Reading: The Hunger Games

I'm just a little more than half way through The Hunger Games. Here's today's summary starting on page 208 and going up through 261.

The predictable problem comes to Katniss's mind regarding her alliance with Rue; she knows that both of them can't survive, but she's excited to put her plan against the Career's into action. We left off with Katniss formulating a plan, and now she's decided that they're going to take the Career's food. Once she falls asleep she's instantly reawaken by a cannon, one more person dead.
The girls eat breakfast and try to form a plan while they hunt. Rue tells Katniss that the Career's food is hidden in plain sight down by the lake. Seeing how it's the Careers, Katniss thinks that it's all too simple and that it must be rigged.
While Rue and Katniss are hunting, Katniss learns new things about Rue. She's the oldest of her six siblings and she's overly in love with music. Rue tells her how she sings with the mockingjays in her district. Katniss remembers her mockingjay pin and tries to give it to Rue, who declines the offer because she has a grass necklace with a charm. The girls come up with a signal plan. Katniss learns the mockingjay signal from Rue. The signal from the birds means that Rue is ok. They split to initiate the plan. Being able to talk to/understand the 'code' of the mockingjays would be cool. I guess this is similar to the people who claim to be dog, or any other kind of animal, whisperers. The plan being in two parts, the first being Katniss will spy on the Careers at their base. She sees all of the supplies piled into a pyramid towards the back of their camp. Katniss is still confused as to what might be protecting the pyramid.
The second part of the plan involves Rue. She is to lure the Careers away from their camp by lighting a fire. Falling for the fire, the Careers leave and Katniss overhears one boy say that Peeta is most likely hiding somewhere in the woods but not to worry because he's too injured to be a threat to them. When Katniss is trying to figure out how to execute her plan, a girl Career strategically runs in a definite pattern up the pyramid, and in the same pattern back. Ah ha! Katniss has figured out the Career's secret; the pyramid is protected by land mines.
Rue makes an additional fire, signaling to Katniss that she's running out of time. She shoot a bag of apples with an arrow hoping it will fall and set off some of the mines. After a few shots the apples are falling everywhere triggering the mines sending Katniss flying through the air.
The supplies pyramid is completely destroyed. Katniss tries to escape but is hindered by dizziness and an ear ache. She manages to get herself back to the woods before the Careers make it back to their camp. The 'leader' of the Careers, Cato, throws a fit and breaks the boy from district 3's neck. The Careers think whoever set off the mines is dead; however, during the playing of the anthem they realize that the bomber is still alive.
The Careers set out on a hunt for the bomber, and Katniss remains hidden right where she is. Katniss falls asleep freezing in mid thought of the eight remaining players. She wakes up to a Career girl's laugh, she must have found supplies left over from the pyramid. Katniss contemplates whether she should recruit the girl or kill her, but before she makes up her mind the girl runs away.
Katniss goes back to the rendezvous spot, but Rue is not to be found. She climbs a tree to wait for Rue, however, she's impatient and starts off for the spot where Rue was to set the third distraction fire. I don't blame her. If I'm waiting for someone and I have to wait on them I start to get impatient and look for them too. When she gets there she's still unable to find Rue and the third fire. Thinking optimistically, Katniss knows Rue must still be alive otherwise she would have heard a cannon. In the midst of her search for Rue, Katniss hears the call from the mockingjays signaling that Rue is ok.
Katniss begins to follow the bird. She hears a scream that sounds like Rue. Katniss finally reaches Rue to find her tangled in a net. At first sight Rue calls out Katniss's name, but can't get out anything else before she is killed by a spear. Oh no Rue! I liked her character, the little unsuspected underdog. I feel like she could have made it close to the end of the games if it wasn't for this incident.
Katniss takes her revenge and shoot Rue's killer with an arrow. In her last moments Rue asks Katniss to sing to her. So she sings her a lullaby and the mockingjays join in. Rue death really sinks in once Katniss hears her cannon fire. Before the Capitol's hovercraft swoops up Rue's body, Katniss decorates Rue with wildflowers from the arena; her purpose in doing so is to remind the Capitol and the viewers that Rue is a person, not just a 'game piece' in the Hunger Games. A parachute carrying bread from District 11. She climbs up a tree, eats the bread, then falls asleep. When she wakes up she packs up her supplies and takes off for the stream. She lights Rue's old fire and cooks some of her game. She's shocked that none of the Careers have spotted her fire. Stunned, she climbs into a tree and reflects on her day. Katniss realizes that the boy who attacked Rue was her first 'kill' of the game. Claudius Templesmith, the announcer for the games, is broadcasted across the arena. He congratulates the six people who are left and announces that a new rule has been made; the last two tributes will be declared the winners. Man, why couldn't Rue hold out a little longer, or why couldn't Katniss have saved her a little quicker? This could have totally been them! Talk about major girl power. But I can't help but wonder, did they make this change to benefit Peeta, so he and Katniss can get together if they're left?
Without thinking, Katniss calls for Peeta. Realizing what she just did Katniss covers her mouth and hopes no one heard her. She thinks that the Gamemakers have changed the rules to support the star-crossed lovers in the games.
Katniss goes over the remaing tributes: Foxface (who's alone), Tresh (from Rue's district), Cato and his fellow tribute (from District 2), and Peeta (of course from District 12). She starts following the stream until she comes across bloodstains. Again, Katniss calls for Peeta. She hears his voice when he asks her, "You here to finish me off, sweetheart?", however, she doesn't recognize him because he's been covered in mud and leaves in the bank of the stream. She pulls him out and reminds her that they are supposed to be in love, and that it'd be ok for her to give him a kiss. Ok, seriously, he totally wants her and it's even more clear now. Katniss cleans Peeta and helps him with him injuries.
While Katniss is washing Peeta's clothe, he tells her that he hasn't gotten anything from a sponsor. He thinks it's because Haymitch likes Katniss more (because they're very similar to each other). Peeta's injured to the point where his mobility is very limited, so Katniss makes a shelter out of rocks. When Peeta starts to talk of not making it out of the games, Katniss gives him a kiss hoping it will shut him up, which of course it did.
Katniss takes a second and leave the rock shelter and sees a pot full of hot broth. These sponsors must be falling head over heels for this sappy lover stuff! Maybe the two will start kissing more? She goes back into the cave and wakes Peeta up with kisses and shows him the gift from the sponsors.

This book is definitely getting interesting with this rekindled alliance. Stay tuned for summaries to see what happens next! Thanks for reading.