I'm not prepared for Rue's family. Her parents, whose faces are still fresh with sorrow. Her fiver younger siblings, who resemble her so closely. The slight builds, the luminous brown eyes. They form a flock of small dark birds.

so people really do tear out their hair and beat the ground with their fists

But I feel as if I did know Rue, and she'll always be with me. Everything beautiful brings her to mind. I see her in the yellow flowers that grow in the Meadow by my house. I see her in the Mockingjays that sing in the trees. But most of all, I see her in my sister, Prim.

Whenever I write a story, I hope it appeals to both boys and girls.

In other words, I step out of line and we're all dead.

But if you want to find peace, you must first be able to hope it is possible.

We sit in silence awhile then I blurt out the thing that's on both our minds. "How are we going to kill these people, Peeta?