May the odds be ever in your favour

Chapter 14

The boy from District 1 doesn't have time to take out his other spear as he dies instantaneously by one of my arrows which lands deep into his neck. He falls on the ground and with what little life remains of him, he pulls out the arrow and finally chokes in his own blood. I quickly reload my bow as I shout in panic "Are there more?", looking left and right anxiously. Rue has to answer negatively many times before I'm capable of understanding her.

She has rolled to her side, curling up as the spear is still pierced right through her stomach. I quickly shove the dead body of the boy from 1 away and take out my pocket knife to cut the net loose. It only takes one look at the wound to understand that it's far beyond my low healing capabilities. Or anyone's capabilities for the matter. The spearhead has punctured her stomach area all the way up the shaft. I crouch before her, staring helplessly at the embedded weapon. I want to hold her close to me and tell her that she's going to be alright and safe. But, in reality, there's no point in doing so. At this point, she isn't going to be alright and she knows it. She's no fool. She reaches out her hand and I clutch it like there's no tomorrow.

"Did you get rid of the food?" she asks in a whisper. "Every last bit of it," I answer as tears start to blur my vision. "You have to win," she says in one breath. "I'm going to. I promise I will win for the both of us now," I say. The sound of the cannon startles me and I quickly look up in fear when I realise it must be for the boy of District 1.

"Don't go," Rue pleads as she tightens her grip on my hand. "Of course I won't go. I'm staying right here," I say, caressing her hand with my thumb. I move closer and take a seat beside her, putting her little head on my lap. I gently brush a few strands of dark, thick hair behind her when she says "sing,".

Sing? I think. Sing what? Singing has occupied a small percentage of my life, mostly at difficult times. My dad always tried to ease me with songs whenever I was filled with anxious thoughts, when I was younger. But, my mind is blank at the moment and every song my father ever taught me is erased from my memory.

Sing. I have to sing something. My throat is dry from tears and my voice is hoarse from smoke and fatigue, but If that's Rue's final wish, I have but to grant it. The song that finally comes to mind is a simple lullaby that my mom used to sing to me when I was still in the crib. It's old, very old precisely. It's the kind of lullaby that puts fretful and small children to sleep, promising that their life will become better one day. I cough a little and immediately begin to sing:

Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby

Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay

And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow

Bless you with love for the road that you go

May you sail fair to the far fields of fortune

And may you need never to banish misfortune

May you find kindness in all that you meet

Rue's eyes have fluttered shut. Her chest still moves but only slightly. I can't keep away my tears any longer and they break loose. But, I have to finish the song for her.

May there always be angels to watch over you

To guide you each step of the way

To guide you and keep you safe from all harm

Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay

May you bring love and may you bring happiness

Be loved in return to the end of your days

The last few lines are barely audible.

Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you

I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li lai-lay