The Hunger Games Rue's Point Of View

Chapter 2

Our mayor recites the Treaty of Treason, and I'm already fighting back tears. I feel so many eyes on me, looks of sympathy and sorrow.

The mayor finishes, and a Peacekeeper grabs my arm and nearly yanks me to the ground. I follow quickly and quietly as he leads me to a room - the room I'll say my last goodbyes to my family in.

I'm sitting in a soft, velvety chair, on the edge so my feet can touch the ground. I begin biting my nails, but stop when I hear noise coming towards the room. The door snaps open, and I only see a glimpse of my mother before I am buried in her arms and I'm crying into her new shirt and my siblings are crying too, holding my hands.

"Rue, my baby, my baby," she says into my hair. I don't want to, but I pull apart from her, tears staining my mother's beautiful face.

"You can win, my darling," my mother says. "Be fast, be smart, and be yourself. There's nobody better to be." I nod and she kisses my head.

"Keep this necklace, as your token." My mother hands me a small piece of jewelry, beautiful hand-made wood beads strung on a short necklace. "Don't ever forget us, love."

My siblings hug me and give me their love, kisses scattering my head.

But all too soon the door opens and my family is forced out, and calls of "I love you!" and "Win for me, Rue!" linger in the empty room.

I'm sitting on the floor now, and I drag myself back up to the chair. Tears are openly streaming down my face now. My mother told me I can win. So did my brother, and my little sisters as well. Their hope creates a small spark in me. What if I did win? We would be rich, and I would never have to work in the orchards again. But Rose, my best and only friend, would be left behind, with her working father and missing mother.

I hear the door open again soon after, and the person occupying my thoughts is here.

"Rose," I say, getting up and crushing her in a hug.

"Rue! I should have volunteered, you have a family to be with, you have people that love you, I could have made it right. I'm sorry," cries Rose, and I instantly hush her.

 "You have people that love you. My family adores you, my mother sees you as her daughter. And your father, he'll be home from his work soon -" Rose now hushes me, tears streaming.

"Don't you know? My father is dead. He's never coming home." She wipes another tear off of my face. " My mother isn't coming home either, she's well as dead."

My eyes widen. "I'm sorry, Rose, I didn't mean it." She shakes her head.

"I know you didn't. You have to come home, to be back with your family."

I nod. "If not, Rose, I need you to take care of them. Make sure the little ones are eating, that my mother gets some rest. You'll be their new older sister, as I'm not coming home."

Rose shakes her head again. "Don't think like that Rue, of course you will. Be strong for me!" I feel another tear drip down my cheek as Rose opens the door and leaves.

I am left alone for a few minutes, left to reflect in my thoughts. I try to clear my head, to plan a strategy. I come up blank, not able to think straight.

When it's clear no one else is coming, the Peacekeeper opens the door and leads me out. I follow, wiping the last traces of tears from my face.