Chapter 12

The sun was at the top of the arena when I saw the smoke come out from deep in the forest. I hid close by the career camp, but not too close. If they saw me, I'd be dead in a minute. The plan would fail. I watched from a distance as all four of the careers- including Nicholas ran to go find the idiot who started a heavy smoke fire in the middle of the day. I silently laughed at everyone watching at home in district 1 and 2. They knew what was going on. Oh did they know. Once I was sure they were gone, I crept up a little closer, and threw the small bomb which I had covered in moss into their camp. Right in the middle. I heard a rustling in the leaves, and I bolted back into the forest. I whistled the signal to the mockingjays, who carried the tune through the woods, notifying Jacob to run and start te second fire. The second signal came back to me moments later, and I sighed of relief. The fire was burning and Jacob was safe.
The careers came running back, annoyed, that someone had pulled the wool over their eyes. They settled back into their camp, and I sat in the woods, far enough away that I wouldn't get hurt, but close enough to watch.
"This is for Liam." I whispered as I pressed the red button on the remote.
Within a split second, Platinum, Gleam, Nicholas and the girl from
2, I think her name was Rose, along with all of their supplies, food and shelters go flying sky high, and burst into flames. I heard four cannons, almost consecutive. I whistled the four note "I'll be back soon" song to the mockingjays, and listened to it be carried through the forest again.
I stood up from where I was sitting, and said quietly to the sky, as if it were a camera, "I'll be home tomorrow, Thresh. I promise. I'll be home." Right after I said those words, a parachute came floating down. This one much smaller than the rest. The note read:
Good job, hon. Trust me, you'll need this. -Mom + Dad
I opened the tin and found a small pen. That's it. A pen. Not even a Capitol pen. A district 12 pen. The crappy pens that run out after 5 uses. Oh well, if I need it, I need it.
It was getting pretty dark by the time I got back to the crevasse where Jacob was already waiting. "Finally! You're back!" Look what I've got." He held a package of papers in his hand. On the ground beside him, he had the parachute that it probably came in. "What are those?" I asked, wondering why he had a package of papers. "District transfer papers." He whispered." I looked at him, puzzled. "The note said that they had sent some to my mom as well. The rules say that two tributes can win, as long as they're from the same district. Fill these papers out, send them back to the Capitol, I get an automatic accept because I'm a victor's son. My mom gets an automatic accept because she's a victor. We're moving to district 12." I now looked astonished, not only because he had thought of a loophole, but because it would work. "I have a pen." I said triumphantly. "Well, we've got all night to fill this in, and send it back. As soon as we do, the gamemakers will be alerted and there's nothing they can do about it. Nothing."
We started filling in the forms, and came to one box which said "Reason for transfer". Jacob thought for a moment, and started writing in the box. "What are you writing?" I asked. "To save my new best friend." I looked at him, at the paper, then back at him. I started to cry.
"What's wrong, Rue?" I sniffled out a muffled answer. "Now we have to win. I can't lose my best friend again." Jacob smiled and gave me a big hug. "We'll win. I promise."
We rolled up the papers, and put them back in the silver parachute. Jacob lifted it up, and sent it back into the sky. "Now I'm in district 12." Not knowing how to respond, I smiled a bit. Suddenly, a loud voice came over the arena. "Attention tributes! There has been a slight change that we have no control over. It seems that the remaining tribute from district 4 has put in a request for a district change, and it has been accepted. There are now two tributes remaining from district 12. Thank you."
Jacob and I had a small celebration that night, and even more so when we saw the fallen tributes in the sky. Platinum from 1. Gleam from 1. Rose from 2. And Nicholas from 2. I was so happy that I finally killed him. I won. Well, in my mind anyways. "Three of us left." He said flatly. "Yup. Let's make it count." We packed up our bags and head for the Cornucopia.