Darkness
Rue threw that green branches onto the fire, just as Katniss had told her too. The smoke billowed up from the fire. Rue disappeared into the bushes and ran to set the second fire. After she set it, she set off to set the third. She jumped from tree branch to tree branch, until she could see into the Clearing. Just as Rue was about to jump down from her tree, another tribute rushed intuit he clearing. She has a sly aura about her, and Rue decided to stay hidden in the trees. The girl walked around the pile of brush, trying to figure out what it was there for. She seemed to realize that someone would be coming to set it on fire, because she glanced around and ran off into the woods.
Then, Rue heard an explosion coming from the direction of the Careers camp. Katniss! Rue rushed off to the camp just in time to see the one of the Careers have a temper tantrum and snap one of their allies necks. Rue watched as the Careers left to go hunting. But thy were coming straight at her! Rue turned and ran. Eventually, she climbed a tree. Unfortunately, the Careers decided to camp right below her. Rue looked around for another branch to jump onto, but the only ones close enough weren't strong enough to hold her weight. She was stuck. Nowhere to go until the Careers left.
How long would they be there? There was no telling. Katniss would be worried. The Careers slept for most of the day, and once they leave, Rue climbed down from the tree and moved off to find Katniss. Rue whistled their signal to the mockingjays. She listened for any sign of Katniss. Rue thought she heard her whistle back to her and she spun around. She must have tripped some trap, because she was suddenly entangled in a net. Rue screamed and thrashed about, hoping to free herself.
"KATNISS!" Rue cried.
"Rue!" Katniss shouted back. "Rue, I'm coming!"
Rue sensed someone behind her, probably coming to kill her. Katniss broke through into the clearing. Rue reached her hand through the net to Katniss.
"Katniss," Rue said.
Suddenly, Rue felt a sharp pain coming from her back out of her stomach. Katniss shot an arrow over her head, and Rue heard it connect with whoever had put the spear through her. Katniss reloaded her bow and looked around for more attakers.
"Are there more, are there more?" Katniss asked her.
Rue knew for a fact that Cato and Clove had gone down to the river. She had heard them talking before they left her up in the tree.
"No," Rue said. Katniss didn't seem to hear her. "No, there aren't any more."
Katniss finally put her bow down, and Rue curled around the spear, hoping to lesson the pain. Katniss pulled out her knife and freed Rue from the net. Katniss examined Rues wound, and Rue could tell from the look in her eyes that she wouldn't live. Rue didn't want Katniss to tell her everything would be all right. Rue reached out and took Katniss' hand.
"You blew up the food?" she whispered.
"Every last bit," Katniss said.
"You have to win," Rue said.
"I will, for the both of us now," Katniss said.
A cannon sounded. Rue wondered if it were hers, but then she realized that she still felt the warmth of Katniss' hand in her own.
"Don't go," Rue whispered. She clutched Katniss' hand tighter.
"Of course not, I'm staying right here," Katniss said, as she moved Rue's head onto her lap.
Katniss brushed Rue's hair behind her ear. The small gestured comforted Rue somehow. It remended Rue of her mother. Thinking of her mother made her think of the songs that she used to sing to Rue before she went to sleep overnight.
"Sing," Rue whispered.
Katniss looked quizzical, and Rue wondered if she didn't hear her. Then, Katniss got a far away look, as if she was remembering happier times. Katniss gave a small cough, swallowed, and began to sing.
"Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes. And when they open, the sun will rise."
Katniss' voice was beautiful. Rue relaxed, and she felt her eyelids getting heavy. The pain in her stomach seemed to go away.
"Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisy's guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."
Rue's eyelids fluttered shut, but she continued to breathe. At least, she thought she was breathing. The pain in her stomach blocked almost all other feeling from her mind.
"Deep in the meadow, hidden far away. A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray. Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay. Then again it's morning, they'll wash away. Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisy's guard you from every harm."
Katniss' voice was so quiet, Rue could barely hear it.
"Here you dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place, where I love you."
Rue hears the mockingjays take up Katniss' song, and Rue feels Katniss' tears on her face. Then, almost peacefully, Rue descends into darkness.