Rue's Games

Chapter 18: Rebels

“What?” I try to keep my voice down.

Prim holds her finger to her lips.

“It’s really secret. We’re rebels. The Mockingjay has become a symbol of rebellion, and we want you to represent it. You can’t tell anyone, not even your mother.”
            “Your house is probably bugged,” Cinna explains. “That’s why we took you out here. There could be small microphones in your clothes as well, that’s why I gave you the dress. You can keep it though. It looks good on you.”

I blush a little despite myself.

Cinna continues. “We have a lot to tell you. Haymitch will explain.”

“Well, sweetheart,” Haymitch starts. “You have probably seen on television reports about District 13?” I nod. Everyone knows it was destroyed years ago. “Well, District 13 still exists. People live there. A lot. Maybe more than in this District.” I find that shocking. District 11 is one of the biggest. “The people there are planning a rebellion. But they need inspiration. That’s where you come in. you will be their inspiration.”
            “How?” I don’t want to state the obvious, but I’m barely a teenager. I’m not exactly ready to lead a rebellion.

“Just be yourself,” Gale shrugs.

“But it’s not like they’re going to be able to see me, is it? There aren’t cameras in my house or anything?”

Cinna sighs. “Yes, and no. There probably are cameras in your house, but they are planted by the Capitol, not us. There may not be any. We don’t know. That’s why we took you out here, in case of hidden microphones or cameras. Come to think of it, we probably shouldn’t have let Prim inside the house with you. We only brought Prim so it wouldn’t be three strange men appearing at your door. But what’s done is done.”

They still haven’t answered my question.

“How are the people from District 13 going to see me, ‘being myself’?” I repeat.

“You’re going to be in the Quarter Quell,” says Prim quietly.

I shake my head. “The other District 11 women said they’d volunteer for me. I’m not going. I don’t want to and I know I couldn’t handle it.”

Haymitch smiles. Not happily. Not even evilly. But it’s an unsettling smile.

“You are coming to the Quell. You think you aren’t now, and later you’ll still think you’re not, but you’re coming.”