DISCLAMIER: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES
This is my first fan fiction so pleasee try and be nice. PLEASEE REVIEW!!!!! Thank you!!! Xoxoxo
The 3-note tune whistled from Ray's lips, which signaled the end of the workday. It had been 2 years since the death of Ray's sister Rue and still whistling the tune that Rue had always sung brought back bad, painful memories. Ray held onto a branch and let her self-fall to the ground landing softly on her bare feet.
Ray ran across the felids the dirt that was warmed by the sun sunk between her toes. Ray looked up at the sky wishing that Rue was still there to run and sing with her, to play and laugh again. Ray remembered how Rue always used to tickle her when she was feeling down. It would always make her feel better.
Ray would never forget that dreadful day of the reaping 2 years ago. Ray had been 11 at the time and Rue was 12. Rue had taken terrace for her and all her siblings. She was entered many more times than most girls her age. Ray was so worried that Rue was going to be picked but Rue kept assuring her she would not be. How wrong Rue was. Everyone was in the square. Ray and her sisters including Rue were all dressed up for the reaping even though Rue was the only one old enough to be picked for the games. The walk to the square felt like it took longer than it had ever before. Once they arrived each of the sisters hugged Rue and wished her luck. "I'm gonna be ok" Rue had whispered into Ray's ear. Ray hugged Rue tightly "I know" she had whispered back "I know". Ray held her other 5 sisters' hands squeezing them tightly. The mayor introduced Wapiti Hanvas, the lady who came around each year to pick the names of the two kids who would be going to the Hunger Games. She had orange skin and pinkish hair. Ray could hardly believe the way capitol people dressed. Wapiti went on and on about the history of Panem and blah blah blah. Soon she went over to the glass ball that contained the girls names "Ladies first" She grinned a scary huge grin. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She crackled and reached her hand down deep inside the glass ball, spinning it around and around until she grabbed a slip of paper. Ray's heart started to pound faster and faster. It was like a bird fluttering inside her chest trying to get out. Wapiti smoothed out the piece of paper and let out a small cough before continuing to say the name loud and clear. "Rue Rose" She called out the name loud and clear. Everything seemed to go into slow motion from there and Ray could hardly control herself. "Not rue!" she screamed, "Not rue!" Most of her sisters were too young to understand what had just happened except for Alayla who was 10. "Rue!" Alayla screamed, "Rue no no no no no!" Alayla began to sob. Rue looked at them sympathy showed deep in her eyes "I'm sorry" she mouthed to Ray. Ray couldn't take it any more. She ran. "Hey!" she heard one of the peacekeepers yell after her "You get back here right now!" he screamed and began chase. Ray was faster she dodged and jumped over things until she could no longer hear the peacekeepers behind her. Ray fell to the ground and began to sob pounding the ground with her fist. Ray soon heard her name being called "Ray?" Alayla's voice came softly. Ray turned around "She can't go!" Ray screamed "She cant!" she began to sob again. Alayla leaned down and hugged her. It felt like they were sitting there for hours. "Well we better go (sniff) say goodbye" Ray sniffed again wiping her nose with the sleeve of her dress. Alayla's eyes darkened "Ray… I'm sorry we looked everywhere for you…. We tried to keep the train waiting until we could find you, but you know how the peacekeepers are" her voice became a whisper "They don't wait for anything…" Alayla said. Ray couldn't function the words at first "She… she's gone?!" Ray choked. Alayla nodded her head and a few tears fell down her tan cheeks. "I'm so sorry!" Alayla cried flinging her arms around Ray "I should have made them wait!" She sobbed into Ray's shoulder making the dress's fabric damp. Ray grabbed onto her sister Rue gone? How? "I didn't even get to say goodbye," Ray croaked. Alayla looked at her "Rue said" Alayla sniffed before continuing "That you need to stay strong and whatever you see on the TV you have to be strong for our family" Alayla wiped her eyes "Rue also said that she loves you very much no matter what happens" Alayla gave Ray a small sad smile "I think we both know that is true" Alayla said hugging Ray. Ray nodded too choked for words "Lets head home" Alayla said, "I know everyone is very worried about you". Alayla stood up and offered Ray her hand, which Ray took. That day was the last time Ray ever hugged Rue again.
All of that flashed by in a second. Ray opened her eyes "I'm sorry too Rue" she whispered and then quickly sprinted home. Tomorrow was the reaping and Ray swore she would never leave her family alone again like she had with Rue. Ray stepped inside and her two twin 5-year-old sisters greeted her "Ray!" they giggled as they ran up and grabbed onto Ray's legs. "Hey Summer!" She smiled hugging the younger twin. "What about me?" the older twin, Misty huffed. "Oh Misty how could I forget about you?" Ray smiled and pulled her in for a hug. Ray kissed both of them on the cheek and stood up.
Alayla was there "Hey you" she smiled hugging Ray. "Sapphire and Bird have been looking forward too seeing you all day" Alayla giggled. Sapphire who was 7 and Bird who was 9 rushed up to Ray "Ray!!" They called out running into her with open arms "Hey guys" Ray laughed. Sapphire and Bird were both so tiny Ray could wrap both of her arms around them with ease.
"What's for dinner?" Ray asked looking at Alayla who always made the dinner. "Stew" Alayla said, "I'm saving all our 'good' food for tomorrow" her voice became grim. "For the reaping" Alayla reminded her "I know" Ray sighed, "I just wish I didn't".
Night came and Ray sat by her bedroom window thinking she soon dozed off. 2 years ago. Ray sat in front of the TV as she watched Rue jump through the trees. Rue had made an alliance with Katniss a girl from district 12. Ray couldn't help but admire Katniss; she had stepped forward and taken her sister's place in the games. Ray watched as Rue lit the first fire. The camera flashed to the careers that instantly noticed the smoke but did not notice Katniss who was hidden in the bushes outside of their camp. The careers debated weather to bring the boy from district 3 who had planted landmines to protect the food; finally they decided to bring him. "It's mined!" Ray yelled at the screen even though she knew no matter how much she yelled neither Rue nor Katniss would be able to hear her. Katniss looked like she was about to step out of the bushes when a girl with orange hair stepped quietly into the careers camp. "She knows" Ray muttered under her breath. The red headed girl began to do little hops to get to the food she fell and Ray let out a gasp expecting the landmines to set off an explosion but they didn't. She was lucky Ray thought soon the red head girl was taking some of the food and doing her little hops back and then she began to run. Katniss still looked confused. The camera switched back to Rue who was lighting the second fire. "Come on Katniss the careers are going to suspect something by now!" Ray yelled at the screen. The camera switched back to Katniss whose eyes grew wide "It's mined" she whispered. "Finally!" Ray let out a sigh of relief. The camera switched back to the careers that were looking at the second fire's smoke that was rising high into the air "Do you think it's a trap Cato?" the girl from district 1 who's name was Glitter asked. "I don't know but if it's the girl from district 12 I get her and no one interferes you got that?" he snapped at all the other careers. They all nodded their head and began running towards the second fire. The camera switched back to Katniss she had just shot an arrow and had tore a small slash in the side of a bag that was holding at least a dozen apples. Ray smiled "Come on Katniss you can do it" she said holding her breath as the second arrow was shot tearing an even bigger gap in the bag of apples. The apples were tittering dangerously on the edge of the bag "Come on one more shot!" Ray begged it to work. Katniss loaded the arrow and pulled back the string. The arrow sprung forward and tore the bag open. All the apples toppled out of the bag falling onto the land mines. The force of the landmines knocked Katniss back. Katniss scrambled up only to fall back down again. The camera switched to the careers who herd the explosions and began to sprint back to their base. Katniss was still on the ground too weak to walk "Katniss there coming!" I screamed, "Come on get up please get up!" I begged. Katniss pulled her self into a thicket of bushes just as Cato barged into the camp. Cato was in complete shock and began screaming he even ripped some of his hair out. Ray would have laughed if it hadn't been the Hunger Games. Cato turned to the boy from district 3 who had set up the landmines "You!" Cato hissed and lunged at him. The boy didn't even have time to run before Cato twisted his neck. There was a sickening snap and the boy fell to the ground dead. It was over in a heartbeat. Ray put her head in her hands she could hardly take all of it in. "Cato" Glimmer said putting a hand on his shoulder trying to calm him down "The bomber probably died but we didn't hear it because of the explosions" she explained. Cato squeezed his eyes shut tight and nodded his head "Lets see if we can find anything in the remains" he suggested. Glimmer nodded. The careers threw a couple of rocks to see if there were any remaining mines left that were still active. There were none. The careers didn't find anything in the ashes that were the remains of their food. The camera switches back to Rue who is at the third fire, which she left unlit. She must know that Katniss blew up the food. Rue begins to walk in the opposite direction looking for a good tree to spend the night in she's about to climb one when she is suddenly yanked up into the air "Rue!" Ray screams and cups both hands over her mouth. Its one of the careers traps, a snare used to catch animals which instead caught Rue. Rue dangles from the tree and Ray cant help but be worried. "Katniss will find her," Alayla says entwining her hand with Rays. Ray nods her tan skin has become pale as a ghost. The camera keeps switching back and forth between the careers and Rue and Katniss and every other tribute that Ray could care less about. In the arena the sun begins to come up. "Wake up Ray!" Alayla screams and Ray is up in an instant "What's wrong!?" Ray asks in a frantic voice looking at the TV screen. The boy career tribute from district 2 whose name is Blake begins to speak. "I'm gonna go see if my snares have caught anything" he yawns. "Take this" Cato says tossing Blake a spear. Blake catches it and nods "And remember if you find her" Cato spits the last word out "You don't lay one hand on her she's mine!" He spits on the ground. Blake nods without arguing and begins to go into the woods right towards where Rue's trap is. Katniss is gone from the bushes she must have pulled herself out at some time. The camera flashes to Katniss who is at Rue and hers meeting spot. She's waiting for Rue. "Katniss Rue is trapped!" Ray yells at the TV "You have to hurry!" Ray screams who is dangerously close to crying. Alayla squeezes her hand "She will find her" Alayla keeps whispering "She has too!" The camera switches back to Rue who is still dangling from the tree. Rue thinks and soon whistles her 3-note tune. The camera flashes back to Katniss who begins to run towards where she heard the tune. "Oh no" Alayla whispers "Katniss wasn't the only one who heard that" Alayla's face becomes blank no expression is shown "Katniss please hurry!" Ray pleads. Ray and Alayla watch as Blake finds Rue dangling from the tree "Well well well what do we have hear" Blake grins a devilish grin and taps the top of the spear with is finger. "You keep your hands off her!!" Ray screams, "You better not touch her!!" Ray begins to sob "Ray…" Alayla whispers "Its over we knew this would have to happen at some point…" Alayla's voice trails off. "No! She's not going to die she can't die!" Ray yells she punches the pillows on the couch. Ray can hardly watch as Rue yells "Katniss!" right before the spear enters her stomach. Katniss begins to sprint bursting through the bushes she sees Rue and screams and it doesn't seem that she even thinks before she is lifting the bow and loading the arrow the bow flies out of her grasp and nails Blake right in his head. He falls to the ground and his cannon fires. "Rue are there more?!" Katniss calls over bow and arrow ready "No" Rue says. Katniss runs over and puts Rue's head in her lap "You really blew up the food?" Rue asks her chest begins to rise and fall more slowly "Every last bit" Katniss said her eyes are glazed over with tears "You have to win" Rue says, "I'm going to. Going to win for both of us now" Katniss promises. "Don't go" Rue begs and tightens her grip on Katniss's hand. "Course not. Staying right here" Katniss says and moves closer to Rue. "Sing" Rue says. Rue loves singing Ray remembered how she would always sing when the were working or at home anytime she could sing she would. Ray hears Alayla let out a small sob. Katniss thinks for a moment before deciding on a song. "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. Here it's safe. Here it's warm Here the daisies guard you from every harm Here your dreams are safe and tomorrow brings them true Here is the place where I love you. I gasp Katniss has the most beautiful voice I have ever herd. Katniss continues. 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 its morning they'll wash away 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 Here is the place where I love you. For a while its quiet and then the cannon fires. She's gone. My beautiful fun giggling sister is gone she will never sing again I will never see her again I don't even want to think about what she will look like in the casket when they send her back from the capitol. I feel tears role down my cheeks. Katniss sits with Rue before getting up and going into a meadow close by. She picks up a bunch of flowers and brings them back to Rue and begins to string them through her hair and she covers the ugly wound with a bunch of pretty flowers. "She looks as though she could be asleep," Alayla whispers. I wipe my arm across my face getting rid of the tears I nod in agreement. And right before Katniss goes so they can collect the body she places her three middle fingers on her left hand to her lips and extends them out to Rue. Katniss moves away so the hovercraft can collect Rue. My chest tightens and I begin to cry harder than I have ever cried before.
I wake up with a jolt my shirt is soaked with sweat and my face is wet. I guessed that I had been crying all last night. Sunlight streams in through the window. Alayla looks at me "Your bath is ready" she says "You better hurry the reaping is soon and we cant be late"
PLEASEE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks xoxoxoxo! 33 This chapter took me forever to write and if I get reviews I will write more chapters that are as long as this! Yaayay!!!