The Littlest Victor

Chapter 3

Some months later, an unusual event occurred in District 12. A rare passenger train pulled into their station, and a single passenger got out. She was a tiny girl, not yet thirteen, but she walked fearlessly down the street, looking neither to left nor to right.

A Peacekeeper came up to her. "Excuse me, Miss, but are you lost? You don't look like you're from around here..." Then he saw her eyes, and drew back, shuddering. In a much more respectful tone, he asked: "Do you need any assistance, Miss? May I be of service to you?"

"Yes. Show me the way to the Everdeens' place, please."

Mrs. Everdeen was used to knocks at the door at all hours. Sickness and injury respected no schedules, and she had re-dedicated herself to healing since Katniss' death. After seeing her older daughter first volunteer to replace her younger sister at the Reaping, and then deliberately sacrifice her life so that a younger girl could go home to her family, the Everdeens had been taken under District 12's wing. People with gardens donated vegetables, people with livestock donated meat, and she had turned part of her house into a makeshift hospital, doing her best to deal with the injuries and illnesses that were such a part of life. She had also organized a system where people who were in need and unable to work got donated enough food and fuel to keep alive.

So she was not disconcerted that someone wanted her. However, when she opened the door, she gasped in shock. "You!"

"Yes, it's me, Mrs. Everdeen. May I come in?"

Automatically, Mrs. Everdeen showed Rue into their home. "What brings you here, dear? How in the world did you get to our district?"

Rue said, in a mechanical monotone: "Hunger Games Victors are considered to be Capitol citizens, not citizens of their Districts. We're allowed to travel, although not encouraged to do so save when the Capitol wishes us to."

"Oh!" Mountain manners took over, and Mrs. Everdeen asked: "Would you like some refreshments, dear?"

Rue shook her head, as Prim came clattering down the stairs to see who had come. Prim's eyes went very wide. "You...you're the girl who was in the Games with my sister!" Rue nodded. Prim sat down beside her and took Rue's unresisting hand in both of hers. "Tell me...did she feel any pain? Did she suffer?" Prim's eyes filled with tears. "I have nightmares about her, suffering, in pain..."

"No, Prim, she didn't suffer, as far as I could tell. But that's not why I'm here." Suddenly, Rue had a knife in her hand, holding it by the blade. She held it out to the Everdeens. "I owe her a life. I've come to pay my debt." She held the knife's blade up to her throat, stretching her neck out. "Here I am. Kill me if you want to. I know you'd rather I'd died and Katniss had lived. This is all I can do."

Both Everdeens stared at her in horror, before Mrs. Everdeen reacted. A roundhouse slap sent the knife flying, as she gathered Rue into her arms. "Oh, darling! Don't ever think things like that! Katniss would never approve!" She held Rue tightly, her body shaking with sobs and her tears wetting the girl's hair, as Prim joined them in the embrace. Knowing that she was forgiven, that the Everdeens didn't hate her, got through to Rue, and for the first time in months, she let out her grief and shock, sobbing her heart out.

When they finally untangled themselves, Rue was looking more animated. "Mrs. Everdeen, would it be all right if I...visited Katniss' grave? Maybe laid some flowers on it?"

"Of course, dear!" A few minutes later, they were headed out toward the District 12 graveyard, with Rue carrying a big bunch of flowers picked from the Everdeens' garden.

They met some of the local people, who smiled and nodded at the Everdeens, and gave Rue slightly shocked stares before inclining their heads respectfully. Rue paid them no mind, walking with her eyes straight forward and dignity in every inch of her