Rue's Fight

Chapter 9 - Set fire to the woods

Chapter 9 - Set fire to the woods

I lie looking at the night sky, waiting for the anthem to begin. A girls face appears and its just the one girl tonight, it says she's from district 8. I never really paid much attention to her before and i feel bad about it now. Back in district 8 she will have a family, friends maybe a boyfriend. People who rely and love her, she'll be missed.

The anthem plays again and the projection in the sky disappears, and i lie still. Tonight is ny second and last night in my safe place. Ill miss it, I'm protected from the wind and in covered from other tributes. I'll miss this place, it's like a safe heaven away from all the fighting. That's when i notice my sword, positioned next to my feet. If someone comes during the night they'll see the sword and kill me with my own weapon!

I hide it under a clump of leaves and twigs, at least now i can really pretend it is a safe heaven. I close my eyes and try ny best to ignore the sounds of the animals, and i drift off to a deep dreamless sleep.

I wake up in the morning to the song of the mockingjays. I rise and gather my berries into my pocket, and grab my sword. I hope that if anyone spots me walking through the woods, that they will see me as a threat. They probally wont because of my small structure, but with a sword this size they might think twice.

I leave my bush, and stare at it for a moment. I sigh, ill miss this place. If only the girl from district 7 hadn't found my pond. I begin to walk and something crunches under my feet, i look down to find a badger lying dead. Nightlock surrounding its lifeless body. I had almost forgot about my poisonous berries.

I pick the badger up. And as if to prove a point my stomach rumbles. I cant leave now, ill have no where to conceal the smoke from the fire. And i am hungry! I decide to stay in my bush just long enough to cook my badger. Ive never ate badger before, so in curious as to what it tastes like. I always thought badgers were nice creatures, so in a little anxious about trying one aswell.

Exactly like what i do for the birds, i cover the top of the fire with my blanket to conceal the smoke. Seeder did earn us about smoke, its a giveaway. Tributes from far away can find your location by following the landscape till you are only inches away from the fire, and of course the fire starter. I cook the badger for what I think is just over an hour, i don't want to undercook it. I could get food poisoning and that isn't good. I have no medicine here (not that there was alot in district 11) and i cut the badger into slices with my sword.

I eat nearly the entire badger, im starving. I'm always hungry back home but never as hungry as i am now, but at least if i eventually go home i now have more ways of catching wild birds. Though I do hope to go home, and my mother did tell me to never say never when she bid me goodbye. But can i really outlive the careers? I doubt it, i would have to team up with someone to at least stand a chance.

I wrap the remaining slices of badger into my pocket and head to the pond. I drink and walk to a nearby tree. Its about ten minutes away from the pond, which seems to be ny relocation centre. I climb the tree which is extremely difficult with a sword tied around my waist with vine. I eventually make it, and tie myself to the tree branch with more strips of vine. I don't see anyone for the most of the day, even after sleeping all night in tired. So i sleep for maybe a couple of hours.

I wake to the sizzling of nearby fire.

I look around, not far away in the trees next to where my pond was the entire place is set alight with fire. Great, i think. Looks like im moving home again. I untie myself and quickly climb down, my sword digs into my ribs slightly so i throw it down before me. As i begin to rub i pick it up and rub in the opposit direction of the flames. The flames seem to follow me, but as a safe distance.