It's as if I'm watching a scene in slow motion.
But all I'm doing is wishing for it to speed up.
Marvel drags the knife roughly across Rue's neck, drawing blood instantly. I waste no time, drawing a knife from my belt and throwing it at him.
It hits its target instantly, right to the heart. Marvel falls, without even having time to scream. Far off, a cannon booms.
And I am too distracted to process the fact that I just killed someone. That I just ended a life. The constant replays, the torture, the PTSD, it will all come in time. Right now, my priorities are with Rue.
She's on the ground now, beside where Marvel's body lies. I run over to her, not registering my aching legs anymore, and throw myself down next to her. Her neck is bleeding badly, and I am not stupid. Neither is she.
We both know she will never meet Cato and become part of our alliance.
We both know she will never eat the squirrel I caught yesterday.
We both know she is not leaving this place alive.
Tears flow through my eyes and down my face as I say. "Hey, hey, it's okay." My lip wobbles hard as I gently pull her into my arms, wrapping them around her.
For a second, neither of us speak. I stare at those brown eyes, stroking her hair and breathing hard, the occasional sob wracking my body.
Then I brave saying. "It's okay, you're okay," more tears run down my face and I shake my head slowly. I've only known this girl a week, and I've only spoken to her for about an hour, and still, I feel so emotionally attached to her.
As her neck bleeds out even more and her face goes pale, I know I don't have much time, so I just start to talk, to ramble.
"Y-y'know my sister, Prim? The one I volunteered for?" I speak, and she moves her lips in a way I take to mean 'yes'. "Well, you remind me of her so, so much," I close my eyes, tears unstoppable now. "And I love it. Y-you don't know this but... you're one of the reasons I've been kept going in this place."
She gives me a slight smile, despite the fact she's about to die from blood loss.
"Y-you have to win," Rue says, her eyes wide and glassy. "F-for Prim."
I sob silently at the sound of her name.
"And for you," I tell the girl, clasping her hand tightly. "I'll do it for you, as well now."
Rue's lips twitch and her neck loses even more blood. I am just about to speak to her again when she speaks to me, her eyes forever burning into me, but in a good way.
"S... sing."
I only sing for Prim and Katniss. And I do it rarely. A lot more rarely since my father died.
But he could. He could sing so well the birds would stop and listen to him, because that's just the kind of man he was.
So maybe singing for Rue in the middle of the arena as she dies isn't a bad thing. Maybe it's a way to honour her. And him.
So I do. I begin to sing. It's the same song I sing for Prim to send her off to sleep. And it'll maybe even work for sending... Rue off, as well.
Deep in the meadow
Under the willow
A bed of grass
A soft green pillow
Tears blind me as I break off into sobs,
Lay down your head
And close your sleepy eyes
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𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐞 ☦︎ 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐧
Fanfiction❝𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐞.❞ ☦︎☦︎☦︎ Sage Everdeen was almost there. She'd survived six readings, her father's death and her mother's shutdown. She'd gained a friend and hunting partner whilst t...