss says defiantly.

"You have to win" I say realizing that if I can't win I want Katniss to. It's a slight comfort at least.

"I'm going to. Going to win for the both of us" her voice is choked with emotion. We both hear the canon. The boy from district one.

"Don't go" I say tightening the grip on her hand.

"Sing" I beg her. I might as well leave the world with a song. She hesitates for a moment but, loyally fulfils my dying request.

Deep in the meadow, under the willow.

I begin to lose consciousness. I might as well, think happy thoughts. I think of my entire family of eight. Soon to be seven.

Suddenly I am back at home. Mother is smiling and hugging and kissing us all. Father is telling jokes. Peony and Sunny and Chavner are dancing around the room. Mo is talking to me. Sierra is clapping her hands in delight.

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow.

Suddenly we're in a beautiful, meadow with plentiful food. Trees and flowers galore. It's a paradise. There is a beautiful lake and the sun is shining ,the birds singing. We're all smiling. And best of all we're free. Something we could have could have if only it weren't for the Capitol. If only we had freedom…

Lay down your head and close your sleepy eyes

And when they open the sun will rise.

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

Here the daisies guard you from every harm.

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true.

I want that paradise for my family… and for the other districts too. I knew we couldn't quite have the vision exactly. But the next best thing we could have if only we could overthrow the Capitol somehow. Freedom. Not quite the paradise in my vision, but a different kind of paradise.

My breathing is getting shallow and my vision blurry.

Here is the place where I love you.

I think of the her Mockingjay pin. Symbol of rebellion. The reason I trusted Katniss. Even as I get weaker, my breath gets more laborious, I use up the last of my strength to say my last word.

"Mockingjay" I murmur. Katniss the Mockingjay. I'm not sure if Katniss hears me or not.

It's one word, but it's more than that. It means the rebellion needed to overthrow the Capitol. The necessary measure for freedom. I take my last breath, feeling oddly at peace and then the world fades to black.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that one-shot. My first complete and published fanfic. Rue's death scene was dreadfully sad ): It made me almost cry and she is one my favourite characters from Collins' world. The others being Foxface, Thresh (despite being minor characters) and of course Katniss herself. I really I had to write this as tribute to Rue. Even though this kind of one-shot has already been done. Reviews and constructive criticism is appreciated.

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