Chapter 6
I place two feet on the metal pad, my shoe clanging against the edge. I know the next step I take will be into the arena, a different world entirely. I know if I move, I will die instantly, a district eleven girl moved, three years ago, Sarah her name was, She lived near me. It was heartbreaking seeing them practically scrape her of the floor. I quickly forget and look around the tributes, which direction to run, I can see the girl, red her, what's-her-name, some district one children about two spaces to my right. Katniss is opposite me, I follow her brown eyes to Peeta, I quickly forget about tributes and look around the cornucopia, I can see some luminous cardboard near my feet a flask about one-hundred meters away from me, but I am the slowest runner in my school, Let alone against some tough teenagers who have been training all their lives for this moment. Then it happens, the gong, freeing us to move. A 'herd' of men are already sprinting into a battle of a life-time. I spring of my platform, my foot pounding against the mud. I dart in the other direction to the 'war.' I bend down a little bit and scoop up a small back-pack. I quickly way it out in my hand, it feels a decent weight but I have only one goal before I can compare anything. Get the to woods. I fling it over my shoulder and sprint on, my strides wide. I give a quick glance behind me, None seems to be taking this route, all I can see is dust, and children with weapons. Then I hear it, the sharp gong piercing my ears. I quickly check to see if I am still alive. I look behind yet again but all I see is more people gathering around. I look back at my goal, only a minute or so then I will be concealed in the trees.
My foot skims the border of meadow and woods, I'm safe. For now. I stop and catch my breath, the gong rings again making me jump. I squint my eyes but can see nothing. Then I hear footsteps. Pounding hard on the mud, I spin around looking for the source of the noise but nothing. Then I see the girl, With red hair, Pointy nose and a sly looking face. She is about a minute away but thankfully is entering the west side of the forest. Then I run, concealing myself in tall pine trees. I walk for about half an hour the gong sounding occasional but from what I can understand the war has stopped, the survives are looking for a camp. I walk around every tree I see which is easy to climb but a good height, trying to work out where to sleep. I think over and over in my head the practical things I need, A good view and height, protection, I need to easily flee if necessary.
I flutter my eyes shut and sink to the forest floor crying like a baby. My cheeks flush as I know I am about to die, could it be this hour? Anything is possible, and in the arena the impossible is just so easy. I fling the back pack to the ground, I open the flap, the inside is warm and well protected, Possibly waterproof. I pull out a small metal flask, a rope for sleeping and climbing, some small bags which are nearly tied together in some pink string. There is a piece of waterproof material folded up at the bottom to a pull it out and unfold it, it squeaks as I do so. I wrap it around my body, fighting of the cold, protecting me like my mother. I tie it with the string and use it as a cape. I gather everything else back together and force it into the pack. I fling it back around my shoulder and search for a tree.
About an hour passes of me walking around trees measuring them, and finding several routes up and down them. There was a perfect one but when I got to the top lots of the branches were dead wood, and the berries up there seemed poisonous. A walk on, I snap a twig of and use it as a walking stick, holding me up for support. I fling myself forward closing my eyes, needing rest even before eating is on my mind. I decide the next considerable tree I find I will have to use, I can't risk nightfall coming and me still wondering around the trees. I walk up to a large oak, there is a safe route up and down, the branches look strong to tie myself in and no body could see me as the taller trees conceal me from both directions. I climb, the rope tied around my wrist. I pull myself up onto the first branch. I hear a small cracking noise but quickly move to the next. I am about halfway up now and the branches are getting stronger and wider making it hard to keep a grip. I climb another ten feet the find the branch I want to sleep on. It is wide and strong, there are no leaves that would irritate me. I edge along slightly before grasping the rope dangling in mid-air from my wrist. I pull it up and tie it three times around my waste then several to the tree. It is tied but I am slightly uncomfortable about it. I took my knees under my chin as a scan the arena. All I can see is trees and mud and a lush green colour coming from the other side of the forest meaning there is properly a water source somewhere.
'Be strong, you are doing well' I tell my self over and over again but some how I can't believe it. Trickles of icy water race down my cheeks, scaring them with nightmares for life. I look directly at the moon rising in the sky, Lara's face reflecting in the twilight mist. I shuffle on my branch like a bird as I think of district eleven. After school every day I used to walk home by the wall, rubbing my hand against the red brick every day dreaming of some where else, some where I could be free, just Me, Lara and my mother. I close my eyes and remember the old town, the shops, 'Happy Poll's Sweets' That was the sweet shop it was next to the bakery, are bakery, and it was next to the newspaper shop, But when you went into the sweet shop the door jingled and the softest, sweetest smell would enter you, stacks of pink candy would be toppled on each other, the shop keepers would ware a bright blue outfit and always be smiling. But that was my old life, I am no longer Rue Cling-stone I am a piece I am a piece of the capitols games, and who ever is controlling me, their next to lose.
My eyes flutter open, pumps of sweat are leaking of me, the Anthom is playing I made it through a day. I look up at the sky, Innocent faces are about to be projected into the sky. I flick my hair around my neck as a stare, Trying to keep up with the amount to faces. I see a young girl, maybe fourteen, Staring at me, brown eyes and pale lips, her hair is a soft brown and short resting above her shoulders, her ear shape small, I cant help but think of where she is now, some where in the capitol, boxed up, like a broken jigsaw piece. I jump making me lose count, I jump at the rustling coming from the bush underneath me. I look down, trying to to move to make my plastic, waterproof protector crunch.
'There's None hear you fool' Cries a young boy, his voice icy, perhaps starting to crack.
'I'm sure I heard something' Cries a girl
'Keep walking' Instructs an older boy, maybe fifteen, they do as he instructs and walk on into the night. My stomach unties itself as a take a long needed breath.
The cold frost bites me hard suddenly, I took my legs tighter up my body, my small hand moulding around the bottom of my foot, I take my shoe of and then my sock, I do the same for my other foot then put my shoes back on my bare feet. I put my black socks on my hands using them as gloves and suddenly the cold dose not seem as bad. I remember my mother always telling me to do that when I was little, district eleven may be hot in the summer but is the coldest district in the winter, when the December month comes we stock up hard, school is closed and we rarely leave the house. Everybody buys lots of food in November so they don't need to pop out that much. With are bakery being on the corner of a street people still give custom but just not as often.
I try to close my eyes and sleep but I cant, I am being forced to open my eyes wide. I picture a meadow with flowers, sun shining down, Lara being there providing her warmth, Birds swooping in the clear crystal sky and music being played all around. My feet squelching against the freshly cut grass, Lara, arms stretched wide running up to me in a blue floral dress. I imagine it so clearly it seems real, so real it hurts, like a hole in my chest, never being able to close always open allowing agony to pass into my body. I yelp, my eyes watering as Lara fades out of my view, my life then she's gone. I fling my arms out ferociously seeking her soft skin but all I do is whack my hand against the tree-trunk. I cry again in pain before falling into a light sleep.
I wake, sun blinding me, a twig is digging in to my back, It takes a few minutes for me to realise where I am before I untie myself and climb town my tree, Knowing I have another terrifying day to face.