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THEIII
HUNGER
GAMES
PARTI
"THETRIBUTES"
2|Page
TheHungerGamesSuzanneCollins
WhenIwakeup,theothersideofthebediscold.My
fingersstretchout,seekingPrim'swarmthbutfinding
onlytheroughcanvascoverofthemattress.She
musthavehadbaddreamsandclimbedinwithour
mother.Ofcourse,shedid.Thisisthedayofthe
reaping.
Ipropmyselfupononeelbow.There'senoughlightin
thebedroomtoseethem.Mylittlesister,Prim,curled
uponherside,cocoonedinmymother'sbody,their
cheekspressedtogether.Insleep,mymotherlooks
younger,stillwornbutnotsobeatendown.Prim's
faceisasfreshasaraindrop,aslovelyasthe
primroseforwhichshewasnamed.Mymotherwas
verybeautifulonce,too.Orsotheytellme.
SittingatPrim'sknees,guardingher,istheworld's
ugliestcat.Mashedinnose,halfofoneearmissing,
eyesthecolorofrottingsquash.Primnamedhim
Buttercup,insistingthathismuddyyellowcoat
matchedthebrightflower.Ilehatesme.Oratleast
distrustsme.Eventhoughitwasyearsago,Ithinkhe
stillremembershowItriedtodrownhiminabucket
whenPrimbroughthimhome.Scrawnykitten,belly
swollenwithworms,crawlingwithfleas.Thelast
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thingIneededwasanothermouthtofeed.ButPrim
beggedsohard,criedeven,Ihadtolethimstay.It
turnedoutokay.Mymothergotridoftheverminand
he'sabornmouser.Evencatchestheoccasionalrat.
Sometimes,whenIcleanakill,IfeedButtercupthe
entrails.Hehasstoppedhissingatme.
Entrails.Nohissing.Thisistheclosestwewillever
cometolove.
3|Page
Iswingmylegsoffthebedandslideintomyhunting
boots.Suppleleatherthathasmoldedtomyfeet.I
pullontrousers,ashirt,tuckmylongdarkbraidup
intoacap,andgrabmyforagebag.Onthetable,
underawoodenbowltoprotectitfromhungryrats
andcatsalike,sitsaperfectlittlegoatcheese
wrappedinbasilleaves.Prim'sgifttomeonreaping
day.IputthecheesecarefullyinmypocketasIslip
outside.
OurpartofDistrict12,nicknamedtheSeam,is
usuallycrawlingwithcoalminersheadingouttothe
morningshiftatthishour.Menandwomenwith
hunchedshoulders,swollenknuckles,manywho
havelongsincestoppedtryingtoscrubthecoaldust
outoftheirbrokennails,thelinesoftheirsunken
faces.Buttodaytheblackcinderstreetsareempty.
Shuttersonthesquatgrayhousesareclosed.The
reapingisn'tuntiltwo.Mayaswellsleepin.Ifyou
can.
OurhouseisalmostattheedgeoftheSeam.Ionly
havetopassafewgatestoreachthescruffyfield
calledtheMeadow.SeparatingtheMeadowfromthe
woods,infactenclosingallofDistrict12,isahigh
chainlinkfencetoppedwithbarbedwireloops.In
theory,it'ssupposedtobeelectrifiedtwentyfour
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hoursadayasadeterrenttothepredatorsthatlive
inthewoodspacksofwilddogs,lonecougars,
bearsthatusedtothreatenourstreets.Butsince
we'reluckytogettwoorthreehoursofelectricityin
theevenings,it'susuallysafetotouch.Evenso,I
alwaystakeamomenttolistencarefullyforthehum
thatmeansthefenceislive.Rightnow,it'ssilentasa
stone.Concealedbyaclumpofbushes,Iflattenout
onmybellyandslideunderatwofootstretchthat's
beenlooseforyears.Thereareseveralotherweak
spotsinthefence,butthisoneissoclosetohomeI
almostalwaysenterthewoodshere.
4|PageTheHungerGamesSuzanneCollins
AssoonasI'minthetrees,Iretrieveabowand
sheathofarrowsfromahollowlog.Electrifiedornot,
thefencehasbeensuccessfulatkeepingtheflesh
eatersoutofDistrict12.Insidethewoodstheyroam
freely,andthereareaddedconcernslikevenomous
snakes,rabidanimals,andnorealpathstofollow.
Butthere'salsofoodifyouknowhowtofindit.My
fatherknewandhetaughtmesomebeforehewas
blowntobitsinamineexplosion.Therewasnothing
eventobury.Iwaseleventhen.Fiveyearslater,Istill
wakeupscreamingforhimtorun.
Eventhoughtrespassinginthewoodsisillegaland
poachingcarriestheseverestofpenalties,more
peoplewouldriskitiftheyhadweapons.Butmost
arenotboldenoughtoventureoutwithjustaknife.
Mybowisararity,craftedbymyfatheralongwitha
fewothersthatIkeepwellhiddeninthewoods,
carefullywrappedinwaterproofcovers.Myfather
couldhavemadegoodmoneysellingthem,butifthe
officialsfoundouthewouldhavebeenpublicly
executedforincitingarebellion.Mostofthe
Peacekeepersturnablindeyetothefewofuswho
huntbecausethey'reashungryforfreshmeatas
anybodyis.Infact,they'reamongourbest
customers.Buttheideathatsomeonemightbe
armingtheSeamwouldneverhavebeenallowed.
Inthefall,afewbravesoulssneakintothewoodsto
harvestapples.ButalwaysinsightoftheMeadow.
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Alwayscloseenoughtorunbacktothesafetyof
District12iftroublearises."DistrictTwelve.Where
youcanstarvetodeathinsafety,"Imutter.ThenI
glancequicklyovermyshoulder.Evenhere,evenin
themiddleofnowhere,youworrysomeonemight
overhearyou.
WhenIwasyounger,Iscaredmymothertodeath,
thethingsIwouldblurtoutaboutDistrict12,about
thepeoplewhoruleourcountry,Panem,fromthefar
offcitycalledtheCapitol.EventuallyIunderstood
thiswouldonlyleadustomoretrouble.SoIlearned
toholdmytongueandtoturnmyfeaturesintoan
indifferentmasksothatnoonecouldeverreadmy
thoughts.Domyworkquietlyinschool.Makeonly
politesmalltalkinthepublicmarket.Discusslittle
morethantradesintheHob,whichistheblack
marketwhereImakemostofmymoney.Evenat
home,whereIamlesspleasant,Iavoiddiscussing
trickytopics.Likethereaping,orfoodshortages,or
theHungerGames.Primmightbegintorepeatmy
wordsandthenwherewouldwebe?
InthewoodswaitstheonlypersonwithwhomIcan
bemyself.Gale.Icanfeelthemusclesinmyface
relaxing,mypacequickeningasIclimbthehillsto
ourplace,arockledgeoverlookingavalley.Athicket
ofberrybushesprotectsitfromunwantedeyes.The
sightofhimwaitingtherebringsonasmile.Gale
saysIneversmileexceptinthewoods.
"Hey,Catnip,"saysGale.MyrealnameisKatniss,
butwhenIfirsttoldhim,Ihadbarelywhisperedit.
SohethoughtI'dsaidCatnip.Thenwhenthiscrazy
lynxstartedfollowingmearoundthewoodslooking
forhandouts,itbecamehisofficialnicknameforme.I
finallyhadtokillthelynxbecausehescaredoff
game.Ialmostregretteditbecausehewasn'tbad
company.ButIgotadecentpriceforhispelt.
"LookwhatIshot,"Galeholdsupaloafofbreadwith
anarrowstuckinit,andIlaugh.It'srealbakery
bread,nottheflat,denseloaveswemakefromour
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grainrations.Itakeitinmyhands,pulloutthe
arrow,andholdthepunctureinthecrusttomynose,
inhalingthefragrancethatmakesmymouthflood
withsaliva.Finebreadlikethisisforspecial
occasions.
6|Page
"Mm,stillwarm,"Isay.Hemusthavebeenatthe
bakeryatthecrackofdawntotradeforit."Whatdid
itcostyou?"
"Justasquirrel.Thinktheoldmanwasfeeling
sentimentalthismorning,"saysGale."Evenwished
meluck."
"Well,weallfeelalittleclosertoday,don'twe?"Isay,
notevenbotheringtorollmyeyes."Primleftusa
cheese."Ipullitout.
Hisexpressionbrightensatthetreat."Thankyou,
Prim.We'llhavearealfeast."Suddenlyhefallsintoa
CapitolaccentashemimicsEffieTrinket,the
maniacallyupbeatwomanwhoarrivesonceayearto
readoutthenamesattheleaping."Ialmostforgot!
HappyHungerGames!"Heplucksafewblackberries
fromthebushesaroundus."Andmaytheodds"
Hetossesaberryinahigharctowardme.
Icatchitinmymouthandbreakthedelicateskin
withmyteeth.Thesweettartnessexplodesacrossmy
tongue."beeverinyourfavor!"Ifinishwithequal
verve.Wehavetojokeaboutitbecausethe
alternativeistobescaredoutofyourwits.Besides,
theCapitolaccentissoaffected,almostanything
soundsfunnyinit.
IwatchasGalepullsouthisknifeandslicesthe
bread.Hecouldbemybrother.Straightblackhair,
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oliveskin,weevenhavethesamegrayeyes.Butwe're
notrelated,atleastnotclosely.Mostofthefamilies
whoworktheminesresembleoneanotherthisway.
That'swhymymotherandPrim,withtheirlighthair
andblueeyes,alwayslookoutofplace.Theyare.My
mother'sparentswerepartofthesmallmerchant
classthatcaterstoofficials,Peacekeepers,andthe
occasionalSeamcustomer.Theyrananapothecary
shopinthenicerpartofDistrict12.Sincealmostno
onecanafforddoctors,apothecariesareourhealers.
Myfathergottoknowmymotherbecauseonhis
huntshewouldsometimescollectmedicinalherbs
andsellthemtohershoptobebrewedintoremedies.
Shemusthavereallylovedhimtoleaveherhomefor
theSeam.ItrytorememberthatwhenallIcanseeis
thewomanwhosatby,blankandunreachable,while
herchildrenturnedtoskinandbones.Itrytoforgive
herformyfather'ssake.Buttobehonest,I'mnotthe
forgivingtype.
Galespreadsthebreadsliceswiththesoftgoat
cheese,carefullyplacingabasilleafoneachwhileI
stripthebushesoftheirberries.Wesettlebackina
nookintherocks.Fromthisplace,weareinvisible
buthaveaclearviewofthevalley,whichisteeming
withsummerlife,greenstogather,rootstodig,fish
iridescentinthesunlight.Thedayisglorious,witha
blueskyandsoftbreeze.Thefood'swonderful,with
thecheeseseepingintothewarmbreadandthe
berriesburstinginourmouths.Everythingwouldbe
perfectifthisreallywasaholiday,ifallthedayoff
meantwasroamingthemountainswithGale,
huntingfortonight'ssupper.Butinsteadwehaveto
bestandinginthesquareattwoo'clockwaitingfor
thenamestobecalledout.
"Wecoulddoit,youknow,"Galesaysquietly.
"What?"Iask.
"Leavethedistrict.Runoff.Liveinthewoods.You
andI,wecouldmakeit,"saysGale.
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Idon'tknowhowtorespond.Theideaisso
preposterous.
8|Page
"Ifwedidn'thavesomanykids,"headdsquickly.
They'renotourkids,ofcourse.Buttheymightaswell
be.Gale'stwolittlebrothersandasister.Prim.And
youmayaswellthrowinourmothers,too,because
howwouldtheylivewithoutus?Whowouldfillthose
mouthsthatarealwaysaskingformore?Withbothof
ushuntingdaily,therearestillnightswhengamehas
tobeswappedforlardorshoelacesorwool,still
nightswhenwegotobedwithourstomachs
growling.
"Ineverwanttohavekids,"Isay.
"Imight.IfIdidn'tlivehere,"saysGale.
"Butyoudo,"Isay,irritated.
"Forgetit,"hesnapsback.
Theconversationfeelsallwrong.Leave?HowcouldI
leavePrim,whoistheonlypersonintheworldI'm
certainIlove?AndGaleisdevotedtohisfamily.We
can'tleave,sowhybothertalkingaboutit?Andeven
ifwedid...evenifwedid...wheredidthisstuff
abouthavingkidscomefrom?There'sneverbeen
anythingromanticbetweenGaleandme.Whenwe
met,Iwasaskinnytwelveyearold,andalthoughhe
wasonlytwoyearsolder,healreadylookedlikea
man.Ittookalongtimeforustoevenbecome
friends,tostophagglingovereverytradeandbegin
helpingeachotherout.
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Besides,ifhewantskids,Galewon'thaveanytrouble
findingawife.He'sgoodlooking,he'sstrongenough
tohandletheworkinthemines,andhecanhunt.
Youcantellbythewaythegirlswhisperabouthim
whenhewalksbyinschoolthattheywanthim.It
9|Page
makesmejealousbutnotforthereasonpeoplewould
think.Goodhuntingpartnersarehardtofind.
"Whatdoyouwanttodo?"Iask.Wecanhunt,fish,
orgather.
"Let'sfishatthelake.Wecanleaveourpolesand
gatherinthewoods.Getsomethingnicefortonight,"
hesays.
Tonight.Afterthereaping,everyoneissupposedto
celebrate.Andalotofpeopledo,outofreliefthat
theirchildrenhavebeensparedforanotheryear.But
atleasttwofamilieswillpulltheirshutters,locktheir
doors,andtrytofigureouthowtheywillsurvivethe
painfulweekstocome.
Wemakeoutwell.Thepredatorsignoreusonaday
wheneasier,tastierpreyabounds.Bylatemorning,
wehaveadozenfish,abagofgreensand,bestofall,
agallonofstrawberries.Ifoundthepatchafewyears
ago,butGalehadtheideatostringmeshnetsaround
ittokeepouttheanimals.
Onthewayhome,weswingbytheHob,theblack
marketthatoperatesinanabandonedwarehouse
thatonceheldcoal.Whentheycameupwithamore
efficientsystemthattransportedthecoaldirectly
fromtheminestothetrains,theHobgraduallytook
overthespace.Mostbusinessesareclosedbythis
timeonreapingday,buttheblackmarket'sstillfairly
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busy.Weeasilytradesixofthefishforgoodbread,
theothertwoforsalt.GreasySae,thebonyold
womanwhosellsbowlsofhotsoupfromalarge
kettle,takeshalfthegreensoffourhandsin
exchangeforacoupleofchunksofparaffin.Wemight
doatadbetterelsewhere,butwemakeaneffortto
keepongoodtermswithGreasySae.She'stheonly
onewhocanconsistentlybecountedontobuywild
dog.Wedon'thuntthemonpurpose,butifyou're
attackedandyoutakeoutadogortwo,well,meatis
meat."Onceit'sinthesoup,111callitbeef,"Greasy
Saesayswithawink.NooneintheSeamwouldturn
uptheirnoseatagoodlegofwilddog,butthe
PeacekeeperswhocometotheHobcanaffordtobea
littlechoosier.
Whenwefinishourbusinessatthemarket,wegoto
thebackdoorofthemayor'shousetosellhalfthe
strawberries,knowinghehasaparticularfondness
forthemandcanaffordourprice.Themayor's
daughter,Madge,opensthedoor.She'sinmyyearat
school.Beingthemayor'sdaughter,you'dexpecther
tobeasnob,butshe'sallright.Shejustkeepsto
herself.Likeme.Sinceneitherofusreallyhasa
groupoffriends,weseemtoenduptogetheralotat
school.Eatinglunch,sittingnexttoeachotherat
assemblies,partneringforsportsactivities.Werarely
talk,whichsuitsusbothjustfine.
Todayherdrabschooloutfithasbeenreplacedbyan
expensivewhitedress,andherblondehairisdoneup
withapinkribbon.Reapingclothes.
"Prettydress,"saysGale.
Madgeshootshimalook,tryingtoseeifit'sa
genuinecomplimentorifhe'sjustbeingironic.Itisa
prettydress,butshewouldneverbewearingit
ordinarily.Shepressesherlipstogetherandthen
smiles."Well,ifIendupgoingtotheCapitol,Iwant
tolooknice,don'tI?"
Nowit'sGale'sturntobeconfused.Doesshemean
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it?Orisshemessingwithhim?I'mguessingthe
second.
11|Page
"Youwon'tbegoingtotheCapitol,"saysGalecoolly.
Hiseyeslandonasmall,circularpinthatadornsher
dress.Realgold.Beautifullycrafted.Itcouldkeepa
familyinbreadformonths."Whatcanyouhave?Five
entries?IhadsixwhenIwasjusttwelveyearsold."
"That'snotherfault,"Isay.
"No,it'snoone'sfault.Justthewayitis,"saysGale.
Madge'sfacehasbecomeclosedoff.Sheputsthe
moneyfortheberriesinmyhand."Goodluck,
Katniss.""You,too,"Isay,andthedoorcloses.
WewalktowardtheSeaminsilence.Idon'tlikethat
GaletookadigatMadge,buthe'sright,ofcourse.
Thereapingsystemisunfair,withthepoorgetting
theworstofit.Youbecomeeligibleforthereapingthe
dayyouturntwelve.Thatyear,yournameisentered
once.Atthirteen,twice.Andsoonandsoonuntil
youreachtheageofeighteen,thefinalyearof
eligibility,whenyournamegoesintothepoolseven
times.That'strueforeverycitizeninalltwelve
districtsintheentirecountryofPanem.
Buthere'sthecatch.Sayyouarepoorandstarving
aswewere.Youcanopttoaddyournamemoretimes
inexchangefortesserae.Eachtesseraiswortha
meageryear'ssupplyofgrainandoilforoneperson.
Youmaydothisforeachofyourfamilymembersas
well.So,attheageoftwelve,Ihadmynameentered
fourtimes.Once,becauseIhadto,andthreetimes
fortesseraeforgrainandoilformyself,Prim,andmy
mother.Infact,everyyearIhaveneededtodothis.
Andtheentriesarecumulative.Sonow,attheageof
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sixteen,mynamewillbeinthereapingtwentytimes.
Gale,whoiseighteenandhasbeeneitherhelpingor
singlehandedlyfeedingafamilyoffiveforseven
years,willhavehisnameinfortytwotimes.
12|Page
YoucanseewhysomeonelikeMadge,whohasnever
beenatriskofneedingatessera,cansethimoff.The
chanceofhernamebeingdrawnisveryslim
comparedtothoseofuswholiveintheSeam.Not
impossible,butslim.Andeventhoughtheruleswere
setupbytheCapitol,notthedistricts,certainlynot
Madge'sfamily,it'shardnottoresentthosewhodon't
havetosignupfortesserae.
GaleknowshisangeratMadgeismisdirected.On
otherdays,deepinthewoods,I'velistenedtohim
rantabouthowthetesseraearejustanothertoolto
causemiseryinourdistrict.Awaytoplanthatred
betweenthestarvingworkersoftheSeamandthose
whocangenerallycountonsupperandthereby
ensurewewillnevertrustoneanother."It'stothe
Capitol'sadvantagetohaveusdividedamong
ourselves,"hemightsayiftherewerenoearstohear
butmine.Ifitwasn'treapingday.Ifagirlwithagold
pinandnotesseraehadnotmadewhatI'msureshe
thoughtwasaharmlesscomment.
Aswewalk,IglanceoveratGale'sface,still
smolderingunderneathhisstonyexpression.His
ragesseempointlesstome,althoughIneversayso.
It'snotthatIdon'tagreewithhim.Ido.Butwhat
goodisyellingabouttheCapitolinthemiddleofthe
woods?Itdoesn'tchangeanything.Itdoesn'tmake
thingsfair.Itdoesn'tfillourstomachs.Infact,it
scaresoffthenearbygame.Ilethimyellthough.
Betterhedoesitinthewoodsthaninthedistrict.
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GaleandIdivideourspoils,leavingtwofish,acouple
ofloavesofgoodbread,greens,aquartof
strawberries,salt,paraffin,andabitofmoneyfor
each.
"Seeyouinthesquare,"Isay.
13|Page
"Wearsomethingpretty,"hesaysflatly.
Athome,Ifindmymotherandsisterarereadytogo.
Mymotherwearsafinedressfromherapothecary
days.Primisinmyfirstreapingoutfit,askirtand
ruffledblouse.It'sabitbigonher,butmymother
hasmadeitstaywithpins.Evenso,she'shaving
troublekeepingtheblousetuckedinattheback.
Atubofwarmwaterwaitsforme.Iscruboffthedirt
andsweatfromthewoodsandevenwashmyhair.To
mysurprise,mymotherhaslaidoutoneofherown
lovelydressesforme.Asoftbluethingwithmatching
shoes.
"Areyousure?"Iask.I'mtryingtogetpastrejecting
offersofhelpfromher.Forawhile,Iwassoangry,I
wouldn'tallowhertodoanythingforme.Andthisis
somethingspecial.Herclothesfromherpastarevery
precioustoher.
"Ofcourse.Let'sputyourhairup,too,"shesays.Ilet
hertoweldryitandbraidituponmyhead.Ican
hardlyrecognizemyselfinthecrackedmirrorthat
leansagainstthewall.
"Youlookbeautiful,"saysPriminahushedvoice.
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"Andnothinglikemyself,"Isay.Ihugher,becauseI
knowthesenextfewhourswillbeterribleforher.Her
firstreaping.She'saboutassafeasyoucanget,since
she'sonlyenteredonce.Iwouldn'tlethertakeout
anytesserae.Butshe'sworriedaboutme.Thatthe
unthinkablemighthappen.
IprotectPrimineverywayIcan,butI'mpowerless
againstthereaping.TheanguishIalwaysfeelwhen
she'sinpainwellsupinmychestandthreatensto
registeronmy(ace.Inoticeherblousehaspulledout
ofherskirtinthebackagainandforcemyselftostay
calm."Tuckyourtailin,littleduck,"Isay,smoothing
theblousebackinplace.
Primgigglesandgivesmeasmall"Quack."
"Quackyourself,"Isaywithalightlaugh.Thekind
onlyPrimcandrawoutofme."Comeon,let'seat,"I
sayandplantaquickkissonthetopofherhead.
Thefishandgreensarealreadycookinginastew,but
thatwillbeforsupper.Wedecidetosavethe
strawberriesandbakerybreadforthisevening'smeal,
tomakeitspecialwesay.Insteadwedrinkmilkfrom
Prim'sgoat,Lady,andeattheroughbreadmadefrom
thetesseragrain,althoughnoonehasmuchappetite
anyway.
Atoneo'clock,weheadforthesquare.Attendanceis
mandatoryunlessyouareondeath'sdoor.This
evening,officialswillcomearoundandchecktoseeif
thisisthecase.Ifnot,youllbeimprisoned.
It'stoobad,really,thattheyholdthereapinginthe
squareoneofthefewplacesinDistrict12thatcan
bepleasant.Thesquare'ssurroundedbyshops,and
onpublicmarketdays,especiallyifthere'sgood
weather,ithasaholidayfeeltoit.Buttoday,despite
thebrightbannershangingonthebuildings,there's
anairofgrimness.Thecameracrews,perchedlike
buzzardsonrooftops,onlyaddtotheeffect.
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Peoplefileinsilentlyandsignin.Thereapingisa
goodopportunityfortheCapitoltokeeptabsonthe
populationaswell.Twelvethrougheighteenyear
oldsareherdedintoropedareasmarkedoffbyages,
theoldestinthefront,theyoungones,likePrim,
towardtheback.Familymemberslineuparoundthe
perimeter,holdingtightlytooneanother'shands.But
thereareothers,too,whohavenoonetheyloveat
stake,orwhonolongercare,whoslipamongthe
crowd,takingbetsonthetwokidswhosenameswill
bedrawn.Oddsaregivenontheirages,whether
they'reSeamormerchant,iftheywillbreakdownand
weep.Mostrefusedealingwiththeracketeersbut
carefully,carefully.Thesesamepeopletendtobe
informers,andwhohasn'tbrokenthelaw?Icouldbe
shotonadailybasisforhunting,buttheappetitesof
thoseinchargeprotectme.Noteveryonecanclaim
thesame.
Anyway,GaleandIagreethatifwehavetochoose
betweendyingofhungerandabulletinthehead,the
bulletwouldbemuchquicker.
Thespacegetstighter,moreclaustrophobicaspeople
arrive.Thesquare'squitelarge,butnotenoughto
holdDistrict12'spopulationofabouteightthousand.
Latecomersaredirectedtotheadjacentstreets,where
theycanwatchtheeventonscreensasit'stelevised
livebythestate.
Ifindmyselfstandinginaclumpofsixteensfromthe
Seam.Weallexchangetersenodsthenfocusour
attentiononthetemporarystagethatissetupbefore
theJusticeBuilding.Itholdsthreechairs,apodium,
andtwolargeglassballs,onefortheboysandonefor
thegirls.Istareatthepaperslipsinthegirls'ball.
TwentyofthemhaveKatnissEverdeenwrittenon
themincarefulhandwriting.
TwoofthethreechairsfillwithMadge'sfather,Mayor
Undersee,who'satall,baldingman,andEffie
Trinket,District12'sescort,freshfromtheCapitol
withherscarywhitegrin,pinkishhair,andspring
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greensuit.Theymurmurtoeachotherandthenlook
withconcernattheemptyseat.
16|Page
Justasthetownclockstrikestwo,themayorsteps
uptothepodiumandbeginstoread.It'sthesame
storyeveryyear.HetellsofthehistoryofPanem,the
countrythatroseupoutoftheashesofaplacethat
wasoncecalledNorthAmerica.Heliststhedisasters,
thedroughts,thestorms,thefires,theencroaching
seasthatswallowedupsomuchoftheland,the
brutalwarforwhatlittlesustenanceremained.The
resultwasPanem,ashiningCapitolringedby
thirteendistricts,whichbroughtpeaceandprosperity
toitscitizens.ThencametheDarkDays,theuprising
ofthedistrictsagainsttheCapitol.Twelvewere
defeated,thethirteenthobliterated.TheTreatyof
Treasongaveusthenewlawstoguaranteepeace
and,asouryearlyreminderthattheDarkDaysmust
neverberepeated,itgaveustheHungerGames.
TherulesoftheHungerGamesaresimple.In
punishmentfortheuprising,eachofthetwelve
districtsmustprovideonegirlandoneboy,called
tributes,toparticipate.Thetwentyfourtributeswill
beimprisonedinavastoutdoorarenathatcouldhold
anythingfromaburningdeserttoafrozenwasteland.
Overaperiodofseveralweeks,thecompetitorsmust
fighttothedeath.Thelasttributestandingwins.
Takingthekidsfromourdistricts,forcingthemtokill
oneanotherwhilewewatchthisistheCapitol's
wayofremindingushowtotallyweareattheir
mercy.Howlittlechancewewouldstandofsurviving
anotherrebellion.
Whateverwordstheyuse,therealmessageis
clear."Lookhowwetakeyourchildrenandsacrifice
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themandthere'snothingyoucando.Ifyoulifta
finger,wewilldestroyeverylastoneofyou.Justas
wedidinDistrictThirteen."
17|Page
Tomakeithumiliatingaswellastorturous,the
CapitolrequiresustotreattheHungerGamesasa
festivity,asportingeventpittingeverydistrictagainst
theothers.Thelasttributealivereceivesalifeofease
backhome,andtheirdistrictwillbeshoweredwith
prizes,largelyconsistingoffood.Allyear,theCapitol
willshowthewinningdistrictgiftsofgrainandoil
andevendelicacieslikesugarwhiletherestofus
battlestarvation.
"Itisbothatimeforrepentanceandatimefor
thanks,"intonesthemayor.
ThenhereadsthelistofpastDistrict12victors.In
seventyfouryears,wehavehadexactlytwo.Onlyone
isstillalive.HaymitchAbernathy,apaunchy,middle
agedman,whoatthismomentappearshollering
somethingunintelligible,staggersontothestage,and
fallsintothethirdchair.He'sdrunk.Very.Thecrowd
respondswithitstokenapplause,buthe'sconfused
andtriestogiveEffieTrinketabighug,whichshe
barelymanagestofendoff.
Themayorlooksdistressed.Sinceallofthisisbeing
televised,rightnowDistrict12isthelaughingstockof
Panem,andheknowsit.Hequicklytriestopullthe
attentionbacktothereapingbyintroducingEffie
Trinket.
Brightandbubblyasever,EffieTrinkettrotstothe
podiumandgiveshersignature,"HappyHunger
Games!Andmaytheoddsbeeverinyourfavor!"Her
pinkhairmustbeawigbecausehercurlshave
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shiftedslightlyoffcentersinceherencounterwith
Haymitch.Shegoesonabitaboutwhatanhonoritis
tobehere,althougheveryoneknowsshe'sjustaching
togetbumpeduptoabetterdistrictwheretheyhave
propervictors,notdrunkswhomolestyouinfrontof
theentirenation.
18|Page
Throughthecrowd,IspotGalelookingbackatme
withaghostofasmile.Asreapingsgo,thisoneat
leasthasaslightentertainmentfactor.ButsuddenlyI
amthinkingofGaleandhisfortytwonamesinthat
bigglassballandhowtheoddsarenotinhisfavor.
Notcomparedtoalotoftheboys.Andmaybehe's
thinkingthesamethingaboutmebecausehisface
darkensandheturnsaway."Buttherearestill
thousandsofslips,"IwishIcouldwhispertohim.
It'stimeforthedrawing.EffieTrinketsaysasshe
alwaysdoes,"Ladiesfirst!"andcrossestotheglass
ballwiththegirls'names.Shereachesin,digsher
handdeepintotheball,andpullsoutaslipofpaper.
Thecrowddrawsinacollectivebreathandthenyou
canhearapindrop,andI'mfeelingnauseousandso
desperatelyhopingthatit'snotme,thatit'snotme,
thatit'snotme.
EffieTrinketcrossesbacktothepodium,smoothes
theslipofpaper,andreadsoutthenameinaclear
voice.Andit'snotme.
It'sPrimroseEverdeen.
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Onetime,whenIwasinablindinatree,waiting
motionlessforgametowanderby,Idozedoffandfell
tenfeettotheground,landingonmyback.Itwasas
iftheimpacthadknockedeverywispofairfrommy
lungs,andIlaytherestrugglingtoinhale,toexhale,
todoanything.
That'showIfeelnow,tryingtorememberhowto
breathe,unabletospeak,totallystunnedasthename
bouncesaroundtheinsideofmyskull.Someoneis
grippingmyarm,aboyfromtheSeam,andIthink
maybeIstartedtofallandhecaughtme.
Theremusthavebeensomemistake.Thiscan'tbe
happening.Primwasoneslipofpaperinthousands!
HerchancesofbeingchosensoremotethatI'dnot
evenbotheredtoworryabouther.Hadn'tIdone
everything?Takenthetesserae,refusedtoletherdo
thesame?Oneslip.Oneslipinthousands.Theodds
hadbeenentirelyinherfavor.Butithadn'tmattered.
Somewherefaraway,Icanhearthecrowd
murmuringunhappilyastheyalwaysdowhena
twelveyearoldgetschosenbecausenoonethinks
thisisfair.AndthenIseeher,theblooddrainedfrom
herface,handsclenchedinfistsathersides,walking
withstiff,smallstepsuptowardthestage,passing
me,andIseethebackofherblousehasbecome
untuckedandhangsoutoverherskirt.It'sthis
detail,theuntuckedblouseformingaducktail,that
bringsmebacktomyself.
"Prim!"Thestrangledcrycomesoutofmythroat,and
mymusclesbegintomoveagain."Prim!"Idon'tneed
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toshovethroughthecrowd.Theotherkidsmakeway
immediatelyallowingmeastraightpathtothestage.
Ireachherjustassheisabouttomountthesteps.
Withonesweepofmyarm,Ipushherbehindme.
"Ivolunteer!"Igasp."Ivolunteerastribute!"
There'ssomeconfusiononthestage.District12
hasn'thadavolunteerindecadesandtheprotocol
hasbecomerusty.Theruleisthatonceatribute's
namehasbeenpulledfromtheball,anothereligible
boy,ifaboy'snamehasbeenread,orgirl,ifagirl's
namehasbeenread,canstepforwardtotakehisor
herplace.Insomedistricts,inwhichwinningthe
reapingissuchagreathonor,peopleareeagertorisk
theirlives,thevolunteeringiscomplicated.Butin
District12,wherethewordtributeisprettymuch
synonymouswiththewordcorpse,volunteersareall
butextinct.
"Lovely!"saysEffieTrinket."ButIbelievethere'sa
smallmatterofintroducingthereapingwinnerand
thenaskingforvolunteers,andifonedoescomeforth
thenwe,um..."shetrailsoff,unsureherself.
"Whatdoesitmatter?"saysthemayor.He'slooking
atmewithapainedexpressiononhisface.He
doesn'tknowmereally,butthere'safaintrecognition
there.Iamthegirlwhobringsthestrawberries.The
girlhisdaughtermighthavespokenofonoccasion.
Thegirlwhofiveyearsagostoodhuddledwithher
motherandsister,ashepresentedher,theoldest
child,withamedalofvalor.Amedalforherfather,
vaporizedinthemines.Doesherememberthat?
"Whatdoesitmatter?"herepeatsgruffly."Lether
comeforward."
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Primisscreaminghystericallybehindme.She's
wrappedherskinnyarmsaroundmelikeavice."No,
Katniss!No!Youcan'tgo!"
"Prim,letgo,"Isayharshly,becausethisisupsetting
meandIdon'twanttocry.Whentheytelevisethe
replayofthereapingstonight,everyonewillmake
noteofmytears,andI'llbemarkedasaneasytarget.
Aweakling.Iwillgivenoonethatsatisfaction."Let
go!"
Icanfeelsomeonepullingherfrommyback.Iturn
andseeGalehasliftedPrimoffthegroundandshe's
thrashinginhisarms."Upyougo,Catnip,"hesays,
inavoicehe'sfightingtokeepsteady,andthenhe
carriesPrimofftowardmymother.Isteelmyselfand
climbthesteps.
"Well,bravo!"gushesEffieTrinket."That'sthespirit
oftheGames!"She'spleasedtofinallyhaveadistrict
withalittleactiongoingoninit."What'syourname?"
Iswallowhard."KatnissEverdeen,"Isay.
"Ibetmybuttonsthatwasyoursister.Don'twanther
tostealalltheglory,dowe?Comeon,everybody!
Let'sgiveabigroundofapplausetoournewest
tribute!"trillsEffieTrinket.
TotheeverlastingcreditofthepeopleofDistrict12,
notonepersonclaps.Noteventheonesholding
bettingslips,theoneswhoareusuallybeyondcaring.
PossiblybecausetheyknowmefromtheHob,or
knewmyfather,orhaveencounteredPrim,whono
onecanhelploving.Soinsteadofacknowledging
applause,Istandthereunmovingwhiletheytakepart
intheboldestformofdissenttheycanmanage.
Silence.Whichsayswedonotagree.Wedonot
condone.Allofthisiswrong.
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Thensomethingunexpectedhappens.Atleast,Idon't
expectitbecauseIdon'tthinkofDistrict12asa
placethatcaresaboutme.Butashifthasoccurred
sinceIsteppeduptotakePrim'splace,andnowit
seemsIhavebecomesomeoneprecious.Atfirstone,
thenanother,thenalmosteverymemberofthecrowd
touchesthethreemiddlefingersoftheirlefthandto
theirlipsandholdsitouttome.Itisanoldand
rarelyusedgestureofourdistrict,occasionallyseen
atfunerals.Itmeansthanks,itmeansadmiration,it
meansgoodbyetosomeoneyoulove.
NowIamtrulyindangerofcrying,butfortunately
Haymitchchoosesthistimetocomestaggeringacross
thestagetocongratulateme."Lookather.Lookat
thisone!"hehollers,throwinganarmaroundmy
shoulders.He'ssurprisinglystrongforsuchawreck.
"Ilikeher!"Hisbreathreeksofliquorandit'sbeena
longtimesincehe'sbathed."Lotsof..."Hecan't
thinkofthewordforawhile."Spunk!"hesays
triumphantly."Morethanyou!"hereleasesmeand
startsforthefrontofthestage."Morethanyou!"he
shouts,pointingdirectlyintoacamera.
Isheaddressingtheaudienceorishesodrunkhe
mightactuallybetauntingtheCapitol?I'llnever
knowbecausejustashe'sopeninghismouthto
continue,Haymitchplummetsoffthestageand
knockshimselfunconscious.
He'sdisgusting,butI'mgrateful.Witheverycamera
gleefullytrainedonhim,Ihavejustenoughtimeto
releasethesmall,chokedsoundinmythroatand
composemyself.Iputmyhandsbehindmybackand
stareintothedistance.
IcanseethehillsIclimbedthismorningwithGale.
Foramoment,Iyearnforsomething...theideaofus
leavingthedistrict...makingourwayinthewoods...
butIknowIwasrightaboutnotrunningoff.Because
whoelsewouldhavevolunteeredforPrim?
Haymitchiswhiskedawayonastretcher,andEffie
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Trinketistryingtogettheballrollingagain."Whatan
excitingday!"shewarblesassheattemptsto
straightenherwig,whichhaslistedseverelytothe
right."Butmoreexcitementtocome!It'stimeto
chooseourboytribute!"Clearlyhopingtocontainher
tenuoushairsituation,sheplantsonehandonher
headasshecrossestotheballthatcontainstheboys'
namesandgrabsthefirstslipsheencounters.She
zipsbacktothepodium,andIdon'tevenhavetimeto
wishforGale'ssafetywhenshe'sreadingthename.
"PeetaMellark."
PeetaMellark!
Oh,no,Ithink.Nothim.BecauseIrecognizethis
name,althoughIhaveneverspokendirectlytoits
owner.PeetaMellark.
No,theoddsarenotinmyfavortoday.Iwatchhim
ashemakeshiswaytowardthestage.Medium
height,stockybuild,ashyblondhairthatfallsin
wavesover
hisforehead.Theshockofthemomentisregistering
onhisface,youcanseehisstruggletoremain
emotionless,buthisblueeyesshowthealarmI've
seensoofteninprey.Yetheclimbssteadilyontothe
stageandtakeshisplace.
EffieTrinketasksforvolunteers,butnoonesteps
forward.Hehastwoolderbrothers,Iknow,I'veseen
theminthebakery,butoneisprobablytoooldnow
tovolunteerandtheotherwon't.Thisisstandard.
Familydevotiononlygoessofarformostpeopleon
reapingday.WhatIdidwastheradicalthing.
Themayorbeginstoreadthelong,dullTreatyof
Treasonashedoeseveryyearatthispointit's
requiredbutI'mnotlisteningtoaword.
Whyhim?Ithink.ThenItrytoconvincemyselfit
doesn'tmatter.PeetaMellarkandIarenotfriends.
Notevenneighbors.Wedon'tspeak.Ouronlyreal
interactionhappenedyearsago.He'sprobably
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forgottenit.ButIhaven'tandIknowIneverwill....
Itwasduringtheworsttime.Myfatherhadbeen
killedinthemineaccidentthreemonthsearlierinthe
bitterestJanuaryanyonecouldremember.The
numbnessofhislosshadpassed,andthepainwould
hitmeoutofnowhere,doublingmeover,rackingmy
bodywithsobs.Whereareyou?Iwouldcryoutinmy
mind.Wherehaveyougone?Ofcourse,therewas
neveranyanswer.
Thedistricthadgivenusasmallamountofmoneyas
compensationforhisdeath,enoughtocoverone
monthofgrievingatwhichtimemymotherwouldbe
expectedtogetajob.Onlyshedidn't.Shedidn'tdo
anythingbutsitproppedupinachairor,moreoften,
huddledundertheblanketsonherbed,eyesfixedon
somepointinthedistance.Onceinawhile,she'd
stir,getupasifmovedbysomeurgentpurpose,only
tothencollapsebackintostillness.Noamountof
pleadingfromPrimseemedtoaffecther.
Iwasterrified.Isupposenowthatmymotherwas
lockedinsomedarkworldofsadness,butatthe
time,allIknewwasthatIhadlostnotonlyafather,
butamotheraswell.Atelevenyearsold,withPrim
justseven,Itookoverasheadofthefamily.There
wasnochoice.Iboughtourfoodatthemarketand
cookeditasbestIcouldandtriedtokeepPrimand
myselflookingpresentable.Becauseifithadbecome
knownthatmymothercouldnolongercareforus,
thedistrictwouldhavetakenusawayfromherand
placedusinthecommunityhome.I'dgrownup
seeingthosehomekidsatschool.Thesadness,the
marksofangryhandsontheirfaces,the
hopelessnessthatcurledtheirshouldersforward.I
couldneverletthathappentoPrim.Sweet,tinyPrim
whocriedwhenIcriedbeforesheevenknewthe
reason,whobrushedandplaitedmymother'shair
beforeweleftforschool,whostillpolishedmyfather's
shavingmirroreachnightbecausehe'dhatedthe
layerofcoaldustthatsettledoneverythinginthe
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Seam.Thecommunityhomewouldcrushherlikea
bug.SoIkeptourpredicamentasecret.
Butthemoneyranoutandwewereslowlystarvingto
death.There'snootherwaytoputit.Ikepttelling
myselfifIcouldonlyholdoutuntilMay,justMay
8th,Iwouldturntwelveandbeabletosignupforthe
tesseraeandgetthatpreciousgrainandoiltofeed
us.Onlytherewerestillseveralweekstogo.Wecould
wellbedeadbythen.
Starvation'snotanuncommonfateinDistrict12.
Whohasn'tseenthevictims?Olderpeoplewhocan't
work.Childrenfromafamilywithtoomanytofeed.
Thoseinjuredinthemines.Stragglingthroughthe
streets.Andoneday,youcomeuponthemsitting
motionlessagainstawallorlyingintheMeadow,you
hearthewailsfromahouse,andthePeacekeepers
arecalledintoretrievethebody.Starvationisnever
thecauseofdeathofficially.It'salwaystheflu,or
exposure,orpneumonia.Butthatfoolsnoone.
OntheafternoonofmyencounterwithPeetaMellark,
therainwasfallinginrelentlessicysheets.Ihad
beenintown,tryingtotradesomethreadbareold
babyclothesofPrim'sinthepublicmarket,butthere
werenotakers.AlthoughIhadbeentotheHobon
severaloccasionswithmyfather,Iwastoofrightened
toventureintothatrough,grittyplacealone.Therain
hadsoakedthroughmyfather'shuntingjacket,
leavingmechilledtothebone.Forthreedays,we'd
hadnothingbutboiledwaterwithsomeolddried
mintleavesI'dfoundinthebackofacupboard.By
thetimethemarketclosed,IwasshakingsohardI
droppedmybundleofbabyclothesinamudpuddle.
Ididn'tpickitupforfearIwouldkeeloverandbe
unabletoregainmyfeet.Besides,noonewanted
thoseclothes.
Icouldn'tgohome.Becauseathomewasmymother
withherdeadeyesandmylittlesister,withher
hollowcheeksandcrackedlips.Icouldn'twalkinto
thatroomwiththesmokyfirefromthedamp
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branchesIhadscavengedattheedgeofthewoods
afterthecoalhadrunout,mybandsemptyofany
hope.
Ifoundmyselfstumblingalongamuddylanebehind
theshopsthatservethewealthiesttownspeople.The
merchantsliveabovetheirbusinesses,soIwas
essentiallyintheirbackyards.Irememberthe
outlinesofgardenbedsnotyetplantedforthespring,
agoatortwoinapen,onesoddendogtiedtoapost,
huncheddefeatedinthemuck.
AllformsofstealingareforbiddeninDistrict12.
Punishablebydeath.Butitcrossedmymindthat
theremightbesomethinginthetrashbins,andthose
werefairgame.Perhapsaboneatthebutcher'sor
rottedvegetablesatthegrocer's,somethingnoone
butmyfamilywasdesperateenoughtoeat.
Unfortunately,thebinshadjustbeenemptied.
WhenIpassedthebaker's,thesmelloffreshbread
wassooverwhelmingIfeltdizzy.Theovenswerein
theback,andagoldenglowspilledouttheopen
kitchendoor.Istoodmesmerizedbytheheatandthe
lusciousscentuntiltheraininterfered,runningits
icyfingersdownmyback,forcingmebacktolife.I
liftedthelidtothebaker'strashbinandfoundit
spotlessly,heartlesslybare.
SuddenlyavoicewasscreamingatmeandIlooked
uptoseethebaker'swife,tellingmetomoveonand
didIwanthertocallthePeacekeepersandhowsick
shewasofhavingthosebratsfromtheSeampawing
throughhertrash.ThewordswereuglyandIhadno
defense.AsIcarefullyreplacedthelidandbacked
away,Inoticedhim,aboywithblondhairpeeringout
frombehindhismother'sback.I'dseenhimat
school.Hewasinmyyear,butIdidn'tknowhis
name.Hestuckwiththetownkids,sohowwouldI?
Hismotherwentbackintothebakery,grumbling,but
hemusthavebeenwatchingmeasImademyway
behindthepenthatheldtheirpigandleanedagainst
thefarsideofanoldappletree.Therealizationthat
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I'dhavenothingtotakehomehadfinallysunkin.My
kneesbuckledandIsliddownthetreetrunktoits
roots.Itwastoomuch.Iwastoosickandweakand
tired,oh,sotired.LetthemcallthePeacekeepersand
takeustothecommunityhome,Ithought.Orbetter
yet,letmedierighthereintherain.
TherewasaclatterinthebakeryandIheardthe
womanscreamingagainandthesoundofablow,and
Ivaguelywonderedwhatwasgoingon.Feetsloshed
towardmethroughthemudandIthought,It'sher.
She'scomingtodrivemeawaywithastick.Butit
wasn'ther.Itwastheboy.Inhisarms,hecarriedtwo
largeloavesofbreadthatmusthavefallenintothe
firebecausethecrustswerescorchedblack.
Hismotherwasyelling,"Feedittothepig,youstupid
creature!Whynot?Noonedecentwillbuyburned
bread!"
28|Page
Hebegantotearoffchunksfromtheburnedparts
andtossthemintothetrough,andthefrontbakery
bellrungandthemotherdisappearedtohelpa
customer.
Theboyneverevenglancedmyway,butIwas
watchinghim.Becauseofthebread,becauseofthe
redwealthatstoodoutonhischeekbone.Whathad
shehithimwith?
Myparentsneverhitus.Icouldn'tevenimagineit.
Theboytookonelookbacktothebakeryasif
checkingthatthecoastwasclear,then,hisattention
backonthepig,hethrewaloafofbreadinmy
direction.Thesecondquicklyfollowed,andhe
sloshedbacktothebakery,closingthekitchendoor
tightlybehindhim.
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Istaredattheloavesindisbelief.Theywerefine,
perfectreally,exceptfortheburnedareas.Didhe
meanformetohavethem?Hemusthave.Because
theretheywereatmyfeet.Beforeanyonecould
witnesswhathadhappenedIshovedtheloavesup
undermyshirt,wrappedthehuntingjackettightly
aboutme,andwalkedswiftlyaway.Theheatofthe
breadburnedintomyskin,butIclutchedittighter,
clingingtolife.
BythetimeIreachedhome,theloaveshadcooled
somewhat,buttheinsideswerestillwarm.WhenI
droppedthemonthetable,Prim'shandsreachedto
tearoffachunk,butImadehersit,forcedmymother
tojoinusatthetable,andpouredwarmtea.I
scrapedofftheblackstuffandslicedthebread.We
ateanentireloaf,slicebyslice.Itwasgoodhearty
bread,filledwithraisinsandnuts.
Iputmyclothestodryatthefire,crawledintobed,
andfellintoadreamlesssleep.Itdidn'toccurtome
untilthenextmorningthattheboymighthave
burnedthebreadonpurpose.Mighthavedropped
theloavesintotheflames,knowingitmeantbeing
punished,andthendeliveredthemtome.ButI
dismissedthis.Itmusthavebeenanaccident.Why
wouldhehavedoneit?Hedidn'tevenknowme.Still,
justthrowingmethebreadwasanenormous
kindnessthatwouldhavesurelyresultedinabeating
ifdiscovered.1couldn'texplainhisactions.
Weateslicesofbreadforbreakfastandheadedto
school.Itwasasifspringhadcomeovernight.Warm
sweetair.Fluffyclouds.Atschool,Ipassedtheboyin
thehall,hischeekhadswelledupandhiseyehad
blackened.Hewaswithhisfriendsanddidn't
acknowledgemeinanyway.ButasIcollectedPrim
andstartedforhomethatafternoon,Ifoundhim
staringatmefromacrosstheschoolyard.Oureyes
metforonlyasecond,thenheturnedhisheadaway.
Idroppedmygaze,embarrassed,andthat'swhenI
sawit.Thefirstdandelionoftheyear.Abellwentoff
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inmyhead.Ithoughtofthehoursspentinthewoods
withmyfatherandIknewhowweweregoingto
survive.
Tothisday,Icannevershaketheconnectionbetween
thisboy,PeetaMellark,andthebreadthatgaveme
hope,andthedandelionthatremindedmethatIwas
notdoomed.Andmorethanonce,Ihaveturnedin
theschoolhallwayandcaughthiseyestrainedon
me,onlytoquicklyflitaway.IfeellikeIowehim
something,andIhateowingpeople.MaybeifIhad
thankedhimatsomepoint,I'dbefeelingless
conflictednow.Ithoughtaboutitacoupleoftimes,
buttheopportunityneverseemedtopresentitself.
Andnowitneverwill.Becausewe'regoingtobe
thrownintoanarenatofighttothedeath.Exactly
howamIsupposedtoworkinathankyouinthere?
30|Page
Somehowitjustwon'tseemsincereifI'mtryingtoslit
histhroat.
ThemayorfinishesthedrearyTreatyofTreasonand
motionsforPeetaandmetoshakehands.Hisareas
solidandwarmasthoseloavesofbread.Peetalooks
merightintheeyeandgivesmyhandwhatIthinkis
meanttobeareassuringsqueeze.Maybeit'sjusta
nervousspasm.
Weturnbacktofacethecrowdastheanthemof
Panemplays.
Oh,well,Ithink.Therewillbetwentyfourofus.Odds
aresomeoneelsewillkillhimbeforeIdo.
Ofcourse,theoddshavenotbeenverydependableof
late.
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31|Page
Themomenttheanthemends,wearetakeninto
custody.Idon'tmeanwe'rehandcuffedoranything,
butagroupofPeacekeepersmarchesusthroughthe
frontdooroftheJusticeBuilding.Maybetributes
havetriedtoescapeinthepast.I'veneverseenthat
happenthough.
Onceinside,I'mconductedtoaroomandleftalone.
It'stherichestplaceI'veeverbeenin,withthick,deep
carpetsandavelvetcouchandchairs.Iknowvelvet
becausemymotherhasadresswithacollarmadeof
thestuff.WhenIsitonthecouch,Ican'thelp
runningmyfingersoverthefabricrepeatedly.Ithelps
tocalmmeasItrytoprepareforthenexthour.The
timeallottedforthetributestosaygoodbyetotheir
lovedones.Icannotaffordtogetupset,toleavethis
roomwithpuffyeyesandarednose.Cryingisnotan
option.Therewillbemorecamerasatthetrain
station.
Mysisterandmymothercomefirst.Ireachoutto
Primandsheclimbsonmylap,herarmsaroundmy
neck,headonmyshoulder,justlikeshedidwhen
shewasatoddler.Mymothersitsbesidemeand
wrapsherarmsaroundus.Forafewminutes,wesay
nothing.ThenIstarttellingthemallthethingsthey
mustremembertodo,nowthatIwillnotbethereto
dothemforthem.
Primisnottotakeanytesserae.Theycangetby,if
they'recareful,onsellingPrim'sgoatmilkandcheese
andthesmallapothecarybusinessmymothernow
runsforthepeopleintheSeam.Galewillgetherthe
herbsshedoesn'tgrowherself,butshemustbevery
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32|Page
carefultodescribethembecausehe'snotasfamiliar
withthemasIam.He'llalsobringthemgamehe
andImadeapactaboutthisayearorsoagoand
willprobablynotaskforcompensation,butthey
shouldthankhimwithsomekindoftrade,likemilk
ormedicine.
Idon'tbothersuggestingPrimlearntohunt.Itriedto
teachheracoupleoftimesanditwasdisastrous.The
woodsterrifiedher,andwheneverIshotsomething,
she'dgettearyandtalkabouthowwemightbeable
tohealitifwegotithomesoonenough.Butshe
makesoutwellwithhergoat,soIconcentrateon
that.
WhenIamdonewithinstructionsaboutfuel,and
trading,andstayinginschool,Iturntomymother
andgripherarm,hard."Listentome.Areyou
listeningtome?"Shenods,alarmedbymyintensity.
Shemustknowwhat'scoming."Youcan'tleave
again,"Isay.
Mymother'seyesfindthefloor."Iknow.Iwon't.I
couldn'thelpwhat"
"Well,youhavetohelpitthistime.Youcan'tclock
outandleavePrimonherown.There'snomenowto
keepyoubothalive.Itdoesn'tmatterwhathappens.
Whateveryouseeonthescreen.Youhavetopromise
meyou'llfightthroughit!"Myvoicehasrisentoa
shout.Initisalltheanger,allthefearIfeltather
abandonment.
Shepullsherarmfrommygrasp,movedtoanger
herselfnow."Iwasill.Icouldhavetreatedmyselfif
I'dhadthemedicineIhavenow."
Thatpartaboutherbeingillmightbetrue.I'veseen
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herbringbackpeoplesufferingfromimmobilizing
sadnesssince.Perhapsitisasickness,butit'sone
wecan'tafford.
"Thentakeit.Andtakecareofher!"Isay.
"I'llbeallright,Katniss,"saysPrim,claspingmyface
inherhands."Butyouhavetotakecare,too.You're
sofastandbrave.Maybeyoucanwin."
Ican'twin.Primmustknowthatinherheart.The
competitionwillbefarbeyondmyabilities.Kidsfrom
wealthierdistricts,wherewinningisahugehonor,
who'vebeentrainedtheirwholelivesforthis.Boys
whoaretwotothreetimesmysize.Girlswhoknow
twentydifferentwaystokillyouwithaknife.Oh,
thereHbepeoplelikeme,too.Peopletoweedout
beforetherealfunbegins.
"Maybe,"Isay,becauseIcanhardlytellmymotherto
carryonifI'vealreadygivenupmyself.Besides,it
isn'tinmynaturetogodownwithoutafight,even
whenthingsseeminsurmountable."Thenwe'dbe
richasHaymitch."
"Idon'tcareifwe'rerich.Ijustwantyoutocome
home.Youwilltry,won'tyou?Really,reallytry?"asks
Prim.
"Really,reallytry.Iswearit,"Isay.AndIknow,
becauseofPrim,I'llhaveto.
AndthenthePeacekeeperisatthedoor,signalingour
timeisup,andwe'reallhuggingoneanothersohard
ithurtsandallI'msayingis"Iloveyou.Iloveyou
both."Andthey'resayingitbackandthenthe
Peacekeeperordersthemoutandthedoorcloses.I
burymyheadinoneofthevelvetpillowsasifthis
canblockthewholethingout.
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34|Page
Someoneelseenterstheroom,andwhenIlookup,
I'msurprisedtoseeit'sthebaker,PeetaMellark's
father.Ican'tbelievehe'scometovisitme.Afterall,
I'llbetryingtokillhissonsoon.Butwedoknoweach
otherabit,andheknowsPrimevenbetter.Whenshe
sellshergoatcheesesattheHob,sheputstwoof
themasideforhimandhegivesheragenerous
amountofbreadinreturn.Wealwayswaittotrade
withhimwhenhiswitchofawifeisn'taround
becausehe'ssomuchnicer.Ifeelcertainhewould
neverhavehithissonthewayshedidoverthe
burnedbread.Butwhyhashecometoseeme?
Thebakersitsawkwardlyontheedgeofoneofthe
plushchairs.He'sabig,broadshoulderedmanwith
burnscarsfromyearsattheovens.Hemusthave
justsaidgoodbyetohisson.
Hepullsawhitepaperpackagefromhisjacketpocket
andholdsitouttome.Iopenitandfindcookies.
Thesearealuxurywecanneverafford.
"Thankyou,"Isay.Thebaker'snotaverytalkative
maninthebestoftimes,andtodayhehasnowords
atall."Ihadsomeofyourbreadthismorning.My
friendGalegaveyouasquirrelforit."Henods,asif
rememberingthesquirrel."Notyourbesttrade,"Isay.
Heshrugsasifitcouldn'tpossiblymatter.
ThenIcan'tthinkofanythingelse,sowesitinsilence
untilaPeacemakersummonshim.Herisesand
coughstoclearhisthroat."Illkeepaneyeonthe
littlegirl.Makesureshe'seating."
Ifeelsomeofthepressureinmychestlightenathis
words.Peopledealwithme,buttheyaregenuinely
fondofPrim.Maybetherewillbeenoughfondnessto
keepheralive.
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35|Page
Mynextguestisalsounexpected.Madgewalks
straighttome.Sheisnotweepyorevasive,instead
there'sanurgencyabouthertonethatsurprisesme.
"Theyletyouwearonethingfromyourdistrictinthe
arena.Onethingtoremindyouofhome.Willyou
wearthis?"Sheholdsoutthecirculargoldpinthat
wasonherdressearlier.Ihadn'tpaidmuchattention
toitbefore,butnowIseeit'sasmallbirdinflight.
"Yourpin?"Isay.Wearingatokenfrommydistrictis
aboutthelastthingonmymind.
"Here,I'llputitonyourdress,allright?"Madge
doesn'twaitforananswer,shejustleansinandfixes
thebirdtomydress."Promiseyoullwearitintothe
arena,Katniss?"sheasks."Promise?"
"Yes,"Isay.Cookies.Apin.I'mgettingallkindsof
giftstoday.Madgegivesmeonemore.Akissonthe
cheek.Thenshe'sgoneandI'mleftthinkingthat
maybeMadgereallyhasbeenmyfriendallalong.
Finally,Galeishereandmaybethereisnothing
romanticbetweenus,butwhenheopenshisarmsI
don'thesitatetogointothem.Hisbodyisfamiliarto
methewayitmoves,thesmellofwoodsmoke,
eventhesoundofhisheartbeatingIknowfromquiet
momentsonahuntbutthisisthefirsttimeI
reallyfeelit,leanandhardmuscledagainstmyown.
"Listen,"hesays."Gettingaknifeshouldbepretty
easy,butyou'vegottogetyourhandsonabow.
That'syourbestchance."
"Theydon'talwayshavebows,"Isay,thinkingofthe
yeartherewereonlyhorriblespikedmacesthatthe
tributeshadtobludgeononeanothertodeathwith.
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36|Page
"Thenmakeone,"saysGale."Evenaweakbowis
betterthannobowatall."
Ihavetriedcopyingmyfather'sbowswithpoor
results.It'snotthateasy.Evenhehadtoscraphis
ownworksometimes.
"Idon'tevenknowifthere'llbewood,"Isay.Another
year,theytossedeverybodyintoalandscapeof
nothingbutbouldersandsandandscruffybushes.I
particularlyhatedthatyear.Manycontestantswere
bittenbyvenomoussnakesorwentinsanefrom
thirst.
"There'salmostalwayssomewood,"Galesays."Since
thatyearhalfofthemdiedofcold.Notmuch
entertainmentinthat."
It'strue.WespentoneHungerGameswatchingthe
playersfreezetodeathatnight.Youcouldhardlysee
thembecausetheywerejusthuddledinballsand
hadnowoodforfiresortorchesoranything.Itwas
consideredveryanticlimacticintheCapitol,allthose
quiet,bloodlessdeaths.Sincethen,there'susually
beenwoodtomakefires.
"Yes,there'susuallysome,"Isay.
"Katniss,it'sjusthunting.You'rethebesthunterI
know,"saysGale.
"It'snotjusthunting.They'rearmed.Theythink,"I
say.
"Sodoyou.Andyou'vehadmorepractice.Real
practice,"hesays."Youknowhowtokill."
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"Notpeople,"Isay.
37|Page
"Howdifferentcanitbe,really?"saysGalegrimly.
TheawfulthingisthatifIcanforgetthey'repeople,it
willbenodifferentatall.
ThePeacekeepersarebacktoosoonandGaleasksfor
moretime,butthey'retakinghimawayandIstartto
panic."Don'tletthemstarve!"Icryout,clingingto
hishand.
"Iwon't!YouknowIwon't!Katniss,rememberI"he
says,andtheyyankusapartandslamthedoorand
111neverknowwhatitwashewantedmeto
remember.
It'sashortridefromtheJusticeBuildingtothetrain
station.I'veneverbeeninacarbefore.Rarelyeven
riddeninwagons.IntheSeam,wetravelonfoot.
I'vebeenrightnottocry.Thestationisswarming
withreporterswiththeirinsectlikecamerastrained
directlyonmyface.ButI'vehadalotofpracticeat
wipingmyfacecleanofemotionsandIdothisnow.I
catchaglimpseofmyselfonthetelevisionscreenon
thewallthat'sairingmyarrivalliveandfeelgratified
thatIappearalmostbored.
PeetaMellark,ontheotherhand,hasobviouslybeen
cryingandinterestinglyenoughdoesnotseemtobe
tryingtocoveritup.Iimmediatelywonderifthiswill
behisstrategyintheGames.Toappearweakand
frightened,toreassuretheothertributesthatheisno
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competitionatall,andthencomeoutfighting.This
workedverywellforagirl,JohannaMason,from
District7afewyearsback.Sheseemedlikesucha
sniveling,cowardlyfoolthatnoonebotheredabout
heruntiltherewereonlyahandfulofcontestantsleft.
Itturnedoutshecouldkillviciously.Prettyclever,the
waysheplayedit.Butthisseemsanoddstrategyfor
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PeetaMellarkbecausehe'sabaker'sson.Allthose
yearsofhavingenoughtoeatandhaulingbreadtrays
aroundhavemadehimbroadshoulderedandstrong.
Itwilltakeanawfullotofweepingtoconvinceanyone
tooverlookhim.
Wehavetostandforafewminutesinthedoorwayof
thetrainwhilethecamerasgobbleupourimages,
thenwe'reallowedinsideandthedoorsclose
mercifullybehindus.Thetrainbeginstomoveat
once.
Thespeedinitiallytakesmybreathaway.Ofcourse,
I'veneverbeenonatrain,astravelbetweenthe
districtsisforbiddenexceptforofficiallysanctioned
duties.Forus,that'smainlytransportingcoal.But
thisisnoordinarycoaltrain.It'soneofthehigh
speedCapitolmodelsthataverage250milesper
hour.OurjourneytotheCapitolwilltakelessthana
day.
Inschool,theytellustheCapitolwasbuiltinaplace
oncecalledtheRockies.District12wasinaregion
knownisAppalachia.Evenhundredsofyearsago,
theyminedcoalhere.Whichiswhyourminershave
todigsodeep.
Somehowitallcomesbacktocoalatschool.Besides
basicreadingandmathmostofourinstructionis
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coalrelated.Exceptfortheweeklylectureonthe
historyofPanem.It'smostlyalotofblatherabout
whatweowetheCapitol.Iknowtheremustbemore
thanthey'retellingus,anactualaccountofwhat
happenedduringtherebellion.ButIdon'tspend
muchtimethinkingaboutit.Whateverthetruthis,I
don'tseehowitwillhelpmegetfoodonthetable.
Thetributetrainisfancierthaneventheroominthe
JusticeBuilding.Weareeachgivenourown
chambersthathaveabedroom,adressingarea,and
aprivatebathroomwithhotandcoldrunningwater.
Wedon'thavehotwaterathome,unlessweboilit.
Therearedrawersfilledwithfineclothes,andEffie
TrinkettellsmetodoanythingIwant,wearanything
Iwant,everythingisatmydisposal.Justbereadyfor
supperinanhour.Ipeeloffmymother'sbluedress
andtakeahotshower.I'veneverhadashower
before.It'slikebeinginasummerrain,onlywarmer.
Idressinadarkgreenshirtandpants.
Atthelastminute,IrememberMadge'slittlegoldpin.
Forthefirsttime,Igetagoodlookatit.It'sasif
someonefashionedasmallgoldenbirdandthen
attachedaringaroundit.Thebirdisconnectedtothe
ringonlybyitswingtips.Isuddenlyrecognizeit.A
mockingjay.
They'refunnybirdsandsomethingofaslapinthe
facetotheCapitol.Duringtherebellion,theCapitol
bredaseriesofgeneticallyalteredanimalsas
weapons.Thecommontermforthemwasmuttations,
orsometimesmuttsforshort.Onewasaspecialbird
calledajabberjaythathadtheabilitytomemorize
andrepeatwholehumanconversations.Theywere
homingbirds,exclusivelymale,thatwerereleased
intoregionswheretheCapitol'senemieswereknown
tobehiding.Afterthebirdsgatheredwords,they'dfly
backtocenterstoberecorded.Ittookpeopleawhile
torealizewhatwasgoingoninthedistricts,how
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privateconversationswerebeingtransmitted.Then,
ofcourse,therebelsfedtheCapitolendlesslies,and
thejokewasonit.Sothecenterswereshutdownand
thebirdswereabandonedtodieoffinthewild.
Onlytheydidn'tdieoff.Instead,thejabberjaysmated
withfemalemockingbirdscreatingawholenew
speciesthatcouldreplicatebothbirdwhistlesand
humanmelodies.Theyhadlosttheabilityto
enunciatewordsbutcouldstillmimicarangeof
humanvocalsounds,fromachild'shighpitched
warbletoaman'sdeeptones.Andtheycouldre
createsongs.Notjustafewnotes,butwholesongs
withmultipleverses,ifyouhadthepatiencetosing
themandiftheylikedyourvoice.
Myfatherwasparticularlyfondofmockingjays.When
wewenthunting,hewouldwhistleorsing
complicatedsongstothemand,afterapolitepause,
they'dalwayssingback.Noteveryoneistreatedwith
suchrespect.Butwhenevermyfathersang,allthe
birdsintheareawouldfallsilentandlisten.Hisvoice
wasthatbeautiful,highandclearandsofilledwith
lifeitmadeyouwanttolaughandcryatthesame
time.Icouldneverbringmyselftocontinuethe
practiceafterhewasgone.Still,there'ssomething
comfortingaboutthelittlebird.It'slikehavingapiece
ofmyfatherwithme,protectingme.Ifastenthepin
ontomyshirt,andwiththedarkgreenfabricasa
background,Icanalmostimaginethemockingjay
flyingthroughthetrees.
EffieTrinketcomestocollectmeforsupper.Ifollow
herthroughthenarrow,rockingcorridorintoadining
roomwithpolishedpaneledwalls.There'satable
whereallthedishesarehighlybreakable.Peeta
Mellarksitswaitingforus,thechairnexttohim
empty.
"Where'sHaymitch?"asksEffieTrinketbrightly.
"LasttimeIsawhim,hesaidhewasgoingtotakea
nap,"saysPeeta.
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"Well,it'sbeenanexhaustingday,"saysEffieTrinket.
Ithinkshe'srelievedbyHaymitch'sabsence,andwho
canblameher?
41|Page
Thesuppercomesincourses.Athickcarrotsoup,
greensalad,lambchopsandmashedpotatoes,cheese
andfruit,achocolatecake.Throughoutthemeal,
EffieTrinketkeepsremindingustosavespace
becausethere'smoretocome.ButI'mstuffingmyself
becauseI'veneverhadfoodlikethis,sogoodandso
much,andbecauseprobablythebestthingIcando
betweennowandtheGamesisputonafewpounds.
"Atleast,youtwohavedecentmanners,"saysEffieas
we'refinishingthemaincourse."Thepairlastyear
ateeverythingwiththeirhandslikeacoupleof
savages.Itcompletelyupsetmydigestion."
ThepairlastyearweretwokidsfromtheSeamwho'd
never,notonedayoftheirlives,hadenoughtoeat.
Andwhentheydidhavefood,tablemannerswere
surelythelastthingontheirminds.Peeta'sabaker's
son.MymothertaughtPrimandItoeatproperly,so
yes,Icanhandleaforkandknife.ButIhateEffie
Trinket'scommentsomuchImakeapointofeating
therestofmymealwithmyfingers.ThenIwipemy
handsonthetablecloth.Thismakesherpurseher
lipstightlytogether.
Nowthatthemeal'sover,I'mfightingtokeepthefood
down.IcanseePeeta'slookingalittlegreen,too.
Neitherofourstomachsisusedtosuchrichfare.But
ifIcanholddownGreasySae'sconcoctionofmice
meat,pigentrails,andtreebarkawinterspecialty
I'mdeterminedtohangontothis.
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Wegotoanothercompartmenttowatchtherecapof
thereapingsacrossPanem.Theytrytostaggerthem
throughoutthedaysoapersoncouldconceivably
watchthewholethinglive,butonlypeopleinthe
Capitolcouldreallydothat,sincenoneofthemhave
toattendreapingsthemselves.
42|Page
Onebyone,weseetheotherreapings,thenames
called,(thevolunteerssteppingforwardor,more
often,not.Weexaminethefacesofthekidswhowill
beourcompetition.Afewstandoutinmymind.A
monstrousboywholungesforwardtovolunteerfrom
District2.Afoxfacedgirlwithsleekredhairfrom
District5.AboywithacrippledfootfromDistrict10.
Andmosthauntingly,atwelveyearoldgirlfrom
District11.Shehasdarkbrownskinandeyes,but
otherthanthat,she'sverylikePriminsizeand
demeanor.Onlywhenshemountsthestageandthey
askforvolunteers,allyoucanhearisthewind
whistlingthroughthedecrepitbuildingsaroundher.
There'snoonewillingtotakeherplace.
Lastofall,theyshowDistrict12.Primbeingcalled,
merunningforwardtovolunteer.Youcan'tmissthe
desperationinmyvoiceasIshovePrimbehindme,as
ifI'mafraidnoonewillhearandthey11takePrim
away.But,ofcourse,theydohear.IseeGalepulling
heroffmeandwatchmyselfmountthestage.The
commentatorsarenotsurewhattosayaboutthe
crowd'srefusaltoapplaud.Thesilentsalute.One
saysthatDistrict12hasalwaysbeenabitbackward
butthatlocalcustomscanbecharming.Asifoncue,
Haymitchfallsoffthestage,andtheygroancomically.
Peeta'snameisdrawn,andhequietlytakeshisplace.
Weshakehands.Theycuttotheanthemagain,and
theprogramends.
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EffieTrinketisdisgruntledaboutthestateherwig
wasin."Yourmentorhasalottolearnabout
presentation.Alotabouttelevisedbehavior."
Peetaunexpectedlylaughs."Hewasdrunk,"says
Peeta."He'sdrunkeveryyear."
"Everyday,"Iadd.Ican'thelpsmirkingalittle.Effie
TrinketmakesitsoundlikeHaymitchjusthas
somewhatroughmannersthatcouldbecorrected
withafewtipsfromher.
"Yes,"hissesEffieTrinket."Howoddyoutwofindit
amusing.Youknowyourmentorisyourlifelinetothe
worldintheseGames.Theonewhoadvisesyou,lines
upyoursponsors,anddictatesthepresentationof
anygifts.Haymitchcanwellbethedifferencebetween
yourlifeandyourdeath!"
Justthen,Haymitchstaggersintothecompartment.
"Imisssupper?"hesaysinaslurredvoice.Thenhe
vomitsallovertheexpensivecarpetandfallsinthe
mess.
"Solaughaway!"saysEffieTrinket.Shehopsinher
pointyshoesaroundthepoolofvomitandfleesthe
room.
44|Page
Forafewmoments,PeetaandItakeinthesceneof
ourmentortryingtoriseoutoftheslipperyvilestuff
fromhisstomach.Thereekofvomitandrawspirits
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almostbringsmydinnerup.Weexchangeaglance.
ObviouslyHaymitchisn'tmuch,butEffieTrinketis
rightaboutonething,oncewe'reinthearenahe'sall
we'vegot.Asifbysomeunspokenagreement,Peeta
andIeachtakeoneofHaymitch'sarmsandhelphim
tohisfeet.
"Itripped?"Haymitchasks."Smellsbad."Hewipes
hishandonhisnose,smearinghisfacewithvomit.
"Let'sgetyoubacktoyourroom,"saysPeeta."Clean
youupabit."
WehalfleadhalfcarryHaymitchbacktohis
compartment.Sincewecan'texactlysethimdownon
theembroideredbedspread,wehaulhimintothe
bathtubandturntheshoweronhim.Hehardly
notices.
"It'sokay,"Peetasaystome."Illtakeitfromhere."
Ican'thelpfeelingalittlegratefulsincethelastthing
IwanttodoisstripdownHaymitch,washthevomit
outofhischesthair,andtuckhimintobed.Possibly
Peetaistryingtomakeagoodimpressiononhim,to
behisfavoriteoncetheGamesbegin.Butjudgingby
thestatehe'sin,Haymitchwillhavenomemoryof
thistomorrow.
"Allright,"Isay."IcansendoneoftheCapitolpeople
tohelpyou."There'sanynumberonthetrain.
45|Page
Cookinglorus.Waitingonus.Guardingus.Taking
careofusistheirjob.
"No.Idon'twantthem,"saysPeeta.
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Inodandheadtomyownroom.Iunderstandhow
Peetafeels.Ican'tstandthesightoftheCapitol
peoplemyself.ButmakingthemdealwithHaymitch
mightbeasmallformofrevenge.SoI'mpondering
thereasonwhyheinsistsontakingcareofHaymitch
andallofasuddenIthink,It'sbecausehe'sbeing
kind.Justashewaskindtogivemethebread.
Theideapullsmeupshort.AkindPeetaMellarkis
farmoredangeroustomethananunkindone.Kind
peoplehaveawayofworkingtheirwayinsidemeand
rootingthere.AndIcan'tletPeetadothis.Notwhere
we'regoing.SoIdecide,fromthismomenton,tohave
aslittleaspossibletodowiththebaker'sson.
WhenIgetbacktomyroom,thetrainispausingata
platformtorefuel.Iquicklyopenthewindow,tossthe
cookiesPeeta'sfathergavemeoutofthetrain,and
slamtheglassshut.Nomore.Nomoreofeitherof
them.
Unfortunately,thepacketofcookieshitstheground
andburstsopeninapatchofdandelionsbythe
track.Ionlyseetheimageforamoment,becausethe
trainisoffagain,butit'senough.Enoughtoremind
meofthatotherdandelionintheschoolyardyears
ago...
IhadjustturnedawayfromPeetaMellark'sbruised
facewhenIsawthedandelionandIknewhope
wasn'tlost.Ipluckeditcarefullyandhurriedhome.I
grabbedabucketandPrim'shandandheadedtothe
Meadowandyes,itwasdottedwiththegolden
headedweeds.Afterwe'dharvestedthose,we
46|Page
scroungedalonginsidethefenceforprobablyamile
untilwe'dfilledthebucketwiththedandeliongreens,
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stems,andflowers.Thatnight,wegorgedourselves
ondandelionsaladandtherestofthebakerybread.
"Whatelse?"Primaskedme."Whatotherfoodcanwe
find?"
"Allkindsofthings,"Ipromisedher."Ijusthaveto
rememberthem."
Mymotherhadabookshe'dbroughtwithherfrom
theapothecaryshop.Thepagesweremadeofold
parchmentandcoveredininkdrawingsofplants.
Neathandwrittenblockstoldtheirnames,whereto
gatherthem,whentheycameinbloom,theirmedical
uses.Butmyfatheraddedotherentriestothebook.
Plantsforeating,nothealing.Dandelions,pokeweed,
wildonions,pines.PrimandIspenttherestofthe
nightporingoverthosepages.
Thenextday,wewereoffschool.ForawhileIhung
aroundtheedgesoftheMeadow,butfinallyIworked
upthecouragetogounderthefence.Itwasthefirst
timeI'dbeentherealone,withoutmyfather's
weaponstoprotectme.ButIretrievedthesmallbow
andarrowshe'dmademefromahollowtree.I
probablydidn'tgomorethantwentyyardsintothe
woodsthatday.Mostofthetime,Iperchedupinthe
branchesofanoldoak,hopingforgametocomeby.
Afterseveralhours,Ihadthegoodlucktokilla
rabbit.
I'dshotafewrabbitsbefore,withmyfather's
guidance.ButthisI'ddoneonmyown.
Wehadn'thadmeatinmonths.Thesightofthe
rabbitseemedtostirsomethinginmymother.She
rousedherself,skinnedthecarcass,andmadeastew
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withthemeatandsomemoregreensPrimhad
gathered.Thensheactedconfusedandwentbackto
bed,butwhenthestewwasdone,wemadehereata
bowl.
Thewoodsbecameoursavior,andeachdayIwenta
bitfartherintoitsarms.Itwasslowgoingatfirst,but
Iwasdeterminedtofeedus.Istoleeggsfromnests,
caughtfishinnets,sometimesmanagedtoshoota
squirrelorrabbitforstew,andgatheredthevarious
plantsthatsprungupbeneathmyfeet.Plantsare
tricky.Manyareedible,butonefalsemouthfuland
you'redead.Icheckedanddoublecheckedtheplants
Iharvestedwithmyfather'spictures.Ikeptusalive.
Anysignofdanger,adistanthowl,theinexplicable
breakofabranch,sentmeflyingbacktothefenceat
first.ThenIbegantoriskclimbingtreestoescapethe
wilddogsthatquicklygotboredandmovedon.Bears
andcatsliveddeeperin,perhapsdislikingthesooty
reekofourdistrict.
OnMay8th,IwenttotheJusticeBuilding,signedup
formytesserae,andpulledhomemyfirstbatchof
grainandoilinPrim'stoywagon.Ontheeighthof
everymonth,Iwasentitledtodothesame.Icouldn't
stophuntingandgathering,ofcourse.Thegrainwas
notenoughtoliveon,andtherewereotherthingsto
buy,soapandmilkandthread.Whatwedidn't
absolutelyhavetoeat,IbegantotradeattheHob.It
wasfrighteningtoenterthatplacewithoutmyfather
atmyside,butpeoplehadrespectedhim,andthey
acceptedme.Gamewasgameafterall,nomatter
who'dshotit.Ialsosoldatthebackdoorsofthe
wealthierclientsintown,tryingtorememberwhatmy
fatherhadtoldmeandlearningafewnewtricksas
well.Thebutcherwouldbuymyrabbitsbutnot
squirrels.Thebakerenjoyedsquirrelbutwouldonly
tradeforoneifhiswifewasn'taround.TheHead
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Peacekeeperlovedwildturkey.Themayorhada
passionforstrawberries.
Inlatesummer,IwaswashingupinapondwhenI
noticedtheplantsgrowingaroundme.Tallwith
leaveslikearrowheads.Blossomswiththreewhite
petals.Ikneltdowninthewater,myfingersdigging
intothesoftmud,andIpulleduphandfulsofthe
roots.Small,bluishtubersthatdon'tlooklikemuch
butboiledorbakedareasgoodasanypotato.
"Katniss,"Isaidaloud.It'stheplantIwasnamedfor.
AndIheardmyfather'svoicejoking,"Aslongasyou
canfindyourself,you'llneverstarve."Ispenthours
stirringupthepondbedwithmytoesandastick,
gatheringthetubersthatfloatedtothetop.That
night,wefeastedonfishandkatnissrootsuntilwe
wereall,forthefirsttimeinmonths,full.
Slowly,mymotherreturnedtous.Shebegantoclean
andcookandpreservesomeofthefoodIbroughtin
forwinter.Peopletradedusorpaidmoneyforher
medicalremedies.Oneday,Iheardhersinging.
Primwasthrilledtohaveherback,butIkept
watching,waitingforhertodisappearonusagain.I
didn'ttrusther.Andsomesmallgnarledplaceinside
mehatedherforherweakness,forherneglect,for
themonthsshehadputusthrough.Primforgaveher,
butIhadtakenastepbackfrommymother,putupa
walltoprotectmyselffromneedingher,andnothing
waseverthesamebetweenusagain.
NowIwasgoingtodiewithoutthateverbeingset
right.IthoughtofhowIhadyelledathertodayinthe
JusticeBuilding.IhadtoldherIlovedher,too,
though.Somaybeitwouldallbalanceout.
ForawhileIstandstaringoutthetrainwindow,
wishingIcouldopenitagain,butunsureofwhat
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wouldhappenatsuchhighspeed.Inthedistance,I
seethelightsofanotherdistrict.7?10?Idon'tknow.
Ithinkaboutthepeopleintheirhouses,settlingin
forbed.Iimaginemyhome,withitsshuttersdrawn
tight.Whataretheydoingnow,mymotherandPrim?
Weretheyabletoeatsupper?Thefishstewandthe
strawberries?Ordiditlayuntouchedontheirplates?
Didtheywatchtherecapoftheday'seventsonthe
batteredoldTVthatsitsonthetableagainstthe
wall?Surely,thereweremoretears.Ismymother
holdingup,beingstrongforPrim?Orhasshealready
startedtoslipaway,leavingtheweightoftheworld
onmysister'sfragileshoulders?
Primwillundoubtedlysleepwithmymothertonight.
ThethoughtofthatscruffyoldButtercupposting
himselfonthebedtowatchoverPrimcomfortsme.If
shecries,hewillnosehiswayintoherarmsandcurl
upthereuntilshecalmsdownandfallsasleep.I'mso
gladIdidn'tdrownhim.
Imaginingmyhomemakesmeachewithloneliness.
Thisdayhasbeenendless.CouldGaleandIhave
beeneatingblackberriesonlythismorning?Itseems
likealifetimeago.Likealongdreamthatdeteriorated
intoanightmare.Maybe,ifIgotosleep,Iwillwake
upbackinDistrict12,whereIbelong.
Probablythedrawersholdanynumberofnightgowns,
butIjuststripoffmyshirtandpantsandclimbinto
bedinmyunderwear.Thesheetsaremadeofsoft,
silkyfabric.Athickfluffycomfortergivesimmediate
warmth.
IfI'mgoingtocry,nowisthetimetodoit.By
morning,111beabletowashthedamagedonebythe
tearsfrommyface.Butnotearscome.I'mtootiredor
toonumbtocry.TheonlythingIfeelisadesiretobe
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somewhereelse.SoIletthetrainrockmeinto
oblivion.
Graylightisleakingthroughthecurtainswhenthe
rappingrousesme.IhearEffieTrinket'svoice,calling
metorise."Up,up,up!It'sgoingtobeabig,big,big
day!"Itryandimagine,foramoment,whatitmust
belikeinsidethatwoman'shead.Whatthoughtsfill
herwakinghours?Whatdreamscometoherat
night?Ihavenoidea.
Iputthegreenoutfitbackonsinceit'snotreally
dirty,justslightlycrumpledfromspendingthenight
onthefloor.Myfingerstracethecirclearoundthe
littlegoldmockingjayandIthinkofthewoods,andof
myfather,andofmymotherandPrimwakingup,
havingtogetonwiththings.
Isleptintheelaboratebraidedhairmymotherdidfor
thereapinganditdoesn'tlooktoobad,soIjustleave
itup.Itdoesn'tmatter.Wecan'tbefarfromthe
Capitolnow.Andoncewereachthecity,mystylist
willdictatemylookfortheopeningceremonies
tonightanyway.IjusthopeIgetonewhodoesn't
thinknudityisthelastwordinfashion.
AsIenterthediningcar,EffieTrinketbrushesbyme
withacupofblackcoffee.She'smutteringobscenities
underherbreath.Haymitch,hisfacepuffyandred
fromthepreviousday'sindulgences,ischuckling.
Peetaholdsarollandlookssomewhatembarrassed.
"Sitdown!Sitdown!"saysHaymitch,wavingmeover.
ThemomentIslideintomychairI'mservedan
enormousplatteroffood.Eggs,ham,pilesoffried
potatoes.Atureenoffruitsitsinicetokeepitchilled.
Thebasketofrollstheysetbeforemewouldkeepmy
familygoingforaweek.There'sanelegantglassof
orangejuice.Atleast,Ithinkit'sorangejuice.I've
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51|Page
onlyeventastedanorangeonce,atNewYear'swhen
myfatherboughtoneasaspecialtreat.Acupof
coffee.Mymotheradorescoffee,whichwecould
almostneverafford,butitonlytastesbitterandthin
tome.ArichbrowncupofsomethingI'veneverseen.
"Theycallithotchocolate,"saysPeeta."It'sgood."
Itakeasipofthehot,sweet,creamyliquidanda
shudderrunsthroughme.Eventhoughtherestof
themealbeckons,IignoreituntilI'vedrainedmy
cup.ThenIstuffdowneverymouthfulIcanhold,
whichisasubstantialamount,beingcarefultonot
overdoitonthericheststuff.Onetime,mymother
toldmethatIalwayseatlike111neverseefoodagain.
AndIsaid,"Iwon'tunlessIbringithome."Thatshut
herup.
Whenmystomachfeelslikeit'sabouttosplitopen,I
leanbackandtakeinmybreakfastcompanions.
Peetaisstilleating,breakingoffbitsofrolland
dippingtheminhotchocolate.Haymitchhasn'tpaid
muchattentiontohisplatter,buthe'sknockingback
aglassofredjuicethathekeepsthinningwithaclear
liquidfromabottle.Judgingbythefumes,it'ssome
kindofspirit.Idon'tknowHaymitch,butI'veseen
himoftenenoughintheHob,tossinghandfulsof
moneyonthecounterofthewomanwhosellswhite
liquor.He'llbeincoherentbythetimewereachthe
Capitol.
IrealizeIdetestHaymitch.NowondertheDistrict12
tributesneverstandachance.Itisn'tjustthatwe've
beenunderfedandlacktraining.Someofourtributes
havestillbeenstrongenoughtomakeagoofit.But
werarelygetsponsorsandhe'sabigpartofthe
reasonwhy.Therichpeoplewhobacktributes
eitherbecausethey'rebettingonthemorsimplyfor
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thebraggingrightsofpickingawinnerexpect
someoneclassierthanHaymitchtodealwith.
"So,you'resupposedtogiveusadvice,"Isayto
Haymitch.
"Here'ssomeadvice.Stayalive,"saysHaymitch,and
thenburstsoutlaughing.Iexchangealookwith
PeetabeforeIrememberI'mhavingnothingmoreto
dowithhim.I'msurprisedtoseethehardnessinhis
eyes.Hegenerallyseemssomild.
"That'sveryfunny,"saysPeeta.Suddenlyhelashes
outattheglassinHaymitch'shand.Itshattersonthe
floor,sendingthebloodredliquidrunningtowardthe
backofthetrain."Onlynottous."
Haymitchconsidersthisamoment,thenpunches
Peetainthejaw,knockinghimfromhischair.When
heturnsbacktoreachforthespirits,Idrivemyknife
intothetablebetweenhishandandthebottle,barely
missinghisfingers.Ibracemyselftodeflecthishit,
butitdoesn'tcome.Insteadhesitsbackandsquints
atus.
"Well,what'sthis?"saysHaymitch."DidIactuallyget
apairoffightersthisyear?"
Peetarisesfromthefloorandscoopsupahandfulof
icefromunderthefruittureen.Hestartstoraiseitto
theredmarkonhisjaw.
"No,"saysHaymitch,stoppinghim."Letthebruise
show.Theaudiencewillthinkyou'vemixeditupwith
anothertributebeforeyou'veevenmadeittothe
arena."
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"That'sagainsttherules,"saysPeeta.
53|Page
"Onlyiftheycatchyou.Thatbruisewillsayyou
fought,youweren'tcaught,evenbetter,"says
Haymitch.Heturnstome."Canyouhitanything
withthatknifebesidesatable?"
Thebowandarrowismyweapon.ButI'vespenta
fairamountoftimethrowingknivesaswell.
Sometimes,ifI'vewoundedananimalwithanarrow,
it'sbettertogetaknifeintoit,too,beforeIapproach
it.IrealizethatifIwantHaymitch'sattention,thisis
mymomenttomakeanimpression.Iyanktheknife
outofthetable,getagripontheblade,andthen
throwitintothewallacrosstheroom.Iwasactually
justhopingtogetagoodsolidstick,butitlodgesin
theseambetweentwopanels,makingmelookalot
betterthanIam.
"Standoverhere.Bothofyou,"saysHaymitch,
noddingtothemiddleoftheroom.Weobeyandhe
circlesus,proddinguslikeanimalsattimes,
checkingourmuscles,examiningourfaces."Well,
you'renotentirelyhopeless.Seemfit.Andoncethe
stylistsgetholdofyou,youllbeattractiveenough."
PeetaandIdon'tquestionthis.TheHungerGames
aren'tabeautycontest,butthebestlookingtributes
alwaysseemtopullmoresponsors.
"Allright,I'llmakeadealwithyou.Youdon't
interferewithmydrinking,and111staysoberenough
tohelpyou,"saysHaymitch."Butyouhavetodo
exactlywhatIsay."
It'snotmuchofadealbutstillagiantstepforward
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fromtenminutesagowhenwehadnoguideatall.
"Fine,"saysPeeta.
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"Sohelpus,"Isay."Whenwegettothearena,what's
thebeststrategyattheCornucopiaforsomeone"
"Onethingatatime.Inafewminutes,wellbe
pullingintothestation.Youllbeputinthehandsof
yourstylists.You'renotgoingtolikewhattheydoto
you.Butnomatterwhatitis,don'tresist,"says
Haymitch.
"But"Ibegin.
"Nobuts.Don'tresist,"saysHaymitch.Hetakesthe
bottleofspiritsfromthetableandleavesthecar.As
thedoorswingsshutbehindhim,thecargoesdark.
Therearestillafewlightsinside,butoutsideit'sasif
nighthasfallenagain.Irealizewemustbeinthe
tunnelthatrunsupthroughthemountainsintothe
Capitol.Themountainsformanaturalbarrier
betweentheCapitolandtheeasterndistricts.Itis
almostimpossibletoenterfromtheeastexcept
throughthetunnels.Thisgeographicaladvantagewas
amajorfactorinthedistrictslosingthewarthatled
tomybeingatributetoday.Sincetherebelshadto
scalethemountains,theywereeasytargetsforthe
Capitol'sairforces.
PeetaMellarkandIstandinsilenceasthetrain
speedsalong.ThetunnelgoesonandonandIthink
ofthetonsofrockseparatingmefromthesky,and
mychesttightens.Ihatebeingencasedinstonethis
way.Itremindsmeoftheminesandmyfather,
trapped,unabletoreachsunlight,buriedforeverin
thedarkness.
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Thetrainfinallybeginstoslowandsuddenlybright
lightfloodsthecompartment.Wecan'thelpit.Both
PeetaandIruntothewindowtoseewhatwe'veonly
seenontelevision,theCapitol,therulingcityof
Panem.Thecamerashaven'tliedaboutitsgrandeur.
Ifanything,theyhavenotquitecapturedthe
magnificenceoftheglisteningbuildingsinarainbow
ofhuesthattowerintotheair,theshinycarsthatroll
downthewidepavedstreets,theoddlydressedpeople
withbizarrehairandpaintedfaceswhohavenever
missedameal.Allthecolorsseemartificial,thepinks
toodeep,thegreenstoobright,theyellowspainfulto
theeyes,liketheflatrounddisksofhardcandywe
canneveraffordtobuyatthetinysweetshopin
District12.
Thepeoplebegintopointatuseagerlyasthey
recognizeatributetrainrollingintothecity.Istep
awayfromthewindow,sickenedbytheirexcitement,
knowingtheycan'twaittowatchusdie.ButPeeta
holdshisground,actuallywavingandsmilingatthe
gawkingcrowd.Heonlystopswhenthetrainpulls
intothestation,blockingusfromtheirview.
Heseesmestaringathimandshrugs."Whoknows?"
hesays."Oneofthemmayberich."
Ihavemisjudgedhim.Ithinkofhisactionssincethe
reapingbegan.Thefriendlysqueezeofmyhand.His
fathershowingupwiththecookiesandpromisingto
feedPrim...didPeetaputhimuptothat?Histears
atthestation.VolunteeringtowashHaymitchbut
thenchallenginghimthismorningwhenapparently
theniceguyapproachhadfailed.Andnowthe
wavingatthewindow,alreadytryingtowinthe
crowd.
Allofthepiecesarestillfittingtogether,butIsense
hehasaplanforming.Hehasn'tacceptedhisdeath.
Heisalreadyfightinghardtostayalive.Whichalso
meansthatkindPeetaMellark,theboywhogaveme
thebread,isfightinghardtokillme.
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56|Page
Riiip!IgritmyteethasVenia,awomanwithaqua
hairandgoldtattoosabovehereyebrows,yanksa
stripofFabricfrommylegtearingoutthehair
beneathit."Sorry!"shepipesinhersillyCapitol
accent."You'rejustsohairy!"
Whydothesepeoplespeakinsuchahighpitch?Why
dotheirjawsbarelyopenwhentheytalk?Whydothe
endsoftheirsentencesgoupasifthey'reaskinga
question?Oddvowels,clippedwords,andalwaysa
hissontheletters...nowonderit'simpossiblenotto
mimicthem.
Veniamakeswhat'ssupposedtobeasympathetic
face."Goodnews,though.Thisisthelastone.
Ready?"IgetagripontheedgesofthetableI'mseated
onandnod.Thefinalswatheofmyleghairis
uprootedinapainfuljerk.
I'vebeenintheRemakeCenterformorethanthree
hoursandIstillhaven'tmetmystylist.Apparentlyhe
hasnointerestinseeingmeuntilVeniaandtheother
membersofmyprepteamhaveaddressedsome
obviousproblems.Thishasincludedscrubbingdown
mybodywithagrittyloamthathasremovednotonly
dirtbutatleastthreelayersofskin,turningmynails
intouniformshapes,andprimarily,riddingmybody
ofhair.Mylegs,arms,torso,underarms,andpartsof
myeyebrowshavebeenstrippedoftheMuff,leaving
melikeapluckedbird,readyforroasting.Idon'tlike
it.Myskinfeelssoreandtinglingandintensely
vulnerable.ButIhavekeptmysideofthebargain
withHaymitch,andnoobjectionhascrossedmylips.
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57|Page
"You'redoingverywell,"sayssomeguynamed
Flavius.Hegiveshisorangecorkscrewlocksashake
andappliesafreshcoatofpurplelipsticktohis
mouth."Ifthere'sonethingwecan'tstand,it'sa
whiner.Greaseherdown!"
VeniaandOctavia,aplumpwomanwhoseentire
bodyhasbeendyedapaleshadeofpeagreen,rubme
downwithalotionthatfirststingsbutthensoothes
myrawskin.Thentheypullmefromthetable,
removingthethinrobeI'vebeenallowedtowearoff
andon.Istandthere,completelynaked,asthethree
circleme,wieldingtweezerstoremoveanylastbitsof
hair.IknowIshouldbeembarrassed,butthey'reso
unlikepeoplethatI'mnomoreselfconsciousthanif
atrioofoddlycoloredbirdswerepeckingaroundmy
feet.
Thethreestepbackandadmiretheirwork.
"Excellent!Youalmostlooklikeahumanbeingnow!"
saysFlavius,andtheyalllaugh.
IforcemylipsupintoasmiletoshowhowgratefulI
am."Thankyou,"Isaysweetly."Wedon'thavemuch
causetolookniceinDistrictTwelve."
Thiswinsthemovercompletely."Ofcourse,you
don't,youpoordarling!"saysOctaviaclaspingher
handstogetherindistressforme.
"Butdon'tworry,"saysVenia."BythetimeCinnais
throughwithyou,you'regoingtobeabsolutely
gorgeous!"
"Wepromise!Youknow,nowthatwe'vegottenridof
allthehairandfilth,you'renothorribleatall!"says
Flaviusencouragingly."Let'scallCinna!"
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58|Page
Theydartoutoftheroom.It'shardtohatemyprep
team.They'resuchtotalidiots.Andyet,inanodd
way,Iknowthey'resincerelytryingtohelpme.
Ilookatthecoldwhitewallsandfloorandresistthe
impulsetoretrievemyrobe.ButthisCinna,my
stylist,willsurelymakemeremoveitatonce.Instead
myhandsgotomyhairdo,theoneareaofmybody
myprepteamhadbeentoldtoleavealone.Myfingers
strokethesilkybraidsmymothersocarefully
arranged.Mymother.Ileftherbluedressandshoes
onthefloorofmytraincar,neverthinkingabout
retrievingthem,oftryingtoholdontoapieceofher,
ofhome.NowIwishIhad.
ThedooropensandayoungmanwhomustbeCinna
enters.I'mtakenabackbyhownormalhelooks.Most
ofthestyliststheyinterviewontelevisionaresodyed,
stenciled,andsurgicallyalteredthey'regrotesque.
ButCinna'sclosecroppedhairappearstobeits
naturalshadeofbrown.He'sinasimpleblackshirt
andpants.Theonlyconcessiontoselfalteration
seemstobemetallicgoldeyelinerthathasbeen
appliedwithalighthand.Itbringsouttheflecksof
goldinhisgreeneyes.And,despitemydisgustwith
theCapitolandtheirhideousfashions,Ican'thelp
thinkinghowattractiveitlooks.
"Hello,Katniss.I'mCinna,yourstylist,"hesaysina
quietvoicesomewhatlackingintheCapitol's
affectations.
"Hello,"Iventurecautiously.
"Justgivemeamoment,allright?"heasks.Hewalks
aroundmynakedbody,nottouchingme,buttaking
ineveryinchofitwithhiseyes.Iresisttheimpulseto
crossmyarmsovermychest."Whodidyourhair?"
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59|Page
"Mymother,"Isay.
"It'sbeautiful.Classicreally.Andinalmostperfect
balancewithyourprofile.Shehasverycleverfingers,"
hesays.
Ihadexpectedsomeoneflamboyant,someoneolder
tryingdesperatelytolookyoung,someonewhoviewed
measapieceofmeattobepreparedforaplatter.
Cinnahasmetnoneoftheseexpectations.
"You'renew,aren'tyou?Idon'tthinkI'veseenyou
before,"Isay.Mostofthestylistsarefamiliar,
constantsintheeverchangingpooloftributes.Some
havebeenaroundmywholelife.
"Yes,thisismyfirstyearintheGames,"saysCinna.
"SotheygaveyouDistrictTwelve,"Isay.Newcomers
generallyendupwithus,theleastdesirabledistrict.
"IaskedforDistrictTwelve,"hesayswithoutfurther
explanation."Whydon'tyouputonyourrobeand
wellhaveachat."
Pullingonmyrobe,Ifollowhimthroughadoorintoa
sittingroom.Tworedcouchesfaceoffoveralow
table.Threewallsareblank,thefourthisentirely
glass,providingawindowtothecity.Icanseebythe
lightthatitmustbearoundnoon,althoughthe
sunnyskyhasturnedovercast.Cinnainvitesmeto
sitononeofthecouchesandtakeshisplaceacross
fromme.Hepressesabuttononthesideofthetable.
Thetopsplitsandfrombelowrisesasecondtabletop
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thatholdsourlunch.Chickenandchunksoforanges
cookedinacreamysaucelaidonabedofpearly
whitegrain,tinygreenpeasandonions,rollsshaped
likeflowers,andfordessert,apuddingthecolorof
honey.
60|Page
Itrytoimagineassemblingthismealmyselfback
home.Chickensaretooexpensive,butIcouldmake
dowithawildturkey.I'dneedtoshootasecond
turkeytotradeforanorange.Goat'smilkwouldhave
tosubstituteforcream.Wecangrowpeasinthe
garden.I'dhavetogetwildonionsfromthewoods.I
don'trecognizethegrain,ourowntesseraration
cooksdowntoanunattractivebrownmush.Fancy
rollswouldmeananothertradewiththebaker,
perhapsfortwoorthreesquirrels.Asforthepudding,
Ican'tevenguesswhat'sinit.Daysofhuntingand
gatheringforthisonemealandeventhenitwouldbe
apoorsubstitutionfortheCapitolversion.
Whatmustitbelike,Iwonder,toliveinaworld
wherefoodappearsatthepressofabutton?How
wouldIspendthehoursInowcommittocombingthe
woodsforsustenanceifitweresoeasytocomeby?
Whatdotheydoallday,thesepeopleintheCapitol,
besidesdecoratingtheirbodiesandwaitingaround
foranewshipmentoftributestorollinanddiefor
theirentertainment?
IlookupandfindCinna'seyestrainedonmine."How
despicablewemustseemtoyou,"hesays.
Hasheseenthisinmyfaceorsomehowreadmy
thoughts?He'sright,though.Thewholerottenlotof
themisdespicable.
"Nomatter,"saysCinna."So,Katniss,aboutyour
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costumefortheopeningceremonies.Mypartner,
Portia,isthestylistforyourfellowtribute,Peeta.And
ourcurrentthoughtistodressyouincomplementary
costumes,"saysCinna."Asyouknow,it'scustomary
toreflecttheflavorofthedistrict."
Fortheopeningceremonies,you'resupposedtowear
somethingthatsuggestsyourdistrict'sprincipal
industry.District11,agriculture.District4,fishing.
District3,factories.Thismeansthatcomingfrom
District12,PeetaandIwillbeinsomekindofcoal
miner'sgetup.Sincethebaggyminer'sjumpsuitsare
notparticularlybecoming,ourtributesusuallyend
upinskimpyoutfitsandhatswithheadlamps.One
year,ourtributeswerestarknakedandcoveredin
blackpowdertorepresentcoaldust.It'salways
dreadfulanddoesnothingtowinfavorwiththe
crowd.Ipreparemyselffortheworst.
"So,I'llbeinacoalmineroutfit?"Iask,hopingit
won'tbeindecent.
"Notexactly.Yousee,PortiaandIthinkthatcoal
minerthing'sveryoverdone.Noonewillremember
youinthat.Andwebothseeitasourjobtomakethe
DistrictTwelvetributesunforgettable,"saysCinna.
I'llbenakedforsure,Ithink.
"Soratherthanfocusonthecoalminingitself,we're
goingtofocusonthecoal,"saysCinna.Nakedand
coveredinblackdust,Ithink."Andwhatdowedo
withcoal?Weburnit,"saysCinna.
"You'renotafraidoffire,areyou,Katniss?"Hesees
myexpressionandgrins.
Afewhourslater,Iamdressedinwhatwilleitherbe
themostsensationalorthedeadliestcostumeinthe
openingceremonies.I'minasimpleblackunitard
thatcoversmefromankletoneck.Shinyleather
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bootslaceuptomyknees.Butit'stheflutteringcape
madeofstreamsoforange,yellow,andredandthe
matchingheadpiecethatdefinethiscostume.Cinna
planstolightthemonfirejustbeforeourchariotrolls
intothestreets.
62|Page
"It'snotrealflame,ofcourse,justalittlesynthetic
firePortiaandIcameupwith.Youllbeperfectly
safe,"hesays.ButI'mnotconvincedIwon'tbe
perfectlybarbecuedbythetimewereachthecity's
center.
Myfaceisrelativelyclearofmakeup,justabitof
highlightinghereandthere.Myhairhasbeen
brushedoutandthenbraideddownmybackinmy
usualstyle."Iwanttheaudiencetorecognizeyou
whenyou'reinthearena,"saysCinna
dreamily."Katniss,thegirlwhowasonfire."
ItcrossesmymindthatCinna'scalmandnormal
demeanormasksacompletemadman.
Despitethismorning'srevelationaboutPeeta's
character,I'mactuallyrelievedwhenheshowsup,
dressedinanidenticalcostume.Heshouldknow
aboutfire,beingabaker'ssonandall.Hisstylist,
Portia,andherteamaccompanyhimin,andeveryone
isabsolutelygiddywithexcitementoverwhata
splashwellmake.ExceptCinna.Hejustseemsabit
wearyasheacceptscongratulations.
We'rewhiskeddowntothebottomlevelofthe
RemakeCenter,whichisessentiallyagiganticstable.
Theopeningceremoniesareabouttostart.Pairsof
tributesarebeingloadedintochariotspulledby
teamsoffourhorses.Oursarecoalblack.The
animalsaresowelltrained,nooneevenneedsto
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guidetheirreins.CinnaandPortiadirectusintothe
chariotandcarefullyarrangeourbodypositions,the
drapeofourcapes,beforemovingofftoconsultwith
eachother.
"Whatdoyouthink?"IwhispertoPeeta."Aboutthe
fire?"
63|Page
"I'llripoffyourcapeifyou11ripoffmine,"hesays
throughgrittedteeth.
"Deal,"Isay.Maybe,ifwecangetthemoffsoon
enough,wellavoidtheworstburns.It'sbadthough.
They'llthrowusintothearenanomatterwhat
conditionwe'rein."IknowwepromisedHaymitch
we'ddoexactlywhattheysaid,butIdon'tthinkhe
consideredthisangle."
"WhereisHaymitch,anyway?Isn'thesupposedto
protectusfromthissortofthing?"saysPeeta.
"Withallthatalcoholinhim,it'sprobablynot
advisabletohavehimaroundanopenflame,"Isay.
Andsuddenlywe'rebothlaughing.Iguesswe'reboth
sonervousabouttheGamesandmorepressingly,
petrifiedofbeingturnedintohumantorches,we're
notactingsensibly.
Theopeningmusicbegins.It'seasytohear,blasted
aroundtheCapitol.Massivedoorsslideopen
revealingthecrowdlinedstreets.Theridelastsabout
twentyminutesandendsupattheCityCircle,where
theywillwelcomeus,playtheanthem,andescortus
intotheTrainingCenter,whichwillbeour
home/prisonuntiltheGamesbegin.
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ThetributesfromDistrict1rideoutinachariot
pulledbysnowwhitehorses.Theylooksobeautiful,
spraypaintedsilver,intastefultunicsglitteringwith
jewels.District1makesluxuryitemsfortheCapitol.
Youcanheartheroarofthecrowd.Theyarealways
favorites.
District2getsintopositiontofollowthem.Innotime
atall,weareapproachingthedoorandIcanseethat
betweentheovercastskyandeveninghourthelight
64|Page
isturninggray.ThetributesfromDistrict11arejust
rollingoutwhenCinnaappearswithalightedtorch.
"Herewegothen,"hesays,andbeforewecanreact
hesetsourcapesonfire.Igasp,waitingfortheheat,
butthereisonlyafaintticklingsensation.Cinna
climbsupbeforeusandignitesourheaddresses.He
letsoutasignofrelief."Itworks."Thenhegently
tucksahandundermychin."Remember,headshigh.
Smiles.They'regoingtoloveyou!"
Cinnajumpsoffthechariotandhasonelastidea.He
shoutssomethingupatus,butthemusicdrowns
himout.Heshoutsagainandgestures.
"What'shesaying?"IaskPeeta.Forthefirsttime,I
lookathimandrealizethatablazewiththefake
flames,heisdazzling.AndImustbe,too.
"Ithinkhesaidforustoholdhands,"saysPeeta.He
grabsmyrighthandinhisleft,andwelooktoCinna
forconfirmation.Henodsandgivesathumbsup,
andthat'sthelastthingIseebeforeweenterthecity.
Thecrowd'sinitialalarmatourappearancequickly
changestocheersandshoutsof"DistrictTwelve!"
Everyheadisturnedourway,pullingthefocusfrom
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thethreechariotsaheadofus.Atfirst,I'mfrozen,but
thenIcatchsightofusonalargetelevisionscreen
andamflooredbyhowbreathtakingwelook.Inthe
deepeningtwilight,thefirelightilluminatesourfaces.
Weseemtobeleavingatrailoffireofftheflowing
capes.Cinnawasrightabouttheminimalmakeup,
webothlookmoreattractivebututterlyrecognizable.
Remember,headshigh.Smiles.They'regoingtolove
you!IhearCinna'svoiceinmyhead.Iliftmychina
bithigher,putonmymostwinningsmile,andwave
withmyfreehand.I'mgladnowIhavePeetatoclutch
forbalance,heissosteady,solidasarock.AsIgain
confidence,Iactuallyblowafewkissestothecrowd.
ThepeopleoftheCapitolaregoingnuts,showering
uswithflowers,shoutingournames,ourfirstnames,
whichtheyhavebotheredtofindontheprogram.
Thepoundingmusic,thecheers,theadmirationwork
theirwayintomyblood,andIcan'tsuppressmy
excitement.Cinnahasgivenmeagreatadvantage.No
onewillforgetme.Notmylook,notmyname.
Katniss.Thegirlwhowasonfire.
Forthefirsttime,Ifeelaflickerofhoperisingupin
me.Surely,theremustbeonesponsorwillingtotake
meon!Andwithalittleextrahelp,somefood,the
rightweapon,whyshouldIcountmyselfoutofthe
Games?
Someonethrowsmearedrose.Icatchit,giveita
delicatesniff,andblowakissbackinthegeneral
directionofthegiver.Ahundredhandsreachupto
catchmykiss,asifitwerearealandtangiblething.
"Katniss!Katniss!"Icanhearmynamebeingcalled
fromallsides.Everyonewantsmykisses.
It'snotuntilweentertheCityCirclethatIrealizeI
musthavecompletelystoppedthecirculationin
Peeta'shand.That'showtightlyI'vebeenholdingit.I
lookdownatourlinkedfingersasIloosenmygrasp,
butheregainshisgriponme."No,don'tletgoofme,"
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hesays.Thefirelightflickersoffhisblueeyes.
"Please.Imightfalloutofthisthing."
"Okay,"Isay.SoIkeepholdingon,butIcan'thelp
feelingstrangeaboutthewayCinnahaslinkedus
together.It'snotreallyfairtopresentusasateam
andthenlockusintothearenatokilleachother.
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ThetwelvechariotsfilltheloopoftheCityCircle.On
thebuildingsthatsurroundtheCircle,everywindow
ispackedwiththemostprestigiouscitizensofthe
Capitol.Ourhorsespullourchariotrightupto
PresidentSnow'smansion,andwecometoahalt.
Themusicendswithaflourish.
Thepresident,asmall,thinmanwithpaperwhite
hair,givestheofficialwelcomefromabalconyabove
us.Itistraditionaltocutawaytothefacesofthe
tributesduringthespeech.ButIcanseeonthe
screenthatwearegettingwaymorethanourshareof
airtime.Thedarkeritbecomes,themoredifficultitis
totakeyoureyesoffourflickering.Whenthenational
anthemplays,theydomakeanefforttodoaquick
cutaroundtoeachpairoftributes,butthecamera
holdsontheDistrict12chariotasitparadesaround
thecircleonefinaltimeanddisappearsintothe
TrainingCenter.
Thedoorshaveonlyjustshutbehinduswhenwe're
engulfedbytheprepteams,whoarenearly
unintelligibleastheybabbleoutpraise.AsIglance
around,Inoticealotoftheothertributesare
shootingusdirtylooks,whichconfirmswhatI've
suspected,we'veliterallyoutshonethemall.Then
CinnaandPortiaarethere,helpingusdownfromthe
chariot,carefullyremovingourflamingcapesand
headdresses.Portiaextinguishesthemwithsome
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kindofsprayfromacanister.
IrealizeI'mstillgluedtoPeetaandforcemystiff
fingerstoopen.Webothmassageourhands.
"Thanksforkeepingholdofme.Iwasgettingalittle
shakythere,"saysPeeta.
"Itdidn'tshow,"Itellhim."I'msurenoonenoticed."
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"I'msuretheydidn'tnoticeanythingbutyou.You
shouldwearflamesmoreoften,"hesays."Theysuit
you."Andthenhegivesmeasmilethatseemsso
genuinelysweetwithjusttherighttouchofshyness
thatunexpectedwarmthrushesthroughme.
Awarningbellgoesoffinmyhead.Don'tbeso
stupid.Peetaisplanninghowtokillyou,Iremind
myself.Heisluringyouintomakeyoueasyprey.The
morelikableheis,themoredeadlyheis.
Butbecausetwocanplayatthisgame,Istandon
tiptoeandkisshischeek.Rightonhisbruise.
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TheTrainingCenterhasatowerdesignedexclusively
forthetributesandtheirteams.Thiswillbeour
homeuntiltheactualGamesbegin.Eachdistricthas
anentirefloor.Yousimplystepontoanelevatorand
pressthenumberofyourdistrict.Easyenoughto
remember.
I'veriddentheelevatoracoupleoftimesinthe
JusticeBuildingbackinDistrict12.Oncetoreceive
themedalformyfather'sdeathandthenyesterdayto
saymyfinalgoodbyestomyfriendsandfamily.But
that'sadarkandcreakythingthatmoveslikeasnail
andsmellsofsourmilk.Thewallsofthiselevatorare
madeofcrystalsothatyoucanwatchthepeopleon
thegroundfloorshrinktoantsasyoushootupinto
theair.It'sexhilaratingandI'mtemptedtoaskEffie
Trinketifwecanrideitagain,butsomehowthat
seemschildish.
Apparently,EffieTrinket'sdutiesdidnotconcludeat
thestation.SheandHaymitchwillbeoverseeingus
rightintothearena.Inaway,that'saplusbecauseat
leastshecanbecountedontocorralusaroundto
placesontimewhereaswehaven'tseenHaymitch
sinceheagreedtohelpusonthetrain.Probably
passedoutsomewhere.EffieTrinket,ontheother
hand,seemstobeflyinghigh.We'rethefirstteam
she'severchaperonedthatmadeasplashatthe
openingceremonies.She'scomplimentaryaboutnot
justourcostumesbuthowweconductedourselves.
And,tohearhertellit,Effieknowseveryonewho's
anyoneintheCapitolandhasbeentalkingusupall
day,tryingtowinussponsors.
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"I'vebeenverymysterious,though,"shesays,her
eyessquinthalfshut."Because,ofcourse,Haymitch
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hasn'tbotheredtotellmeyourstrategies.ButI've
donemybestwithwhatIhadtoworkwith.How
Katnisssacrificedherselfforhersister.Howyou've
bothsuccessfullystruggledtoovercomethe
barbarismofyourdistrict."
Barbarism?That'sironiccomingfromawoman
helpingtoprepareusforslaughter.Andwhat'sshe
basingoursuccesson?Ourtablemanners?
"Everyonehastheirreservations,naturally.Youbeing
fromthecoaldistrict.ButIsaid,andthiswasvery
cleverofme,Isaid,Well,ifyouputenoughpressure
oncoalitturnstopearls!'"Effiebeamsatusso
brilliantlythatwehavenochoicebuttorespond
enthusiasticallytoherclevernesseventhoughit's
wrong.
Coaldoesn'tturntopearls.Theygrowinshellfish.
Possiblyshemeantcoalturnstodiamonds,butthat's
untrue,too.I'veheardtheyhavesomesortof
machineinDistrict1thatcanturngraphiteinto
diamonds.Butwedon'tminegraphiteinDistrict12.
ThatwaspartofDistrict13'sjobuntiltheywere
destroyed.
Iwonderifthepeopleshe'sbeenpluggingustoall
dayeitherknoworcare.
"Unfortunately,Ican'tsealthesponsordealsforyou.
OnlyHaymitchcandothat,"saysEffiegrimly."But
don'tworry,111gethimtothetableatgunpointif
necessary."
Althoughlackinginmanydepartments,EffieTrinket
hasacertaindeterminationIhavetoadmire.
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Myquartersarelargerthanourentirehouseback
home.Theyareplush,likethetraincar,butalso
havesomanyautomaticgadgetsthatI'msureIwon't
havetimetopressallthebuttons.Theshoweralone
hasapanelwithmorethanahundredoptionsyou
canchooseregulatingwatertemperature,pressure,
soaps,shampoos,scents,oils,andmassaging
sponges.Whenyoustepoutonamat,heaterscome
onthatblowdryyourbody.Insteadofstrugglingwith
theknotsinmywethair,Imerelyplacemyhandona
boxthatsendsacurrentthroughmyscalp,
untangling,parting,anddryingmyhairalmost
instantly.Itfloatsdownaroundmyshouldersina
glossycurtain.
Iprogramtheclosetforanoutfittomytaste.The
windowszoominandoutonpartsofthecityatmy
command.Youneedonlywhisperatypeoffoodfrom
agiganticmenuintoamouthpieceanditappears,
hotandsteamy,beforeyouinlessthanaminute.I
walkaroundtheroomeatinggooseliverandpuffy
breaduntilthere'saknockonthedoor.Effie'scalling
metodinner.
Good.I'mstarving.
Peeta,Cinna,andPortiaarestandingoutona
balconythatoverlookstheCapitolwhenweenterthe
diningroom.I'mgladtoseethestylists,particularly
afterIhearthatHaymitchwillbejoiningus.Ameal
presidedoverbyjust
EffieandHaymitchisboundtobeadisaster.Besides,
dinnerisn'treallyaboutfood,it'saboutplanningout
ourstrategies,andCinnaandPortiahavealready
provenhowvaluabletheyare.
Asilentyoungmandressedinawhitetunicoffersus
allstemmedglassesofwine.Ithinkaboutturningit
down,butI'veneverhadwine,exceptthehomemade
stuffmymotherusesforcoughs,andwhenwillIget
achancetotryitagain?Itakeasipofthetart,dry
liquidandsecretlythinkitcouldbeimprovedbya
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fewspoonfulsofhoney.
Haymitchshowsupjustasdinnerisbeingserved.It
looksasifhe'shadhisownstylistbecausehe'sclean
andgroomedandaboutassoberasI'veeverseen
him.Hedoesn'trefusetheofferofwine,butwhenhe
startsinonhissoup,Irealizeit'sthefirsttimeI've
everseenhimeat.Maybehereallywillpullhimself
togetherlongenoughtohelpus.
CinnaandPortiaseemtohaveacivilizingeffecton
HaymitchandEffie.Atleastthey'readdressingeach
otherdecently.Andtheybothhavenothingbutpraise
forourstylists'openingact.Whiletheymakesmall
talk,Iconcentrateonthemeal.Mushroomsoup,
bittergreenswithtomatoesthesizeofpeas,rareroast
beefslicedasthinaspaper,noodlesinagreensauce,
cheesethatmeltsonyourtongueservedwithsweet
bluegrapes.Theservers,allyoungpeopledressedin
whitetunicsliketheonewhogaveuswine,move
wordlesslytoandfromthetable,keepingtheplatters
andglassesfull.
Abouthalfwaythroughmyglassofwine,myhead
startsfeelingfoggy,soIchangetowaterinstead.I
don'tlikethefeelingandhopeitwearsoffsoon.How
Haymitchcanstandwalkingaroundlikethisfulltime
isamystery.
Itrytofocusonthetalk,whichhasturnedtoour
interviewcostumes,whenagirlsetsagorgeous
lookingcakeonthetableanddeftlylightsit.Itblazes
upandthentheflamesflickeraroundtheedges
awhileuntilitfinallygoesout.Ihaveamomentof
doubt."Whatmakesitburn?Isitalcohol?"Isay,
lookingupatthegirl."That'sthelastthingIwa
oh!Iknowyou!"
Ican'tplaceanameortimetothegirl'sface.ButI'm
certainofit.Thedarkredhair,thestrikingfeatures,
theporcelainwhiteskin.ButevenasIutterthe
words,Ifeelmyinsidescontractingwithanxietyand
guiltatthesightofher,andwhileIcan'tpullitup,I
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knowsomebadmemoryisassociatedwithher.The
expressionofterrorthatcrossesherfaceonlyaddsto
myconfusionandunease.Sheshakesherheadin
denialquicklyandhurriesawayfromthetable.
WhenIlookback,thefouradultsarewatchingme
likehawks.
"Don'tberidiculous,Katniss.Howcouldyoupossibly
knowanAvox?"snapsEffie."Theverythought."
"What'sanAvox?"Iaskstupidly.
"Someonewhocommittedacrime.Theycuther
tonguesoshecan'tspeak,"saysHaymitch."She's
probablyatraitorofsomesort.Notlikelyyou'dknow
her."
"Andevenifyoudid,you'renottospeaktooneof
themunlessit'stogiveanorder,"saysEffie."Of
course,youdon'treallyknowher."
ButIdoknowher.AndnowthatHaymitchhas
mentionedthewordtraitorIrememberfromwhere.
ThedisapprovalissohighIcouldneveradmitit."No,
Iguessnot,Ijust"Istammer,andthewineisnot
helping.
Peetasnapshisfingers."DellyCartwright.That'swho
itis.Ikeptthinkingshelookedfamiliaraswell.Then
Irealizedshe'sadeadringerforDelly."
73|Page
DellyCartwrightisapastyfaced,lumpygirlwith
yellowishhairwholooksaboutasmuchlikeour
serverasabeetledoesabutterfly.Shemayalsobe
thefriendliestpersonontheplanetshesmiles
constantlyateverybodyinschool,evenme.Ihave
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neverseenthegirlwiththeredhairsmile.ButIjump
onPeeta'ssuggestiongratefully."Ofcourse,that's
whoIwasthinkingof.Itmustbethehair,"Isay.
"Somethingabouttheeyes,too,"saysPeeta.
Theenergyatthetablerelaxes."Oh,well.Ifthat'sall
itis,"saysCinna."Andyes,thecakehasspirits,but
allthealcoholhasburnedoff.Iordereditspeciallyin
honorofyourfierydebut."
Weeatthecakeandmoveintoasittingroomto
watchthereplayoftheopeningceremoniesthat's
beingbroadcast.Afewoftheothercouplesmakea
niceimpression,butnoneofthemcanholdacandle
tous.Evenourownpartyletsoutan"Ahh!"asthey
showuscomingoutoftheRemakeCenter.
"Whoseideawasthehandholding?"asksHaymitch.
"Cinna's,"saysPortia.
"Justtheperfecttouchofrebellion,"says
Haymitch."Verynice."
Rebellion?Ihavetothinkaboutthatoneamoment.
ButwhenIremembertheothercouples,standing
stifflyapart,nevertouchingoracknowledgingeach
other,asiftheirfellowtributedidnotexist,asifthe
Gameshadalreadybegun,IknowwhatHaymitch
means.Presentingourselvesnotasadversariesbutas
friendshasdistinguishedusasmuchasthefiery
costumes.
74|Page
"Tomorrowmorningisthefirsttrainingsession.Meet
meforbreakfastandI'lltellyouexactlyhowIwant
youtoplayit,"saysHaymitchtoPeetaandI."Nowgo
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getsomesleepwhilethegrownupstalk."
PeetaandIwalktogetherdownthecorridortoour
rooms.Whenwegettomydoor,heleansagainstthe
frame,notblockingmyentranceexactlybutinsisting
Ipayattentiontohim."So,DellyCartwright.Imagine
findingherlookalikehere."
He'saskingforanexplanation,andI'mtemptedto
givehimone.Webothknowhecoveredforme.So
hereIaminhisdebtagain.IfItellhimthetruth
aboutthegirl,somehowthatmighteventhingsup.
Howcanithurtreally?Evenifherepeatedthestory,
itcouldn'tdomemuchharm.ItwasjustsomethingI
witnessed.AndheliedasmuchasIdidaboutDelly
Cartwright.
IrealizeIdowanttotalktosomeoneaboutthegirl.
Someonewhomightbeabletohelpmefigureouther
story.
Galewouldbemyfirstchoice,butit'sunlikelyI'llever
seeGaleagain.ItrytothinkiftellingPeetacouldgive
himanypossibleadvantageoverme,butIdon'tsee
how.Maybesharingaconfidencewillactuallymake
himbelieveIseehimasafriend.
Besides,theideaofthegirlwithhermaimedtongue
frightensme.ShehasremindedmewhyI'mhere.Not
tomodelflashycostumesandeatdelicacies.Butto
dieabloodydeathwhilethecrowdsurgeonmykiller.
Totellornottotell?Mybrainstillfeelsslowfromthe
wine.Istaredowntheemptycorridorasifthe
decisionliesthere.
75|Page
Peetapicksuponmyhesitation."Haveyoubeenon
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theroofyet?"Ishakemyhead."Cinnashowedme.
Youcanpracticallyseethewholecity.Thewind'sa
bitloud,though."
Itranslatethisinto"Noonewilloverhearus
talking"inmyhead.Youdohavethesensethatwe
mightbeundersurveillancehere."Canwejustgo
up?"
"Sure,comeon,"saysPeeta.Ifollowhimtoaflightof
stairsthatleadtotheroof.There'sasmalldome
shapedroomwithadoortotheoutside.Aswestep
intothecool,windyeveningair,Icatchmybreathat
theview.TheCapitoltwinkleslikeavastfieldof
fireflies.ElectricityinDistrict12comesandgoes,
usuallyweonlyhaveitafewhoursaday.Oftenthe
eveningsarespentincandlelight.Theonlytimeyou
cancountonitiswhenthey'reairingtheGamesor
someimportantgovernmentmessageontelevision
thatit'smandatorytowatch.Butheretherewouldbe
noshortage.Ever.
PeetaandIwalktoarailingattheedgeoftheroof.I
lookstraightdownthesideofthebuildingtothe
street,whichisbuzzingwithpeople.Youcanhear
theircars,anoccasionalshout,andastrange
metallictinkling.InDistrict12,we'dallbethinking
aboutbedrightnow.
"IaskedCinnawhytheyletusuphere.Weren'tthey
worriedthatsomeofthetributesmightdecideto
jumprightovertheside?"saysPeeta.
"What'dhesay?"Iask.
"Youcan't,"saysPeeta.Heholdsouthishandinto
seeminglyemptyspace.There'sasharpzapandhe
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jerksitback."Somekindofelectricfieldthrowsyou
backontheroof."
"Alwaysworriedaboutoursafety,"Isay.Eventhough
CinnahasshownPeetatheroof,Iwonderifwe're
supposedtobeupherenow,solateandalone.I've
neverseentributesontheTrainingCenterroof
before.Butthatdoesn'tmeanwe'renotbeingtaped.
"Doyouthinkthey'rewatchingusnow?"
"Maybe,"headmits."Comeseethegarden."
Ontheothersideofthedome,they'vebuiltagarden
withflowerbedsandpottedtrees.Fromthebranches
hanghundredsofwindchimes,whichaccountforthe
tinklingIheard.Hereinthegarden,onthiswindy
night,it'senoughtodrownouttwopeoplewhoare
tryingnottobeheard.Peetalooksatmeexpectantly.
Ipretendtoexamineablossom."Wewerehuntingin
thewoodsoneday.Hidden,waitingforgame,"I
whisper.
"Youandyourfather?"hewhispersback.
"No,myfriendGale.Suddenlyallthebirdsstopped
singingatonce.Exceptone.Asifitweregivinga
warningcall.Andthenwesawher.I'msureitwas
thesamegirl.Aboywaswithher.Theirclotheswere
tattered.Theyhaddarkcirclesundertheireyesfrom
nosleep.Theywererunningasiftheirlivesdepended
onit,"Isay.
ForamomentI'msilent,asIrememberhowthesight
ofthisstrangepair,clearlynotfromDistrict12,
fleeingthroughthewoodsimmobilizedus.Later,we
wonderedifwecouldhavehelpedthemescape.
Perhapswemighthave.Concealedthem.Ifwe'd
movedquickly.GaleandIweretakenbysurprise,
yes,butwe'rebothhunters.Weknowhowanimals
lookatbay.Weknewthepairwasintroubleassoon
aswesawthem.Butweonlywatched.
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"Thehovercraftappearedoutofnowhere,"Icontinue
toPeeta."Imean,onemomenttheskywasemptyand
thenextitwasthere.Itdidn'tmakeasound,butthey
sawit.Anetdroppeddownonthegirlandcarriedher
up,fast,sofastliketheelevator.Theyshotsomesort
ofspearthroughtheboy.Itwasattachedtoacable
andtheyhauledhimupaswell.ButI'mcertainhe
wasdead.Weheardthegirlscreamonce.Theboy's
name,Ithink.Thenitwasgone,thehovercraft.
Vanishedintothinair.Andthebirdsbegantosing
again,asifnothinghadhappened."
"Didtheyseeyou?"Peetaasked.
"Idon'tknow.Wewereunderashelfofrock,"Ireply.
ButIdoknow.Therewasamoment,afterthe
birdcall,butbeforethehovercraft,wherethegirlhad
seenus.She'dlockedeyeswithmeandcalledoutfor
help.ButneitherGaleorIhadresponded.
"You'reshivering,"saysPeeta.
Thewindandthestoryhaveblownallthewarmth
frommybody.Thegirl'sscream.Haditbeenherlast?
Peetatakesoffhisjacketandwrapsitaroundmy
shoulders.Istarttotakeastepback,butthenIlet
him,decidingforamomenttoacceptbothhisjacket
andhiskindness.Afriendwoulddothat,right?
"Theywerefromhere?"heasks,andhesecuresa
buttonatmyneck.
78|Page
Inod.They'dhadthatCapitollookaboutthem.The
boyandthegirl.
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"Wheredoyousupposetheyweregoing?"heasks.
"Idon'tknowthat,"Isay.District12isprettymuch
theendoftheline.Beyondus,there'sonly
wilderness.Ifyoudon'tcounttheruinsofDistrict13
thatstillsmolderfromthetoxicbombs.Theyshowit
ontelevisionoccasionally,justtoremindus."Orwhy
theywouldleavehere."Haymitchhadcalledthe
Avoxestraitors.Againstwhat?Itcouldonlybethe
Capitol.Buttheyhadeverythinghere.Nocauseto
rebel.
"I'dleavehere,"Peetablurtsout.Thenhelooks
aroundnervously.Itwasloudenoughtohearabove
thechimes.Helaughs."I'dgohomenowiftheyletme.
Butyouhavetoadmit,thefood'sprime."
He'scoveredagain.Ifthat'sallyou'dhearditwould
justsoundlikethewordsofascaredtribute,not
someonecontemplatingtheunquestionablegoodness
oftheCapitol.
"It'sgettingchilly.Webettergoin,"hesays.Inside
thedome,it'swarmandbright.Histoneis
conversational."YourfriendGale.He'stheonewho
tookyoursisterawayatthereaping?"
"Yes.Doyouknowhim?"Iask.
"Notreally.Ihearthegirlstalkabouthimalot.I
thoughthewasyourcousinorsomething.Youfavor
eachother,"hesays.
"No,we'renotrelated,"Isay.
79|Page
Peetanods,unreadable."Didhecometosaygoodbye
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toyou?"
"Yes,"Isay,observinghimcarefully."Sodidyour
father.Hebroughtmecookies."
Peetaraiseshiseyebrowsasifthisisnews.Butafter
watchinghimliesosmoothly,Idon'tgivethismuch
weight."Really?Well,helikesyouandyoursister.I
thinkhewisheshehadadaughterinsteadofa
housefulofboys."
TheideathatImighteverhavebeendiscussed,
aroundthedinnertable,atthebakeryfire,justin
passinginPeeta'shousegivesmeastart.Itmust
havebeenwhenthemotherwasoutoftheroom.
"Heknewyourmotherwhentheywerekids,"says
Peeta.
Anothersurprise.Butprobablytrue."Oh,yes.She
grewupintown,"Isay.Itseemsimpolitetosayshe
nevermentionedthebakerexcepttocomplimenthis
bread.
We'reatmydoor.Igivebackhisjacket."Seeyouin
themorningthen."
"Seeyou,"hesays,andwalksoffdownthehall.
WhenIopenmydoor,theredheadedgirliscollecting
myunitardandbootsfromwhereIleftthemonthe
floorbeforemyshower.Iwanttoapologizefor
possiblygettingherintroubleearlier.ButIremember
I'mnotsupposedtospeaktoherunlessI'mgivingher
anorder.
"Oh,sorry,"Isay."Iwassupposedtogetthoseback
toCinna.I'msorry.Canyoutakethemtohim?"
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Sheavoidsmyeyes,givesasmallnod,andheadsout
thedoor.
I'dsetouttotellherIwassorryaboutdinner.ButI
knowthatmyapologyrunsmuchdeeper.ThatI'm
ashamedInevertriedtohelpherinthewoods.ThatI
lettheCapitolkilltheboyandmutilateherwithout
liftingafinger.
JustlikeIwaswatchingtheGames.
Ikickoffmyshoesandclimbunderthecoversinmy
clothes.Theshiveringhasn'tstopped.Perhapsthegirl
doesn'tevenrememberme.ButIknowshedoes.You
don'tforgetthefaceofthepersonwhowasyourlast
hope.Ipullthecoversupovermyheadasifthiswill
protectmefromtheredheadedgirlwhocan'tspeak.
ButIcanfeelhereyesstaringatme,piercingthrough
wallsanddoorsandbedding.
Iwonderifshellenjoywatchingmedie.
81|Page
Myslumbersarefilledwithdisturbingdreams.The
faceoftheredheadedgirlintertwineswithgory
imagesfromearlierHungerGames,withmymother
withdrawnandunreachable,withPrimemaciated
andterrified.Iboltupscreamingformyfathertorun
asthemineexplodesintoamilliondeadlybitsof
light.
Dawnisbreakingthroughthewindows.TheCapitol
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hasamisty,hauntedair.MyheadachesandImust
havebittenintothesideofmycheekinthenight.My
tongueprobestheraggedfleshandItasteblood.
Slowly,Idragmyselfoutofbedandintotheshower.I
arbitrarilypunchbuttonsonthecontrolboardand
enduphoppingfromfoottofootasalternatingjetsof
icycoldandsteaminghotwaterassaultme.ThenI'm
delugedinlemonyfoamthatIhavetoscrapeoffwith
aheavybristledbrush.Oh,well.Atleastmybloodis
flowing.
WhenI'mdriedandmoisturizedwithlotion,Ifindan
outfithasbeenleftformeatthefrontofthecloset.
Tightblackpants,alongsleevedburgundytunic,and
leathershoes.Iputmyhairinthesinglebraiddown
myback.Thisisthefirsttimesincethemorningof
thereapingthatIresemblemyself.Nofancyhairand
clothes,noflamingcapes.Justme.LookinglikeI
couldbeheadedforthewoods.Itcalmsme.
Haymitchdidn'tgiveusanexacttimetomeetfor
breaklastandnoonehascontactedmethis
morning,butI'mhungrysoIheaddowntothedining
room,hopingtherewillbefood.I'mnotdisappointed.
82|Page
Whilethetableisempty,alongboardofftotheside
hasbeenlaidwithatleasttwentydishes.Ayoung
man,anAvox,standsatattentionbythespread.
WhenIaskifIcanservemyself,henodsassent.I
loadaplatewitheggs,sausages,battercakescovered
inthickorangepreserves,slicesofpalepurplemelon.
AsIgorgemyself,Iwatchthesunriseoverthe
Capitol.Ihaveasecondplateofhotgrainsmothered
inbeefstew.Finally,Ifillaplatewithrollsandsitat
thetable,breakingoilbitsanddippingthemintohot
chocolate,thewayPeetadidonthetrain.
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MymindwanderstomymotherandPrim.Theymust
beup.Mymothergettingtheirbreakfastofmush.
Primmilkinghergoatbeforeschool.Justtwo
morningsago,Iwashome.Canthatberight?Yes,
justtwo.Andnowhowemptythehousefeels,even
fromadistance.Whatdidtheysaylastnightabout
myfierydebutattheGames?Diditgivethemhope,
orsimplyaddtotheirterrorwhentheysawthereality
oftwentyfourtributescircledtogether,knowingonly
onecouldlive?
HaymitchandPeetacomein,bidmegoodmorning,
filltheirplates.ItmakesmeirritatedthatPeetais
wearingexactlythesameoutfitIam.Ineedtosay
somethingtoCinna.Thistwinsactisgoingtoblow
upinoutfacesoncetheGamesbegin.Surely,they
mustknowthis.ThenIrememberHaymitchtelling
metodoexactlywhatthestyliststellmetodo.Ifit
wasanyonebutCinna,Imightbetemptedtoignore
him.Butafterlastnight'striumph,Idon'thavealot
ofroomtocriticizehischoices.
I'mnervousaboutthetraining.Therewillbethree
daysinwhichallthetributespracticetogether.On
thelastafternoon,we'lleachgetachancetoperform
inprivatebeforetheGamemakers.Thethoughtof
meetingtheothertributesfacetofacemakesme
queasy.IturntherollIhavejusttakenfromthe
basketoverandoverinmyhands,butmyappetiteis
gone.
WhenHaymitchhasfinishedseveralplattersofstew,
hepushesbackhisplatewithasigh.Hetakesaflask
fromhispocketandtakesalongpullonitandleans
hiselbowsonthetable."So,let'sgetdownto
business.Training.Firstoff,ifyoulike,111coachyou
separately.Decidenow."
"Whywouldyoucoachusseparately?"Iask.
"Sayifyouhadasecretskillyoumightnotwantthe
othertoknowabout,"saysHaymitch.
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IexchangealookwithPeeta."Idon'thaveanysecret
skills,"hesays."AndIalreadyknowwhatyoursis,
right?Imean,I'veeatenenoughofyoursquirrels."
IneverthoughtaboutPeetaeatingthesquirrelsI
shot.SomehowIalwayspicturedthebakerquietly
goingoffandfryingthemupforhimself.Notoutof
greed.Butbecausetownfamiliesusuallyeat
expensivebutchermeat.Beefandchickenandhorse.
"Youcancoachustogether,"ItellHaymitch.Peeta
nods.
"Allright,sogivemesomeideaofwhatyoucan
do,"saysHaymitch.
"Ican'tdoanything,"saysPeeta."Unlessyoucount
bakingbread."
"Sorry,Idon't.Katniss.Ialreadyknowyou'rehandy
withaknife,"saysHaymitch.
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"Notreally.ButIcanhunt,"Isay."Withabowand
arrow."
"Andyou'regood?"asksHaymitch.
Ihavetothinkaboutit.I'vebeenputtingfoodonthe
tableforfouryears.That'snosmalltask.I'mnotas
goodasmyfatherwas,buthe'dhadmorepractice.
I'vebetteraimthanGale,butI'vehadmorepractice.
He'sageniuswithtrapsandsnares."I'mallright,"I
say.
"She'sexcellent,"saysPeeta."Myfatherbuysher
squirrels.Healwayscommentsonhowthearrows
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neverpiercethebody.Shehitseveryoneintheeye.
It'sthesamewiththerabbitsshesellsthebutcher.
Shecanevenbringdowndeer."
ThisassessmentofmyskillsfromPeetatakesme
totallybysurprise.First,thatheevernoticed.
Second,thathe'stalkingmeup."Whatareyou
doing?"Iaskhimsuspiciously.
"Whatareyoudoing?Ifhe'sgoingtohelpyou,hehas
toknowwhatyou'recapableof.Don'tunderrate
yourself,"saysPeeta.
Idon'tknowwhy,butthisrubsmethewrongway.
"Whataboutyou?I'veseenyouinthemarket.You
canlifthundredpoundbagsofflour,"Isnapathim.
"Tellhimthat.That'snotnothing."
"Yes,andI'msurethearenawillbefullofbagsof
flourformetochuckatpeople.It'snotlikebeingable
touseaweapon.Youknowitisn't,"heshootsback.
"Hecanwrestle,"ItellHaymitch."Hecameinsecond
inourschoolcompetitionlastyear,onlyafterhis
brother."
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"Whatuseisthat?Howmanytimeshaveyouseen
someonewrestlesomeonetodeath?"saysPeetain
disgust.
"There'salwayshandtohandcombat.Allyouneedis
tocomeupwithaknife,andyoullatleaststanda
chance.IfIgetjumped,I'mdead!"Icanhearmyvoice
risinginanger.
"Butyouwon't!Youllbelivingupinsometreeeating
rawsquirrelsandpickingoffpeoplewitharrows.You
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knowwhatmymothersaidtomewhenshecameto
saygoodbye,asiftocheermeup,shesaysmaybe
DistrictTwelvewillfinallyhaveawinner.ThenI
realized,shedidn'tmeanme,shemeantyou!"bursts
outPeeta.
"Oh,shemeantyou,"Isaywithawaveofdismissal.
"Shesaid,'She'sasurvivor,thatone.'Sheis,"says
Peeta.
Thatpullsmeupshort.Didhismotherreallysaythat
aboutme?Didsheratemeoverherson?Iseethe
paininPeeta'seyesandknowheisn'tlying.
SuddenlyI'mbehindthebakeryandIcanfeelthe
chilloftherainrunningdownmyback,the
hollownessinmybelly.Isoundelevenyearsoldwhen
Ispeak."Butonlybecausesomeonehelpedme."
Peeta'seyesflickerdowntotherollinmyhands,and
Iknowheremembersthatday,too.Buthejust
shrugs."Peoplewillhelpyouinthearena.They11be
trippingovereachothertosponsoryou."
"Nomorethanyou,"Isay.
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PeetarollshiseyesatHaymitch."Shehasnoidea.
Theeffectshecanhave."Herunshisfingernailalong
thewoodgraininthetable,refusingtolookatme.
Whatonearthdoeshemean?Peoplehelpme?When
weweredyingofstarvation,noonehelpedme!Noone
exceptPeeta.OnceIhadsomethingtobarterwith,
thingschanged.I'matoughtrader.OramI?What
effectdoIhave?ThatI'mweakandneedy?Ishe
suggestingthatIgotgooddealsbecausepeoplepitied
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me?Itrytothinkifthisistrue.Perhapssomeofthe
merchantswerealittlegenerousintheirtrades,butI
alwaysattributedthattotheirlongstanding
relationshipwithmyfather.Besides,mygameisfirst
class.Noonepitiedme!
Iglowerattherollsurehemeanttoinsultme.
Afteraboutaminuteofthis,Haymitchsays,"Well,
then.Well,well,well.Katniss,there'snoguarantee
they'llbebowsandarrowsinthearena,butduring
yourprivatesessionwiththeGamemakers,show
themwhatyoucando.Untilthen,stayclearof
archery.Areyouanygoodattrapping?"
"Iknowafewbasicsnares,"Imutter.
"Thatmaybesignificantintermsoffood,"says
Haymitch."AndPeeta,she'sright,never
underestimatestrengthinthearena.Veryoften,
physicalpowertiltstheadvantagetoaplayer.Inthe
TrainingCenter,theywillhaveweights,butdon't
revealhowmuchyoucanliftinfrontoftheother
tributes.Theplan'sthesameforbothofyou.Yougo
togrouptraining.Spendthetimetryingtolearn
somethingyoudon'tknow.Throwaspear.Swinga
mace.Learntotieadecentknot.Saveshowingwhat
you'rebestatuntilyourprivatesessions.Arewe
clear?"saysHaymitch.PeetaandInod.
"Onelastthing.Inpublic,Iwantyoubyeachother's
sideeveryminute,"saysHaymitch.Webothstartto
object,butHaymitchslamshishandonthetable.
"Everyminute!It'snotopenfordiscussion!You
agreedtodoasIsaid!Youwillbetogether,youwill
appearamiabletoeachother.Nowgetout.MeetEffie
attheelevatorattenfortraining."
Ibitemylipandstalkbacktomyroom,makingsure
Peetacanhearthedoorslam.Isitonthebed,hating
Haymitch,hatingPeeta,hatingmyselfformentioning
thatdaylongagointherain.
It'ssuchajoke!PeetaandIgoingalongpretendingto
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befriends!Talkingupeachother'sstrengths,
insistingtheothertakecreditfortheirabilities.
Because,infact,atsomepoint,we'regoingtohaveto
knockitoffandacceptwe'rebitteradversaries.Which
I'dbepreparedtodorightnowifitwasn'tfor
Haymitch'sstupidinstructionthatwesticktogether
intraining.It'smyownfault,Iguess,fortellinghim
hedidn'thavetocoachusseparately.Butthatdidn't
meanIwantedtodoeverythingwithPeeta.Who,by
theway,clearlydoesn'twanttobepartneringupwith
me,either.
IhearPeeta'svoiceinmyhead.Shehasnoidea.The
effectshecanhave.Obviouslymeanttodemeanme.
Right?butatinypartofmewondersifthiswasa
compliment.ThathemeantIwasappealinginsome
way.It'sweird,howmuchhe'snoticedme.Likethe
attentionhe'spaidtomyhunting.Andapparently,I
havenotbeenasoblivioustohimasIimagined,
either.Theflour.Thewrestling.Ihavekepttrackof
theboywiththebread.
It'salmostten.Icleanmyteethandsmoothbackmy
hairagain.Angertemporarilyblockedoutmy
nervousnessaboutmeetingtheothertributes,but
nowIcanfeelmyanxietyrisingagain.BythetimeI
meetEffieandPeetaattheelevator,Icatchmyself
bitingmynails.Istopatonce.
Theactualtrainingroomsarebelowgroundlevelof
ourbuilding.Withtheseelevators,therideisless
thanaminute.Thedoorsopenintoanenormous
gymnasiumfilledwithvariousweaponsandobstacle
courses.Althoughit'snotyetten,we'rethelastones
toarrive.Theothertributesaregatheredinatense
circle.Theyeachhaveaclothsquarewiththeir
districtnumberonitpinnedtotheirshirts.While
someonepinsthenumber12onmyback,Idoaquick
assessment.PeetaandIaretheonlytwodressed
alike.
Assoonaswejointhecircle,theheadtrainer,atall,
athleticwomannamedAtalastepsupandbeginsto
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explainthetrainingschedule.Expertsineachskill
willremainattheirstations.Wewillbefreetotravel
fromareatoareaaswechoose,perourmentor's
instructions.Someofthestationsteachsurvival
skills,othersfightingtechniques.Weareforbiddento
engageinanycombativeexercisewithanother
tribute.Thereareassistantsonhandifwewantto
practicewithapartner.
WhenAtalabeginstoreaddownthelistoftheskill
stations,myeyescan'thelpflittingaroundtothe
othertributes.It'sthefirsttimewe'vebeen
assembled,onlevelground,insimpleclothes.My
heartsinks.Almostalloftheboysandatleasthalfof
thegirlsarebiggerthanIam,eventhoughmanyof
thetributeshaveneverbeenfedproperly.Youcansee
itintheirbones,theirskin,thehollowlookintheir
eyes.Imaybesmallernaturally,butoverallmy
family'sresourcefulnesshasgivenmeanedgeinthat
area.Istandstraight,andwhileI'mthin,I'mstrong.
Themeatandplantsfromthewoodscombinedwith
theexertionittooktogetthemhavegivenmea
healthierbodythanmostofthoseIseearoundme.
Theexceptionsarethekidsfromthewealthier
districts,thevolunteers,theoneswhohavebeenfed
andtrainedthroughouttheirlivesforthismoment.
Thetributesfrom1,2,and4traditionallyhavethis
lookaboutthem.It'stechnicallyagainsttherulesto
traintributesbeforetheyreachtheCapitolbutit
happenseveryyear.InDistrict12,wecallthemthe
CareerTributes,orjusttheCareers.Andlikeasnot,
thewinnerwillbeoneofthem.
TheslightadvantageIheldcomingintotheTraining
Center,myfieryentrancelastnight,seemstovanish
inthepresenceofmycompetition.Theothertributes
werejealousofus,butnotbecausewewereamazing,
becauseourstylistswere.NowIseenothingbut
contemptintheglancesoftheCareerTributes.Each
musthavefiftytoahundredpoundsonme.They
projectarroganceandbrutality.WhenAtalareleases
us,theyheadstraightforthedeadliestlooking
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weaponsinthegymandhandlethemwithease.
I'mthinkingthatit'sluckyI'mafastrunnerwhen
PeetanudgesmyarmandIjump.Heisstillbeside
me,perHaymitch'sinstructions.Hisexpressionis
sober."Wherewouldyouliketostart?"
IlookaroundattheCareerTributeswhoareshowing
off,clearlytryingtointimidatethefield.Thenatthe
others,theunderfed,theincompetent,shakilyhaving
theirfirstlessonswithaknifeoranax.
"Supposewetiesomeknots,"Isay.
"Rightyouare,"saysPeeta.Wecrosstoanempty
stationwherethetrainerseemspleasedtohave
students.Yougetthefeelingthattheknottyingclass
isnottheHungergameshotspot.WhenherealizesI
knowsomethingaboutsnares,heshowsusasimple,
excellenttrapthatwillleaveahumancompetitor
danglingbyalegfromatree.Weconcentrateonthis
oneskillforanhouruntilbothofushavemastered
it.Thenwemoveontocamouflage.Peetagenuinely
seemstoenjoythisstation,swirlingacombinationof
mudandclayandberryjuicesaroundonhispale
skin,weavingdisguisesfromvinesandleaves.The
trainerwhorunsthecamouflagestationisfullof
enthusiasmathiswork.
"Idothecakes,"headmitstome.
"Thecakes?"Iask.I'vebeenpreoccupiedwith
watchingtheboyfromDistrict2sendaspear
throughadummy'sheartfromfifteenyards."What
cakes?"
"Athome.Theicedones,forthebakery,"hesays.
Hemeanstheonestheydisplayinthewindows.
Fancycakeswithflowersandprettythingspaintedin
frosting.They'reforbirthdaysandNewYear'sDay.
Whenwe'reinthesquare,Primalwaysdragsmeover
toadmirethem,althoughwe'dneverbeabletoafford
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one.There'slittleenoughbeautyinDistrict12,
though,soIcanhardlydenyherthis.
IlookmorecriticallyatthedesignonPeeta'sarm.The
alternatingpatternoflightanddarksuggests
sunlightfallingthroughtheleavesinthewoods.I
wonderhowheknowsthis,sinceIdoubthe'sever
beenbeyondthefence.Hashebeenabletopickthis
upfromjustthatscragglyoldappletreeinhis
backyard?Somehowthewholethinghisskill,
thoseinaccessiblecakes,thepraiseofthecamouflage
expertannoysme.
91|Page
"It'slovely.Ifonlyyoucouldfrostsomeonetodeath,"I
say.
"Don'tbesosuperior.Youcannevertellwhatyou11
findinthearena.Sayit'sactuallyagiganticcake"
beginsPeeta.
"Saywemoveon,"Ibreakin.
SothenextthreedayspasswithPeetaandIgoing
quietlyfromstationtostation.Wedopickupsome
valuableskills,fromstartingfires,toknifethrowing,
tomakingshelter.DespiteHaymitch'sordertoappear
mediocre,Peetaexcelsinhandtohandcombat,andI
sweeptheedibleplantstestwithoutblinkinganeye.
Westeerclearofarcheryandweightliftingthough,
wantingtosavethoseforourprivatesessions.
TheGamemakersappearedearlyonthefirstday.
Twentyorsomenandwomendressedindeeppurple
robes.Theysitintheelevatedstandsthatsurround
thegymnasium,sometimeswanderingabouttowatch
us,jottingdownnotes,othertimeseatingatthe
endlessbanquetthathasbeensetforthem,ignoring
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thelotofus.Buttheydoseemtobekeepingtheireye
ontheDistrict12tributes.SeveraltimesI'velooked
uptofindonefixatedonme.Theyconsultwiththe
trainersduringourmealsaswell.Weseethemall
gatheredtogetherwhenwecomeback.
Breakfastanddinnerareservedonourfloor,butat
lunchthetwentyfourofuseatinadiningroomoff
thegymnasium.Foodisarrangedoncartsaroundthe
roomandyouserveyourself.TheCareerTributes
tendtogatherrowdilyaroundonetable,asiftoprove
theirsuperiority,thattheyhavenofearofone
anotherandconsidertherestofusbeneathnotice.
Mostoftheothertributessitalone,likelostsheep.No
onesaysawordtous.PeetaandIeattogether,and
sinceHaymitchkeepsdoggingusaboutit,trytokeep
upafriendlyconversationduringthemeals.
It'snoteasytofindatopic.Talkingofhomeis
painful.Talkingofthepresentunbearable.Oneday,
Peetaemptiesourbreadbasketandpointsouthow
theyhavebeencarefultoincludetypesfromthe
districtsalongwiththerefinedbreadoftheCapitol.
Thefishshapedloaftintedgreenwithseaweedfrom
District4.Thecrescentmoonrolldottedwithseeds
fromDistrict11.Somehow,althoughit'smadefrom
thesamestuff,itlooksalotmoreappetizingthanthe
uglydropbiscuitsthatarethestandardfareathome.
"Andthereyouhaveit,"saysPeeta,scoopingthe
breadsbackinthebasket.
"Youcertainlyknowalot,"Isay.
"Onlyaboutbread,"hesays."Okay,nowlaughasif
I'vesaidsomethingfunny."
Webothgiveasomewhatconvincinglaughandignore
thestaresfromaroundtheroom.
"Allright,I'llkeepsmilingpleasantlyandyou
talk,"saysPeeta.It'swearingusbothout,Haymitch's
directiontobefriendly.BecauseeversinceIslammed
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mydoor,there'sbeenachillintheairbetweenus.
Butwehaveourorders.
"DidIevertellyouaboutthetimeIwaschasedbya
bear?"Iask.
"No,butitsoundsfascinating,"saysPeeta.
ItryandanimatemyfaceasIrecalltheevent,atrue
story,inwhichI'dfoolishlychallengedablackbear
overtherightstoabeehive.Peetalaughsandasks
93|Page
questionsrightoncue.He'smuchbetteratthisthan
Iam.
Onthesecondday,whilewe'retakingashotatspear
throwing,hewhisperstome."Ithinkwehavea
shadow."
Ithrowmyspear,whichI'mnottoobadatactually,if
Idon'thavetothrowtoofar,andseethelittlegirl
fromDistrict11standingbackabit,watchingus.
She'sthetwelveyearold,theonewhoremindedme
soofPriminstature.Upcloseshelooksaboutten.
Shehasbright,dark,eyesandsatinybrownskinand
standstilteduponhertoeswithherarmsslightly
extendedtohersides,asifreadytotakewingatthe
slightestsound.It'simpossiblenottothinkofabird.
IpickupanotherspearwhilePeetathrows."Ithink
hername'sRue,"hesayssoftly.
Ibitemylip.Rueisasmallyellowflowerthatgrows
intheMeadow.Rue.Primrose.Neitherofthemcould
tipthescaleatseventypoundssoakingwet.
"Whatcanwedoaboutit?"Iaskhim,moreharshly
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thanIintended.
"Nothingtodo,"hesaysback."Justmaking
conversation."
NowthatIknowshe'sthere,it'shardtoignorethe
child.Sheslipsupandjoinsusatdifferentstations.
Likeme,she'scleverwithplants,climbsswiftly,and
hasgoodaim.Shecanhitthetargeteverytimewitha
slingshot.Butwhatisaslingshotagainsta220
poundmalewithasword?
BackontheDistrict12floor,HaymitchandEffiegrill
usthroughoutbreakfastanddinneraboutevery
94|Page
momentoftheday.Whatwedid,whowatchedus,
howtheothertributessizeup.CinnaandPortia
aren'taround,sothere'snoonetoaddanysanityto
themeals.NotthatHaymitchandEffiearefighting
anymore.Insteadtheyseemtobeofonemind,
determinedtowhipusintoshape.Fullofendless
directionsaboutwhatweshoulddoandnotdoin
training.Peetaismorepatient,butIbecomefedup
andsurly.
Whenwefinallyescapetobedonthesecondnight,
Peetamumbles,"SomeoneoughttogetHaymitcha
drink."
Imakeasoundthatissomewherebetweenasnort
andalaugh.Thencatchmyself.It'smessingwithmy
mindtoomuch,tryingtokeepstraightwhenwe're
supposedlyfriendsandwhenwe'renot.Atleastwhen
wegetintothearena,111knowwherewestand.
"Don't.Don'tlet'spretendwhenthere'snoone
around."
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"Allright,Katniss,"hesaystiredly.Afterthat,weonly
talkinfrontofpeople.
Onthethirddayoftraining,theystarttocallusout
oflunchforourprivatesessionswiththe
Gamemakers.Districtbydistrict,firsttheboy,then
thegirltribute.Asusual,District12isslatedtogo
last.Welingerinthediningroom,unsurewhereelse
togo.Noonecomesbackoncetheyhaveleft.Asthe
roomempties,thepressuretoappearfriendly
lightens.BythetimetheycallRue,weareleftalone.
WesitinsilenceuntiltheysummonPeeta.Herises.
"RememberwhatHaymitchsaidaboutbeingsureto
throwtheweights."Thewordscomeoutofmymouth
withoutpermission.
95|Page
"Thanks.Iwill,"hesays."You...shootstraight."
Inod.Idon'tknowwhyIsaidanythingatall.
AlthoughifI'mgoingtolose,I'dratherPeetawinthan
theothers.Betterforourdistrict,formymotherand
Prim.
Afteraboutfifteenminutes,theycallmyname.I
smoothmyhair,setmyshouldersback,andwalk
intothegymnasium.Instantly,IknowI'mintrouble.
They'vebeenheretoolong,theGamemakers.Sat
throughtwentythreeotherdemonstrations.Hadtoo
muchtowine,mostofthem.Wantmorethan
anythingtogohome.
There'snothingIcandobutcontinuewiththeplan.I
walktothearcherystation.Oh,theweapons!I've
beenitchingtogetmyhandsonthemfordays!Bows
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madeofwoodandplasticandmetalandmaterialsI
can'tevenname.Arrowswithfeatherscutinflawless
uniformlines.Ichooseabow,stringit,andslingthe
matchingquiverofarrowsovermyshoulder.There's
ashootingrange,butit'smuchtoolimited.Standard
bull'seyesandhumansilhouettes.Iwalktothe
centerofthegymnasiumandpickmyfirsttarget.The
dummyusedforknifepractice.EvenasIpullbackon
thebowIknowsomethingiswrong.Thestring's
tighterthantheoneIuseathome.Thearrow'smore
rigid.Imissthedummybyacoupleofinchesand
losewhatlittleattentionIhadbeencommanding.For
amoment,I'mhumiliated,thenIheadbacktothe
bull'seye.IshootagainandagainuntilIgetthefeel
ofthesenewweapons.
Backinthecenterofthegymnasium,Itakemyinitial
positionandskewerthedummyrightthroughthe
heart.ThenIsevertheropethatholdsthesandbag
forboxing,andthebagsplitsopenasitslamstothe
ground.Withoutpausing,Ishoulderrollforward,
96|Page
comeupononeknee,andsendanarrowintooneof
thehanginglightshighabovethegymnasiumfloor.A
showerofsparksburstsfromthefixture.
It'sexcellentshooting.IturntotheGamemakers.A
fewarenoddingapproval,butthemajorityofthem
arefixatedonaroastpigthathasjustarrivedattheir
banquettable.
SuddenlyIamfurious,thatwithmylifeontheline,
theydon'tevenhavethedecencytopayattentionto
me.ThatI'mbeingupstagedbyadeadpig.Myheart
startstopound,Icanfeelmyfaceburning.Without
thinking,Ipullanarrowfrommyquiverandsendit
straightattheGamemakers'table.Ihearshoutsof
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alarmaspeoplestumbleback.Thearrowskewersthe
appleinthepig'smouthandpinsittothewall
behindit.Everyonestaresatmeindisbelief.
"Thankyouforyourconsideration,"Isay.ThenIgive
aslightbowandwalkstraighttowardtheexitwithout
beingdismissed.
97|Page
AsIstridetowardtheelevator,Iflingmybowtoone
sideandmyquivertotheother.Ibrushpastthe
gapingAvoxeswhoguardtheelevatorsandhitthe
numbertwelvebuttonwithmyfist.Thedoorsslide
togetherandIzipupward.Iactuallymakeitbackto
myfloorbeforethetearsstartrunningdownmy
cheeks.Icanheartheotherscallingmefromthe
sittingroom,butIflydownthehallintomyroom,
boltthedoor,andflingmyselfontomybed.ThenI
reallybegintosob.
NowI'vedoneit!NowI'veruinedeverything!IfI'd
stoodevenaghostofchance,itvanishedwhenIsent
thatarrowflyingattheGamemakers.Whatwillthey
dotomenow?Arrestme?Executeme?Cutmy
tongueandturnmeintoanAvoxsoIcanwaitonthe
futuretributesofPanem?WhatwasIthinking,
shootingattheGamemakers?Ofcourse,Iwasn't,I
wasshootingatthatapplebecauseIwassoangryat
beingignored.Iwasn'ttryingtokilloneofthem.IfI
were,they'dbedead!
Oh,whatdoesitmatter?It'snotlikeIwasgoingto
wintheGamesanyway.Whocareswhattheydoto
me?Whatreallyscaresmeiswhattheymightdoto
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mymotherandPrim,howmyfamilymightsuffernow
becauseofmyimpulsiveness.Willtheytaketheirfew
belongings,orsendmymothertoprisonandPrimto
thecommunityhome,orkillthem?Theywouldn'tkill
them,wouldthey?Whynot?Whatdotheycare?
Ishouldhavestayedandapologized.Orlaughed,like
itwasabigjoke.ThenmaybeIwouldhavefound
98|Page
someleniency.ButinsteadIstalkedoutoftheplace
inthemostdisrespectfulmannerpossible.
HaymitchandEffieareknockingonmydoor.Ishout
forthemtogoawayandeventuallytheydo.Ittakes
atleastanhourformetocrymyselfout.ThenIjust
laycurleduponthebed,strokingthesilkensheets,
watchingthesunsetovertheartificialcandyCapitol.
Atfirst,Iexpectguardstocomeforme.Butastime
passes,itseemslesslikely.Icalmdown.Theystill
needagirltributefromDistrict12,don'tthey?Ifthe
Gamemakerswanttopunishme,theycandoit
publicly.WaituntilI'minthearenaandsicstarving
wildanimalsonme.Youcanbetthey'llmakesureI
don'thaveabowandarrowtodefendmyself.
Beforethatthough,they'llgivemeascoresolow,no
oneintheirrightmindwouldsponsorme.That's
whatwillhappentonight.Sincethetrainingisn't
opentoviewers,theGamemakersannounceascore
foreachplayer.Itgivestheaudienceastartingplace
forthebettingthatwillcontinuethroughoutthe
Games.Thenumber,whichisbetweenoneand
twelve,onebeingirredeemablybadandtwelvebeing
unattainablyhigh,signifiesthepromiseofthetribute.
Themarkisnotaguaranteeofwhichpersonwillwin.
It'sonlyanindicationofthepotentialatribute
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showedintraining.Often,becauseofthevariablesin
theactualarena,highscoringtributesgodown
almostimmediately.Andafewyearsago,theboywho
wontheGamesonlyreceivedathree.Still,thescores
canhelporhurtanindividualtributeintermsof
sponsorship.Ihadbeenhopingmyshootingskills
mightgetmeasixoraseven,evenifI'mnot
particularlypowerful.NowI'msure111havethe
lowestscoreofthetwentyfour.Ifnoonesponsors
me,myoddsofstayingalivedecreasetoalmostzero.
99|Page
WhenEffietapsonthedoortocallmetodinner,I
decideImayaswellgo.Thescoreswillbetelevised
tonight.It'snotlikeIcanhidewhathappenedforever.
Igotothebathroomandwashmyface,butit'sstill
redandsplotchy.
Everyone'swaitingatthetable,evenCinnaand
Portia.Iwishthestylistshadn'tshownupbecause
forsomereason,Idon'tliketheideaofdisappointing
them.It'sasifI'vethrownawayallthegoodwork
theydidontheopeningceremonieswithouta
thought.IavoidlookingatanyoneasItaketiny
spoonfulsoffishsoup.Thesaltinessremindsmeof
mytears.
Theadultsbeginsomechitchatabouttheweather
forecast,andIletmyeyesmeetPeeta's.Heraiseshis
eyebrows.Aquestion.Whathappened?Ijustgivemy
headasmallshake.Then,asthey'reservingthemain
course,IhearHaymitchsay,"Okay,enoughsmall
talk,justhowbadwereyoutoday?"
Peetajumpsin."Idon'tknowthatitmattered.Bythe
timeIshowedup,nooneevenbotheredtolookatme.
Theyweresingingsomekindofdrinkingsong,I
think.So,Ithrewaroundsomeheavyobjectsuntil
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theytoldmeIcouldgo."
Thatmakesmefeelabitbetter.It'snotlikePeeta
attackedtheGamemakers,butatleasthewas
provoked,too.
"Andyou,sweetheart?"saysHaymitch.
SomehowHaymitchcallingmesweetheartticksme
offenoughthatI'matleastabletospeak."Ishotan
arrowattheGamemakers."
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Everyonestopseating."Youwhat?"Thehorrorin
Effie'svoiceconfirmsmyworsesuspicions.
"Ishotanarrowatthem.Notexactlyatthem.Intheir
direction.It'slikePeetasaid,Iwasshootingandthey
wereignoringmeandIjust...Ijustlostmyhead,soI
shotanappleoutoftheirstupidroastpig'smouth!"I
saydefiantly.
"Andwhatdidtheysay?"saysCinnacarefully.
"Nothing.OrIdon'tknow.Iwalkedoutafterthat,"I
say.
"Withoutbeingdismissed?"gaspsEffie.
"Idismissedmyself,"Isaid.IrememberhowI
promisedPrimthatIreallywouldtrytowinandIfeel
likeatonofcoalhasdroppedonme.
"Well,that'sthat,"saysHaymitch.Thenhebuttersa
roll.
"Doyouthinkthey11arrestme?"Iask."Doubtit.Bea
paintoreplaceyouatthisstage,"saysHaymitch.
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"Whataboutmyfamily?"Isay."Willtheypunish
them?"
"Don'tthinkso.Wouldn'tmakemuchsense.See
they'dhavetorevealwhathappenedintheTraining
Centerforittohaveanyworthwhileeffectonthe
population.Peoplewouldneedtoknowwhatyoudid.
Buttheycan'tsinceit'ssecret,soit'dbeawasteof
effort,"saysHaymitch."Morelikelythey'llmakeyour
lifehellinthearena."
"Well,they'vealreadypromisedtodothattousany
way,"saysPeeta.
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"Verytrue,"saysHaymitch.AndIrealizethe
impossiblehashappened.Theyhaveactuallycheered
meup.Haymitchpicksupaporkchopwithhis
fingers,whichmakesEffiefrown,anddunksitinhis
wine.Heripsoffahunkofmeatandstartsto
chuckle."Whatweretheirfaceslike?"
Icanfeeltheedgesofmymouthtiltingup."Shocked.
Terrified.Uh,ridiculous,someofthem."Animage
popsintomymind."Onemantrippedbackwardinto
abowlofpunch."
Haymitchguffawsandweallstartlaughingexcept
Effie,althoughevensheissuppressingasmile."Well,
itservesthemright.It'stheirjobtopayattentionto
you.AndjustbecauseyoucomefromDistrictTwelve
isnoexcusetoignoreyou."Thenhereyesdart
aroundasifshe'ssaidsomethingtotally
outrageous."I'msorry,butthat'swhatIthink,"she
saystonooneinparticular.
"I'llgetaverybadscore,"Isay.
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"Scoresonlymatterifthey'reverygood,noonepays
muchattentiontothebadormediocreones.Forall
theyknow,youcouldbehidingyourtalentstogeta
lowscoreonpurpose.Peopleusethatstrategy,"said
Portia.
"Ihopethat'showpeopleinterpretthefourI'll
probablyget,"saysPeeta."Ifthat.Really,isanything
lessimpressivethanwatchingapersonpickupa
heavyballandthrowitacoupleofyards.Onealmost
landedonmyfoot."
IgrinathimandrealizethatI'mstarving.Icutoffa
pieceofpork,dunkitinmashedpotatoes,andstart
eating.It'sokay.Myfamilyissafe.Andiftheyare
safe,norealharmhasbeendone.
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Afterdinner,wegotosittingroomtowatchthescores
announcedontelevision.Firsttheyshowaphotoof
thetribute,thenflashtheirscorebelowit.TheCareer
Tributesnaturallygetintheeighttotenrange.Most
oftheotherplayersaverageafive.Surprisingly,little
Ruecomesupwithaseven.Idon'tknowwhatshe
showedthejudges,butshe'ssotinyitmusthave
beenimpressive.
District12comesuplast,asusual.Peetapullsan
eightsoatleastacoupleoftheGamemakersmust
havebeenwatchinghim.Idigmyfingernailsintomy
palmsasmyfacecomesup,expectingtheworst.
Thenthey'reflashingthenumberelevenonthe
screen.
Eleven!
EffieTrinketletsoutasqueal,andeverybodyis
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slappingmeonthebackandcheeringand
congratulatingme.Butitdoesn'tseemreal.
"Theremustbeamistake.How...howcouldthat
happen?"IaskHaymitch.
"Guesstheylikedyourtemper,"hesays."They'vegot
ashowtoputon.Theyneedsomeplayerswithsome
heat."
"Katniss,thegirlwhowasonfire,"saysCinnaand
givesmeahug."Oh,waituntilyouseeyourinterview
dress.""Moreflames?"Iask."Ofasort,"hesays
mischievously.
PeetaandIcongratulateeachother,anotherawkward
moment.We'vebothdonewell,butwhatdoesthat
meanfortheother?Iescapetomyroomasquicklyas
possibleandburrowdownunderthecovers.The
stressoftheday,particularlythecrying,haswornme
out.Idriftoff,reprieved,relieved,andwiththe
numberelevenstillflashingbehindmyeyelids.
Atdawn,Ilieinbedforawhile,watchingthesun
comeuponabeautifulmorning.It'sSunday.Aday
offathome.IwonderifGaleisinthewoodsyet.
UsuallywedevoteallofSundaytostockingupforthe
week.Risingearly,huntingandgathering,then
tradingattheHob.IthinkofGalewithoutme.Both
ofuscanhuntalone,butwe'rebetterasapair.
Particularlyifwe'retryingforbiggergame.Butalsoin
thelittlerthings,havingapartnerlightenedtheload,
couldevenmakethearduoustaskoffillingmy
family'stableenjoyable.
Ihadbeenstrugglingalongonmyownforaboutsix
monthswhenIfirstranintoGaleinthewoods.Itwas
aSundayinOctober,theaircoolandpungentwith
dyingthings.I'dspentthemorningcompetingwith
thesquirrelsfornutsandtheslightlywarmer
afternoonwadinginshallowpondsharvesting
katniss.TheonlymeatI'dshotwasasquirrelthat
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hadpracticallyrunovermytoesinitsquestfor
acorns,buttheanimalswouldstillbeafootwhenthe
snowburiedmyotherfoodsources.Havingstrayed
fartherafieldthanusual,Iwashurryingbackhome,
luggingmyburlapsackswhenIcameacrossadead
rabbit.Itwashangingbyitsneckinathinwireafoot
abovemyhead.Aboutfifteenyardsawaywas
another.Irecognizedthetwitchupsnaresbecause
myfatherhadusedthem.Whenthepreyiscaught,
it'syankedintotheairoutofthereachofother
hungryanimals.I'dbeentryingtousesnaresall
summerwithnosuccess,soIcouldn'thelpdropping
mysackstoexaminethisone.Myfingerswerejuston
thewireaboveoneoftherabbitswhenavoicerang
out."That'sdangerous."
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IjumpedbackseveralfeetasGalematerializedfrom
behindatree.Hemusthavebeenwatchingmethe
wholetime.Hewasonlyfourteen,butheclearedsix
feetandwasasgoodasanadulttome.I'dseenhim
aroundtheSeamandatschool.Andoneothertime.
He'dlosthisfatherinthesameblastthatkilledmine.
InJanuary,I'dstoodbywhilehereceivedhismedal
ofvalorintheJusticeBuilding,anotheroldestchild
withnofather.Irememberedhistwolittlebrothers
clutchinghismother,awomanwhoseswollenbelly
announcedshewasjustdaysawayfromgivingbirth.
"What'syourname?"hesaid,comingoverand
disengagingtherabbitfromthesnare.Hehad
anotherthreehangingfromhisbelt.
"Katniss,"Isaid,barelyaudible.
"Well,Catnip,stealing'spunishablebydeath,or
hadn'tyouheard?"hesaid.
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"Katniss,"Isaidlouder."AndIwasn'tstealingit.I
justwantedtolookatyoursnare.Minenevercatch
anything."
Hescowledatme,notconvinced."Sowhere'dyouget
thesquirrel?"
"Ishotit."Ipulledmybowoffmyshoulder.Iwasstill
usingthesmallversionmyfatherhadmademe,but
I'dbeenpracticingwiththefullsizeonewhenIcould.
IwashopingthatbyspringImightbeabletobring
downsomebiggergame.
Gale'seyesfastenedonthebow."CanIseethat?"I
handeditover."Justremember,stealing'spunishable
bydeath."
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ThatwasthefirsttimeIeversawhimsmile.It
transformedhimfromsomeonemenacingtosomeone
youwishedyouknew.Butittookseveralmonths
beforeIreturnedthatsmile.
Wetalkedhuntingthen.ItoldhimImightbeableto
gethimabowifhehadsomethingtotrade.Notfood.
Iwantedknowledge.Iwantedtosetmyownsnares
thatcaughtabeltoffatrabbitsinoneday.Heagreed
somethingmightbeworkedout.Astheseasonswent
by,wegrudginglybegantoshareourknowledge,our
weapons,oursecretplacesthatwerethickwithwild
plumsorturkeys.Hetaughtmesnaresandfishing.I
showedhimwhatplantstoeatandeventuallygave
himoneofourpreciousbows.Andthenoneday,
withouteitherofussayingit,webecameateam.
Dividingtheworkandthespoils.Makingsurethat
bothourfamilieshadfood.
Galegavemeasenseofsecurityl'dlackedsincemy
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father'sdeath.Hiscompanionshipreplacedthelong
solitaryhoursinthewoods.Ibecameamuchbetter
hunterwhenIdidn'thavetolookovermyshoulder
constantly,whensomeonewaswatchingmyback.
Butheturnedintosomuchmorethanahunting
partner.Hebecamemyconfidante,someonewith
whomIcouldsharethoughtsIcouldnevervoice
insidethefence.Inexchange,hetrustedmewithhis.
BeingoutinthewoodswithGale...sometimesIwas
actuallyhappy.
Icallhimmyfriend,butinthelastyearit'sseemed
toocasualawordforwhatGaleistome.Apangof
longingshootsthroughmychest.Ifonlyhewaswith
menow!But,ofcourse,Idon'twantthat.Idon'twant
himinthearenawherehe'dbedeadinafewdays.I
just...Ijustmisshim.AndIhatebeingsoalone.
Doeshemissme?Hemust.
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Ithinkoftheelevenflashingundermynamelast
night.Iknowexactlywhathe'dsaytome."Well,
there'ssomeroomforimprovementthere."Andthen
he'dgivemeasmileandI'dreturnitwithout
hesitatingnow.
Ican'thelpcomparingwhatIhavewithGaletowhat
I'mpretendingtohavewithPeeta.HowInever
questionGale'smotiveswhileIdonothingbutdoubt
thelatter's.It'snotafaircomparisonreally.Galeand
Iwerethrowntogetherbyamutualneedtosurvive.
PeetaandIknowtheother'ssurvivalmeansourown
death.Howdoyousidestepthat?
Effie'sknockingatthedoor,remindingmethere's
another"big,big,bigday!"ahead.Tomorrownight
willbeourtelevisedinterviews.Iguessthewhole
teamwillhavetheirhandsfullreadyingusforthat.
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Igetupandtakeaquickshower,beingabitmore
carefulaboutthebuttonsIhit,andheaddowntothe
diningroom.Peeta,Effie,andHaymitcharehuddled
aroundthetabletalkinginhushedvoices.That
seemsodd,buthungerwinsoutovercuriosityandI
loadupmyplatewithbreakfastbeforeIjointhem.
Thestew'smadewithtenderchunksoflamband
driedplumstoday.Perfectonthebedofwildrice.I've
shoveledabouthalfwaythroughthemoundwhenI
realizenoone'stalking.Itakeabiggulpoforange
juiceandwipemymouth."So,what'sgoingon?
You'recoachingusoninterviewstoday,right?"
"That'sright,"saysHaymitch.
"Youdon'thavetowaituntilI'mdone.Icanlisten
andcatatthesametime,"Isay.
107|Page
"Well,there'sbeenachangeofplans.Aboutour
currentapproach,"saysHaymitch.
"What'sthat?"Iask.I'mnotsurewhatourcurrent
approachis.Tryingtoappearmediocreinfrontofthe
othertributesisthelastbitofstrategyIremember.
Haymitchshrugs."Peetahasaskedtobecoached
separately."
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Betrayal.That'sthefirstthingIfeel,whichis
ludicrous.Fortheretobebetrayal,therewouldhave
hadtobeentrustfirst.BetweenPeetaandme.And
trusthasnotbeenpartoftheagreement.We're
tributes.Buttheboywhoriskedabeatingtogiveme
bread,theonewhosteadiedmeinthechariot,who
coveredformewiththeredheadedAvoxgirl,who
insistedHaymitchknowmyhuntingskills...was
theresomepartofmethatcouldn'thelptrusting
him?
Ontheotherhand,I'mrelievedthatwecanstopthe
pretenseofbeingfriends.Obviously,whateverthin
connectionwe'dfoolishlyformedhasbeensevered.
Andhightime,too.TheGamesbeginintwodays,and
trustwillonlybeaweakness.Whatevertriggered
Peeta'sdecisionandIsuspectithadtodowithmy
outperforminghimintrainingIshouldbenothing
butgratefulforit.Maybehe'sfinallyacceptedthefact
thatthesoonerweopenlyacknowledgethatweare
enemies,thebetter.
"Good,"Isay."Sowhat'stheschedule?"
"YoulleachhavefourhourswithEffiefor
presentationandfourwithmeforcontent,"says
Haymitch."YoustartwithEffie,Katniss."
Ican'timaginewhatEffiewillhavetoteachmethat
couldtakefourhours,butshe'sgotmeworkingdown
tothelastminute.Wegotomyroomsandsheputs
meinafulllengthgownandhighheeledshoes,not
theonesI'llhewearingfortheactualinterview,and
instructsmeonwalking.Theshoesaretheworst
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part.I'veneverwornhighheelsandcan'tgetusedto
essentiallywobblingaroundontheballsofmyfeet.
ButEffierunsaroundinthemfulltime,andI'm
determinedthatifshecandoit,socanI.Thedress
posesanotherproblem.Itkeepstanglingaroundmy
shoesso,ofcourse,Ihitchitup,andthenEffie
swoopsdownonmelikeahawk,smackingmyhands
andyelling,"Notabovetheankle!"WhenIfinally
conquerwalking,there'sstillsitting,posture
apparentlyIhaveatendencytoduckmyheadeye
contact,handgestures,andsmiling.Smilingis
mostlyaboutsmilingmore.Effiemakesmesaya
hundredbanalphrasesstartingwithasmile,while
smiling,orendingwithasmile.Bylunch,the
musclesinmycheeksaretwitchingfromoveruse.
"Well,that'sthebestIcando,"Effiesayswithasigh.
"Justremember,Katniss,youwanttheaudienceto
likeyou."
"Andyoudon'tthinktheywill?"Iask.
"Notifyouglareatthemtheentiretime.Whydon't
yousavethatforthearena?Instead,thinkofyourself
amongfriends,"saysEffie.
"They'rebettingonhowlongI'lllive!"Iburst
out."They'renotmyfriends!"
"Well,tryandpretend!"snapsEffie.Thenshe
composesherselfandbeamsatme."See,likethis.I'm
smilingatyoueventhoughyou'reaggravatingme."
"Yes,itfeelsveryconvincing,"Isay."I'mgoingtoeat."
1kickoffmyheelsandstompdowntothedining
room,hikingmyskirtuptomythighs.
PeetaandHaymitchseeminprettygoodmoods,so
I'mthinkingthecontentsessionshouldbean
improvementoverthemorning.Icouldn'tbemore
wrong.Afterlunch,Haymitchtakesmeintothe
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sittingroom,directsmetothecouch,andthenjust
frownsatmeforawhile.
"What?"Ifinallyask.
"I'mtryingtofigureoutwhattodowithyou,"he
says."Howwe'regoingtopresentyou.Areyougoing
tobecharming?Aloof?Fierce?Sofar,you'reshining
likeastar.Youvolunteeredtosaveyoursister.Cinna
madeyoulookunforgettable.You'vegotthetop
trainingscore.Peopleareintrigued,butnooneknows
whoyouare.Theimpressionyoumaketomorrowwill
decideexactlywhatIcangetyouintermsof
sponsors,"saysHaymitch.
Havingwatchedthetributeinterviewsallmylife,I
knowthere'struthtowhathe'ssaying.Ifyouappeal
tothecrowd,eitherbybeinghumorousorbrutalor
eccentric,yougainfavor.
"What'sPeeta'sapproach?OramInotallowedto
ask?"Isay.
"Likable.Hehasasortofselfdeprecatinghumor
naturally,"saysHaymitch."Whereaswhenyouopen
yourmouth,youcomeacrossmoreassullenand
hostile."
"Idonot!"Isay.
"Please.Idon'tknowwhereyoupulledthatcheery,
wavygirlonthechariotfrom,butIhaven'tseenher
beforeorsince,"saysHaymitch.
"Andyou'vegivenmesomanyreasonstobecheery,"I
counter.
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"Butyoudon'thavetopleaseme.I'mnotgoingto
sponsoryou.SopretendI'mtheaudience,"says
Haymitch."Delightme."
"Fine!"Isnarl.Haymitchtakestheroleofthe
interviewerandItrytoanswerhisquestionsina
winningfashion.ButIcan't.I'mtooangrywith
HaymitchforwhathesaidandthatIevenhaveto
answerthequestions.AllIcanthinkishowunjust
thewholethingis,theHungerGames.WhyamI
hoppingaroundlikesometraineddogtryingtoplease
peopleIhate?Thelongertheinterviewgoeson,the
moremyfuryseemstorisetothesurface,untilI'm
literallyspittingoutanswersathim.
"Allright,enough,"hesays."We'vegottofindanother
angle.Notonlyareyouhostile,Idon'tknowanything
aboutyou.I'veaskedyoufiftyquestionsandstillhave
nosenseofyourlife,yourfamily,whatyoucare
about.Theywanttoknowaboutyou,Katniss."
"ButIdon'twantthemto!They'realreadytakingmy
future!Theycan'thavethethingsthatmatteredto
meinthepast!"Isay.
"Thenlie!Makesomethingup!"saysHaymitch.
"I'mnotgoodatlying,"Isay.
"Well,youbetterlearnfast.You'vegotaboutasmuch
charmasadeadslug,"saysHaymitch.
Ouch.Thathurts.EvenHaymitchmustknowhe's
beentooharshbecausehisvoicesoftens."Here'san
idea.Tryactinghumble."
"Humble,"Iecho.
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"Thatyoucan'tbelievealittlegirlfromDistrictTwelve
hasdonethiswell.Thewholething'sbeenmorethan
youevercouldhavedreamedof.TalkaboutCinna's
clothes.Hownicethepeopleare.Howthecityamazes
you.Ifyouwon'ttalkaboutyourself,atleast
complimenttheaudience.Justkeepturningitback
around,allright.Gush."
Thenexthoursareagonizing.Atonce,it'sclearI
cannotgush.Wetrymeplayingcocky,butIjustdon't
havethearrogance.Apparently,I'mtoo"vulnerable"
forferocity.I'mnotwitty.Funny.Sexy.Or
mysterious.
Bytheendofthesession,Iamnooneatall.
Haymitchstarteddrinkingsomewherearoundwitty,
andanastyedgehascreptintohisvoice."Igiveup,
sweetheart.Justanswerthequestionsandtrynotto
lettheaudienceseehowopenlyyoudespisethem."
Ihavedinnerthatnightinmyroom,orderingan
outrageousnumberofdelicacies,eatingmyselfsick,
andthentakingoutmyangeratHaymitch,atthe
HungerGames,ateverylivingbeingintheCapitolby
smashingdishesaroundmyroom.Whenthegirlwith
theredhaircomesintoturndownmybed,hereyes
widenatthemess."Justleaveit!"Iyellather."Just
leaveitalone!"
Ihateher,too,withherknowingreproachfuleyes
thatcallmeacoward,amonster,apuppetofthe
Capitol,bothnowandthen.Forher,justicemust
finallybehappening.Atleastmydeathwillhelppay
forthelifeoftheboyinthewoods.
Butinsteadoffleeingtheroom,thegirlclosesthe
doorbehindherandgoestothebathroom.Shecomes
backwithadampclothandwipesmyfacegently
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thencleansthebloodfromabrokenplateoffmy
hands.Whyisshedoingthis?WhyamIlettingher?
"Ishouldhavetriedtosaveyou,"Iwhisper.
Sheshakesherhead.Doesthismeanwewererightto
standby?Thatshehasforgivenme?
"No,itwaswrong,"Isay.
Shetapsherlipswithherfingersthenpointstomy
chest.IthinkshemeansthatIwouldjusthaveended
upanAvox,too.Probablywouldhave.AnAvoxor
dead.
Ispendthenexthourhelpingtheredheadedgirl
cleantheroom.Whenallthegarbagehasbeen
droppeddownadisposalandthefoodcleanedaway,
sheturnsdownmybed.Icrawlinbetweenthesheets
likeafiveyearoldandlethertuckmein.Thenshe
goes.IwanthertostayuntilIfallasleep.Tobethere
whenIwakeup.Iwanttheprotectionofthisgirl,
eventhoughsheneverhadmine.
Inthemorning,it'snotthegirlbutmyprepteamwho
arehangingoverme.MylessonswithEffieand
Haymitchareover.ThisdaybelongstoCinna.He's
mylasthope.Maybehecanmakemelookso
wonderful,noonewillcarewhatcomesoutofmy
mouth.
Theteamworksonmeuntillateafternoon,turning
myskintoglowingsatin,stencilingpatternsonmy
arms,paintingflamedesignsonmytwentyperfect
nails.ThenVeniagoestoworkonmyhair,weaving
strandsofredintoapatternthatbeginsatmyleft
ear,wrapsaroundmyhead,andthenfallsinone
braiddownmyrightshoulder.Theyerasemyface
withalayerofpalemakeupanddrawmyfeatures
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backout.Hugedarkeyes,fullredlips,lashesthat
throwoffbitsoflightwhenIblink.Finally,theycover
myentirebodyinapowderthatmakesmeshimmer
ingolddust.
ThenCinnaenterswithwhatIassumeismydress,
butIcan'treallyseeitbecauseit'scovered."Close
youreyes,"heorders.
Icanfeelthesilkeninsideastheyslipitdownover
mynakedbody,thentheweight.Itmustbeforty
pounds.IclutchOctavia'shandasIblindlystepinto
myshoes,gladtofindtheyareatleasttwoinches
lowerthanthepairEffiehadmepracticein.There's
someadjustingandfidgeting.Thensilence.
"CanIopenmyeyes?"Iask.
"Yes,"saysCinna."Openthem."
Thecreaturestandingbeforemeinthefulllength
mirrorhascomefromanotherworld.Whereskin
shimmersandeyesflashandapparentlytheymake
theirclothesfromjewels.Becausemydress,oh,my
dressisentirelycoveredinreflectivepreciousgems,
redandyellowandwhitewithbitsofbluethataccent
thetipsoftheflamedesign.Theslightestmovement
givestheimpressionIamengulfedintonguesoffire.
Iamnotpretty.Iamnotbeautiful.Iamasradiantas
thesun.
Forawhile,wealljuststareatme."Oh,Cinna,"I
finallywhisper."Thankyou."
"Twirlforme,"hesays.Iholdoutmyarmsandspin
inacircle.Theprepteamscreamsinadmiration.
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Cinnadismissestheteamandhasmemovearound
inthedressandshoes,whichareinfinitelymore
manageablethanEffie's.Thedresshangsinsucha
waythatIdon'thavetolifttheskirtwhenIwalk,
leavingmewithonelessthingtoworryabout.
"So,allreadyfortheinterviewthen?"asksCinna.I
canseebyhisexpressionthathe'sbeentalkingto
Haymitch.ThatheknowshowdreadfulIam.
"I'mawful.Haymitchcalledmeadeadslug.No
matterwhatwetried,Icouldn'tdoit.Ijustcan'tbe
oneofthosepeoplehewantsmetobe,"Isay.
Cinnathinksaboutthisamoment."Whydon'tyou
justbeyourself?"
"Myself?That'snogood,either.HaymitchsaysI'm
sullenandhostile,"Isay.
"Well,youare...aroundHaymitch,"saysCinnawith
agrin."Idon'tfindyouso.Theprepteamadoresyou.
YouevenwonovertheGamemakers.Andasforthe
citizensoftheCapitol,well,theycan'tstoptalking
aboutyou.Noonecanhelpbutadmireyourspirit."
Myspirit.Thisisanewthought.I'mnotsureexactly
whatitmeans,butitsuggestsI'mafighter.Inasort
ofbraveway.It'snotasifI'mneverfriendly.Okay,
maybeIdon'tgoaroundlovingeverybodyImeet,
maybemysmilesarehardtocomeby,butIdocare
forsomepeople.
Cinnatakesmyicyhandsinhiswarmones.
"Suppose,whenyouanswerthequestions,youthink
you'readdressingafriendbackhome.Whowould
yourbestfriendbe?"asksCinna.
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"Gale,"Isayinstantly."Onlyitdoesn'tmakesense,
Cinna.IwouldneverbetellingGalethosethings
aboutme.Healreadyknowsthem."
"Whataboutme?Couldyouthinkofmeasafriend?"
asksCinna.
OfallthepeopleI'vemetsinceIlefthome,Cinnais
byfarmyfavorite.Ilikedhimrightoffandhehasn't
disappointedmeyet."Ithinkso,but"
"I'llbesittingonthemainplatformwiththeother
stylists.You'llbeabletolookrightatme.When
you'reaskedaquestion,findme,andansweritas
honestlyaspossible,"saysCinna.
"EvenifwhatIthinkishorrible?"Iask.Becauseit
mightbe,really.
"Especiallyifwhatyouthinkishorrible,"says
Cinna."Youlltryit?"
Inod.It'saplan.Oratleastastrawtograspat.
Toosoonit'stimetogo.Theinterviewstakeplaceon
astageconstructedinfrontoftheTrainingCenter.
OnceIleavemyroom,itwillbeonlyminutesuntilI'm
infrontofthecrowd,thecameras,allofPanem.
AsCinnaturnsthedoorknob,Istophishand."Cinna
..."I'mcompletelyovercomewithstagefright.
"Remember,theyalreadyloveyou,"hesaysgently.
"Justbeyourself."
WemeetupwiththerestoftheDistrict12crowdat
theelevator.Portiaandherganghavebeenhardat
work.Peetalooksstrikinginablacksuitwithflame
accents.Whilewelookwelltogether,it'sareliefnotto
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bedressedidentically.HaymitchandEffieareall
fanciedupfortheoccasion.IavoidHaymitch,but
acceptEffie'scompliments.Effiecanbetiresomeand
clueless,butshe'snotdestructivelikeHaymitch.
Whentheelevatoropens,theothertributesarebeing
lineduptotakethestage.Alltwentyfourofussitin
abigarcthroughouttheinterviews.Illbelast,or
secondtolastsincethegirltributeprecedestheboy
fromeachdistrict.HowIwishIcouldbefirstandget
thewholethingoutoftheway!Now111havetolisten
tohowwitty,funny,humble,fierce,andcharming
everybodyelseisbeforeIgoup.Plus,theaudience
willstarttogetbored,justastheGamemakersdid.
AndIcan'texactlyshootanarrowintothecrowdto
gettheirattention.
Rightbeforeweparadeontothestage,Haymitch
comesupbehindPeetaandmeandgrowls,
"Remember,you'restillahappypair.Soactlikeit."
What?IthoughtweabandonedthatwhenPeeta
askedforseparatecoaching.ButIguessthatwasa
private,notapublicthing.Anyway,there'snotmuch
chanceforinteractionnow,aswewalksinglefileto
ourseatsandtakeourplaces.
Juststeppingonthestagemakesmybreathingrapid
andshallow.Icanfeelmypulsepoundinginmy
temples.It'sarelieftogettomychair,because
betweentheheelsandmylegsshaking,I'mafraidI'll
trip.Althougheveningisfalling,theCityCircleis
brighterthanasummer'sday.Anelevatedseating
unithasbeensetupforprestigiousguests,withthe
stylistscommandingthefrontrow.Thecameraswill
turntothemwhenthecrowdisreactingtotheir
handiwork.Alargebalconyoffabuildingtotheright
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hasbeenreservedfortheGamemakers.Television
crewshaveclaimedmostoftheotherbalconies.But
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theCityCircleandtheavenuesthatfeedintoitare
completelypackedwithpeople.Standingroomonly.
Athomesandcommunityhallsaroundthecountry,
everytelevisionsetisturnedon.Everycitizenof
Panemistunedin.Therewillbenoblackoutstonight.
CaesarFlickerman,themanwhohashostedthe
interviewsformorethanfortyyears,bouncesontothe
stage.It'salittlescarybecausehisappearancehas
beenvirtuallyunchangedduringallthattime.Same
faceunderacoatingofpurewhitemakeup.Same
hairstylethathedyesadifferentcolorforeach
HungerGames.Sameceremonialsuit,midnightblue
dottedwithathousandtinyelectricbulbsthat
twinklelikestars.TheydosurgeryintheCapitol,to
makepeopleappearyoungerandthinner.InDistrict
12,lookingoldissomethingofanachievementsince
somanypeopledieearly.Youseeanelderlyperson
youwanttocongratulatethemontheirlongevity,ask
thesecretofsurvival.Aplumppersonisenvied
becausetheyaren'tscrapingbylikethemajorityof
us.Buthereitisdifferent.Wrinklesaren'tdesirable.
Aroundbellyisn'tasignofsuccess.
Thisyear,Caesar'shairispowderblueandhis
eyelidsandlipsarecoatedinthesamehue.Helooks
freakishbutlessfrighteningthanhedidlastyear
whenhiscolorwascrimsonandheseemedtobe
bleeding.Caesartellsafewjokestowarmupthe
audiencebutthengetsdowntobusiness.
ThegirltributefromDistrict1,lookingprovocativein
aseethroughgoldgown,stepsupthecenterofthe
stagetojoinCaesarforherinterview.Youcantellher
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mentordidn'thaveanytroublecomingupwithan
angleforher.Withthatflowingblondehair,emerald
greeneyes,herbodytallandlush...she'ssexyallthe
way.
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Eachinterviewonlylaststhreeminutes.Thena
buzzergoesoffandthenexttributeisup.Illsaythis
forCaesar,hereallydoeshisbesttomakethe
tributesshine.He'sfriendly,triestosetthenervous
onesatease,laughsatlamejokes,andcanturna
weakresponseintoamemorableonebythewayhe
reacts.
Isitlikealady,thewayEffieshowedme,asthe
districtsslipby.2,3,4.Everyoneseemstobeplaying
upsomeangle.ThemonstrousboyfromDistrict2is
aruthlesskillingmachine.Thefoxfacedgirlfrom
District5slyandelusive.IspottedCinnaassoonas
hetookhisplace,butevenhispresencecannotrelax
me.8,9,10.Thecrippledboyfrom10isveryquiet.
Mypalmsaresweatinglikecrazy,butthejeweled
dressisn'tabsorbentandtheyskidrightofifItryto
drythem.11.
Rue,whoisdressedinagossamergowncomplete
withwings,fluttersherwaytoCaesar.Ahushfalls
overthecrowdatthesightofthismagicalwispofa
tribute.Caesar'sverysweetwithher,complimenting
hersevenintraining,anexcellentscoreforoneso
small.Whenheasksherwhathergreateststrength
inthearenawillbe,shedoesn'thesitate."I'mvery
hardtocatch,"shesaysinatremulousvoice."Andif
theycan'tcatchme,theycan'tkillme.Sodon'tcount
meout."
"Iwouldn'tinamillionyears,"saysCaesar
encouragingly.
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TheboytributefromDistrict11,Thresh,hasthe
samedarkskinasRue,buttheresemblancestops
there.He'soneofthegiants,probablysixandahalf
feettallandbuiltlikeanox,butInoticedherejected
theinvitationsfromtheCareerTributestojointheir
crowd.Insteadhe'sbeenverysolitary,speakingtono
one,showinglittleinterestintraining.Evenso,he
scoredatenandit'snothardtoimaginehe
impressedtheGamemakers.HeignoresCaesar's
attemptsatbanterandanswerswithayesornoor
justremainssilent.
IfonlyIwashissize,Icouldgetawaywithsullenand
hostileanditwouldbejustfine!Ibethalfthe
sponsorsareatleastconsideringhim.IfIhadany
money,I'dbetonhimmyself.
Andthenthey'recallingKatnissEverdeen,andIfeel
myself,asifinadream,standingandmakingmyway
centerstage.IshakeCaesar'soutstretchedhand,and
hehasthegoodgracenottoimmediatelywipehisoff
onhissuit.
"So,Katniss,theCapitolmustbequiteachangefrom
DistrictTwelve.What'simpressedyoumostsinceyou
arrivedhere?"asksCaesar.
What?Whatdidhesay?It'sasifthewordsmakeno
sense.
Mymouthhasgoneasdryassawdust.Idesperately
findCinnainthecrowdandlockeyeswithhim.I
imaginethewordscomingfromhislips."What's
impressedyoumostsinceyouarrivedhere?"Irack
mybrainforsomethingthatmademehappyhere.Be
honest,Ithink.Behonest.
"Thelambstew,"Igetout.
Caesarlaughs,andvaguelyIrealizesomeofthe
audiencehasjoinedin.
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"Theonewiththedriedplums?"asksCaesar.Inod.
"Oh,Ieatitbythebucketful."Heturnssidewaysto
theaudienceinhorror,handonhisstomach."It
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doesn'tshow,doesit?"Theyshoutreassurancesto
himandapplaud.ThisiswhatImeanaboutCaesar.
Hetriestohelpyouout.
"Now,Katniss,"hesaysconfidentially,"Whenyou
cameoutintheopeningceremonies,myheart
actuallystopped.Whatdidyouthinkofthat
costume?"
Cinnaraisesoneeyebrowatme.Behonest."You
meanafterIgotovermyfearofbeingburnedalive?"I
ask.
Biglaugh.Arealonefromtheaudience.
"Yes.Startthen,"saysCaesar.
Cinna,myfriend,Ishouldtellhimanyway."Ithought
Cinnawasbrilliantanditwasthemostgorgeous
costumeI'deverseenandIcouldn'tbelieveIwas
wearingit.Ican'tbelieveI'mwearingthis,either."I
liftupmyskirttospreaditout."Imean,lookatit!"
Astheaudienceoohsandahs,IseeCinnamakethe
tiniestcircularmotionwithhisfinger.ButIknow
whathe'ssaying.Twirlforme.
Ispininacircleonceandthereactionisimmediate.
"Oh,dothatagain!"saysCaesar,andsoIliftupmy
armsandspinaroundandaroundlettingtheskirtfly
out,lettingthedressengulfmeinflames.The
audiencebreaksintocheers.WhenIstop,Iclutch
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Caesar'sarm.
"Don'tstop!"hesays.
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"Ihaveto,I'mdizzy!"I'malsogiggling,whichIthink
I'vedonemaybeneverinmylifetime.Butthenerves
andthespinninghavegottentome.
Caesarwrapsaprotectivearmaroundme."Don't
worry,I'vegotyou.Can'thaveyoufollowinginyour
mentor'sfootsteps."
Everyone'shootingasthecamerasfindHaymitch,
whoisbynowfamousforhisheaddiveatthe
reaping,andhewavesthemawaygoodnaturedlyand
pointsbacktome.
"It'sallright,"Caesarreassuresthecrowd."She'ssafe
withme.So,howaboutthattrainingscore.Eleven.
Giveusahintwhathappenedinthere."
IglanceattheGamemakersonthebalconyandbite
mylip."Um...allIcansay,isIthinkitwasafirst."
ThecamerasarerightontheGamemakers,whoare
chucklingandnodding.
"You'rekillingus,"saysCaesarasifinactual
pain."Details.Details."
Iaddressthebalcony."I'mnotsupposedtotalkabout
it,right?"
TheGamemakerwhofellinthepunchbowlshouts
out,"She'snot!"
"Thankyou,"Isay."Sorry.Mylipsaresealed."
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"Let'sgobackthen,tothemomenttheycalledyour
sister'snameatthereaping,"saysCaesar.Hismood
isquieternow."Andyouvolunteered.Canyoutellus
abouther?"
123|Page
No.No,notallofyou.ButmaybeCinna.Idon'tthink
I'mimaginingthesadnessonhisface."Hername's
Prim.She'sjusttwelve.AndIlovehermorethan
anything."
YoucouldhearapindropintheCityCirclenow.
"Whatdidshesaytoyou?Afterthereaping?"Caesar
asks.
Behonest.Behonest.Iswallowhard."Sheaskedme
totryreallyhardtowin."Theaudienceisfrozen,
hangingonmyeveryword.
"Andwhatdidyousay?"promptsCaesargently.
Butinsteadofwarmth,Ifeelanicyrigiditytakeover
mybody.Mymusclestenseastheydobeforeakill.
WhenIspeak,myvoiceseemstohavedroppedan
octave."IsworeIwould."
"Ibetyoudid,"saysCaesar,givingmeasqueeze.The
buzzergoesoff."Sorrywe'reoutoftime.Bestofluck,
KatnissEverdeen,tributefromDistrictTwelve."
TheapplausecontinueslongafterI'mseated.Ilookto
Cinnaforreassurance.Hegivesmeasubtlethumbs
up.
I'mstillinadazeforthefirstpartofPeeta'sinterview.
Hehastheaudiencefromthegetgo,though;Ican
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hearthemlaughing,shoutingout.Heplaysupthe
baker'ssonthing,comparingthetributestothe
breadsfromtheirdistricts.Thenhasafunny
anecdoteabouttheperilsoftheCapitolshowers."Tell
me,doIstillsmelllikeroses?"heasksCaesar,and
thenthere'sawholerunwheretheytaketurns
sniffingeachotherthatbringsdownthehouse.I'm
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comingbackintofocuswhenCaesaraskshimifhe
hasagirlfriendbackhome.
Peetahesitates,thengivesanunconvincingshakeof
hishead.
"Handsomeladlikeyou.Theremustbesomespecial
girl.Comeon,what'shername?"saysCaesar.
Peetasighs."Well,thereisthisonegirl.I'vehada
crushonhereversinceIcanremember.ButI'm
prettysureshedidn'tknowIwasaliveuntilthe
reaping."
Soundsofsympathyfromthecrowd.Unrequitedlove
theycanrelateto.
"Shehaveanotherfellow?"asksCaesar.
"Idon'tknow,butalotofboyslikeher,"saysPeeta.
"So,here'swhatyoudo.Youwin,yougohome.She
can'tturnyoudownthen,eh?"saysCaesar
encouragingly.
"Idon'tthinkit'sgoingtoworkout.Winning...won't
helpinmycase,"saysPeeta.
"Whyevernot?"saysCaesar,mystified.
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Peetablushesbeetredandstammersout."Because...
because...shecameherewithme."
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PARTI
"THEGAMES"
126|Page
10
Foramoment,thecamerasholdonPeeta'sdowncast
eyesaswhathesayssinksin.ThenIcanseemyface,
mouthhalfopeninamixofsurpriseandprotest,
magnifiedoneveryscreenasIrealize,Me!Hemeans
me!Ipressmylipstogetherandstareatthefloor,
hopingthiswillconcealtheemotionsstartingtoboil
upinsideofme.
"Oh,thatisapieceofbadluck,"saysCaesar,and
there'sarealedgeofpaininhisvoice.Thecrowdis
murmuringinagreement,afewhaveevengiven
agonizedcries.
"It'snotgood,"agreesPeeta.
"Well,Idon'tthinkanyofuscanblameyou.It'dbe
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hardnottofallforthatyounglady,"saysCaesar.
"Shedidn'tknow?"
Peetashakeshishead."Notuntilnow."
Iallowmyeyestoflickeruptothescreenlong
enoughtoseethattheblushonmycheeksis
unmistakable.
"Wouldn'tyoulovetopullherbackouthereandgeta
response?"Caesaraskstheaudience.Thecrowd
screamsassent."Sadly,rulesarerules,andKatniss
Everdeen'stimehasbeenspent.Well,bestofluckto
you,PeetaMellark,andIthinkIspeakforallof
PanemwhenIsayourheartsgowithyours."
Theroarofthecrowdisdeafening.Peetahas
absolutelywipedtherestofusoffthemapwithhis
127|Page
declarationofloveforme.Whentheaudiencefinally
settlesdown,hechokesoutaquiet"Thankyou"and
returnstohisseat.Westandfortheanthem.Ihave
toraisemyheadoutoftherequiredrespectand
cannotavoidseeingthateveryscreenisnow
dominatedbyashotofPeetaandme,separatedbya
fewfeetthatintheviewers'headscanneverbe
breached.Poortragicus.
ButIknowbetter.
Aftertheanthem,thetributesfilebackintothe
TrainingCenterlobbyandontotheelevators.Imake
suretoveerintoacarthatdoesnotcontainPeeta.
Thecrowdslowsourentouragesofstylistsand
mentorsandchaperones,sowehaveonlyeachother
forcompany.Noonespeaks.Myelevatorstopsto
depositfourtributesbeforeIamaloneandthenfind
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thedoorsopeningonthetwelfthfloor.Peetahasonly
juststeppedfromhiscarwhenIslammypalmsinto
hischest.Heloseshisbalanceandcrashesintoan
uglyurnfilledwithfakeflowers.Theurntipsand
shattersintohundredsoftinypieces.Peetalandsin
theshards,andbloodimmediatelyflowsfromhis
hands.
"Whatwasthatfor?"hesays,aghast.
"Youhadnoright!Norighttogosayingthosethings
aboutme!"Ishoutathim.
Nowtheelevatorsopenandthewholecrewisthere,
Effie,Haymitch,Cinna,andPortia.
"What'sgoingon?"saysEffie,anoteofhysteriainher
voice."Didyoufall?"
"Aftersheshovedme,"saysPeetaasEffieandCinna
helphimup.
128|Page
Haymitchturnsonme."Shovedhim?"
"Thiswasyouridea,wasn'tit?Turningmeintosome
kindoffoolinfrontoftheentirecountry?"Ianswer.
"Itwasmyidea,"saysPeeta,wincingashepulls
spikesofpotteryfromhispalms."Haymitchjust
helpedmewithit."
"Yes,Haymitchisveryhelpful.Toyou!"Isay.
"Youareafool,"Haymitchsaysindisgust."Doyou
thinkhehurtyou?Thatboyjustgaveyousomething
youcouldneverachieveonyourown."
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"Hemademelookweak!"Isay.
"Hemadeyoulookdesirable!Andlet'sfaceit,youcan
useallthehelpyoucangetinthatdepartment.You
wereaboutasromanticasdirtuntilhesaidhe
wantedyou.Nowtheyalldo.You'reallthey'retalking
about.ThestarcrossedloversfromDistrictTwelve!"
saysHaymitch.
"Butwe'renotstarcrossedlovers!"Isay.
Haymitchgrabsmyshouldersandpinsmeagainst
thewall."Whocares?It'sallabigshow.It'sallhow
you'reperceived.ThemostIcouldsayaboutyouafter
yourinterviewwasthatyouwereniceenough,
althoughthatinitselfwasasmallmiracle.NowIcan
sayyou'reaheartbreaker.Oh,oh,oh,howtheboys
backhomefalllonginglyatyourfeet.Whichdoyou
thinkwillgetyoumoresponsors?"
Thesmellofwineonhisbreathmakesmesick.I
shovehishandsoffmyshouldersandstepaway,
tryingtoclearmyhead.
129|Page
Cinnacomesoverandputshisarmaroundme."He's
right,Katniss."
Idon'tknowwhattothink."Ishouldhavebeentold,
soIdidn'tlooksostupid."
"No,yourreactionwasperfect.Ifyou'dknown,it
wouldn'thavereadasreal,"saysPortia.
"She'sjustworriedaboutherboyfriend,"saysPeeta
gruffly,tossingawayabloodypieceoftheurn.
MycheeksburnagainatthethoughtofGale."Idon't
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haveaboyfriend."
"Whatever,"saysPeeta."ButIbethe'ssmartenough
toknowabluffwhenheseesit.Besidesyoudidn't
sayyoulovedme.Sowhatdoesitmatter?"
Thewordsaresinkingin.Myangerfading.I'mtorn
nowbetweenthinkingI'vebeenusedandthinkingI've
beengivenanedge.Haymitchisright.Isurvivedmy
interview,butwhatwasIreally?Asillygirlspinning
inasparkling,dress.Giggling.Theonlymomentof
anysubstanceIhailwaswhenItalkedaboutPrim.
ComparethatwithThresh,hissilent,deadlypower,
andI'mforgettable.Sillyandsparklyandforgettable.
No,notentirelyforgettable,Ihavemyelevenin
training.
ButnowPeetahasmademeanobjectoflove.Not
justhis.TohearhimtellitIhavemanyadmirers.
Andiftheaudiencereallythinkswe'reinlove...I
rememberhowstronglytheyrespondedtohis
confession.Starcrossedlovers.Haymitchisright,
theyeatthatstuffupintheCapitol.SuddenlyI'm
worriedthatIdidn'treactproperly.
130|Page
"Afterhesaidhelovedme,didyouthinklcouldbein
lovewithhim,too?"Iask.
"Idid,"saysPortia."Thewayyouavoidedlookingat
thecameras,theblush."
Theyotherschimein,agreeing.
"You'regolden,sweetheart.You'regoingtohave
sponsorslineduparoundtheblock,"saysHaymitch.
I'membarrassedaboutmyreaction.Iforcemyselfto
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acknowledgePeeta."I'msorryIshovedyou."
"Doesn'tmatter,"heshrugs."Althoughit'stechnically
illegal."
"Areyourhandsokay?"Iask."TheyHbeallright,"he
says.
Inthesilencethatfollows,delicioussmellsofour
dinnerwaftinfromthediningroom."Comeon,let's
eat,"saysHaymitch.Weallfollowhimtothetable
andtakeourplaces.ButthenPeetaisbleedingtoo
heavily,andPortialeadshimoffformedical
treatment.Westartthecreamandrosepetalsoup
withoutthem.Bythetimewe'vefinished,they're
back.Peeta'shandsarewrappedinbandages.Ican't
helpfeelingguilty.Tomorrowwewillbeinthearena.
HehasdonemeafavorandIhaveansweredwithan
injury.WillIneverstopowinghim?
Afterdinner,wewatchthereplayinthesittingroom.
Iseemfrillyandshallow,twirlingandgigglinginmy
dress,althoughtheothersassuremeIamcharming.
Peetaactuallyischarmingandthenutterlywinning
astheboyinlove.AndthereIam,blushingand
confused,madebeautifulbyCinna'shands,desirable
131|Page
byPeeta'sconfession,tragicbycircumstance,andby
allaccounts,unforgettable.
Whentheanthemfinishesandthescreengoesdark,
ahushfallsontheroom.Tomorrowatdawn,wewill
berousedandpreparedforthearena.Theactual
Gamesdon'tstartuntiltenbecausesomanyofthe
Capitolresidentsriselate.ButPeetaandImustmake
anearlystart.Thereisnotellinghowfarwewill
traveltothearenathathasbeenpreparedforthis
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year'sGames.
IknowHaymitchandEffiewillnotbegoingwithus.
Assoonastheyleavehere,they'llbeattheGames
Headquarters,hopefullymadlysigningupour
sponsors,workingoutastrategyonhowandwhento
deliverthegiftstous.CinnaandPortiawilltravel
withustotheveryspotfromwhichwewillbe
launchedintothearena.Stillfinalgoodbyesmustbe
saidhere.
Effietakesbothofusbythehandand,withactual
tearsinhereyes,wishesuswell.Thanksusforbeing
thebesttributesithaseverbeenherprivilegeto
sponsor.Andthen,becauseit'sEffieandshe's
apparentlyrequiredbylawtosaysomethingawful,
sheadds"Iwouldn'tbeatallsurprisedifIfinallyget
promotedtoadecentdistrictnextyear!"
Thenshekissesuseachonthecheekandhurries
out,overcomewitheithertheemotionalpartingorthe
possibleimprovementofherfortunes.
Haymitchcrosseshisarmsandlooksusbothover.
"Anyfinalwordsofadvice?"asksPeeta.
"Whenthegongsounds,getthehelloutofthere.
You'reneitherofyouuptothebloodbathatthe
132|Page
Cornucopia.Justclearout,putasmuchdistanceas
youcanbetweenyourselvesandtheothers,andfind
asourceofwater,"hesays."Gotit?"
"Andafterthat?"Iask.
"Stayalive,"saysHaymitch.It'sthesameadvicehe
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gaveusonthetrain,buthe'snotdrunkandlaughing
thistime.Andweonlynod.Whatelseistheretosay?
WhenIheadtomyroom,Peetalingerstotalkto
Portia.I'mglad.Whateverstrangewordsofpartingwe
exchangecanwaituntiltomorrow.Mycoversare
drawnback,butthereisnosignoftheredheaded
Avoxgirl.IwishIknewhername.Ishouldhave
askedit.Shecouldwriteitdownmaybe.Oractitout.
Butperhapsthatwouldonlyresultinpunishmentfor
her.
Itakeashowerandscrubthegoldpaint,the
makeup,thescentofbeautyfrommybody.Allthat
remainsofthedesignteam'seffortsaretheflameson
mynails.IdecidetokeepthemasreminderofwhoI
amtotheaudience.Katniss,thegirlwhowasonfire.
Perhapsitwillgivemesomethingtoholdontointhe
daystocome.
Ipullonathick,fleecynightgownandclimbintobed.
IttakesmeaboutfivesecondstorealizeI'llneverfall
asleep.AndIneedsleepdesperatelybecauseinthe
arenaeverymomentIgiveintofatiguewillbean
invitationtodeath.
It'snogood.Onehour,two,threepass,andmy
eyelidsrefusetogetheavy.Ican'tstoptryingto
imagineexactlywhatterrainI'llbethrowninto.
Desert?Swamp?Afrigidwasteland?AboveallIam
hopingfortrees,whichmayaffordmesomemeansof
concealmentandfoodandshelter,Oftenthereare
133|Page
treesbecausebarrenlandscapesaredullandthe
Gamesresolvetooquicklywithoutthem.Butwhat
willtheclimatebelike?Whattrapshavethe
Gamemakershiddentolivenuptheslower
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moments?Andthentherearemyfellowtributes...
ThemoreanxiousIamtofindsleep,themoreit
eludesme.Finally,Iamtoorestlesstoevenstayin
bed.Ipacethefloor,heartbeatingtoofast,breathing
tooshort.Myroomfeelslikeaprisoncell.IfIdon't
getairsoon,I'mgoingtostarttothrowthingsagain.I
rundownthehalltothedoortotheroof.It'snotonly
unlockedbutajar.Perhapssomeoneforgottocloseit,
butitdoesn'tmatter.Theenergyfieldenclosingthe
roofpreventsanydesperateformofescape.AndI'm
notlookingtoescape,onlytofillmylungswithair.I
wanttoseetheskyandthemoononthelastnight
thatnoonewillbehuntingme.
Theroofisnotlitatnight,butassoonasmybarefeel
reachitstiledsurfaceIseehissilhouette,black
againstthelightsthatshineendlesslyintheCapitol.
There'squiteacommotiongoingondowninthe
streets,musicandsingingandcarhorns,noneof
whichIcouldhearthroughthethickglasswindow
panelsinmyroom.Icouldslipawaynow,without
himnoticingme;hewouldn'thearmeoverthedin,
Butthenightair'ssosweet,Ican'tbearreturningto
thatstuffycageofaroom.Andwhatdifferencedoesit
make?Whetherwespeakornot?
Myfeetmovesoundlesslyacrossthetiles.I'monly
yardbehindhimwhenIsay,"Youshouldbegetting
somesleep."
Hestartsbutdoesn'tturn.Icanseehimgivehis
headaslightshake."Ididn'twanttomisstheparty.
It'sforus,afterall."
134|Page
Icomeupbesidehimandleanovertheedgeofthe
rail.Thewidestreetsarefullofdancingpeople.I
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squinttomakeouttheirtinyfiguresinmoredetail.
"Aretheyincostumes?"
"Whocouldtell?"Peetaanswers."Withallthecrazy
clothestheywearhere.Couldn'tsleep,either?"
"Couldn'tturnmymindoff,"Isay.
"Thinkingaboutyourfamily?"heasks.
"No,"Iadmitabitguiltily."AllIcandoiswonder
abouttomorrow.Whichispointless,ofcourse."Inthe
lightfrombelow,Icanseehisfacenow,theawkward
wayheholdshisbandagedhands."Ireallyamsorry
aboutyourhands."
"Itdoesn'tmatter,Katniss,"hesays."I'veneverbeen
acontenderintheseGamesanyway."
"That'snowaytobethinking,"Isay.
"Whynot?It'strue.Mybesthopeistonotdisgrace
myselfand..."Hehesitates.
"Andwhat?"Isay.
"Idon'tknowhowtosayitexactly.Only...Iwantto
dieasmyself.Doesthatmakeanysense?"heasks.I
shakemyhead.Howcouldhedieasanyonebut
himself?"Idon'twantthemtochangemeinthere.
TurnmeintosomekindofmonsterthatI'mnot."
Ibitemylipfeelinginferior.WhileI'vebeen
ruminatingontheavailabilityoftrees,Peetahasbeen
strugglingwithhowtomaintainhisidentity.His
purityofself."Doyoumeanyouwon'tkillanyone?"I
ask.
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"No,whenthetimecomes,I'msureI'llkilljustlike
everybodyelse.Ican'tgodownwithoutafight.OnlyI
keepwishingIcouldthinkofawayto...toshowthe
Capitoltheydon'townme.ThatI'mmorethanjusta
pieceintheirGames,"saysPeeta.
"Butyou'renot,"Isay."Noneofusare.That'show
theGameswork."
"Okay,butwithinthatframework,there'sstillyou,
there'sstillme,"heinsists."Don'tyousee?"
"Alittle.Only...nooffense,butwhocares,Peeta?"I
say.
"Ido.Imean,whatelseamIallowedtocareaboutat
thispoint?"heasksangrily.He'slockedthoseblue
eyesonminenow,demandingananswer.
Itakeastepback."CareaboutwhatHaymitchsaid.
Aboutstayingalive."
Peetasmilesatme,sadandmocking."Okay.Thanks
forthetip,sweetheart."
It'slikeaslapintheface.HisuseofHaymitch's
patronizingendearment."Look,ifyouwanttospend
thelasthoursofyourlifeplanningsomenobledeath
inthearena,that'syourchoice.Iwanttospendmine
inDistrictTwelve."
"Wouldn'tsurprisemeifyoudo,"saysPeeta."Give
mymothermybestwhenyoumakeitback,willyou?"
"Countonit,"Isay.ThenIturnandleavetheroof.I
spendtherestofthenightslippinginandoutofa
doze,imaginingthecuttingremarksIwillmaketo
PeetaMellarkinthemorning.PeetaMellark.Wewill
seehowhighandmightyheiswhenhe'sfacedwith
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lifeanddeath.He'llprobablyturnintooneofthose
ragingbeasttributes,thekindwhotriestoeat
someone'sheartafterthey'vekilledthem.Therewasa
guylikethatafewyearsagofromDistrict6called
Titus.Hewentcompletelysavageandthe
Gamemakershadtohavehimstunnedwithelectric
gunstocollectthebodiesoftheplayershe'dkilled
beforeheatethem.Therearenorulesinthearena,
butcannibalismdoesn'tplaywellwiththeCapitol
audience,sotheytriedtoheaditoff.Therewassome
speculationthattheavalanchethatfinallytookTitus
outwasspecificallyengineeredtoensurethevictor
wasnotalunatic.
Idon'tseePeetainthemorning.Cinnacomestome
beforedawn,givesmeasimpleshifttowear,and
guidesmetotheroof.Myfinaldressingand
preparationswillbealoneinthecatacombsunderthe
arenaitself.Ahovercraftappearsoutofthinair,just
liketheonedidinthewoodsthedayIsawthe
redheadedAvoxgirlcaptured,andaladderdrops
down.Iplacemyhandsandfeetonthelowerrungs
andinstantlyit'sasifI'mfrozen.Somesortofcurrent
gluesmetotheladderwhileI'mliftedsafelyinside.
Iexpecttheladdertoreleasemethen,butI'mstill
stuckwhenawomaninawhitecoatapproachesme
carryingasyringe."Thisisjustyourtracker,Katniss.
Thestilleryouare,themoreefficientlyIcanplaceit,"
shesays.
Still?I'mastatue.Butthatdoesn'tpreventmefrom
feelingthesharpstabofpainastheneedleinserts
themetaltrackingdevicedeepundertheskinonthe
insideofmyforearm.NowtheGamemakerswill
alwaysbeabletotracemywhereaboutsinthearena.
Wouldn'twanttoloseatribute.
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Assoonasthetracker'sinplace,theladderreleases
me.ThewomandisappearsandCinnaisretrieved
fromtheroof,AnAvoxboycomesinanddirectsusto
aroomwherebreakfasthasbeenlaidout.Despitethe
tensioninmystomach,IeatasmuchasIcan,
althoughnoneofthedelectablefoodmakesany
impressiononme.I'msonervous,Icouldbeeating
coaldust.Theonethingthatdistractsmeatallisthe
viewfromthewindowsaswesailoverthecityand
thentothewildernessbeyond.Thisiswhatbirdssee.
Onlythey'refreeandsafe.Theveryoppositeofme.
Theridelastsabouthalfanhourbeforethewindows
blackout,suggestingthatwe'renearingthearena.
ThehovercraftlandsandCinnaandIgobacktothe
ladder,onlythistimeitleadsdownintoatube
underground,intothecatacombsthatliebeneaththe
arena.Wefollowinstructionstomydestination,a
chamberformypreparation.IntheCapitol,theycall
ittheLaunchRoom.Inthedistricts,it'sreferredtoas
theStockyard.Theplaceanimalsgobeforeslaughter.
Everythingisbrandnew,Iwillbethefirstandonly
tributetousethisLaunchRoom.Thearenasare
historicsites,preservedaftertheGames.Popular
destinationsforCapitolresidentstovisit,tovacation.
Goforamonth,rewatchtheGames,tourthe
catacombs,visitthesiteswherethedeathstook
place.Youcaneventakepartinreenactments.They
saythefoodisexcellent.
IstruggletokeepmybreakfastdownasIshowerand
cleanmyteeth.Cinnadoesmyhairinmysimple
trademarkbraiddownmyback.Thentheclothes
arrive,thesameforeverytribute.Cinnahashadno
sayinmyoutfit,doesnotevenknowwhatwillbein
thepackage,buthehelpsmedressinthe
undergarments,simpletawnypants,lightgreen
blouse,sturdybrownbelt,andthin,hoodedblack
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jacketthatfallstomythighs."Thematerialinthe
jacket'sdesignedtoreflectbodyheat.Expectsome
coolnights,"hesays.
Theboots,wornoverskintightsocks,arebetterthanI
couldhavehopedfor.Softleathernotunlikemyones
athome.Thesehaveanarrowflexiblerubbersole
withtreadsthough.Goodforrunning.
IthinkI'mfinishedwhenCinnapullsthegold
mockingjaypinfromhispocket.Ihadcompletely
forgottenaboutit.
"Wheredidyougetthat?"Iask.
"Offthegreenoutfityouworeonthetrain,"hesays.I
remembernowtakingitoffmymother'sdress,
pinningittotheshirt."It'syourdistricttoken,right?"
Inodandhefastensitonmyshirt."Itbarelycleared
thereviewboard.Somethoughtthepincouldbeused
asaweapon,givingyouanunfairadvantage.But
eventually,theyletitthrough,"saysCinna."They
eliminatedaringfromthatDistrictOnegirl,though.
Ifyoutwistedthegemstone,aspikepoppedout.
Poisonedone.Sheclaimedshehadnoknowledgethe
ringtransformedandtherewasnowaytoproveshe
did.Butshelosthertoken.There,you'reallset.Move
around.Makesureeverythingfeelscomfortable."
Iwalk,runinacircle,swingmyarmsabout."Yes,it's
fine.Fitsperfectly."
"Thenthere'snothingtodobutwaitforthecall,"says
Cinna."Unlessyouthinkyoucouldeatanymore?"
IturndownfoodbutacceptaglassofwaterthatI
taketinysipsofaswewaitonacouch.Idon'twant
tochewonmynailsorlips,soIfindmyselfgnawing
ontheinsideofmycheek.Itstillhasn'tfullyhealed
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fromafewdaysago.Soonthetasteofbloodfillsmy
mouth.
NervousnessseepsintoterrorasIanticipatewhatis
tocome.Icouldbedead,flatoutdead,inanhour.
Noteven.Myfingersobsessivelytracethehardlittle
lumponmyforearmwherethewomaninjectedthe
trackingdevice.Ipressonit,eventhoughithurts,I
pressonitsohardasmallbruisebeginstoform.
"Doyouwanttotalk,Katniss?"Cinnaasks.
Ishakemyheadbutafteramomentholdoutmy
handtohim.Cinnaenclosesitinbothofhis.And
thisishowwesituntilapleasantfemalevoice
announcesit'stimetoprepareforlaunch.
StillclenchingoneofCinna'shands,Iwalkoverand
standonthecircularmetalplate."Rememberwhat
Haymitchsaid.Run,findwater.Therestwillfollow,"
hesays.Inod."Andrememberthis.I'mnotallowedto
bet,butifIcould,mymoneywouldbeonyou."
"Truly?"Iwhisper.
"Truly,"saysCinna.Heleansdownandkissesmeon
theforehead."Goodluck,girlonfire."Andthena
glasscylinderisloweringaroundme,breakingour
handhold,cuttinghimofffromme.Hetapshis
fingersunderhischin.Headhigh.
IliftmychinandstandasstraightasIcan.The
cylinderbeginstorise.Formaybefifteenseconds,I'm
indarknessandthenIcanfeelthemetalplate
pushingmeoutofthecylinder,intotheopenair.For
amoment,myeyesaredazzledbythebrightsunlight
andI'mconsciousonlyofastrongwindwiththe
hopefulsmellofpinetrees.
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ThenIhearthelegendaryannouncer,Claudius
Templesmith,ashisvoiceboomsallaroundme.
"Ladiesandgentlemen,lettheSeventyfourthHunger
Gamesbegin!"
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Sixtyseconds.That'showlongwe'rerequiredtostand
onourmetalcirclesbeforethesoundofagong
releasesus.Stepoffbeforetheminuteisup,andland
minesblowyourlegsoff.Sixtysecondstotakeinthe
ringoftributesallequidistantfromtheCornucopia,a
giantgoldenhornshapedlikeaconewithacurved
tail,themouthofwhichisatleasttwentyfeethigh,
spillingoverwiththethingsthatwillgiveuslifehere
inthearena.Food,containersofwater,weapons,
medicine,garments,firestarters.Strewnaroundthe
Cornucopiaareothersupplies,theirvaluedecreasing
thefarthertheyarefromthehorn.Forinstance,only
afewstepsfrommyfeetlaysathreefootsquareof
plastic.Certainlyitcouldbeofsomeuseina
downpour.Butthereinthemouth,Icanseeatent
packthatwouldprotectfromalmostanysortof
weather.IfIhadthegutstogoinandfightforit
againsttheothertwentythreetributes.WhichIhave
beeninstructednottodo.
We'reonaflat,openstretchofground.Aplainof
hardpackeddirt.Behindthetributesacrossfromme,
Icanseenothing,indicatingeitherasteepdownward
slopeorevencliff.Tomyrightliesalake.Tomyleft
andback,sparspineywoods.ThisiswhereHaymitch
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wouldwantmetogo.Immediately.
Ihearhisinstructionsinmyhead."Justclearout,
putasmuchdistanceasyoucanbetweenyourselves
andtheothers,andfindasourceofwater."
Butit'stempting,sotempting,whenIseethebounty
waitingtherebeforeme.AndIknowthatifIdon'tget
it,someoneelsewill.ThattheCareerTributeswho
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survivethebloodbathwilldivideupmostoftheselife
sustainingspoils.Somethingcatchesmyeye.There,
restingonamoundofblanketrolls,isasilversheath
ofarrowsandabow,alreadystrung,justwaitingto
beengaged.That'smine,Ithink.It'smeantforme.
I'mfast.Icansprintfasterthananyofthegirlsinour
schoolalthoughacouplecanbeatmeindistance
races.Butthisfortyyardlength,thisiswhatIam
builtfor.IknowIcangetit,IknowIcanreachit
first,butthenthequestionishowquicklycanIget
outofthere?BythetimeI'vescrambledupthepacks
andgrabbedtheweapons,otherswillhavereached
thehorn,andoneortwoImightbeabletopickoff,
butsaythere'sadozen,atthatcloserange,they
couldtakemedownwiththespearsandtheclubs.Or
theirownpowerfulfists.
Still,Iwon'tbetheonlytarget.I'mbettingmanyof
theothertributeswouldpassupasmallergirl,even
onewhoscoredanelevenintraining,totakeouttheir
morefierceadversaries.
Haymitchhasneverseenmerun.Maybeifhehad
he'dtellmetogoforit.Gettheweapon.Sincethat's
theveryweaponthatmightbemysalvation.AndI
onlyseeonebowinthatwholepile.Iknowthe
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minutemustbealmostupandwillhavetodecide
whatmystrategywillbeandIfindmyselfpositioning
myfeettorun,notawayintothestirroundingforests
buttowardthepile,towardthebow.WhensuddenlyI
noticePeeta,he'saboutfivetributestomyright,quite
afairdistance,stillIcantellhe'slookingatmeandI
thinkhemightbeshakinghishead.Butthesun'sin
myeyes,andwhileI'mpuzzlingoveritthegongrings
out.
AndI'vemissedit!I'vemissedmychance!Because
thoseextracoupleofsecondsI'velostbynotbeing
readyareenoughtochangemymindaboutgoingin.
Myfeetshuffleforamoment,confusedatthe
directionmybrainwantstotakeandthenIlunge
forward,scoopupthesheetofplasticandaloafof
bread.ThepickingsaresosmallandI'msoangry
withPeetafordistractingmethatIsprintintwenty
yardstoretrieveabrightorangebackpackthatcould
holdanythingbecauseIcan'tstandleavingwith
virtuallynothing.
Aboy,IthinkfromDistrict9,reachesthepackatthe
sametimeIdoandforabrieftimewegrappleforit
andthenhecoughs,splatteringmyfacewithblood.I
staggerback,repulsedbythewarm,stickyspray.
Thentheboyslipstotheground.That'swhenIsee
theknifeinhisback.Alreadyothertributeshave
reachedtheCornucopiaandarespreadingoutto
attack.Yes,thegirlfromDistrict2,tenyardsaway,
runningtowardme,onehandclutchingahalfdozen
knives.I'veseenherthrowintraining.Shenever
misses.AndI'mhernexttarget.
AllthegeneralfearI'vebeenfeelingcondensesintoat
immediatefearofthisgirl,thispredatorwhomight
killmeinseconds.Adrenalineshootsthroughmeand
Islingthepackoveroneshoulderandrunfullspeed
forthewoods.Icanhearthebladewhistlingtoward
meandreflexivelyhikethepackuptoprotectmy
head.Thebladelodgesinthepack.Bothstrapson
myshouldersnow,Imakeforthetrees.SomehowI
knowthegirlwillnotpursueme.Thatshe'llbedrawn
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backintotheCornucopiabeforeallthegoodstuffis
gone.Agrincrossesmyface.Thanksfortheknife,I
think.
AttheedgeofthewoodsIturnforoneinstantto
surveythefield.Aboutadozenorsotributesare
hackingawayatoneanotheratthehorn.Severallie
deadalreadyontheground.Thosewhohavetaken
flightaredisappearingintothetreesorintothevoid
oppositeme.Icontinuerunninguntilthewoodshave
hiddenmefromtheothertributesthenslowintoa
steadyjogthatIthinkIcanmaintainforawhile.For
thenextfewhours,Ialternatebetweenjoggingand
walking,puttingasmuchdistanceasIcanbetween
myselfandmycompetitors.Ilostmybreadduring
thestrugglewiththeboyfromDistrict9butmanaged
tostuffmyplasticinmysleevesoasIwalkIfoldit
neatlyandtuckitintoapocket.Ialsofreetheknife
it'safineonewithalongsharpblade,serrated
nearthehandle,whichwillmakeithandyforsawing
throughthingsandslideitintomybelt.Idon't
darestoptoexaminethecontentsofthepackyet.I
justkeepmoving,pausingonlytocheckforpursuers.
Icangoalongtime.Iknowthatfrommydaysinthe
woods.ButIwillneedwater.ThatwasHaymitch's
secondinstruction,andsinceIsortofbotchedthe
first,Ikeepasharpeyeoutforanysignofit.Noluck.
Thewoodsbegintoevolve,andthepinesare
intermixedwithavarietyoftrees,someIrecognize,
somecompletelyforeigntome.Atonepoint,Iheara
noiseandpullmyknife,thinkingImayhaveto
defendmyself,butI'veonlystartledarabbit."Goodto
seeyou,"Iwhisper.Ifthere'sonerabbit,therecould
behundredsjustwaitingtobesnared.
Thegroundslopesdown.Idon'tparticularlylikethis.
Valleysmakemefeeltrapped.Iwanttobehigh,like
inthehillsaroundDistrict12,whereIcanseemy
enemiesapproaching.ButIhavenochoicebutto
keepgoing.
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Funnythough,Idon'tfeeltoobad.Thedaysof
gorgingmyselfhavepaidoff.I'vegotstayingpower
eventhoughI'mshortonsleep.Beinginthewoodsis
rejuvenating.I'mgladforthesolitude,eventhough
it'sanillusion,becauseI'mprobablyonscreenright
now.Notconsistentlybutoffandon.Thereareso
manydeathstoshowthefirstdaythatatribute
trekkingthroughthewoodsisn'tmuchtolookat.But
they11showmeenoughtoletpeopleknowI'malive,
uninjuredandonthemove.Oneoftheheaviestdays
ofbettingistheopening,whentheinitialcasualties
comein.Butthatcan'tcomparetowhathappensas
thefieldshrinkstoahandfulofplayers.
It'slateafternoonwhenIbegintohearthecannons.
Eachshotrepresentsadeadtribute.Thefighting
musthavefinallystoppedattheCornucopia.They
nevercollectthebloodbathbodiesuntilthekillers
havedispersed.Ontheopeningday,theydon'teven
firethecannonsuntiltheinitialfighting'sover
becauseit'stoohardtokeeptrackofthefatalities.I
allowmyselftopause,panting,asIcounttheshots.
One...two...three...onandonuntiltheyreach
eleven.Elevendeadinall.Thirteenlefttoplay.My
fingernailsscrapeatthedriedbloodtheboyfrom
District9coughedintomyface.He'sgone,certainly.I
wonderaboutPeeta.Hashelastedthroughtheday?
I'llknowinafewhours.Whentheyprojectthedead's
imagesintotheskyfortherestofustosee.
Allofasudden,I'moverwhelmedbythethoughtthat
Peetamaybealreadylost,bledwhite,collected,and
intheprocessofbeingtransportedbacktothe
Capitoltobecleanedup,redressed,andshippedina
simplewoodenboxbacktoDistrict12.Nolonger
here.Headinghome.ItryhardtorememberifIsaw
himoncetheactionstarted.ButthelastimageIcan
conjureupisPeetashakinghisheadasthegongrang
out.
Maybeit'sbetter,ifhe'sgonealready.Hehadno
confidencehecouldwin.AndIwillnotendupwith
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146|Page
theunpleasanttaskofkillinghim.Maybeit'sbetterif
he'soutofthisforgood.
Islumpdownnexttomypack,exhausted.Ineedto
gothroughitanywaybeforenightfalls.SeewhatI
havetoworkwith.AsIunhookthestraps,Icanfeel
it'ssturdilymadealthougharatherunfortunate
color.Thisorangewillpracticallyglowinthedark.I
makeamentalnotetocamouflageitfirstthing
tomorrow.
Iflipopentheflap.WhatIwantmost,rightatthis
moment,iswater.Haymitch'sdirectivetoimmediately
findwaterwasnotarbitrary.Iwon'tlastlongwithout
it.Forafewdays,111beabletofunctionwith
unpleasantsymptomsofdehydration,butafterthat
I'lldeteriorateintohelplessnessandbedeadina
week,tops.Icarefullylayouttheprovisions.Onethin
blacksleepingbagthatreflectsbodyheal.Apackof
crackers.Apackofdriedbeefstrips.Abottleof
iodine.Aboxofwoodenmatches.Asmallcoilofwire.
Apairofsunglasses.Andahalfgallonplasticbottle
withacapforcarryingwaterthat'sbonedry.
Nowater.Howhardwouldithavebeenforthemtofill
upthebottle?Ibecomeawareofthedrynessinmy
throatandmouth,thecracksinmylips.I'vebeen
movingalldaylong.It'sbeenhotandI'vesweatalot.
Idothisathome,buttherearealwaysstreamsto
drinkfrom,orsnowtomeltifitshouldcometoit.
AsIrefillmypackIhaveanawfulthought.Thelake.
TheoneIsawwhileIwaswaitingforthegongto
sound.Whatifthat'stheonlywatersourceinthe
arena?Thatwaythey'llguaranteedrawingusinto
fight.Thelakeisafullday'sjourneyfromwhereIsit
now,amuchharderjourneywithnothingtodrink.
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Andthen,evenifIreachit,it'ssuretobeheavily
guardedbysomeoftheCareerTributes.I'maboutto
panicwhenIremembertherabbitIstartledearlier
today.Ithastodrink,too.Ijusthavetofindout
where.
TwilightisclosinginandIamillatease.Thetrees
aretoothintooffermuchconcealment.Thelayerof
pineneedlesthatmufflesmyfootstepsalsomakes
trackinganimalsharderwhenIneedtheirtrailsto
findwater.AndI'mstillheadingdownhill,deeperand
deeperintoavalleythatseemsendless.
I'mhungry,too,butIdon'tdarebreakintomy
preciousstoreofcrackersandbeefyet.Instead,Itake
myknifeandgotoworkonapinetree,cuttingaway
theouterbarkandscrapingoffalargehandfulofthe
softerinnerbark.IslowlychewthestuffasIwalk
along.Afteraweekofthefinestfoodintheworld,it's
alittlehardtochokedown.ButI'veeatenplentyof
pineinmylife.Illadjustquickly.
Inanotherhour,it'sclearI'vegottofindaplaceto
camp.Nightcreaturesarecomingout.Icanhearthe
occasionalhootorhowl,myfirstcluethat111be
competingwithnaturalpredatorsfortherabbits.As
towhether111beviewedasasourceoffood,it'stoo
soontotell.Therecouldbeanynumberofanimals
stalkingmeatthismoment.
Butrightnow,Idecidetomakemyfellowtributesa
priority.I'msuremanywillcontinuehuntingthrough
thenight.ThosewhofoughtitoutattheCornucopia
willhavefood,anabundanceofwaterfromthelake,
torchesorflashlights,andweaponsthey'reitchingto
use.IcanonlyhopeI'vetraveledfarandfastenough
tobeoutofrange.
Beforesettlingdown,Itakemywireandsettwo
twitchupsnaresinthebrush.Iknowit'sriskytobe
settingtraps,butfoodwillgosofastouthere.AndI
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can'tsetsnaresontherun.Still,Iwalkanotherfive
minutesbeforemakingcamp.
Ipickmytreecarefully.Awillow,notterriblytallbut
setinaclumpofotherwillows,offeringconcealment
inthoselong,flowingtresses.Iclimbup,stickingto
thestrongerbranchesclosetothetrunk,andfinda
sturdyforkformybed.Ittakessomedoing,butI
arrangethesleepingbaginarelativelycomfortable
manner.Iplacemybackpackinthefootofthebag,
thenslideinafterit.Asaprecaution,Iremovemy
belt,loopitallthewayaroundthebranchandmy
sleepingbag,andrefastenitatmywaist.NowifIroll
overinmysleep,Iwon'tgocrashingtotheground.
I'msmallenoughtotuckthetopofthebagovermy
head,butIputonmyhoodaswell.Asnightfalls,the
airiscoolingquickly.DespitetheriskItookingetting
thebackpack,Iknownowitwastherightchoice.
Thissleepingbag,radiatingbackandpreservingmy
bodyheat,willbeinvaluable.I'msurethereare
severalothertributeswhosebiggestconcernright
nowishowtostaywarmwhereasImayactuallybe
abletogetafewhoursofsleep.IfonlyIwasn'tso
thirsty...
NighthasjustcomewhenIheartheanthemthat
proceedsthedeathrecap.ThroughthebranchesIcan
seethesealoftheCapitol,whichappearstobe
floatinginthesky.I'mactuallyviewinganother
screen,anenormousonethat'stransportedbyofone
oftheirdisappearinghovercraft.Theanthemfades
outandtheskygoesdarkforamoment.Athome,we
wouldbewatchingfullcoverageofeachandevery
killing,butthat'sthoughttogiveanunfairadvantage
tothelivingtributes.Forinstance,ifIgotmyhands
onthebowandshotsomeone,mysecretwouldbe
revealedtoall.No,hereinthearena,allweseeare
thesamephotographstheyshowedwhenthey
televisedourtrainingscores.Simpleheadshots.But
nowinsteadofscorestheypostonlydistrictnumbers.
Itakeadeepbreathasthefaceoftheelevendead
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tributesbeginandtickthemoffonebyoneonmy
fingers.
ThefirsttoappearisthegirlfromDistrict3.That
meansthattheCareerTributesfrom1and2haveall
survived.Nosurprisethere.Thentheboyfrom4.I
didn'texpectthatone,usuallyalltheCareersmakeit
throughthefirstday.TheboyfromDistrict5...I
guessthefoxfacedgirlmadeit.Bothtributesfrom6
and7.Theboyfrom8.Bothfrom9.Yes,there'sthe
boywhoIfoughtforthebackpack.I'verunthrough
myfingers,onlyonemoredeadtributetogo.Isit
Peeta?No,there'sthegirlfromDistrict10.That'sit.
TheCapitolsealisbackwithafinalmusicalflourish.
Thendarknessandthesoundsoftheforestresume.
I'mrelievedPeeta'salive.ItellmyselfagainthatifI
getkilled,hiswinningwillbenefitmymotherand
Primthemost.ThisiswhatItellmyselftoexplainthe
conflictingemotionsthatarisewhenIthinkofPeeta.
Thegratitudethathegavemeanedgebyprofessing
hisloveformeintheinterview.Theangerathis
superiorityontheroof.Thedreadthatwemaycome
facetofaceatanymomentinthisarena.
Elevendead,butnonefromDistrict12.Itrytowork
outwhoisleft.FiveCareerTributes.Foxface.Thresh
andRue.Rue...soshemadeitthroughthefirstday
afterall.Ican'thelpfeelingglad.Thatmakestenof
us.TheotherthreeI'llfigureouttomorrow.Nowwhen
itisdark,andIhavetraveledfar,andIamnestled
highinthistree,nowImusttryandrest.
Ihaven'treallysleptintwodays,andthenthere's
beenthelongday'sjourneyintothearena.Slowly,I
allowmymusclestorelax.Myeyestoclose.Thelast
thingIthinkisit'sluckyIdon'tsnore....
Snap!Thesoundofabreakingbranchwakesme.
HowlonghaveIbeenasleep?Fourhours?Five?The
tipofmynoseisicycold.Snap!Snap!What'sgoing
on?Thisisnotthesoundofabranchunder
someone'sfoot,butthesharpcrackofonecoming
fromatree.Snap!Snap!Ijudgeittobeseveral
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hundredyardstomyright.Slowly,noiselessly,Iturn
myselfinthatdirection.Forafewminutes,there's
nothingbutblacknessandsomescuffling.ThenIsee
asparkandasmallfirebeginstobloom.Apairof
handswarmsoverflames,butIcan'tmakeoutmore
thanthat.
IhavetobitemylipnottoscreameveryfoulnameI
knowatthefirestarter.Whataretheythinking?A
fire111justatnightfallwouldhavebeenonething.
ThosewhobattledattheCornucopia,withtheir
superiorstrengthandsurplusofsupplies,they
couldn'tpossiblyhavebeennearenoughtospotthe
flamesthen.Butnow,whenthey'veprobablybeen
combingthewoodsforhourslookingforvictims.You
mightaswellbewavingaflagandshouting,"Come
andgetme!"
AndhereIamastone'sthrowfromthebiggestidiot
intheGames.Strappedinatree.Notdaringtoflee
sincemygenerallocationhasjustbeenbroadcastto
anykillerwhocares.Imean,Iknowit'scoldouthere
andnoteverybodyhasasleepingbag.Butthenyou
grityourteethandstickitoutuntildawn!
Ilaysmolderinginmybagforthenextcoupleof
hoursreallythinkingthatifIcangetoutofthistree,I
won'thavetheleastproblemtakingoutmynew
neighbor.Myinstincthasbeentoflee,notfight.But
obviouslythisperson'sahazard.Stupidpeopleare
dangerous.Andthisoneprobablydoesn'thavemuch
inthewayofweaponswhileI'vegotthisexcellent
knife.
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Theskyisstilldark,butIcanfeelthefirstsignsof
dawnapproaching.I'mbeginningtothinkwe
meaningthepersonwhosedeathI'mnowdevising
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andmewemightactuallyhavegoneunnoticed.
ThenIhearit.Severalpairsoffeetbreakingintoa
run.Thefirestartermusthavedozedoff.They'reon
herbeforeshecanescape.Iknowit'sagirlnow,Ican
tellbythepleading,theagonizedscreamthatfollows.
Thenthere'slaughterandcongratulationsfrom
severalvoices.Someonecriesout,"Twelvedownand
eleventogo!"whichgetsaroundofappreciative
hoots.
Sothey'refightinginapack.I'mnotreallysurprised.
Oftenalliancesareformedintheearlystagesofthe
Games.Thestrongbandtogethertohuntdownthe
weakthen,whenthetensionbecomestoogreat,begin
toturnononeanother.Idon'thavetowondertoo
hardwhohasmadethisalliance.It11bethe
remainingCareerTributesfromDistricts1,2,and4.
Twoboysandthreegirls.Theoneswholunched
together.
Foramoment,Ihearthemcheckingthegirlfor
supplies.Icantellbytheircommentsthey'vefound
nothinggood.IwonderifthevictimisRuebut
quicklydismissthethought.She'smuchtoobrightto
bebuildingafirelikethat.
"Betterclearoutsotheycangetthebodybeforeit
startsstinking."I'malmostcertainthat'sthebrutish
boyfromDistrict2.Therearemurmursofassentand
then,tomyhorror,Ihearthepackheadingtoward
me.TheydonotknowI'mhere.Howcouldthey?And
I'mwellconcealedintheclumpoftrees.Atleastwhile
thesunstaysdown.Thenmyblacksleepingbagwill
turnfromcamouflagetotrouble.Iftheyjustkeep
moving,theywillpassmeandbegoneinaminute.
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ButtheCareersstopintheclearingabouttenyards
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frommytree.Theyhaveflashlights,torches.Icansee
anarmhere,abootthere,throughthebreaksinthe
branches.Iturntostone,notevendaringtobreathe.
Havetheyspottedme?No,notyet.Icantellfrom
theirwordstheirmindsareelsewhere.
"Shouldn'twehaveheardacannonbynow?"
"I'dsayyes.Nothingtopreventthemfromgoingin
immediately."
"Unlesssheisn'tdead."
"She'sdead.Istuckhermyself."
"Thenwhere'sthecannon?"
"Someoneshouldgoback.Makesurethejob'sdone."
"Yeah,wedon'twanttohavetotrackherdown
twice."
"Isaidshe'sdead!"
Anargumentbreaksoutuntilonetributesilencesthe
others."We'rewastingtime!Illgofinishherandlet's
moveon!"
Ialmostfalloutofthetree.Thevoicebelongsto
Peeta.
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Thankgoodness,Ihadtheforesighttobeltmyselfin.
I'verolledsidewaysofftheforkandI'mfacingthe
ground,heldinplacebythebelt,onehand,andmy
feetstraddlingthepackinsidemysleepingbag,
bracedagainstthetrunk.Theremusthavebeensome
rustlingwhenItippedsideways,buttheCareershave
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beentoocaughtupintheirownargumenttocatchit.
"Goon,then,LoverBoy,"saystheboyfromDistrict
2."Seeforyourself."
IjustgetaglimpseofPeeta,litbyatorch,heading
backtothegirlbythefire.Hisfaceisswollenwith
bruises,there'sabloodybandageononearm,and
fromthesoundofhisgaithe'slimpingsomewhat.I
rememberhimshakinghimhishead,tellingmenot
togointothefightforthesupplies,whenallalong,all
alonghe'dplannedtothrowhimselfintothethickof
things.JusttheoppositeofwhatHaymitchhadmid
himtodo.
Okay,Icanstomachthat.Seeingallthosesupplies
wastempting.Butthis...thisotherthing.This
teamingupwiththeCareerwolfpacktohuntdown
therestofus.NoonefromDistrict12wouldthinkof
doingsuchathing!Careertributesareoverlyvicious,
arrogant,betterfed,butonlybecausethey'rethe
Capitol'slapdogs.
Universally,solidlyhatedbyallbutthosefromtheir
owndistricts.Icanimaginethethingsthey'resaying
abouthimbackhomenow.AndPeetahadthegallto
talktomeaboutdisgrace?
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Obviously,thenobleboyontherooftopwasplaying
justonemoregamewithme.Butthiswillbehislast.
Iwilleagerlywatchthenightskiesforsignsofhis
death,ifIdon'tkillhimfirstmyself.
TheCareertributesaresilentuntilhegetsoutofear
shot,thenusehushedvoices.
"Whydon'twejustkillhimnowandgetitoverwith?"
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"Lethimtagalong.What'stheharm?Andhe'shandy
withthatknife."
Ishe?That'snews.Whatalotofinterestingthings
I'mlearningaboutmyfriendPeetatoday.
"Besides,he'sourbestchanceoffindingher."
Ittakesmeamomenttoregisterthatthe"her"they're
referringtoisme.
"Why?Youthinksheboughtintothatsappyromance
stuff?"
"Shemighthave.Seemedprettysimplemindedtome.
EverytimeIthinkaboutherspinningaroundinthat
dress,Iwanttopuke."
"Wishweknewhowshegotthateleven."
"BetyouLoverBoyknows."
ThesoundofPeetareturningsilencesthem.
"Wasshedead?"askstheboyfromDistrict2.
"No.Butsheisnow,"saysPeeta.Justthen,the
cannonfires."Readytomoveon?"
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TheCareerpacksetsoffatarunjustasdawnbegins
tobreak,andbirdsongfillstheair.Iremaininmy
awkwardposition,musclestremblingwithexertion
forawhilelonger,thenhoistmyselfbackontomy
branch.Ineedtogetdown,togetgoing,butfora
momentIliethere,digestingwhatI'veheard.Notonly
isPeetawiththeCareers,he'shelpingthemfindme.
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Thesimplemindedgirlwhohastobetakenseriously
becauseofhereleven.Becauseshecanuseabow
andarrow.WhichPeetaknowsbetterthananyone.
Buthehasn'ttoldthemyet.Ishesavingthat
informationbecauseheknowsit'sallthatkeepshim
alive?Ishestillpretendingtolovemeforthe
audience?Whatisgoingoninhishead?
Suddenly,thebirdsfallsilent.Thenonegivesahigh
pitchedwarningcall.Asinglenote.Justliketheone
GaleandIheardwhentheredheadedAvoxgirlwas
caught.Highabovethedyingcampfireahovercraft
materializes.Asetofhugemetalteethdropsdown.
Slowly,gently,thedeadtributegirlisliftedintothe
hovercraft.Thenitvanishes.Thebirdsresumetheir
song.
"Move,"Iwhispertomyself.Iwriggleoutofmy
sleepingbag,rollitup,andplaceitinthepack.Itake
adeepbreath.WhileI'vebeenconcealedbydarkness
andthesleepingbagandthewillowbranches,ithas
probablybeendifficultforthecamerastogetagood
shotofme.Iknowtheymustbetrackingmenow
though.TheminuteIhittheground,I'mguaranteed
acloseup.
Theaudiencewillhavebeenbesidethemselves,
knowingIwasinthetree,thatIoverheardthe
Careerstalking,thatIdiscoveredPeetawaswith
them.UntilIworkoutexactlyhowIwanttoplaythat,
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I'dbetteratleastactontopofthings.Notperplexed.
Certainlynotconfusedorfrightened.
No,Ineedtolookonestepaheadofthegame.
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SoasIslideoutofthefoliageandintothedawnlight,
Ipauseasecond,givingthecamerastimetolockon
me.ThenIcockmyheadslightlytothesideandgive
aknowingsmile.There!Letthemfigureoutwhatthat
means!
I'mabouttotakeoffwhenIthinkofmysnares.
Maybeit'simprudenttocheckthemwiththeothers
soclose.Buthaveto.Toomanyyearsofhunting,I
guess.Andthelureofpossiblemeat.I'mrewarded
withonefinerabbit.Innotime,I'vecleanedand
guttedtheanimal,leavingthehead,feet,tail,skin,
andinnards,underapileofleaves.I'mwishingfora
fireeatingrawrabbitcangiveyourabbitfever,a
lessonIlearnedthehardwaywhenIthinkofthe
deadtribute.Ihurrybacktohercamp.Sureenough,
thecoalsofherdyingfirearestillhot.Icutupthe
rabbit,fashionaspitoutofbranches,andsetitover
thecoals.
I'mgladforthecamerasnow.IwantsponsorstoseeI
canhunt,thatI'magoodbetbecauseIwon'tbelured
intotrapsaseasilyastheotherswillbyhunger.
Whiletherabbitcooks,Igrinduppartofacharred
branchandsetaboutcamouflagingmyorangepack.
Theblacktonesitdown,butIfeelalayerofmud
woulddefinitelyhelp.Ofcourse,tohavemud,I'd
needwater...
Ipullonmygear,grabmyspit,kicksomedirtover
thecoals,andtakeoffintheoppositedirectionthe
Careerswent.IeathalftherabbitasIgo,thenwrap
uptheleftoversinmyplasticforlater.Themeatstops
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thegrumblinginmystomachbutdoeslittleto
quenchmythirst.Waterismytopprioritynow.
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AsIhikealong,IfeelcertainI'mstillholdingthe
screenintheCapitol,soI'mcarefultocontinueto
hidemyemotions.ButwhatagoodtimeClaudius
Templesmithmustbehavingwithhisguest
commentators,dissectingPeeta'sbehavior,my
reaction.Whattomakeofitall?HasPeetarevealed
histruecolors?Howdoesthisaffectthebettingodds?
Willwelosesponsors?Doweevenhavesponsors?
Yes,Ifeelcertainwedo,oratleastdid.
CertainlyPeetahasthrownawrenchintoourstar
crossedloverdynamic.Orhashe?Maybe,sincehe
hasn'tspokenmuchaboutme,wecanstillgetsome
mileageoutofit.Maybepeoplewillthinkit's
somethingweplottedtogetherifIseemlikeitamuses
menow.
Thesunrisesintheskyandeventhroughthecanopy
itseemsoverlybright.Icoatmylipsinsomegrease
fromtherabbitandtrytokeepfrompanting,butit's
nouse.It'sonlybeenadayandI'mdehydratingfast.
ItryandthinkofeverythingIknowaboutfinding
water.Itrunsdownhill,so,infact,continuingdown
intothisvalleyisn'tabadthing.IfIcouldjustlocate
agametrailorspotaparticularlygreenpatchof
vegetation,thesemighthelpmealong,butnothing
seemstochange.There'sjusttheslightgradualslope,
thebirds,thesamenesstothetrees.
Asthedaywearson,IknowI'mheadedfortrouble.
WhatlittleurineI'vebeenabletopassisadark
brown,myheadisaching,andthere'sadrypatchon
mytonguethatrefusestomoisten.Thesunhurtsmy
eyessoIdigoutmysunglasses,butwhenIputthem
ontheydosomethingfunnytomyvision,soIjust
stuffthembackinmypack.
It'slateafternoonwhenIthinkI'vefoundhelp.Ispot
aclusterofberrybushesandhurrytostripthefruit,
tosuckthesweetjuicesfromtheskins.Butjustas
I'mholdingthemtomylips,Igetahardlookatthem.
WhatIthoughtwereblueberrieshaveaslightly
differentshape,andwhenIbreakoneopenthe
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insidesarebloodred.Idon'trecognizetheseberries,
perhapstheyareedible,butI'mguessingthisissome
eviltrickonthepartoftheGamemakers.Eventhe
plantinstructorintheTrainingCentermadeapoint
oftellingustoavoidberriesunlessyouwere100
percentsuretheyweren'ttoxic.SomethingIalready
knew,butI'msothirstyittakesherremindertogive
methestrengthtoflingthemaway.
Fatigueisbeginningtosettleonme,butit'snotthe
usualtirednessthatfollowsalonghike.Ihavetostop
andrestfrequently,althoughIknowtheonlycurefor
whatailsmerequirescontinuedsearching.Itrya
newtacticclimbingatreeashighasIdareinmy
shakystatetolookforanysignsofwater.Butas
farasIcanseeinanydirection,there'sthesame
unrelentingstretchofforest.
Determinedtogoonuntilnightfall,IwalkuntilI'm
stumblingovermyownfeet.
Exhausted,Ihaulmyselfupintoatreeandbelt
myselfin.I'venoappetite,butIsuckonarabbitbone
justtogivemymouthsomethingtodo.Nightfalls,
theanthemplays,andhighintheskyIseethe
pictureofthegirl,whowasapparentlyfromDistrict
8.TheonePeetawentbacktofinishoff.
MyfearoftheCareerpackisminorcomparedtomy
burningthirst.Besides,theywereheadingawayfrom
meandbynowthey,too,willhavetorest.Withthe
scarcityofwater,theymayevenhavehadtoreturnto
thelakeforrefills.
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Maybe,thatistheonlycourseformeaswell.
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Morningbringsdistress.Myheadsthrobswithevery
beatofmyheart.Simplemovementssendstabsof
painthroughmyjoints.Ifall,ratherthanjumpfrom
thetree.Ittakesseveralminutesformetoassemble
mygear.Somewhereinsideme,Iknowthisiswrong.
Ishouldbeactingwithmorecaution,movingwith
moreurgency.Butmymindseemsfoggyandforming
aplanishard.Ileanbackagainstthetrunkofmy
tree,onefingergingerlystrokingthesandpaper
surfaceofmytongue,asIassessmyoptions.How
canIgetwater?
Returntothelake.Nogood.I'dnevermakeit.
Hopeforrain.There'snotacloudinthesky.
Keeplooking.Yes,thisismyonlychance.Butthen,
anotherthoughthitsme,andthesurgeofangerthat
followsbringsmetomesenses.
Haymitch!Hecouldsendmewater!Pressabutton
andhaveitdeliveredtomeinasilverparachutein
minutes.IknowImusthavesponsors,atleastoneor
twowhocouldaffordapintofliquidforme.Yes,it's
pricey,butthesepeople,they'remadeofmoney.And
they'llbebettingonmeaswell.PerhapsHaymitch
doesn'trealizehowdeepmyneedis.
IsayinavoiceasloudasIdare."Water."Iwait,
hopefully,foraparachutetodescendfromthesky.
Butnothingisforthcoming.
Somethingiswrong.AmIdeludedabouthaving
sponsors?OrhasPeeta'sbehaviormadethemall
hangback?No,Idon'tbelieveit.There'ssomeoneout
therewhowantstobuymewateronlyHaymitchis
refusingtoletitgothrough.Asmymentor,hegetsto
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controltheflowofgiftsfromthesponsors.Iknowhe
hatesme.He'smadethatclearenough.Butenough
toletmedie?Fromthis?Hecan'tdothat,canhe?If
amentormistreatshistributes,hellbeheld
accountablebytheviewers,bythepeoplebackin
District12.EvenHaymitchwouldn'triskthat,would
he?Saywhatyouwillaboutmyfellowtradersinthe
Hob,butIdon'tthinkthey'dwelcomehimbackthere
ifheletmediethisway.Andthenwherewouldheget
hisliquor?So...what?Ishetryingtomakemesuffer
fordefyinghim?Ishedirectingallthesponsors
towardPeeta?Ishejusttoodrunktoevennotice
what'sgoingonatthemoment?SomehowIdon't
believethatandIdon'tbelievehe'stryingtokillme
offbyneglect,either.Hehas,infact,inhisown
unpleasantway,genuinelybeentryingtoprepareme
forthis.Thenwhatisgoingon?
Iburymyfaceinmyhands.There'snodangerof
tearsnow,Icouldn'tproduceonetosavemylife.
WhatisHaymitchdoing?Despitemyanger,hatred,
andsuspicions,asmallvoiceinthebackofmyhead
whispersananswer.
Maybehe'ssendingyouamessage,itsays.A
message.Sayingwhat?ThenIknow.There'sonlyone
goodreasonHaymitchcouldbewithholdingwater
fromme.BecauseheknowsI'vealmostfoundit.
Igritmyteethandpullmyselftomyfeet.My
backpackseemstohavetripledinweight.Ifinda
brokenbranchthatwilldoforawalkingstickandI
startoff.Thesun'sbeatingdown,evenmoresearing
thanthefirsttwodays.Ifeellikeanoldpieceof
leather,dryingandcrackingintheheat,everystepis
aneffort,butIrefusetostop.Irefusetositdown.IfI
sit,there'sagoodchanceIwon'tbeabletogetup
again,thatIwon'tevenremembermytask.
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WhateasypreyIam!Anytribute,eventinyRue,
couldtakemerightnow,merelyshovemeoverand
killmewithmyownknife,andI'dhavelittlestrength
toresist.Butifanyoneisinmypartofthewoods,
theyignoreme.Thetruthis,Ifeelamillionmiles
fromanotherlivingsoul.
Notalonethough.No,they'vesurelygotacamera
trackingmenow.Ithinkbacktotheyearsof
watchingtributesstarve,freeze,bleed,anddehydrate
todeath.Unlessthere'sareallygoodfightgoingon
somewhere,I'mbeingfeatured.
MythoughtsturntoPrim.It'slikelyshewon'tbe
watchingmelive,buttheyllshowupdatesatthe
schoolduringlunch.Forhersake,Itrytolookas
leastdesperateasIcan.
Butbyafternoon,Iknowtheendiscoming.Mylegs
areshakingandmyhearttooquick.Ikeepforgetting,
exactlywhatI'mdoing.I'vestumbledrepeatedlyand
managedtoregainmyfeet,butwhenthestickslides
outfromunderme,Ifinallytumbletotheground
unabletogetup.Iletmyeyesclose.
IhavemisjudgedHaymitch.Hehasnointentionof
helpingmeatall.
Thisisallright,Ithink.Thisisnotsobadhere.The
airislesshot,signifyingevening'sapproach.There's
aslight,sweetscentthatremindsmeoflilies.My
fingersstrokethesmoothground,slidingeasily
acrossthetop.Thisisanokayplacetodie,Ithink.
Myfingertipsmakesmallswirlingpatternsinthe
cool,slipperyearth,ilovemud,Ithink.Howmany
timesI'vetrackedgamewiththehelpofitssoft,
readablesurface.Goodforbeestings,too.Mud.Mud.
Mud!MyeyesflyopenandIdigmyfingersintothe
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earth.Itismud!Mynoseliftsintheair.Andthose
arelilies!Pondlilies!
Icrawlnow,throughthemud,draggingmyself
towardthescent.FiveyardsfromwhereIfell,Icrawl
throughatangleofplantsintoapond.Floatingon
thetop,yellowflowersinbloom,aremybeautiful
lilies.
It'sallIcandonottoplungemyfaceintothewater
andgulpdownasmuchasIcanhold.ButIhavejus
enoughsenselefttoabstain.Withtremblinghands,I
getoutmyflaskandfillitwithwater.IaddwhatI
remembertobetherightnumberofdropsofiodine
forpurifyingit.Thehalfanhourofwaitingisagony,
butIdoit.Atleast,
Ithinkit'sahalfanhour,butit'scertainlyaslongas
Icanstand.
Slowly,easynow,Itellmyself.Itakeoneswallowand
makemyselfwait.Thenanother.Overthenextcouple
ofhours,Idrinktheentirehalfgallon.Thenasecond.
IprepareanotherbeforeIretiretoatreewhereI
continuesipping,eatingrabbit,andevenindulgein
oneofmypreciouscrackers.Bythetimetheanthem
plays,Ifeelremarkablybetter.Therearenofaces
tonight,notributesdiedtoday.Tomorrow111stay
here,resting,camouflagingmybackpackwithmud,
catchingsomeofthoselittlefishIsawasIsipped,
digginguptherootsofthepondliliestomakeanice
meal.Isnuggledowninmysleepingbag,hangingon
tomywaterbottlefordearlife,which,ofcourse,itis.
Afewhourslater,thestampedeoffeetshakesme
fromslumber.Ilookaroundinbewilderment.It'snot
yetdawn,butmystingingeyescanseeit.
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Itwouldbehardtomissthewalloffiredescendingon
me.
164|Page
Myfirstimpulseistoscramblefromthetree,butI'm
beltedin.Somehowmyfumblingfingersreleasethe
buckleandIfalltothegroundinaheap,stillsnarled
inmysleepingbag.There'snotimeforanykindof
packing.Fortunately,mybackpackandwaterbottle
arealreadyinthebag.Ishoveinthebelt,hoistthe
bagovermyshoulder,andflee.
Theworldhastransformedtoflameandsmoke.
Burningbranchescrackfromtreesandfallin
showersofsparksatmyfeet.AllIcandoisfollowthe
others,therabbitsanddeerandIevenspotawild
dogpackshootingthroughthewoods.Itrusttheir
senseofdirectionbecausetheirinstinctsaresharper
thanmine.Buttheyaremuchfaster,flyingthrough
theunderbrushsogracefullyasmybootscatchon
rootsandfallentreelimbs,thatthere'snowayIcan
keepapacewiththem.
Theheatishorrible,butworsethantheheatisthe
smoke,whichthreatenstosuffocatemeatany
moment.Ipullthetopofmyshirtupovermynose,
gratefultofinditsoakedinsweat,anditoffersathin
veilofprotection.AndIrun,choking,mybagbanging
againstmyback,myfacecutwithbranchesthat
materializefromthegrayhazewithoutwarning,
becauseIknowIamsupposedtorun.
Thiswasnotribute'scampfiregoneoutofcontrol,no
accidentaloccurrence.Theflamesthatbeardownon
mehaveanunnaturalheight,auniformitythat
marksthemashumanmade,machinemade,
Gamemakermade.Thingshavebeentooquiettoday.
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Nodeaths,perhapsnofightsatall.Theaudiencein
theCapitolwillbegettingbored,claimingthatthese
Gamesarevergingondullness.Thisistheonething
theGamesmustnotdo.
It'snothardtofollowtheGamemakers'motivation.
ThereistheCareerpackandthentherearetherest
ofus,probablyspreadfarandthinacrossthearena.
Thisfireisdesignedtoflushusout,todriveus
together.ItmaynotbethemostoriginaldeviceI've
seen,butit'svery,veryeffective.
Ihurdleoveraburninglog.Nothighenough.Thetail
endofmyjacketcatchesonfireandIhavetostopto
ripitfrommybodyandstampouttheflames.ButI
don'tdareleavethejacket,scorchedandsmoldering
asitis,Itaketheriskofshovingitinmysleeping
bag,hopingthelackofairwillquellwhatIhaven't
extinguished.ThisisallIhave,whatIcarryonmy
back,andit'slittleenoughtosurvivewith.
Inamatterofminutes,mythroatandnoseare
burning.Thecoughingbeginssoonafterandmy
lungsbegintofeelasiftheyareactuallybeing
cooked.Discomfortturnstodistressuntileachbreath
sendsasearingpainthroughmychest.Imanageto
takecoverunderastoneoutcroppingjustasthe
vomitingbegins,andIlosemymeagersupperand
whateverwaterhasremainedinmystomach.
Crouchingonmyhandsandknees,Iretchuntil
there'snothinglefttocomeup.
IknowIneedtokeepmoving,butI'mtremblingand
lightheadednow,gaspingforair.Iallowmyselfabout
aspoonfulofwatertorinsemymouthandspitthen
takeafewswallowsfrommybottle.Yougetone
minute,Itellmyself.Oneminutetorest.Itakethe
timetoreordermysupplies,wadupthesleepingbag,
andmessilystuffeverythingintothebackpack.My
minute'sup.Iknowit'stimetomoveon,butthe
smokehascloudedmythoughts.Theswiftfooted
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animalsthatweremycompasshaveleftmebehind.I
knowIhaven'tbeeninthispartofthewoodsbefore,
therewerenosizablerocksliketheoneI'msheltering
againstonmyearliertravels.Wherearethe
Gamemakersdrivingme?Backtothelake?Toa
wholenewterrainfilledwithnewdangers?Ihadjust
foundafewhoursofpeaceatthepondwhenthis
attackbegan.WouldtherebeanywayIcouldtravel
paralleltothefireandworkmywaybackthere,toa
sourceofwateratleast?Thewalloffiremusthavean
endanditwon'tburnindefinitely.Notbecausethe
Gamemakerscouldn'tkeepitfueledbutbecause,
again,thatwouldinviteaccusationsofboredomfrom
theaudience.IfIcouldgetbackbehindthefireline,I
couldavoidmeetingupwiththeCareers.I'vejust
decidedtotryandloopbackaround,althoughitwill
requiremilesoftravelawayfromtheinfernoandthen
averycircuitousrouteback,whenthefirstfireball
blastsintotherockabouttwofeetfrommyhead.I
springoutfromundermyledge,energizedbyrenewed
fear.
Thegamehastakenatwist.Thefirewasjusttoget
usmoving,nowtheaudiencewillgettoseesomereal
fun.WhenIhearthenexthiss,Iflattenonthe
ground,nottakingtimetolook.Thefireballhitsa
treeofftomyleft,engulfingitinflames.Toremain
stillisdeath.I'mbarelyonmyfeetbeforethethird
ballhitsthegroundwhereIwaslying,sendinga
pillaroffireupbehindme.Timelosesmeaningnow
asIfranticallytrytododgetheattacks.Ican'tsee
wherethey'rebeinglaunchedfrom,butit'snota
hovercraft.Theanglesarenotextremeenough.
Probablythiswholesegmentofthewoodshasbeen
armedwithprecisionlaunchersthatareconcealedin
treesorrocks.Somewhere,inacoolandspotless
room,aGamemakersitsatasetofcontrols,fingers
onthetriggersthatcouldendmylifeinasecond.All
thatisneededisadirecthit.
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WhatevervagueplanIhadconceivedregarding
returningtomypondiswipedfrommymindasI
zigzaganddiveandleaptoavoidthefireballs.Each
oneisonlythesizeofanapple,butpacks
tremendouspoweroncontact.EverysenseIhave
goesintooverdriveastheneedtosurvivetakesover.
There'snotimetojudgeifamoveisthecorrectone.
Whenthere'sahiss,Iactordie.
Somethingkeepsmemovingforward,though.A
lifetimeofwatchingtheHungerGamesletsmeknow
thatcertainareasofthearenaareriggedforcertain
attacks.AndthatifIcanjustgetawayfromthis
section,Imightbeabletomoveoutofreachofthe
launchers.Imightalsothenfallstraightintoapitof
vipers,butIcan'tworryaboutthatnow.
HowlongIscramblealongdodgingthefireballsIcan't
say,buttheattacksfinallybegintoabate.Whichis
good,becauseI'mretchingagain.Thistimeit'san
acidicsubstancethatscaldsmythroatandmakesits
wayintomynoseaswell.I'mforcedtostopasmy
bodyconvulses,tryingdesperatelytoriditselfofthe
poisonsI'vebeensuckinginduringtheattack.Iwait
forthenexthiss,thenextsignaltobolt.Itdoesn't
come.Theforceoftheretchinghassqueezedtears
outofmystingingeyes.Myclothesaredrenchedin
sweat.Somehow,throughthesmokeandvomit,I
pickupthescentofsingedhair.Myhandfumblesto
mybraidandfindsafireballhassearedoffatleast
sixinchesofit.Strandsofblackenedhaircrumblein
myfingers.Istareatthem,fascinatedbythe
transformation,whenthehissingregisters.
Mymusclesreact,onlynotfastenoughthistime.The
fireballcrashesintothegroundatmyside,butnot
beforeitskidsacrossmyrightcalf.Seeingmypants
legonfiresendsmeovertheedge.Itwistandscuttle
backwardonmyhandsandfeet,shrieking,tryingto
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removemyselffromthehorror.WhenIfinallyregain
enoughsense,Irollthelegbackandforthonthe
ground,whichstiflestheworstofit.Butthen,
withoutthinking,Iripawaytheremainingfabricwith
mybarehands.
Isitontheground,afewyardsfromtheblazesetoff
bythefireball.Mycalfisscreaming,myhands
coveredinredwelts.I'mshakingtoohardtomove.If
theGamemakerswanttofinishmeoff,nowisthe
time.
IhearCinna'svoice,carryingimagesofrichfabric
andsparklinggems."Katniss,thegirlwhowason
fire."WhatagoodlaughtheGamemakersmustbe
havingoverthatone.Perhaps,Cinna'sbeautiful
costumeshaveevenbroughtonthisparticular
tortureforme.Iknowhecouldn'thaveforeseenthis,
mustbehurtingformebecause,infact,Ibelievehe
caresaboutme.Butallinall,maybeshowingup
starknakedinthatchariotwouldhavebeensaferfor
me.
Theattackisnowover.TheGamemakersdon'twant
medead.Notyetanyway.Everyoneknowstheycould
destroyusallwithinsecondsoftheopeninggong.The
realsportoftheHungerGamesiswatchingthe
tributeskilloneanother.Everysooften,theydokilla
tributejusttoremindtheplayerstheycan.But
mostly,theymanipulateusintoconfrontingone
anotherfacetoface.Whichmeans,ifIamnolonger
beingfiredat,thereisatleastoneothertributeclose
athand.
IwoulddragmyselfintoatreeandtakecovernowifI
could,butthesmokeisstillthickenoughtokillme.I
makemyselfstandandbegintolimpawayfromthe
wallofflamesthatlightsupthesky.Itdoesnotseem
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tobepursuingmeanylonger,exceptwithitsstinking
blackclouds.
Anotherlight,daylight,beginstosoftlyemerge.Swirls
ofsmokecatchthesunbeams.Myvisibilityispoor.I
canseemaybefifteenyardsinanydirection.Atribute
couldeasilybeconcealedfrommehere.Ishoulddraw
myknifeasaprecaution,butIdoubtmyabilityto
holditforlong.Thepaininmyhandscaninnoway
competewiththatinmycalf.Ihateburns,have
alwayshatedthem,evenasmallonegottenfrom
pullingapanofbreadfromtheoven.Itistheworst
kindofpaintome,butIhaveneverexperienced
anythinglikethis.
I'msowearyIdon'tevennoticeI'minthepooluntil
I'mankledeep.It'sspringfed,bubblingupoutofa
creviceinsomerocks,andblissfullycool.Iplungemy
handsintotheshallowwaterandfeelinstantrelief.
Isn'tthatwhatmymotheralwayssays?Thefirst
treatmentforaburniscoldwater?Thatitdrawsout
theheat?Butshemeansminorburns.Probablyshe'd
recommenditformyhands.Butwhatofmycalf?
AlthoughIhavenotyethadthecouragetoexamine
it,I'mguessingthatit'saninjuryinawholedifferent
class.
Ilieonmystomachatedgeofthepoolforawhile,
danglingmyhandsinthewater,examiningthelittle
flamesonmyfingernailsthatarebeginningtochip
off.Good.I'vehadenoughfireforalifetime.
Ibathethebloodandashfrommyface.Itrytorecall
allIknowaboutburns.Theyarecommoninjuriesin
theSeamwherewecookandheatourhomeswith
coal.Thentherearethemineaccidents....Afamily
oncebroughtinanunconsciousyoungmanpleading
withmymothertohelphim.Thedistrictdoctorwho's
responsiblefortreatingtheminershadwrittenhim
off,toldthefamilytotakehimhometodie.Butthey
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wouldn'tacceptthis.Helayonourkitchentable,
senselesstotheworld.Igotaglimpseofthewound
onhisthigh,gaping,charredflesh,burnedclear
downtothebone,beforeIranfromthehouse.Iwent
tothewoodsandhuntedtheentireday,hauntedby
thegruesomeleg,memoriesofmyfather'sdeath.
What'sfunnywas,Prim,who'sscaredofherown
shadow,stayedandhelped.Mymothersayshealers
areborn,notmade.Theydidtheirbest,buttheman
died,justlikethedoctorsaidhewould.
Mylegisinneedofattention,butIstillcan'tlookat
it.Whatifit'sasbadastheman'sandIcanseemy
bone?ThenIremembermymothersayingthatifa
burn'ssevere,thevictimmightnotevenfeelpain
becausethenerveswouldbedestroyed.Encouraged
bythis,Isitupandswingmyleginfrontofme.
Ialmostfaintatthesightofmycalf.Thefleshisa
brilliantredcoveredwithblisters.Iforcemyselfto
takedeep,slowbreaths,feelingquitecertainthe
camerasareonmyface.Ican'tshowweaknessatthis
injury.NotifIwanthelp.Pitydoesnotgetyouaid.
Admirationatyourrefusaltogiveindoes.Icutthe
remainsofthepantlegoffatthekneeandexamine
theinjurymoreclosely.Theburnedareaisaboutthe
sizeofmyhand.Noneoftheskinisblackened.I
thinkit'snottoobadtosoak.GingerlyIstretchout
mylegintothepool,proppingtheheelofmybooton
arocksotheleatherdoesn'tgettoosodden,andsigh,
becausethisdoesoffersomerelief.Iknowthereare
herbs,ifIcouldfindthem,thatwouldspeedthe
healing,butIcan'tquitecallthemtomind.Water
andtimewillprobablybeallIhavetoworkwith.
ShouldIbemovingon?Thesmokeisslowlyclearing
butstilltooheavytobehealthy.IfIdocontinueaway
fromthefire,won'tIbewalkingstraightintothe
weaponsoftheCareers?Besides,everytimeIliftmy
legfromthewater,thepainreboundssointenselyI
havetoslideitbackin.Myhandsareslightlyless
demanding.Theycanhandlesmallbreaksfromthe
pool.SoIslowlyputmygearbackinorder.FirstIfill
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mybottlewiththepoolwater,treatit,andwhen
enoughtimehaspassed,begintorehydratemybody.
Afteratime,Iforcemyselftonibbleonacracker,
whichhelpssettlemystomach.Irollupmysleeping
bag.Exceptforafewblackmarks,it'srelatively
unscathed.Myjacket'sanothermatter.Stinkingand
scorched,atleastafootofthebackbeyondrepair.I
cutoffthedamagedarealeavingmewithagarment
thatcomesjusttothebottomofmyribs.Butthe
hood'sintactandit'sfarbetterthannothing.
Despitethepain,drowsinessbeginstotakeover.I'd
taketoatreeandtrytorest,exceptI'dbetooeasyto
spot.Besides,abandoningmypoolseemsimpossible.
Ineatlyarrangemysupplies,evensettlemypackon
myshoulders,butIcan'tseemtoleave.Ispotsome
waterplantswithediblerootsandmakeasmallmeal
withmylastpieceofrabbit.Sipwater.Watchthesun
makeitsslowarcacrossthesky.WherewouldIgo
anywaythatisanysaferthanhere?Ileanbackon
mypack,overcomebydrowsiness.IftheCareers
wantme,letthemfindme,Ithinkbeforedriftinginto
astupor.Letthemfindme.
Andfindme,theydo.It'sluckyI'mreadytomoveon
becausewhenIhearthefeet,Ihavelessthana
minuteheadstart.Eveninghasbeguntofall.The
momentIawake,I'mupandrunning,splashing
acrossthepool,flyingintotheunderbrush.Myleg
slowsmedown,butIsensemypursuersarenotas
speedyastheywerebeforethefire,either.Iheartheir
coughs,theirraspyvoicescallingtooneanother.
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Still,theyareclosingin,justlikeapackofwilddogs,
andsoIdowhatIhavedonemywholelifeinsuch
circumstances.Ipickahightreeandbegintoclimb.
Ifrunninghurt,climbingisagonizingbecauseit
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requiresnotonlyexertionbutdirectcontactofmy
handsonthetreebark.I'mfast,though,andbythe
timethey'vereachedthebaseofmytrunk,I'mtwenty
feetup.Foramoment,westopandsurveyone
another.Ihopetheycan'thearthepoundingofmy
heart.
Thiscouldbeit,Ithink.WhatchancedoIhave
againstthem?Allsixarethere,thefiveCareersand
Peeta,andmyonlyconsolationisthey'reprettybeat
up,too.Evenso,lookattheirweapons.Lookattheir
faces,grinningandsnarlingatme,asurekillabove
them.Itseemsprettyhopeless.Butthensomething
elseregisters.They'rebiggerandstrongerthanIam,
nodoubt,butthey'realsoheavier.There'sareason
it'smeandnotGalewhoventuresuptopluckthe
highestfruit,orrobthemostremotebirdnests.I
mustweighatleastfiftyorsixtypoundslessthanthe
smallestCareer.
NowIsmile."How'severythingwithyou?"Icalldown
cheerfully.
Thistakesthemaback,butIknowthecrowdwilllove
it.
"Wellenough,"saystheboyfromDistrict
2."Yourself?"
"It'sbeenabitwarmformytaste,"Isay.Icanalmost
hearthelaughterfromtheCapitol."Theair'sbetter
uphere.Whydon'tyoucomeonup?"
"ThinkIwill,"saysthesameboy.
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"Here,takethis,Cato,"saysthegirlfromDistrict1,
andsheoffershimthesilverbowandsheathof
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arrows.Mybow!Myarrows!Justthesightofthem
makesmesoangryIwanttoscream,atmyself,at
thattraitorPeetafordistractingmefromhaving
them.Itrytomakeeyecontactwithhimnow,buthe
seemstobeintentionallyavoidingmygazeashe
polisheshisknifewiththeedgeofhisshirt.
"No,"saysCato,pushingawaythebow."Illdobetter
withmysword."Icanseetheweapon,ashort,heavy
bladeathisbelt.
IgiveCatotimetohoisthimselfintothetreebeforeI
begintoclimbagain.GalealwayssaysIremindhim
ofasquirrelthewayIcanscurryupeventhe
slenderestlimb.Partofit'smyweight,butpartofit's
practice.Youhavetoknowwheretoplaceyourhands
andfeet.I'manotherthirtyfeetintheairwhenIhear
thecrackandlookdowntoseeCatoflailingasheand
abranchgodown.HehitsthegroundhardandI'm
hopinghepossiblybrokehisneckwhenhegetsback
tohisfeet,swearinglikeafiend.
Thegirlwiththearrows,GlimmerIhearsomeonecall
herugh,thenamesthepeopleinDistrict1give
theirchildrenaresoridiculousanywayGlimmer
scalesthetreeuntilthebranchesbegintocrack
underherfeetandthenhasthegoodsensetostop.
I'matleasteightyfeethighnow.Shetriestoshootme
andit'simmediatelyevidentthatshe'sincompetent
withabow.Oneofthearrowsgetslodgedinthetree
nearmethoughandI'mabletoseizeit.Iwaveit
teasinglyaboveherhead,asifthiswasthesole
purposeofretrievingit,whenactuallyImeantouseit
ifIevergetthechance.Icouldkillthem,everyoneof
them,ifthosesilverweaponswereinmyhands.
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TheCareersregrouponthegroundandIcanhear
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themgrowlingconspiratoriallyamongthemselves,
furiousIhavemadethemlookfoolish.Buttwilight
hasarrivedandtheirwindowofattackonmeis
closing.Finally,IhearPeetasayharshly,"Oh,lether
stayupthere.It'snotlikeshe'sgoinganywhere.We'll
dealwithherinthemorning."
Well,he'srightaboutonething.I'mgoingnowhere.
Alltherelieffromthepoolwaterhasgone,leavingme
tofeelthefullpotencyofmyburns.Iscootdowntoa
forkinthetreeandclumsilyprepareforbed.Puton
myjacket.Layoutmysleepingbed.Beltmyselfin
andtrytokeepfrommoaning.Theheatofthebag's
toomuchformyleg.Icutaslashinthefabricand
hangmycalfoutintheopenair.Idrizzlewateron
thewound,myhands.
Allmybravadoisgone.I'mweakfrompainand
hungerbutcan'tbringmyselftoeat.EvenifIcanlast
thenight,whatwillthemorningbring?Istareinto
thefoliagetryingtowillmyselftorest,buttheburns
forbidit.Birdsaresettlingdownforthenight,singing
lullabiestotheiryoung.Nightcreaturesemerge.An
owlhoots.Thefaintscentofaskunkcutsthrough
thesmoke.Theeyesofsomeanimalpeeratmefrom
theneighboringtreeapossummaybecatching
thefirelightfromtheCareers'torches.Suddenly,I'm
upononeelbow.Thosearenopossum'seyes,Iknow
theirglassyreflectiontoowell.Infact,thosearenot
animaleyesatall.Inthelastdimraysoflight,Imake
herout,watchingmesilentlyfrombetweenthe
branches.Rue.
Howlonghasshebeenhere?Thewholetime
probably.Stillandunobservedastheactionunfolded
beneathher.Perhapssheheadeduphertreeshortly
beforeIdid,hearingthepackwassoclose.
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Forawhileweholdeachother'sgaze.Then,without
evenrustlingaleaf,herlittlehandslidesintothe
openandpointstosomethingabovemyhead.
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Myeyesfollowthelineofherfingerupintothefoliage
aboveme.Atfirst,Ihavenoideawhatshe'spointing
to,butthen,aboutfifteenfeetup,Imakeoutthe
vagueshapeinthedimminglight.Butof...ofwhat?
Somesortofanimal?Itlooksaboutthesizeofa
raccoon,butithangsfromthebottomofabranch,
swayingeversoslightly.There'ssomethingelse.
Amongthefamiliareveningsoundsofthewoods,my
earsregisteralowhum.ThenIknow.It'sawasp
nest.
Fearshootsthroughme,butIhaveenoughsenseto
keepstill.Afterall,Idon'tknowwhatkindofwasp
livesthere.Itcouldbetheordinaryleaveusalone
andwellleaveyoualonetype.Butthesearethe
HungerGames,andordinaryisn'tthenorm.More
likelytheywillbeoneoftheCapitol'smuttations,
trackerjackers.Likethejabberjays,thesekillerwasps
werespawnedinalabandstrategicallyplaced,like
landmines,aroundthedistrictsduringthewar.
Largerthanregularwasps,theyhaveadistinctive
solidgoldbodyandastingthatraisesalumpthesize
ofaplumoncontact.Mostpeoplecan'ttoleratemore
thanafewstings.Somedieatonce.Ifyoulive,the
hallucinationsbroughtonbythevenomhaveactually
drivenpeopletomadness.Andthere'sanotherthing,
thesewaspswillhuntdownanyonewhodisturbs
theirnestandattempttokillthem.That'swherethe
trackerpartofthenamecomesfrom.
Afterthewar,theCapitoldestroyedallthenests
surroundingtheircity,buttheonesnearthedistricts
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wereleftuntouched.Anotherreminderofour
weakness,Isuppose,justliketheHungerGames.
AnotherreasontokeepinsidethefenceofDistrict12.
WhenGaleandIcomeacrossatrackerjackernest,
weimmediatelyheadintheoppositedirection.
Soisthatwhathangsaboveme?IlookbacktoRue
forhelp,butshe'smeltedintohertree.
Givenmycircumstances,Iguessitdoesn'tmatter
whattypeofwaspnestitis.I'mwoundedand
trapped.Darknesshasgivenmeabriefreprieve,but
bythetimethesunrises,theCareerswillhave
formulatedaplantokillme.There'snowaythey
coulddootherwiseafterI'vemadethemlookso
stupid.ThatnestmaybethesoleoptionIhaveleft.If
Icandropitdownonthem,Imaybeabletoescape.
ButI'llriskmylifeintheprocess.
Ofcourse,I'llneverbeabletogetincloseenoughto
theactualnesttocutitfree.I'llhavetosawoffthe
branchatthetrunkandsendthewholethingdown.
Theserratedportionofmyknifeshouldbeableto
managethat.Butcanmyhands?Andwillthe
vibrationfromthesawingraisetheswarm?Andwhat
iftheCareersfigureoutwhatI'mdoingandmove
theircamp?Thatwoulddefeatthewholepurpose.
IrealizethatthebestchanceI'llhavetodothesawing
withoutdrawingnoticewillbeduringtheanthem.
Thatcouldbeginanytime.Idragmyselfoutofmy
bag,makesuremyknifeissecuredinmybelt,and
begintomakemywayupthetree.Thisinitselfis
dangeroussincethebranchesarebecoming
precariouslythinevenforme,butIpersevere.WhenI
reachthelimbthatsupportsthenest,thehumming
becomesmoredistinctive.Butit'sstilloddlysubdued
ifthesearetrackerjackers.It'sthesmoke,Ithink.It's
sedatedthem.Thiswastheonedefensetherebels
foundtobattlethewasps.
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178|Page
ThesealoftheCapitolshinesabovemeandthe
anthemblaresout.It'snowornever,Ithink,and
begintosaw.BlistersburstonmyrighthandasI
awkwardlydragtheknifebackandforth.OnceI've
gotagroove,theworkrequireslesseffortbutis
almostmorethanIcanhandle.Igritmyteethand
sawawayoccasionallyglancingattheskytoregister
thattherewerenodeathstoday.That'sallright.The
audiencewillbesatedseeingmeinjuredandtreed
andthepackbelowme.Buttheanthem'srunning
outandI'monlythreequartersofthewaythrough
thewoodwhenthemusicends,theskygoesdark,
andI'mforcedtostop.
Nowwhat?Icouldprobablyfinishoffthejobbysense
offeelbutthatmaynotbethesmartestplan.Ifthe
waspsaretoogroggy,ifthenestcatchesonitsway
down,ifItrytoescape,thiscouldallbeadeadly
wasteoftime.Better,Ithink,tosneakuphereat
dawnandsendthenestintomyenemies.
InthefaintlightoftheCareers'torches,Iinchback
downtomyforktofindthebestsurpriseI'veever
had.Sittingonmysleepingbagisasmallplasticpot
attachedtoasilverparachute.Myfirstgiftfroma
sponsor!Haymitchmusthavehaditsentinduring
theanthem.Thepoteasilyfitsinthepalmofmy
hand.Whatcanitbe?Notfoodsurely.Iunscrewthe
lidandIknowbythescentthatit'smedicine.
Cautiously,Iprobethesurfaceoftheointment.The
throbbinginmyfingertipvanishes.
"Oh,Haymitch,"Iwhisper."Thankyou."Hehasnot
abandonedme.Notleftmetofendentirelyformyself.
Thecostofthismedicinemustbeastronomical.
Probablynotonebutmanysponsorshave
contributedtobuythisonetinypot.Tome,itis
priceless.
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179|Page
Idiptwofingersinthejarandgentlyspreadthebalm
overmycalf.Theeffectisalmostmagical,erasingthe
painoncontact,leavingapleasantcoolingsensation
behind.Thisisnoherbalconcoctionthatmymother
grindsupoutofwoodlandplants,it'shightech
medicinebrewedupintheCapitol'slabs.Whenmy
calfistreated,Irubathinlayerintomyhands.After
wrappingthepotintheparachute,Inestleitsafely
awayinmypack.Nowthatthepainhaseased,it'sall
IcandotorepositionmyselfinmybagbeforeIplunge
intosleep.
Abirdperchedjustafewfeetfrommealertsmethat
anewdayisdawning.Inthegraymorninglight,I
examinemyhands.Themedicinehastransformedall
theangryredpatchestoasoftbabyskinpink.Myleg
stillfeelsinflamed,butthatburnwasfardeeper.I
applyanothercoatofmedicineandquietlypackup
mygear.Whateverhappens,I'mgoingtohaveto
moveandmovefast.Ialsomakemyselfeatacracker
andastripofbeefanddrinkafewcupsofwater.
Almostnothingstayedinmystomachyesterday,and
I'malreadystartingtofeeltheeffectsofhunger.
Belowme,IcanseetheCareerpackandPeetaasleep
ontheground.Byherposition,leaningupagainst
thetrunkofthetree,I'dguessGlimmerwas
supposedtobeonguard,butfatigueovercameher.
Myeyessquintastheytrytopenetratethetreenext
tome,butIcan'tmakeoutRue.Sinceshetippedme
off,itonlyseemsfairtowarnher.Besides,ifI'mgoing
todietoday,it'sRueIwanttowin.Evenifitmeansa
littleextrafoodformyfamily,theideaofPeetabeing
crownedvictorisunbearable.
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IcallRue'snameinahushedwhisperandtheeyes
appear,wideandalert,atonce.Shepointsuptothe
nestagain.Iholdupmyknifeandmakeasawing
motion.Shenodsanddisappears.There'sarustling
inanearbytree.Thenthesamenoiseagainabit
fartheroff.Irealizeshe'sleapingfromtreetotree.It's
allIcandonottolaughoutloud.Isthiswhatshe
showedtheGamemakers?Iimagineherflyingaround
thetrainingequipmentnevertouchingthefloor.She
shouldhavegottenatleastaten.
Rosystreaksarebreakingthroughintheeast.Ican't
affordtowaitanylonger.Comparedtotheagonyof
lastnight'sclimb,thisoneisacinch.Atthetreelimb
thatholdsthenest,Ipositiontheknifeinthegroove
andI'mabouttodrawtheteethacrossthewood
whenIseesomethingmoving.There,onthenest.The
brightgoldgleamofatrackerjackerlazilymakingits
wayacrossthepaperygraysurface.Noquestion,it's
actingalittlesubdued,butthewaspisupand
movingandthatmeanstheotherswillbeoutsoonas
well.Sweatbreaksoutonthepalmsofmyhands,
beadingupthroughtheointment,andIdomybestto
patthemdryonmyshirt.IfIdon'tgetthroughthis
branchinamatterofseconds,theentireswarm
couldemergeandattackme.
There'snosenseinputtingitoff.Itakeadeepbreath,
griptheknifehandleandbeardownashardasIcan.
Back,forth,back,forth!Thetrackerjackersbeginto
buzzandIhearthemcomingout.Back,forth,back,
forth!AstabbingpainshootsthroughmykneeandI
knowonehasfoundmeandtheotherswillbehoning
in.Back,forth,back,forth.Andjustastheknifecuts
through,Ishovetheendofthebranchasfaraway
frommeasIcan.Itcrashesdownthroughthelower
branches,snaggingtemporarilyonafewbutthen
twistingfreeuntilitsmasheswithathudonthe
ground.Thenestburstsopenlikeanegg,anda
furiousswarmoftrackerjackerstakestotheair.
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181|Page
Ifeelasecondstingonthecheek,athirdonmyneck,
andtheirvenomalmostimmediatelymakesme
woozy.IclingtothetreewithonearmwhileIripthe
barbedstingersoutofmyflesh.Fortunately,only
thesethreetrackerjackershadidentifiedmebefore
thenestwentdown.Therestoftheinsectshave
targetedtheirenemiesontheground.
It'smayhem.TheCareershavewokentoafullscale
trackerjackerattack.Peetaandafewothershavethe
sensetodropeverythingandbolt.Icanhearcriesof
"Tothelake!Tothelake!"andknowtheyhopeto
evadethewaspsbytakingtothewater.Itmustbe
closeiftheythinktheycanoutdistancethefurious
insects.Glimmerandanothergirl,theonefrom
District4,arenotsolucky.Theyreceivemultiple
stingsbeforethey'reevenoutofmyview.Glimmer
appearstogocompletelymad,shriekingandtryingto
batthewaspsoffwithherbow,whichispointless.
Shecallstotheothersforhelpbut,ofcourse,noone
returns.ThegirlfromDistrict4staggersoutofsight,
althoughIwouldn'tbetonhermakingittothelake.I
watchGlimmerfall,twitchhystericallyaroundonthe
groundforafewminutes,andthengostill.
Thenestisnothingbutanemptyshell.Thewasps
havevanishedinpursuitoftheothers.Idon'tthink
they'llreturn,butIdon'twanttoriskit.Iscamper
downthetreeandhitthegroundrunninginthe
oppositedirectionofthelake.Thepoisonfromthe
stingersmakesmewobbly,butIfindmywaybackto
myownlittlepoolandsubmergemyselfinthewater,
justincaseanywaspsarestillonmytrail.After
aboutfiveminutes,Idragmyselfontotherocks.
Peoplehavenotexaggeratedtheeffectsofthetracker
jackerstings.Actually,theoneonmykneeiscloser
toanorangethanapluminsize.Afoulsmelling
greenliquidoozesfromtheplaceswhereIpulledout
thestingers.
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Theswelling.Thepain.Theooze.WatchingGlimmer
twitchingtodeathontheground.It'salottohandle
beforethesunhasevenclearedthehorizon.Idon't
wanttothinkaboutwhatGlimmermustlooklike
now.Herbodydisfigured.Herswollenfingers
stiffeningaroundthebow...
Thebow!Somewhereinmybefuddledmindone
thoughtconnectstoanotherandI'monmyfeet,
teeteringthroughthetreesbacktoGlimmer.The
bow.Thearrows.Imustgetthem.Ihaven'theardthe
cannonsfireyet,soperhapsGlimmerisinsomesort
ofcoma,herheartstillstrugglingagainstthewasp
venom.Butonceitstopsandthecannonsignalsher
death,ahovercraftwillmoveinandretrieveherbody,
takingtheonlybowandsheathofarrowsI'veseen
outoftheGamesforgood.AndIrefusetoletthem
slipthroughmyfingersagain!
IreachGlimmerjustasthecannonfires.Thetracker
jackershavevanished.Thisgirl,sobreathtakingly
beautifulinhergoldendressthenightofthe
interviews,isunrecognizable.Herfeatureseradicated,
herlimbsthreetimestheirnormalsize.Thestinger
lumpshavebeguntoexplode,spewingputridgreen
liquidaroundher.Ihavetobreakseveralofwhat
usedtobeherfingerswithastonetofreethebow.
Thesheathofarrowsispinnedunderherback.Itry
torolloverherbodybypullingononearm,butthe
fleshdisintegratesinmyhandsandIfallbackonthe
ground.
Isthisreal?Orhavethehallucinationsbegun?I
squeezemyeyestightandtrytobreathethroughmy
mouth,orderingmyselfnottobecomesick.Breakfast
muststaydown,itmightbedaysbeforeIcanhunt
again.AsecondcannonfiresandI'mguessingthegirl
fromDistrict4hasjustdied.Ihearthebirdsfall
silentandthenonegivethewarningcall,which
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meansahovercraftisabouttoappear.Confused,I
thinkit'sforGlimmer,althoughthisdoesn'tquite
makesensebecauseI'mstillinthepicture,still
fightingforthearrows.Ilurchbackontomyknees
andthetreesaroundmebegintospinincircles.In
themiddleofthesky,Ispotthehovercraft.Ithrow
myselfoverGlimmer'sbodyasiftoprotectitbutthen
IseethegirlfromDistrict4beingliftedintotheair
andvanishing.
"Dothis!"Icommandmyself.Clenchingmyjaw,Idig
myhandsunderGlimmer'sbody,getaholdonwhat
mustbeherribcage,andforceherontoherstomach.
Ican'thelpit,I'mhyperventilatingnow,thewhole
thingissonightmarishandI'mlosingmygraspon
what'sreal.Itugonthesilversheathofarrows,but
it'scaughtonsomething,hershoulderblade,
something,andfinallyyankitfree.I'vejustencircled
thesheathwithmyarmswhenIhearthefootsteps,
severalpairs,comingthroughtheunderbrush,andI
realizetheCareershavecomeback.They'vecome
backtokillmeorgettheirweaponsorboth.
Butit'stoolatetorun.Ipullaslimyarrowfromthe
sheathandtrytopositionitonthebowstringbut
insteadofonestringIseethreeandthestenchfrom
thestingsissorepulsiveIcan'tdoit.Ican'tdoit.I
can'tdoit.
I'mhelplessasthefirsthuntercrashesthroughthe
trees,spearlifted,poisedtothrow.Theshockon
Peeta'sfacemakesnosensetome.Iwaitfortheblow.
Insteadhisarmdropstohisside.
"Whatareyoustilldoinghere?"hehissesatme.I
stareuncomprehendinglyasatrickleofwaterdrips
offastingunderhisear.Hiswholebodystarts
sparklingasifhe'sbeendippedindew."Areyou
mad?"He'sproddingmewiththeshaftofthespear
now."Getup!Getup!"Irise,buthe'sstillpushingat
me.What?Whatisgoingon?Heshovesmeaway
fromhimhard."RunF'hescreams."Run!"
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Behindhim,Catoslasheshiswaythroughthebrush.
He'ssparklingwet,too,andbadlystungunderone
eye.Icatchthegleamofsunlightonhisswordanddo
asPeetasays.Holdingtightlytomybowandarrows,
bangingintotreesthatappearoutofnowhere,
trippingandfallingasItrytokeepmybalance.Back
pastmypoolandintounfamiliarwoods.Theworld
beginstobendinalarmingways.Abutterflyballoons
tothesizeofahousethenshattersintoamillion
stars.Treestransformtobloodandsplashdownover
myboots.Antsbegintocrawloutoftheblisterson
myhandsandIcan'tshakethemfree.They're
climbingupmyarms,myneck.Someone's
screaming,alonghighpitchedscreamthatnever
breaksforbreath.Ihaveavagueideaitmightbeme.
Itripandfallintoasmallpitlinedwithtinyorange
bubblesthathumlikethetrackerjackernest.
Tuckingmykneesuptomychin,Iwaitfordeath.
Sickanddisoriented,I'mabletoformonlyone
thought:PeetaMellarkjustsavedmylife.
ThentheantsboreintomyeyesandIblackout.
185|Page
IenteranightmarefromwhichIwakerepeatedlyonly
tofindagreaterterrorawaitingme.AllthethingsI
dreadmost,allthethingsIdreadforothersmanifest
insuchvividdetailIcan'thelpbutbelievethey're
real.EachtimeIwake,Ithink,Atlast,thisisover,
butitisn't.It'sonlythebeginningofanewchapterof
torture.HowmanywaysdoIwatchPrimdie?Relive
myfather'slastmoments?Feelmyownbodyripped
apart?Thisisthenatureofthetrackerjackervenom,
socarefullycreatedtotargettheplacewherefearlives
inyourbrain.
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WhenIfinallydocometomysenses,Iliestill,waiting
forthenextonslaughtofimagery.ButeventuallyI
acceptthatthepoisonmusthavefinallyworkedits
wayoutofmysystem,leavingmybodywrackedand
feeble.I'mstilllyingonmyside,lockedinthefetal
position.Iliftahandtomyeyestofindthemsound,
untouchedbyantsthatneverexisted.Simply
stretchingoutmylimbsrequiresanenormouseffort.
Somanypartsofmehurt,itdoesn'tseemworthwhile
takinginventoryofthem.Very,veryslowlyImanage
tositup.I'minashallowhole,notfilledwiththe
hummingorangebubblesofmyhallucinationbut
withold,deadleaves.Myclothing'sdamp,butIdon't
knowwhetherpondwater,dew,rain,orsweatisthe
cause.Foralongtime,allIcandoistaketinysips
frommybottleandwatchabeetlecrawlupthesideof
ahoneysucklebush.
HowlonghaveIbeenout?ItwasmorningwhenIlost
reason.Nowit'safternoon.Butthestiffnessinmy
jointssuggestsmorethanadayhaspassed,eventwo
possibly.Ifso,111havenowayofknowingwhich
tributessurvivedthattrackerjackerattack.Not
GlimmerorthegirlfromDistrict4.Buttherewasthe
boyfromDistrict1,bothtributesfromDistrict2,and
Peeta.Didtheydiefromthestings?Certainlyifthey
lived,theirlastdaysmusthavebeenashorridasmy
own.AndwhataboutRue?She'ssosmall,itwouldn't
takemuchvenomtodoherin.Butthenagain...the
trackerjackerswould'vehadtocatchher,andshe
hadagoodheadstart.
Afoul,rottentastepervadesmymouth,andthewater
haslittleeffectonit.Idragmyselfovertothe
honeysucklebushandpluckaflower.Igentlypull
thestamenthroughtheblossomandsetthedropof
nectaronmytongue.Thesweetnessspreadsthrough
mymouth,downmythroat,warmingmyveinswith
memoriesofsummer,andmyhomewoodsandGale's
presencebesideme.Forsomereason,ourdiscussion
fromthatlastmorningcomesbacktome.
"Wecoulddoit,youknow."
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"What?"
"Leavethedistrict.Runoff.Liveinthewoods.You
andI,wecouldmakeit."
Andsuddenly,I'mnotthinkingofGalebutofPeeta
and...Peeta!Hesavedmylife!Ithink.Becauseby
thetimewemetup,Icouldn'ttellwhatwasrealand
whatthetrackerjackervenomhadcausedmeto
imagine.Butifhedid,andmyinstinctstellmehe
did,whatfor?IshesimplyworkingtheLoverBoy
angleheinitiatedattheinterview?Orwasheactually
tryingtoprotectme?Andifhewas,whatwashe
doingwiththoseCareersinthefirstplace?Noneofit
makessense.
IwonderwhatGalemadeoftheincidentfora
momentandthenIpushthewholethingoutofmy
mindbecauseforsomereasonGaleandPeetadonot
coexistwelltogetherinmythoughts.
SoIfocusontheonereallygoodthingthat's
happenedsinceIlandedinthearena.Ihaveabow
andarrows!AfulldozenarrowsifyoucounttheoneI
retrievedinthetree.Theybearnotraceofthe
noxiousgreenslimethatcamefromGlimmer'sbody
whichleadsmetobelievethatmightnothavebeen
whollyrealbuttheyhaveafairamountofdried
bloodonthem.Icancleanthemlater,butIdotakea
minutetoshootafewintoanearbytree.Theyare
moreliketheweaponsintheTrainingCenterthanmy
onesathome,butwhocares?ThatIcanworkwith.
Theweaponsgivemeanentirelynewperspectiveon
theGames.IknowIhavetoughopponentsleftto
face.ButIamnolongermerelypreythatrunsand
hidesortakesdesperatemeasures.IfCatobroke
throughthetreesrightnow,Iwouldn'tflee,I'dshoot.
IfindI'mactuallyanticipatingthemomentwith
pleasure.
Butfirst,Ihavetogetsomestrengthbackinmy
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body.I'mverydehydratedagainandmywatersupply
isdangerouslylow.ThelittlepaddingIwasableto
putonbygorgingmyselfduringpreptimeinthe
Capitolisgone,plusseveralmorepoundsaswell.My
hipbonesandribsaremoreprominentthanI
rememberthembeingsincethoseawfulmonthsafter
myfather'sdeath.Andthentherearemywoundsto
contendwithburns,cuts,andbruisesfrom
smashingintothetrees,andthreetrackerjacker
stings,whichareassoreandswollenasever.Itreat
myburnswiththeointmentandtrydabbingabiton
mystingsaswell,butithasnoeffectonthem.My
motherknewatreatmentforthem,sometypeofleaf
thatcoulddrawoutthepoison,butsheseldomhad
188|Page
causetouseit,andIdon'tevenrememberitsname
letaloneitsappearance.
Waterfirst,Ithink.Youcanhuntalongthewaynow.
It'seasytoseethedirectionIcamefrombythepath
ofdestructionmycrazedbodymadethroughthe
foliage.SoIwalkoffintheotherdirection,hopingmy
enemiesstilllielockedinthesurrealworldoftracker
jackervenom.
Ican'tmovetooquickly,myjointsrejectanyabrupt
motions.ButIestablishtheslowhunter'streadIuse
whentrackinggame.Withinafewminutes,Ispota
rabbitandmakemyfirstkillwiththebowandarrow.
It'snotmyusualcleanshotthroughtheeye,but111
takeit.Afteraboutanhour,Ifindastream,shallow
butwide,andmorethansufficientformyneeds.The
sun'shotandsevere,sowhileIwaitformywaterto
purifyIstripdowntomyunderclothesandwadeinto
themildcurrent.I'mfilthyfromheadtotoe,Itry
splashingmyselfbuteventuallyjustlaydowninthe
waterforafewminutes,lettingitwashoffthesoot
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andbloodandskinthathasstartedtopeeloffmy
burns.Afterrinsingoutmyclothesandhangingthem
onbushestodry,Isitonthebankinthesunfora
bit,untanglingmyhairwithmyfingers.Myappetite
returnsandIeatacrackerandastripofbeef.Witha
handfulofmoss,Ipolishthebloodfrommysilver
weapons.
Refreshed,Itreatmyburnsagain,braidbackmy
hair,anddressinthedampclothes,knowingthesun
willdrythemsoonenough.Followingthestream
againstitscurrentseemsthesmartestcourseof
action.I'mtravelinguphillnow,whichIprefer,witha
sourceoffreshwaternotonlyformyselfbutpossible
game.Ieasilytakeoutastrangebirdthatmustbe
someformofwildturkey.Anyway,itlooksplenty
edibletome.Bylateafternoon,Idecidetobuilda
smallfiretocookthemeat,bettingthatduskwillhelp
concealthesmokeandIcanquenchthefireby
nightfall.Icleanthegame,takingextracarewiththe
bird,butthere'snothingalarmingaboutit.Oncethe
feathersareplucked,it'snobiggerthanachicken,
butit'splumpandfirm.I'vejustplacedthefirstlot
overthecoalswhenIhearthetwigsnap.
Inonemotion,Iturntothesound,bringingthebow
andarrowtomyshoulder.There'snoonethere.No
oneIcanseeanyway.ThenIspotthetipofachild's
bootjustpeekingoutfrombehindthetrunkofatree.
MyshouldersrelaxandIgrin.Shecanmovethrough
thewoodslikeashadow,youhavetogiveherthat.
Howelsecouldshehavefollowedme?Thewords
comeoutofmymouthbeforeIcanstopthem.
"Youknow,they'renottheonlyoneswhocanform
alliances,"Isay.
Foramoment,noresponse.ThenoneofRue'seyes
edgesaroundthetrunk."Youwantmeforanally?"
"Whynot?Yousavedmewiththosetrackerjackers.
You'resmartenoughtostillbealive.AndIcan'tseem
toshakeyouanyway,"Isay.Sheblinksatme,trying
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todecide."Youhungry?"Icanseeherswallowhard,
hereyeflickeringtothemeat."Comeonthen,I'vehad
twokillstoday."
Ruetentativelystepsoutintotheopen."Icanfixyour
stings."
"Canyou?"Iask."How?"
Shedigsinthepackshecarriesandpullsouta
handfulofleaves.I'malmostcertainthey'retheones
mymotheruses."Where'dyoufindthose?"
190|Page
"Justaround.Weallcarrythemwhenweworkinthe
orchards.Theyleftalotofneststhere,"saysRue.
"Therearealothere,too."
"That'sright.You'reDistrictEleven.Agriculture,"I
say."Orchards,huh?Thatmustbehowyoucanfly
aroundthetreeslikeyou'vegotwings."Ruesmiles.
I'velandedononeofthefewthingsshelladmitpride
in."Well,comeon,then.Fixmeup."
Iplunkdownbythefireandrollupmypantlegto
revealthestingonmyknee.Tomysurprise,Rue
placesthehandfulofleavesintohermouthand
beginstochewthem.Mymotherwoulduseother
methods,butit'snotlikewehavealotofoptions.
Afteraminuteorso,Ruepressesagloppygreenwad
ofchewedleavesandspitonmyknee.
"Ohhh."ThesoundcomesoutofmymouthbeforeI
canstopit.It'sasiftheleavesareactuallyleaching
thepainrightoutofthesting.
Ruegivesagiggle."Luckyyouhadthesensetopull
thestingersoutoryou'dbealotworse."
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"Domyneck!Domycheek!"Ialmostbeg.
Ruestuffsanotherhandfulofleavesinhermouth,
andsoonI'mlaughingbecausethereliefissosweet.I
noticealongburnonRue'sforearm."I'vegot
somethingforthat."Isetasidemyweaponsand
anointherarmwiththeburnmedicine.
"Youhavegoodsponsors,"shesayslongingly.
"Haveyougottenanythingyet?"Iask.Sheshakesher
head."Youwill,though.Watch.Thecloserwegetto
theend,themorepeoplewillrealizehowcleveryou
are."Iturnthemeatover.
191|Page
"Youweren'tjoking,aboutwantingmeforanally?"
sheasks.
"No,Imeantit,"Isay.IcanalmosthearHaymitch
groaningasIteamupwiththiswispychild.ButI
wanther.Becauseshe'sasurvivor,andItrusther,
andwhynotadmitit?SheremindsmeofPrim.
"Okay,"shesays,andholdsoutherhand.We
shake."It'sadeal."
Ofcourse,thiskindofdealcanonlybetemporary,
butneitherofusmentionsthat.
Ruecontributesabighandfulofsomesortofstarchy
roottothemeal.Roastedoverthefire,theyhavethe
sharpsweettasteofaparsnip.Sherecognizesthe
bird,too,somewildthingtheycallagrooslinginher
district.Shesayssometimesaflockwillwanderinto
theorchardandtheygetadecentlunchthatday.For
awhile,allconversationstopsaswefillour
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stomachs.Thegrooslinghasdeliciousmealthat'sso
fatty,thegreasedripsdownyourfacewhenyoubite
intoit.
"Oh,"saysRuewithasigh."I'veneverhadawholeleg
tomyselfbefore."
I'llbetshehasn't.Illbetmeathardlyevercomesher
way."Taketheother,"Isay.
"Really?"sheasks.
"Takewhateveryouwant.NowthatI'vegotabowand
arrows,Icangetmore.PlusI'vegotsnares.Ican
showyouhowtosetthem,"Isay.Ruestilllooks
uncertainlyattheleg."Oh,takeit,"Isay,puttingthe
drumstickinherhands."Itwillonlykeepafewdays
anyway,andwe'vegotthewholebirdplusthe
rabbit."Onceshe'sgotholdofit,herappetitewinsout
andshetakesahugemouthful.
"I'dhavethought,inDistrictEleven,you'dhaveabit
moretoeatthanus.Youknow,sinceyougrowthe
food,"Isay.
Rue'seyeswiden."Oh,no,we'renotallowedtoeat
thecrops."
"Theyarrestyouorsomething?"Iask.
"Theywhipyouandmakeeveryoneelsewatch,"says
Rue."Themayor'sverystrictaboutit."
Icantellbyherexpressionthatit'snotthat
uncommonanoccurrence.Apublicwhipping'sarare
thinginDistrict12,althoughoccasionallyoneoccurs.
Technically,GaleandIcouldbewhippedonadaily
basisforpoachinginthewoodswell,technically,
wecouldgetawholelotworseexceptallthe
officialsbuyourmeat.Besides,ourmayor,Madge's
father,doesn'tseemtohavemuchtasteforsuch
events.Maybebeingtheleastprestigious,poorest,
mostridiculeddistrictinthecountryhasits
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advantages.Suchas,beinglargelyignoredbythe
Capitolaslongasweproduceourcoalquotas.
"Doyougetallthecoalyouwant?"Rueasks.
"No,"Ianswer."Justwhatwebuyandwhateverwe
trackinonourboots."
"Theyfeedusabitextraduringharvest,sothat
peoplecankeepgoinglonger,"saysRue.
"Don'tyouhavetobeinschool?"Iask.
"Notduringharvest.Everyoneworksthen,"saysRue.
193|Page
It'sinteresting,hearingaboutherlife.Wehaveso
littlecommunicationwithanyoneoutsideourdistrict.
Infact,IwonderiftheGamemakersareblockingout
ourconversation,becauseeventhoughthe
informationseemsharmless,theydon'twantpeople
indifferentdistrictstoknowaboutoneanother.
AtRue'ssuggestion,welayoutallourfoodtoplan
ahead.She'sseenmostofmine,butIaddthelast
coupleofcrackersandbeefstripstothepile.She's
gatheredquiteacollectionofroots,nuts,greens,and
evensomeberries.
Irollanunfamiliarberryinmyfingers."Yousurethis
issafe?"
"Oh,yes,wehavethembackhome.I'vebeeneating
themfordays,"shesays,poppingahandfulinher
mouth.Itentativelybiteintoone,andit'sasgoodas
ourblackberries.TakingRueonasanallyseemsa
betterchoiceallthetime.Wedivideupourfood
supplies,soincasewe'reseparated,wellbothbeset
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forafewdays.Apartfromthefood,Ruehasasmall
waterskin,ahomemadeslingshot,andanextrapair
ofsocks.Shealsohasasharpshardofrocksheuses
asaknife."Iknowit'snotmuch,"shesaysasif
embarrassed,"butIhadtogetawayfromthe
Cornucopiafast."
"Youdidjustright,"Isay.WhenIspreadoutmygear,
shegaspsalittlewhensheseesthesunglasses.
"Howdidyougetthose?"sheasks.
"Inmypack.They'vebeenuselesssofar.Theydon't
blockthesunandtheymakeithardertosee,"Isay
withashrug.
194|Page
"Thesearen'tforsun,they'refordarkness,"exclaims
Rue."Sometimes,whenweharvestthroughthenight,
they'llpassoutafewpairstothoseofushighestin
thetrees.Wherethetorchlightdoesn'treach.One
time,thisboyMartin,hetriedtokeephispair.Hidit
inhispants.Theykilledhimonthespot."
"Theykilledaboyfortakingthese?"Isay.
"Yes,andeveryoneknewhewasnodanger.Martin
wasn'trightinthehead.Imean,hestillactedlikea
threeyearold.Hejustwantedtheglassestoplay
with,"saysRue.
HearingthismakesmefeellikeDistrict12issome
sortofsafehaven.Ofcourse,peoplekeeloverfrom
starvationallthetime,butIcan'timaginethe
Peacekeepersmurderingasimplemindedchild.
There'salittlegirl,oneofGreasySae'sgrandkids,
whowandersaroundtheHob.She'snotquiteright,
butshe'streatedasasortofpet.Peopletossher
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scrapsandthings.
"Sowhatdothesedo?"IaskRue,takingtheglasses.
"Theyletyouseeincompletedarkness,"saysRue.
"Trythemtonightwhenthesungoesdown."
IgiveRuesomematchesandshemakessureIhave
plentyofleavesincasemystingsflareupagain.We
extinguishourfireandheadupstreamuntilit's
almostnightfall.
"Wheredoyousleep?"Iaskher."Inthetrees?"She
nods."Injustyourjacket?"
Rueholdsupherextrapairofsocks."Ihavethesefor
myhands."
195|Page
Ithinkofhowcoldthenightshavebeen."Youcan
sharemysleepingbagifyouwant.Wellbotheasily
fit."Herfacelightsup.Icantellthisismorethanshe
daredhopefor.
Wepickaforkhighinatreeandsettleinforthe
nightjustastheanthembeginstoplay.Therewere
nodeathstoday.
"Rue,Ionlywokeuptoday.HowmanynightsdidI
miss?"Theanthemshouldblockoutourwords,but
stillIwhisper.Ieventaketheprecautionofcovering
mylipswithmyhand.Idon'twanttheaudienceto
knowwhatI'mplanningtotellheraboutPeeta.
Takingacuefromme,shedoesthesame.
"Two,"shesays."ThegirlsfromDistrictsOneand
Fouraredead.There'stenofusleft."
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"Somethingstrangehappened.Atleast,Ithinkitdid.
Itmighthavebeenthetrackerjackervenommaking
meimaginethings,"Isay."Youknowtheboyfrommy
district?Peeta?Ithinkhesavedmylife.Buthewas
withtheCareers."
"He'snotwiththemnow,"shesays."I'vespiedon
theirbasecampbythelake.Theymadeitbackbefore
theycollapsedfromthestingers.Buthe'snotthere.
Maybehedidsaveyouandhadtorun."
Idon'tanswer.If,infact,Peetadidsaveme,I'minhis
debtagain.Andthiscan'tbepaidback."Ifhedid,it
wasallprobablyjustpartofhisact.Youknow,to
makepeoplethinkhe'sinlovewithme."
"Oh,"saysRuethoughtfully."Ididn'tthinkthatwas
anact."
196|Page
"Courseitis,"Isay."Heworkeditoutwithour
mentor."Theanthemendsandtheskygoesdark.
"Let'stryouttheseglasses."Ipullouttheglassesand
slipthemon.Ruewasn'tkidding.Icanseeeverything
fromtheleavesonthetreestoaskunkstrolling
throughthebushesagoodfiftyfeetaway.Icouldkill
itfromhereifIhadamindto.Icouldkillanyone.
"Iwonderwhoelsegotapairofthese,"Isay.
"TheCareershavetwopairs.Butthey'vegot
everythingdownbythelake,"Ruesays."Andthey're
sostrong."
"We'restrong,too,"Isay."Justinadifferentway."
"Youare.Youcanshoot,"shesays."WhatcanIdo?"
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"Youcanfeedyourself.Canthey?"Iask.
"Theydon'tneedto.Theyhaveallthosesupplies,"
Ruesays.
"Saytheydidn't.Saythesuppliesweregone.How
longwouldtheylast?"Isay."Imean,it'stheHunger
Games,right?"
"But,Katniss,they'renothungry,"saysRue.
"No,they'renot.That'stheproblem,"Iagree.Andfor
thefirsttime,Ihaveaplan.Aplanthatisn't
motivatedbytheneedforflightandevasion.An
offensiveplan."Ithinkwe'regoingtohavetofixthat,
Rue."
197|Page
Ruehasdecidedtotrustmewholeheartedly.Iknow
thisbecauseassoonastheanthemfinishesshe
snugglesupagainstmeandfallsasleep.NordoI
haveanymisgivingsabouther,asItakenoparticular
precautions.Ifshe'dwantedmedead,allshewould
havehadtodowasdisappearfromthattreewithout
pointingoutthetrackerjackernest.Needlingme,at
theverybackofmymind,istheobvious.Bothofus
can'twintheseGames.Butsincetheoddsarestill
againsteitherofussurviving,Imanagetoignorethe
thought.
Besides,I'mdistractedbymylatestideaaboutthe
Careersandtheirsupplies.SomehowRueandImust
findawaytodestroytheirfood.I'mprettysure
feedingthemselveswillbeatremendousstruggle.
Traditionally,theCareertributes'strategyistoget
holdofallthefoodearlyonandworkfromthere.The
yearswhentheyhavenotprotecteditwelloneyear
apackofhideousreptilesdestroyedit,anothera
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Gamemakers'floodwasheditawaythoseare
usuallytheyearsthattributesfromotherdistricts
havewon.ThattheCareershavebeenbetterred
growingupisactuallytotheirdisadvantage,because
theydon'tknowhowtobehungry.NotthewayRue
andIdo.
ButI'mtooexhaustedtobeginanydetailedplan
tonight.Mywoundsrecovering,mymindstillabit
foggyfromthevenom,andthewarmthofRueatmy
side,herheadcradledonmyshoulder,havegivenme
asenseofsecurity.Irealize,forthefirsttime,how
verylonelyI'vebeeninthearena.Howcomfortingthe
presenceofanotherhumanbeingcanbe.Igiveinto
mydrowsiness,resolvingthattomorrowthetables
willturn.Tomorrow,it'stheCareerswhowillhaveto
watchtheirbacks.
Theboomofthecannonjoltsmeawake.Thesky's
streakedwithlight,thebirdsalreadychattering.Rue
perchesinabranchacrossfromme,herhands
cuppingsomething.Wewait,listeningformoreshots,
buttherearen'tany.
"Whodoyouthinkthatwas?"Ican'thelpthinkingof
Peeta.
"Idon'tknow.Itcouldhavebeenanyofthe
others,"saysRue."Iguesswellknowtonight."
"Who'sleftagain?"Iask.
"TheboyfromDistrictOne.BothtributesfromTwo.
TheboyfromThree.Threshandme.Andyouand
Peeta,"saysRue."That'seight.Wait,andtheboyfrom
Ten,theonewiththebadleg.Hemakesnine."
There'ssomeoneelse,butneitherofuscanremember
whoitis.
"Iwonderhowthatlastonedied,"saysRue.
"Notelling.Butit'sgoodforus.Adeathshouldhold
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thecrowdforabit.Maybewellhavetimetodo
somethingbeforetheGamemakersdecidethingshave
beenmovingtooslowly,"Isay."What'sinyour
hands?"
"Breakfast,"saysRue.Sheholdsthemoutrevealing
twobigeggs.
"Whatkindarethose?"Iask.
199|Page
"Notsure.There'samarshyareaoverthatway.Some
kindofwaterbird,"shesays.
It'dbenicetocookthem,butneitherofuswantsto
riskafire.Myguessisthetributewhodiedtodaywas
avictimoftheCareers,whichmeansthey've
recoveredenoughtobebackintheGames.Weeach
suckouttheinsidesofanegg,eatarabbitlegand
someberries.It'sagoodbreakfastanywhere.
"Readytodoit?"Isay,pullingonmypack.
"Dowhat?"saysRue,butbythewayshebouncesup,
youcantellshe'supforwhateverIpropose.
"TodaywetakeouttheCareers'food,"Isay.
"Really?How?"Youcanseetheglintofexcitementin
hereyes.Inthisway,she'sexactlytheoppositeof
Primforwhomadventuresareanordeal.
"Noidea.Comeon,wellfigureoutaplanwhilewe
hunt,"Isay.
Wedon'tgetmuchhuntingdonethoughbecauseI'm
toobusygettingeveryscrapofinformationIcanout
ofRueabouttheCareers'base.She'sonlybeeninto
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spyonthembriefly,butshe'sobservant.Theyhave
setuptheircampbesidethelake.Theirsupplystash
isaboutthirtyyardsaway.Duringtheday,they've
beenleavinganothertribute,theboyfromDistrict3,
towatchoverthesupplies.
"TheboyfromDistrictThree?"Iask."He'sworking
withthem?"
"Yes,hestaysatthecampfulltime.Hegotstung,
too,whentheydrewthetrackerjackersinbythe
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lake,"saysRue."Iguesstheyagreedtolethimliveif
heactedastheirguard.Buthe'snotverybig."
"Whatweaponsdoeshehave?"Iask.
"NotmuchthatIcouldsee.Aspear.Hemightbeable
toholdafewofusoffwiththat,butThreshcouldkill
himeasily,"saysRue.
"Andthefood'sjustoutintheopen?"Isay.She
nods."Something'snotquiterightaboutthatwhole
setup."
"Iknow.ButIcouldn'ttellwhatexactly,"says
Rue."Katniss,evenifyoucouldgettothefood,how
wouldyougetridofit?"
"Burnit.Dumpitinthelake.Soakitinfuel."Ipoke
Rueinthebelly,justlikeIwouldPrim."Eatit!"She
giggles."Don'tworry,111thinkofsomething.
Destroyingthingsismucheasierthanmakingthem."
Forawhile,wedigroots,wegatherberriesand
greens,wedeviseastrategyinhushedvoices.AndI
cometoknowRue,theoldestofsixkids,fiercely
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protectiveofhersiblings,whogivesherrationstothe
youngerones,whoforagesinthemeadowsina
districtwherethePeacekeepersarefarlessobliging
thanours.Rue,whowhenyouaskherwhatsheloves
mostintheworld,replies,ofallthings,"Music."
"Music?"Isay.Inourworld,Irankmusicsomewhere
betweenhairribbonsandrainbowsintermsof
usefulness.Atleastarainbowgivesyouatipabout
theweather."Youhavealotoftimeforthat?"
"Wesingathome.Atwork,too.That'swhyIloveyour
pin,"shesays,pointingtothemockingjaythatI've
againforgottenabout.
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"Youhavemocking]'ays?"Iask.
"Oh,yes.Ihaveafewthataremyspecialfriends.We
cansingbackandforthforhours.Theycarry
messagesforme,"shesays.
"Whatdoyoumean?"Isay.
"I'musuallyuphighest,soI'mthefirsttoseetheflag
thatsignalsquittingtime.There'saspeciallittlesong
Ido,"saysRue.Sheopenshermouthandsingsa
littlefournoteruninasweet,clearvoice."Andthe
mockingjaysspreaditaroundtheorchard.That'show
everyoneknowstoknockoff,"shecontinues."They
canbedangerousthough,ifyougettooneartheir
nests.Butyoucan'tblamethemforthat."
Iunclaspthepinandholditouttoher."Here,you
takeit.Ithasmoremeaningforyouthanme."
"Oh,no,"saysRue,closingmyfingersbackoverthe
pin."Iliketoseeitonyou.That'showIdecidedI
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couldtrustyou.Besides,Ihavethis."Shepullsa
necklacewovenoutofsomekindofgrassfromher
shirt.Onit,hangsaroughlycarvedwoodenstar.Or
maybeit'saflower."It'sagoodluckcharm."
"Well,it'sworkedsofar,"Isay,pinningthe
mockingjaybackonmyshirt."Maybeyoushouldjust
stickwiththat."
Bylunch,wehaveaplan.Byearlyafternoon,weare
poisedtocarryitout.IhelpRuecollectandplacethe
woodforthefirsttwocampfires,thethirdshellhave
timeforonherown.Wedecidetomeetafterwardat
thesitewhereweateourfirstmealtogether.The
streamshouldhelpguidemebacktoit.BeforeI
leave,ImakesureRue'swellstockedwithfoodand
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matches.Ieveninsistshetakemysleepingbag,in
caseit'snotpossibletorendezvousbynightfall.
"Whataboutyou?Won'tyoubecold?"sheasks.
"NotifIpickupanotherbagdownbythelake,"I
say."Youknow,stealingisn'tillegalhere,"Isaywitha
grin.
Atthelastminute,Ruedecidestoteachmeher
mockingjaysignal,theoneshegivestoindicatethe
day'sworkisdone."Itmightnotwork.Butifyouhear
themockingjayssingingit,youllknowI'mokay,only
Ican'tgetbackrightaway."
"Aretheremanymockingjayshere?"Iask.
"Haven'tyouseenthem?They'vegotnests
everywhere,"shesays.IhavetoadmitIhaven't
noticed.
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"Okay,then.Ifallgoesaccordingtoplan,111seeyou
fordinner,"Isay.
Unexpectedly,Ruethrowsherarmsaroundme.Ionly
hesitateamomentbeforeIhugherback.
"Youbecareful,"shesaystome.
"You,too,"Isay.Iturnandheadbacktothestream,
feelingsomehowworried.AboutRuebeingkilled,
aboutRuenotbeingkilledandthetwoofusbeingleft
forlast,aboutleavingRuealone,aboutleavingPrim
alonebackhome.No,PrimhasmymotherandGale
andabakerwhohaspromisedshewon'tgohungry.
Ruehasonlyme.
OnceIreachthestream,Ihaveonlytofollowit
downhilltotheplaceIinitiallypickeditupafterthe
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trackerjackerattack.IhavetobecautiousasImove
alongthewaterthough,becauseIfindmythoughts
preoccupiedwithunansweredquestions,mostof
whichconcernPeeta.Thecannonthatfiredearlythis
morning,didthatsignifyhisdeath?Ifso,howdidhe
die?AtthehandofaCareer?Andwasthatinrevenge
forlettingmelive?Istruggleagaintorememberthat
momentoverGlimmer'sbody,whenheburstthrough
thetrees.Butjustthefactthathewassparkling
leadsmetodoubteverythingthathappened.
Imusthavebeenmovingveryslowlyyesterday
becauseIreachtheshallowstretchwhereItookmy
bathinjustafewhours.Istoptoreplenishmywater
andaddalayerofmudtomybackpack.Itseems
bentonrevertingtoorangenomatterhowmany
timesIcoverit.
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MyproximitytotheCareers'campsharpensmy
senses,andthecloserIgettothem,themore
guardedIam,pausingfrequentlytolistenfor
unnaturalsounds,anarrowalreadyfittedintothe
stringofmybow.Idon'tseeanyothertributes,butI
donoticesomeofthethingsRuehasmentioned.
Patchesofthesweetberries.Abushwiththeleaves
thathealedmystings.Clustersoftrackerjackernests
inthevicinityofthetreeIwastrappedin.Andhere
andthere,theblackandwhiteflashofamockingjay
winginthebrancheshighovermyhead.
WhenIreachthetreewiththeabandonednestatthe
foot,Ipauseamoment,togathermycourage.Rue
hasgivenspecificinstructionsonhowtoreachthe
bestspyingplacenearthelakefromthispoint.
Remember,Itellmyself.You'rethehunternow,not
them.Igetafirmergrasponmybowandgoon.I
makeittothecopseRuehastoldmeaboutandagain
havetoadmirehercleverness.It'srightattheedgeof
thewood,butthebushyfoliageissothickdownlowI
caneasilyobservetheCareercampwithoutbeing
spotted.Betweenusliestheflatexpansewherethe
Gamesbegan.
Therearefourtributes.TheboyfromDistrict1,Cato
andthegirlfromDistrict2,andascrawny,ashen
skinnedboywhomustbefromDistrict3.Hemade
almostnoimpressiononmeatallduringourtimein
theCapitol.Icanrememberalmostnothingabout
him,nothiscostume,nothistrainingscore,nothis
interview.Evennow,ashesitstherefiddlingwith
somekindofplasticbox,he'seasilyignoredinthe
presenceofhislargeanddomineeringcompanions.
Buthemustbeofsomevalueortheywouldn'thave
botheredtolethimlive.Still,seeinghimonlyaddsto
mysenseofuneaseoverwhytheCareerswould
possiblyleavehimasaguard,whytheyhaveallowed
himtoliveatall.
Allfourtributesseemtostillberecoveringfromthe
trackerjackerattack.Evenfromhere,Icanseethe
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largeswollenlumpsontheirbodies.Theymustnot
havehadthesensetoremovethestingers,orifthey
did,notknownabouttheleavesthathealedthem.
Apparently,whatevermedicinestheyfoundinthe
Cornucopiahavebeenineffective.
TheCornucopiasitsinitsoriginalposition,butits
insideshavebeenpickedclean.Mostofthesupplies,
heldincrates,burlapsacks,andplasticbins,are
piledneatlyinapyramidinwhatseemsa
questionabledistancefromthecamp.Othersare
sprinkledaroundtheperimeterofthepyramid,
almostmimickingthelayoutofsuppliesaroundthe
CornucopiaattheonsetoftheGames.Acanopyof
nettingthat,asidefromdiscouragingbirds,seemsto
beuselesssheltersthepyramiditself.
205|Page
Thewholesetupiscompletelyperplexing.The
distance,thenetting,andthepresenceoftheboy
fromDistrict3.Onething'sforsure,destroyingthose
suppliesisnotgoingtobeassimpleasitlooks.Some
otherfactorisatplayhere,andI'dbetterstayput
untilIfigureoutwhatitis.Myguessisthepyramid
isboobytrappedinsomemanner.Ithinkof
concealedpits,descendingnets,athreadthatwhen
brokensendsapoisonousdartintoyourheart.
Really,thepossibilitiesareendless.
WhileIammullingovermyoptions,IhearCatoshout
out.He'spointinguptothewoods,farbeyondme,
andwithoutturningIknowthatRuemusthaveset
thefirstcampfire.We'dmadesuretogatherenough
greenwoodtomakethesmokenoticeable.The
Careersbegintoarmthemselvesatonce.
Anargumentbreaksout.It'sloudenoughformeto
hearthatitconcernswhetherornottheboyfrom
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District3shouldstayoraccompanythem.
"He'scoming.Weneedhiminthewoods,andhis
job'sdonehereanyway.Noonecantouchthose
supplies,"saysCato.
"WhataboutLoverBoy?"saystheboyfromDistrict1.
"Ikeeptellingyou,forgetabouthim.IknowwhereI
cuthim.It'samiraclehehasn'tbledtodeathyet.At
anyrate,he'sinnoshapetoraidus,"saysCato.
SoPeetaisoutthereinthewoods,woundedbadly.
ButIamstillinthedarkonwhatmotivatedhimto
betraytheCareers.
"Comeon,"saysCato.Hethrustsaspearintothe
handsoftheboyfromDistrict3,andtheyheadoffin
thedirectionofthefire.ThelastthingIhearasthey
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enterthewoodsisCatosaying,"Whenwefindher,I
killherinmyownway,andnooneinterferes."
SomehowIdon'tthinkhe'stalkingaboutRue.She
didn'tdropanestoftrackerjackersonhim.
Istayputforahalfanhourorso,tryingtofigureout
whattodoaboutthesupplies.TheoneadvantageI
havewiththebowandarrowisdistance.Icouldsend
aflamingarrowintothepyramideasilyenoughI'm
agoodenoughshottogetitthroughthoseopenings
inthenetbutthere'snoguaranteeitwouldcatch.
Morelikelyit'djustburnitselfoutandthenwhat?I'd
haveachievednothingandgiventhemfartoomuch
informationaboutmyself.ThatIwashere,thatIhave
anaccomplice,thatIcanusethebowandarrowwith
accuracy.
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There'snoalternative.I'mgoingtohavetogetin
closerandseeifIcan'tdiscoverwhatexactlyprotects
thesupplies.Infact,I'mjustabouttorevealmyself
whenamovementcatchesmyeye.Severalhundred
yardstomyright,Iseesomeoneemergefromthe
woods.Forasecond,Ithinkit'sRue,butthenI
recognizeFoxfaceshe'stheonewecouldn't
rememberthismorningcreepingoutontotheplain.
Whenshedecidesit'ssafe,sherunsforthepyramid,
withquick,smallsteps.Justbeforeshereachesthe
circleofsuppliesthathavebeenlitteredaroundthe
pyramid,shestops,searchestheground,and
carefullyplacesherfeetonaspot.Thenshebeginsto
approachthepyramidwithstrangelittlehops,
sometimeslandingononefoot,teeteringslightly,
sometimesriskingafewsteps.Atonepoint,she
launchesupintheair,overasmallbarrelandlands
poisedonhertiptoes.Butsheovershotslightly,and
hermomentumthrowsherforward.Ihearhergivea
sharpsquealasherhandshittheground,but
nothinghappens.Inamoment,she'sregainedher
feetandcontinuesuntilshehasreachedthebulkof
thesupplies.
So,I'mrightabouttheboobytrap,butit'sclearly
morecomplexthanIhadimagined.Iwasrightabout
thegirl,too.Howwilyisshetohavediscoveredthis
pathintothefoodandtobeabletoreplicateitso
neatly?Shefillsherpack,takingafewitemsfroma
varietyofcontainers,crackersfromacrate,ahandful
ofapplesfromaburlapsackthathangssuspended
fromaropeoffthesideofabin.Butonlyahandful
fromeach,notenoughtotipoffthatthefoodis
missing.Notenoughtocausesuspicion.Andthen
she'sdoingheroddlittledancebackoutofthecircle
andscamperingintothewoodsagain,safeand
sound.
IrealizeI'mgrindingmyteethinfrustration.Foxface
hasconfirmedwhatI'dalreadyguessed.Butwhat
sortoftraphavetheylaidthatrequiressuch
dexterity?Hassomanytriggerpoints?Whydidshe
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squealsoasherhandsmadecontactwiththeearth?
You'dhavethought...andslowlyitbeginstodawnon
me...you'dhavethoughttheverygroundwasgoing
toexplode.
"It'smined,"Iwhisper.Thatexplainseverything.The
Careers'willingnesstoleavetheirsupplies,Foxface's
reaction,theinvolvementoftheboyfromDistrict3,
wheretheyhavethefactories,wheretheymake
televisionsandautomobilesandexplosives.But
wheredidhegetthem?Inthesupplies?That'snot
thesortofweapontheGamemakersusuallyprovide,
giventhattheyliketoseethetributesdrawblood
personally.Islipoutofthebushesandcrosstooneof
theroundmetalplatesthatliftedthetributesintothe
arena.Thegroundaroundithasbeendugupand
pattedbackdown.Thelandminesweredisabledafter
thesixtysecondswestoodontheplates,buttheboy
fromDistrict3musthavemanagedtoreactivate
them.I'veneverseenanyoneintheGamesdothat.I
betitcameasashockeventotheGamemakers.
Well,hurrayfortheboyfromDistrict3forputting
oneoveronthem,butwhatamIsupposedtodo
now?Obviously,Ican'tgostrollingintothatmess
withoutblowingmyselfskyhigh.Asforsendingina
burningarrow,that'smorelaughablethanever.The
minesaresetoffbypressure.Itdoesn'thavetobea
lot,either.Oneyear,agirldroppedhertoken,asmall
woodenball,whileshewasatherplate,andthey
literallyhadtoscrapebitsofherofftheground.
Myarm'sprettygood,Imightbeabletochucksome
rocksinthereandsetoffwhat?Maybeonemine?
Thatcouldstartachainreaction.Orcouldit?Would
theboyfromDistrict3haveplacedtheminesinsuch
awaythatasingleminewouldnotdisturbthe
others?Therebyprotectingthesuppliesbutensuring
thedeathoftheinvader.EvenifIonlyblewupone
mine,I'ddrawtheCareersbackdownonmeforsure.
Andanyway,whatamIthinking?There'sthatnet,
clearlystrungtodeflectanysuchattack.Besides,
whatI'dreallyneedistothrowaboutthirtyrocksin
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thereatonce,settingoffabigchainreaction,
demolishingthewholelot.
Iglancebackupatthewoods.ThesmokefromRue's
secondfireiswaftingtowardthesky.Bynow,the
Careershaveprobablybeguntosuspectsomesortof
trick.Timeisrunningout.
Thereisasolutiontothis,Iknowthereis,ifIcan
onlyfocushardenough.Istareatthepyramid,the
bins,thecrates,tooheavytotoppleoverwithan
arrow.Maybeonecontainscookingoil,andthe
burningarrowideaisrevivingwhenIrealizeIcould
enduplosingalltwelveofmyarrowsandnotgeta
directhitonanoilbin,sinceI'djustbeguessing.I'm
genuinelythinkingoftryingtorecreateFoxface'strip
uptothepyramidinhopesoffindinganewmeansof
destructionwhenmyeyeslightontheburlapbagof
apples.Icouldsevertheropeinoneshot,didn'tIdo
asmuchintheTrainingCenter?It'sabigbag,butit
stillmightonlybegoodforoneexplosion.IfonlyI
couldfreetheapplesthemselves...
Iknowwhattodo.Imoveintorangeandgivemyself
threearrowstogetthejobdone.Iplacemyfeet
carefully,blockouttherestoftheworldasItake
meticulousaim,Thefirstarrowtearsthroughtheside
ofthebagnearthetop,leavingasplitintheburlap.
Thesecondwidensittoagapinghole.Icanseethe
firstappleteeteringwhenIletthethirdarrowgo,
catchingthetornflapofburlapandrippingitfrom
thebag.
Foramoment,everythingseemsfrozenintime.Then
theapplesspilltothegroundandI'mblown
backwardintotheair.
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Theimpactwiththehardpackedearthoftheplain
knocksthewindoutofme.Mybackpackdoeslittleto
softentheblow.Fortunatelymyquiverhascaughtin
thecrookofmyelbow,sparingbothitselfandmy
shoulder,andmybowislockedinmygrasp.The
groundstillshakeswithexplosions.Ican'thearthem.
Ican'thearanythingatthemoment.Buttheapples
musthavesetoffenoughmines,causingdebristo
activatetheothers.Imanagetoshieldmyfacewith
myarmsasshatteredbitsofmatter,someofit
burning,raindownaroundme.Anacridsmokefills
theair,whichisnotthebestremedyforsomeone
tryingtoregaintheabilitytobreathe.
Afteraboutaminute,thegroundstopsvibrating.I
rollonmysideandallowmyselfamomentof
satisfactionthesightofthesmolderingwreckagethat
wasrecentlythepyramid.TheCareersaren'tlikelyto
salvageanythingoutofthat.
I'dbettergetoutofhere,Ithink.They'11bemakinga
beelinefortheplace.ButonceI'monmyfeet,Irealize
escapemaynotbesosimple.I'mdizzy.Notthe
slightlywobblykind,butthekindthatsendsthe
treesswoopingaroundyouandcausestheearthto
moveinwavesunderyourfeet.
Itakeafewstepsandsomehowwinduponmyhands
andknees.Iwaitafewminutestoletitpass,butit
doesn't.
Panicbeginstosetin.Ican'tstayhere.Flightis
essential.ButIcanneitherwalknorhear.Iplacea
handtomyleftear,theonethatwasturnedtoward
theblast,anditcomesawaybloody.HaveIgonedeaf
fromtheexplosion?Theideafrightensme.Irelyas
muchonmyearsasmyeyesasahunter,maybe
moreattimes.ButIcan'tletmyfearshow.
Absolutely,positively,Iamliveoneveryscreenin
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Panem.
Nobloodtrails,Itellmyself,andmanagetopullmy
hoodupovermyhead,tiethecordundermychin
withuncooperativefingers.Thatshouldhelpsoakup
theblood.Ican'twalk,butcanIcrawl?Imove
forwardtentatively.Yes,ifIgoveryslowly,Ican
crawl.Mostofthewoodswillofferinsufficientcover.
MyonlyhopeistomakeitbacktoRue'scopseand
concealmyselfingreenery.Ican'tgetcaughtouthere
onmyhandsandkneesintheopen.NotonlywillI
facedeath,it'ssuretobealongandpainfuloneat
Cato'shand.ThethoughtofPrimhavingtowatch
thatkeepsmedoggedlyinchingmywaytowardthe
hideout.
Anotherblastknocksmeflatonmyface.Astray
mine,setoffbysomecollapsingcrate.Thishappens
twicemore.I'mremindedofthoselastfewkernels
thatburstwhenPrimandIpopcornoverthefireat
home.
TosayImakeitinthenickoftimeisan
understatement.Ihaveliterallyjustdraggedmyself
intothetangleofhushesatthebaseofthetrees
whenthere'sCato,barrelingontotheplain,soon
followedbyhiscompanions.Hisrageissoextremeit
mightbecomicalsopeoplereallydotearouttheir
hairandbeatthegroundwiththeirfistsifIdidn't
knowthatitwasaimedatme,atwhatIhavedoneto
him.Addtothatmyproximity,myinabilitytorunor
defendmyself,andinfact,thewholethinghasme
terrified.I'mgladmyhidingplacemakesitimpossible
forthecamerastogetacloseshotofmebecauseI'm
bitingmynailslikethere'snotomorrow.Gnawingoff
thelastbitsofnailpolish,tryingtokeepmyteeth
fromchattering.
TheboyfromDistrict3throwsstonesintotheruins
andmusthavedeclaredalltheminesactivated
becausetheCareersareapproachingthewreckage.
Catohasfinishedthefirstphaseofhistantrumand
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takesouthisangeronthesmokingremainsby
kickingopenvariouscontainers.Theothertributes
arepokingaroundinthemess,lookingforanything
tosalvage,butthere'snothing.TheboyfromDistrict
3hasdonehisjobtoowell.Thisideamustoccurto
Cato,too,becauseheturnsontheboyandappears
tobeshoutingathim.TheboyfromDistrict3only
hastimetoturnandrunbeforeCatocatcheshimina
headlockfrombehind.Icanseethemusclesripplein
Cato'sarmsashesharplyjerkstheboy'sheadtothe
side.
It'sthatquick.ThedeathoftheboyfromDistrict3.
TheothertwoCareersseemtobetryingtocalmCato
down.Icantellhewantstoreturntothewoods,but
theykeeppointingatthesky,whichpuzzlesmeuntil
Irealize,Ofcourse.Theythinkwhoeversetoffthe
explosionsisdead.
Theydon'tknowaboutthearrowsandtheapples.
Theyassumetheboobytrapwasfaulty,butthatthe
tributewhoblewupthesupplieswaskilleddoingit.If
therewasacannonshot,itcouldhavebeeneasily
lostinthesubsequentexplosions.Theshattered
remainsofthethiefremovedbyhovercraft.They
retiretothefarsideofthelaketoallowthe
Gamemakerstoretrievethebodyoftheboyfrom
District3.Andtheywait.
213|Page
Isupposeacannongoesoff.Ahovercraftappearsand
takesthedeadboy.Thesundipsbelowthehorizon.
Nightfalls.Upinthesky,Iseethesealandknowthe
anthemmusthavebegun.Amomentofdarkness.
TheyshowtheboyfromDistrict3.Theyshowtheboy
fromDistrict10,whomusthavediedthismorning.
Thenthesealreappears.So,nowtheyknow.The
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bombersurvived.Intheseal'slight,IcanseeCato
andthegirlfromDistrict2putontheirnightvision
glasses.TheboyfromDistrict1ignitesatreebranch
foratorch,illuminatingthegrimdeterminationonall
theirfaces.TheCareersstridebackintothewoodsto
hunt.
Thedizzinesshassubsidedandwhilemyleftearis
stilldeafened,Icanheararinginginmyright,which
seemsagoodsign.There'snopointinleavingmy
hidingplace,though.I'maboutassafeasIcanbe,
hereatthecrimescene.Theyprobablythinkthe
bomberhasatwoorthreehourleadonthem.Still
it'salongtimebeforeIriskmoving.
ThefirstthingIdoisdigoutmyownglassesandput
themon,whichrelaxesmealittle,tohaveatleast
oneofmyhunter'ssensesworking.Idrinksome
waterandwashthebloodfrommyear.Fearingthe
smellofmeatwilldrawunwantedpredatorsfresh
bloodisbadenoughImakeagoodmealoutofthe
greensandrootsandberriesRueandIgathered
today.
Whereismylittleally?Didshemakeitbacktothe
rendezvouspoint?Issheworriedaboutme?Atleast,
theskyhasshownwe'rebothalive.
Irunthroughthesurvivingtributesonmyfingers.
Theboyfrom1,bothfrom2,Foxface,bothfrom11
and12.Justeightofus.Thebettingmustbegetting
reallyhotintheCapitol.They'llbedoingspecial
featuresoneachofusnow.Probablyinterviewingour
friendsandfamilies.It'sbeenalongtimesincea
tributefromDistrict12madeitintothetopeight.
Andnowtherearetwoofus.Althoughfromwhat
Catosaid,Peeta'sonhiswayout.NotthatCatoisthe
finalwordonanything.Didn'thejustlosehisentire
stashofsupplies?
LettheSeventyfourthHungerGamesbegin,Cato,I
think.Letthembeginforreal.
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Acoldbreezehassprungup.Ireachformysleeping
bagbeforeIrememberIleftitwithRue.Iwas
supposedtopickupanotherone,butwhatwiththe
minesandall,Iforgot.Ibegintoshiver.Since
roostingovernightinatreeisn'tsensibleanyway,I
scoopoutahollowunderthebushesandcover
myselfwithleavesandpineneedles.I'mstillfreezing.
Ilaymysheetofplasticovermyupperbodyand
positionmybackpacktoblockthewind.It'salittle
better.Ibegintohavemoresympathyforthegirlfrom
District8thatlitthefirethatfirstnight.Butnowit's
mewhoneedstogritmyteethandtoughitoutuntil
morning.Moreleaves,morepineneedles.Ipullmy
armsinsidemyjacketandtuckmykneesuptomy
chest.Somehow,Idriftofftosleep.
WhenIopenmyeyes,theworldlooksslightly
fractured,andittakesaminutetorealizethatthe
sunmustbewellupandtheglassesfragmentingmy
vision.AsIsitupandremovethem,Ihearalaugh
somewherenearthelakeandfreeze.Thelaugh's
distorted,butthefactthatitregisteredatallmeansI
mustberegainingmyhearing.Yes,myrightearcan
hearagain,althoughit'sstillringing.Asformyleft
ear,well,atleastthebleedinghasstopped.
Ipeerthroughthebushes,afraidtheCareershave
returned,trappingmehereforanindefinitetime.No,
it'sFoxface,standingintherubbleofthepyramid
andlaughing.She'ssmarterthantheCareers,
actuallyfindingafewusefulitemsintheashes.A
metalpot.Aknifeblade.I'mperplexedbyher
amusementuntilIrealizethatwiththeCareers'
storeseliminated,shemightactuallystandachance.
Justliketherestofus.Itcrossesmymindtoreveal
myselfandenlistherasasecondallyagainstthat
pack.ButIruleitout.There'ssomethingaboutthat
slygrinthatmakesmesurethatbefriendingFoxface
wouldultimatelygetmeaknifeintheback.Withthat
inmind,thismightbeanexcellenttimetoshoother.
Butshe'sheardsomething,notme,becauseherhead
turnsaway,towardthedropoff,andshesprintsfor
thewoods.Iwait.Noone,nothingshowsup.Still,if
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Foxfacethoughtitwasdangerous,maybeit'stimefor
metogetoutofhere,too.Besides,I'meagertotell
Rueaboutthepyramid.
SinceI'venoideawheretheCareersare,theroute
backbythestreamseemsasgoodasany.Ihurry,
loadedbowinonehand,ahunkofcoldgrooslingin
theother,becauseI'mfamishednow,andnotjustfor
leavesandberriesbutforthefatandproteininthe
meat.Thetriptothestreamisuneventful.Once
there,Irefillmywaterandwash,takingparticular
carewithmyinjuredear.ThenItraveluphillusing
thestreamasaguide.Atonepoint,Ifindbootprints
inthemudalongthebank.TheCareershavebeen
here,butnotforawhile.Theprintsaredeepbecause
theyweremadeinsoftmud,butnowthey'renearly
dryinthehotsun.Ihaven'tbeencarefulenough
aboutmyowntracks,countingonalighttreadand
thepineneedlestoconcealmyprints.NowIstripoff
mybootsandsocksandgobarefootupthebedofthe
stream.
Thecoolwaterhasaninvigoratingeffectonmybody,
myspirits.Ishoottwofish,easypickingsinthisslow
movingstream,andgoaheadandeatoneraweven
thoughI'vejusthadthegroosling.ThesecondI'llsave
forRue.
Gradually,subtly,theringinginmyrightear
diminishesuntilit'sgoneentirely.Ifindmyself
pawingatmyleftearperiodically,tryingtoclean
awaywhateverdeadensitsabilitytocollectsounds.If
there'simprovement,it'sundetectable.Ican'tadjust
todeafnessintheear.Itmakesmefeeloffbalanced
anddefenselesstomyleft.Blindeven.Myheadkeeps
turningtotheinjuredside,asmyrighteartriesto
compensateforthewallofnothingnesswhere
yesterdaytherewasaconstantflowofinformation.
Themoretimethatpasses,thelesshopefulIamthat
thisisaninjurythatwillheal.
WhenIreachthesiteofourfirstmeeting,Ifeel
certainit'sbeenundisturbed.There'snosignofRue,
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notonthegroundorinthetrees.Thisisodd.Bynow
sheshouldhavereturned,asit'smidday.
Undoubtedly,shespentthenightinatree
somewhere.Whatelsecouldshedowithnolightand
theCareerswiththeirnightvisionglassestramping
aroundthewoods.Andthethirdfireshewas
supposedtosetalthoughIforgottocheckforit
lastnightwasthefarthestfromoursiteofall.
She'sprobablyjustbeingcautiousaboutmakingher
wayback.Iwishshe'dhurry,becauseIdon'twantto
hangaroundheretoolong.Iwanttospendthe
afternoontravelingtohigherground,huntingaswe
go.Butthere'snothingreallyformetodobutwait.
Iwashthebloodoutofmyjacketandhairandclean
myevergrowinglistofwounds.Theburnsaremuch
betterbutIuseabitofmedicineonthemanyway.
Themainthingtoworryaboutnowiskeepingout
infection.Igoaheadandeatthesecondfish.Itisn't
goingtolastlonginthishotsun,butitshouldbe
easyenoughtospearafewmoreforRue.Ifshewould
justshowup.
Feelingtoovulnerableonthegroundwithmy
lopsidedhearing,Iscaleatreetowait.IftheCareers
showup,thiswillbeafineplacetoshootthemfrom.
Thesunmovesslowly.Idothingstopassthetime.
Chewleavesandapplythemtomystingsthatare
deflatedbutstilltender.Combthroughmydamphair
withmyfingersandbraidit.Lacemybootsbackup.
Checkovermybowandremainingninearrows.Test
myleftearrepeatedlyforsignsoflifebyrustlingaleaf
nearit,butwithoutgoodresults.
Despitethegrooslingandthefish,mystomach's
growling,andIknowI'mgoingtohavewhatwecalla
hollowdaybackinDistrict12.That'sadaywhereno
matterwhatyouputinyourbelly,it'sneverenough.
Havingnothingtodobutsitinatreemakesitworse,
soIdecidetogiveintoit.Afterall,I'velostalotof
weightinthearena,Ineedsomeextracalories.And
havingthebowandarrowsmakesmefarmore
confidentaboutmyfutureprospects.
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Islowlypeelandeatahandfulofnuts.Mylast
cracker.Thegrooslingneck.That'sgoodbecauseit
takestimetopickclean.Finally,agrooslingwingand
thebirdishistory.Butit'sahollowday,andeven
withallthatIstartdaydreamingaboutfood.
ParticularlythedecadentdishesservedintheCapitol.
Thechickenincreamyorangesauce.Thecakesand
pudding.Breadwithbutter.Noodlesingreensauce.
Thelambanddriedplumstew.Isuckonafewmint
leavesandtellmyselftogetoverit.Mintisgood
becausewedrinkmintteaaftersupperoften,soit
tricksmystomachintothinkingeatingtimeisover.
Sortof.
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Danglingupinthetree,withthesunwarmingme,a
mouthfulofmint,mybowandarrowsathand...this
isthemostrelaxedI'vebeensinceI'veenteredthe
arena.IfonlyRuewouldshowup,andwecouldclear
out.Astheshadowsgrow,sodoesmyrestlessness.
Bylateafternoon,I'veresolvedtogolookingforher.I
canatleastvisitthespotwhereshesetthethirdfire
andseeifthereareanycluestoherwhereabouts.
BeforeIgo,Iscatterafewmintleavesaroundourold
campfire.Sincewegatheredthesesomedistance
away,RuewillunderstandI'vebeenhere,whilethey'll
meannothingtotheCareers.
Inlessthananhour,I'mattheplacewhereweagreed
tohavethethirdfireandIknowsomethinghasgone
amiss.Thewoodhasbeenneatlyarranged,expertly
interspersedwithtinder,butithasneverbeenlit.
Ruesetupthefirebutnevermadeitbackhere.
SomewherebetweenthesecondcolumnofsmokeI
spiedbeforeIblewupthesuppliesandthispoint,she
ranintotrouble.
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Ihavetoremindmyselfshe'sstillalive.Orisshe?
Couldthecannonshotannouncingherdeathhave
comeintheweehoursofthemorningwhenevenmy
goodearwastoobrokentopickitup?Willshe
appearintheskytonight?No,Irefusetobelieveit.
Therecouldbeahundredotherexplanations.She
couldhavelostherway.Runintoapackofpredators
oranothertribute,likeThresh,andhadtohide.
Whateverhappened,I'malmostcertainshe'sstuck
outthere,somewherebetweenthesecondfireandthe
unlitoneatmyfeet.Somethingiskeepingherupa
tree.
IthinkI'llgohuntitdown.
219|Page
It'sarelieftobedoingsomethingaftersittingaround
allafternoon.Icreepsilentlythroughtheshadows,
lettingthemconcealme.Butnothingseems
suspicious.There'snosignofanykindofstruggle,no
disruptionoftheneedlesontheground.I'vestopped
forjustamomentwhenIhearit.Ihavetocockmy
headaroundtothesidetobesure,butthereitis
again.Rue'sfournotetunecomingoutofa
mockingjay'smouth.Theonethatmeansshe'sall
right.
Igrinandmoveinthedirectionofthebird.Another
justashortdistanceahead,picksuponthehandful
ofnotes.Ruehasbeensingingtothem,andrecently.
Otherwisethey'dhavetakenupsomeothersong.My
eyesliftupintothetrees,searchingforasignofher.I
swallowandsingsoftlyback,hopingshe'llknowit's
safetojoinme.Amockingjayrepeatsthemelodyto
me.Andthat'swhenIhearthescream.
It'sachild'sscream,ayounggirl'sscream,there'sno
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oneinthearenacapableofmakingthatsoundexcept
Rue.AndnowI'mrunning,knowingthismaybea
trap,knowingthethreeCareersmaybepoisedto
attackme,butIcan'thelpmyself.There'sanother
highpitchedcry,thistimemyname."Katniss!
Katniss!"
"Rue!"Ishoutback,sosheknowsI'mnear.So,they
knowI'mnear,andhopefullythegirlwhohas
attackedthemwithtrackerjackersandgottenan
eleventheystillcan'texplainwillbeenoughtopull
theirattentionawayfromher."Rue!I'mcoming!"
WhenIbreakintotheclearing,she'sontheground,
hopelesslyentangledinanet.Shejusthastimeto
reachherhandthroughthemeshandsaymyname
beforethespearentersherbody.
220|Page
TheboyfromDistrict1diesbeforehecanpulloutthe
spear.Myarrowdrivesdeeplyintothecenterofhis
neck.Hefallstohiskneesandhalvesthebrief
remainderofhislifebyyankingoutthearrowand
drowninginhisownblood.I'mreloaded,shiftingmy
aimfromsidetoside,whileIshoutatRue,"Arethere
more?Aretheremore?"
ShehastosaynoseveraltimesbeforeIhearit.Rue
hasrolledtoherside,herbodycurvedinandaround
thespear.Ishovetheboyawayfromherandpullout
myknife,freeingherfromthenet.Onelookatthe
woundandIknowit'sfarbeyondmycapacitytoheal,
beyondanyone'sprobably.Thespearheadisburied
uptotheshaftinherstomach.Icrouchbeforeher,
staringhelplesslyattheembeddedweapon.There's
nopointincomfortingwords,intellinghershe'llbe
allright.She'snofool.HerhandreachesoutandI
clutchitlikealifeline.Asifit'smewho'sdying
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insteadofRue.
"Youblewupthefood?"shewhispers.
"Everylastbit,"Isay.
"Youhavetowin,"shesays.
"I'mgoingto.Goingtowinforbothofusnow,"I
promise.Ihearacannonandlookup.Itmustbefor
theboyfromDistrict1.
"Don'tgo."Ruetightenshergriponmyhand.
221|Page
"Coursenot.Stayingrighthere,"Isay.Imovein
closertoher,pullingherheadontomylap.Igently
brushthedark,thickhairbackbehindherear.
"Sing,"shesays,butIbarelycatchtheword.
Sing?Ithink.Singwhat?Idoknowafewsongs.
Believeitornot,therewasoncemusicinmyhouse,
too.MusicIhelpedmake.Myfatherpulledmeinwith
thatremarkablevoicebutIhaven'tsungmuch
sincehedied.ExceptwhenPrimisverysick.ThenI
singherthesamesongsshelikedasababy.
Sing.Mythroatistightwithtears,hoarsefromsmoke
andfatigue.ButifthisisPrim's,Imean,Rue'slast
request,Ihavetoatleasttry.Thesongthatcomesto
meisasimplelullaby,onewesingfretful,hungry
babiestosleepwith,It'sold,veryoldIthink.Madeup
longagoinourhills.Whatmymusicteachercallsa
mountainair.Butthewordsareeasyandsoothing,
promisingtomorrowwillbemorehopefulthanthis
awfulpieceoftimewecalltoday.
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Igiveasmallcough,swallowhard,andbegin:
Deepinthemeadow,underthewillow
Abedofgrass,asoftgreenpillow
Laydownyourhead,andcloseyoursleepyeyes
Andwhenagaintheyopen,thesunwillrise.
Hereit'ssafe,hereit'swarm
Herethedaisiesguardyoufromeveryharm
Hereyourdreamsaresweetandtomorrowbrings
themtrue
222|Page
HereistheplacewhereIloveyou.
Rue'seyeshaveflutteredshut.Herchestmovesbut
onlyslightly.Mythroatreleasesthetearsandthey
slidedownmycheeks.ButIhavetofinishthesong
forher.
Deepinthemeadow,hiddenfaraway
Acloakofleaves,amoonbeamray
Forgetyourwoesandletyourtroubleslay
Andwhenagainit'smorning,they'llwashaway.
Hereit'ssafe,hereit'swarm
Herethedaisiesguardyoufromeveryharm
Thefinallinesarebarelyaudible.
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Hereyourdreamsaresweetandtomorrowbrings
themtrue
HereistheplacewhereIloveyou.
Everything'sstillandquiet.Then,almosteerily,the
mockingjaystakeupmysong.
Foramoment,Isitthere,watchingmytearsdrip
downonherface.Rue'scannonfires.Ileanforward
andpressmylipsagainsthertemple.Slowly,asifnot
towakeher,Ilayherheadbackonthegroundand
releaseherhand.
They'llwantmetoclearoutnow.Sotheycancollect
thebodies.Andthere'snothingtostayfor.Irollthe
boyfromDistrict1ontohisfaceandtakehispack,
retrievethearrowthatendedhislife.IcutRue'spack
223|Page
fromherbackaswell,knowingshe'dwantmetohave
itbutleavethespearinherstomach.Weaponsin
bodieswillbetransportedtothehovercraft.I'veno
useforaspear,sothesoonerit'sgonefromthearena
thebetter.
Ican'tstoplookingatRue,smallerthanever,ababy
animalcurledupinanestofnetting.Ican'tbring
myselftoleaveherlikethis.Pastharm,butseeming
utterlydefenseless.TohatetheboyfromDistrict1,
whoalsoappearssovulnerableindeath,seems
inadequate.It'stheCapitolIhate,fordoingthistoall
ofus.
Gale'svoiceisinmyhead.Hisravingsagainstthe
Capitolnolongerpointless,nolongertobeignored.
Rue'sdeathhasforcedmetoconfrontmyownfury
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againstthecruelty,theinjusticetheyinflictuponus.
Buthere,evenmorestronglythanathome,Ifeelmy
impotence.There'snowaytotakerevengeonthe
Capitol.Isthere?
ThenIrememberPeeta'swordsontheroof."OnlyI
keepwishingIcouldthinkofawayto...toshowthe
Capitaltheydon'townme.ThatI'mmorethanjusta
pieceintheirGames."Andforthefirsttime,I
understandwhathemeans.
Iwanttodosomething,righthere,rightnow,to
shamethem,tomakethemaccountable,toshowthe
Capitolthatwhatevertheydoorforceustodothere
isapartofeverytributetheycan'town.ThatRuewas
morethanapieceintheirGames.AndsoamI.
Afewstepsintothewoodsgrowsabankof
wildflowers.Perhapstheyarereallyweedsofsome
sort,buttheyhaveblossomsinbeautifulshadesof
violetandyellowandwhite.Igatherupanarmful
andcomebacktoRue'sside.Slowly,onestemata
time,Idecorateherbodyintheflowers.Coveringthe
uglywound.Wreathingherface.Weavingherhair
withbrightcolors.
They'llhavetoshowit.Or,eveniftheychoosetoturn
thecameraselsewhereatthismoment,theyllhaveto
bringthembackwhentheycollectthebodiesand
everyonewillseeherthenandknowIdidit.Istep
backandtakealastlookatRue.Shecouldreallybe
asleepinthatmeadowafterall.
"Bye,Rue,"Iwhisper.Ipressthethreemiddlefingers
ofmylefthandagainstmylipsandholdthemoutin
herdirection.ThenIwalkawaywithoutlookingback.
Thebirdsfallsilent.Somewhere,amockingjaygives
thewarningwhistlethatprecedesthehovercraft.I
don'tknowhowitknows.Itmusthearthingsthat
humanscan't.Ipause,myeyesfocusedonwhat's
ahead,notwhat'shappeningbehindme.Itdoesn't
takelong,thenthegeneralbirdsongbeginsagainand
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Iknowshe'sgone.
Anothermockingjay,ayoungonebythelookofit,
landsonabranchbeforemeandburstsoutRue's
melody.
Mysong,thehovercraft,weretoounfamiliarforthis
novicetopickup,butithasmasteredherhandfulof
notes.Theonesthatmeanshe'ssafe.
"Goodandsafe,"IsayasIpassunderitsbranch."We
don'thavetoworryabouthernow."Goodandsafe.
I'venoideawheretogo.ThebriefsenseofhomeIhad
thatonenightwithRuehasvanished.Myfeetwander
thiswayandthatuntilsunset.I'mnotafraid,not
evenwatchful.Whichmakesmeaneasytarget.
ExceptI'dkillanyoneImetonsight.Withoutemotion
ortheslightesttremorinmyhands.Myhatredofthe
Capitolhasnotlessenedmyhatredofmycompetitors
intheleast.EspeciallytheCareers.They,atleast,
canbemadetopayforRue'sdeath.
Noonematerializesthough.Therearen'tmanyofus
leftandit'sabigarena.Soonthey'llbepullingout
someotherdevicetoforceustogether.Butthere's
beenenoughgoretoday.Perhapswe'llevengetto
sleep.
I'mabouttohaulmypacksintoatreetomakecamp
whenasilverparachutefloatsdownandlandsin
frontofme.Agiftfromasponsor.Butwhynow?I've
beeninfairlygoodshapewithsupplies.Maybe
Haymitch'snoticedmydespondencyandistryingto
cheermeupabit.Orcoulditbesomethingtohelp
myear?
Iopentheparachuteandfindasmallloafofbread
It'snotthefinewhiteCapitolstuff.It'smadeofdark
rationgrainandshapedinacrescent.Sprinkledwith
seeds.IflashbacktoPeeta'slessononthevarious
districtbreadsintheTrainingCenter.Thisbread
camefromDistrict11.Icautiouslyliftthestillwarm
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loaf.WhatmustithavecostthepeopleofDistrict11
whocan'tevenfeedthemselves?HowmanywouldVe
hadtodowithouttoscrapeupacointoputinthe
collectionforthisoneloaf?Ithadbeenmeantfor
Rue,surely.Butinsteadofpullingthegiftwhenshe
died,they'dauthorizedHaymitchtogiveittome.Asa
thankyou?Orbecause,likeme,theydon'tliketolet
debtsgounpaid?Forwhateverreason,thisisafirst.
Adistrictgifttoatributewho'snotyourown.
Iliftmyfaceandstepintothelastfallingraysof
sunlight."MythankstothepeopleofDistrictEleven,"
Isay.IwantthemtoknowIknowwhereitcame
226|Page
from.Thatthefullvalueoftheirgifthasbeen
recognized.
Iclimbdangerouslyhighintoatree,notforsafetybut
togetasfarawayfromtodayasIcan.Mysleeping
bagisrolledneatlyinRue'spack.TomorrowI'llsort
throughthesupplies.TomorrowI'llmakeanewplan.
Buttonight,allIcandoisstrapmyselfinandtake
tinybitesofthebread.It'sgood.Ittastesofhome.
Soontheseal'sinthesky,theanthemplaysinmy
rightear.IseetheboyfromDistrict1,Rue.That'sall
fortonight.Sixofusleft,Ithink.Onlysix.Withthe
breadstilllockedinmyhands,Ifallasleepatonce.
Sometimeswhenthingsareparticularlybad,my
brainwillgivemeahappydream.Avisitwithmy
fatherinthewoods.Anhourofsunlightandcake
withPrim.TonightitsendsmeRue,stilldeckedin
herflowers,perchedinahighseaoftrees,tryingto
teachmetotalktothemockingjays.Iseenosignof
herwounds,noblood,justabright,laughinggirl.She
singssongsI'veneverheardinaclear,melodicvoice.
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Onandon.Throughthenight.There'sadrowsyin
betweenperiodwhenIcanhearthelastfewstrainsof
hermusicalthoughshe'slostintheleaves.WhenI
fullyawaken,I'mmomentarilycomforted.Itrytohold
ontothepeacefulfeelingofthedream,butitquickly
slipsaway,leavingmesadderandlonelierthanever.
Heavinessinfusesmywholebody,asifthere'sliquid
leadinmyveins.I'velostthewilltodothesimplest
tasks,todoanythingbutliehere,staring
unblinkinglythroughthecanopyofleaves.For
severalhours,Iremainmotionless.Asusual,it'sthe
thoughtofPrim'sanxiousfaceasshewatchesmeon
thescreensbackhomethatbreaksmefrommy
lethargy.
227|Page
Igivemyselfaseriesofsimplecommandstofollow,
like"Nowyouhavetositup,Katniss.Nowyouhave
todrinkwater,Katniss."Iactontheorderswithslow,
roboticmotions."Nowyouhavetosortthepacks,
Katniss."
Rue'spackholdsmysleepingbag,hernearlyempty
waterskin,ahandfulofnutsandroots,abitof
rabbit,herextrasocks,andherslingshot.Theboy
fromDistrict1hasseveralknives,twospare
spearheads,aflashlight,asmallleatherpouch,a
firstaidkit,afullbottleofwater,andapackofdried
fruit.Apackofdriedfruit!Outofallhemighthave
chosenfrom.Tome,thisisasignofextreme
arrogance.Whybothertocarryfoodwhenyouhave
suchabountybackatcamp?Whenyouwillkillyour
enemiessoquicklyyou'llbehomebeforeyou're
hungry?IcanonlyhopetheotherCareerstraveledso
lightlywhenitcametofoodandnowfindthemselves
withnothing.
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Speakingofwhich,myownsupplyisrunninglow.I
finishofftheloaffromDistrict11andthelastofthe
rabbit.Howquicklythefooddisappears.AllIhaveleft
areRue'srootsandnuts,theboy'sdriedfruit,and
onestripofbeef.Nowyouhavetohunt,Katniss,Itell
myself.
IobedientlyconsolidatethesuppliesIwantintomy
pack.AfterIclimbdownthetree,Iconcealtheboy's
knivesandspearheadsinapileofrockssothatno
oneelsecanusethem.I'velostmybearingswhat
withallthewanderingaroundIdidyesterday
evening,butItryandheadbackinthegeneral
directionofthestream.IknowI'moncoursewhenI
comeacrossRue'sthird,unlitfire.Shortlythereafter,
Idiscoveraflockofgrooslingsperchedinthetrees
andtakeoutthreebeforetheyknowwhathitthem.I
returntoRue'ssignalfireandstartitup,notcaring
abouttheexcessivesmoke.Whereareyou,Cato?I
thinkasIroastthebirdsandRue'sroots.I'mwaiting
righthere.
WhoknowswheretheCareersarenow?Eithertoofar
toreachmeortoosurethisisatrickor...isit
possible?Tooscaredofme?TheyknowIhavethe
bowandarrows,ofcourse,Catosawmetakethem
fromGlimmer'sbody,buthavetheyputtwoandtwo
togetheryet?FiguredoutIblewupthesuppliesand
killedtheirfellowCareer?PossiblytheythinkThresh
didthis.Wouldn'thebemorelikelytorevengeRue's
deaththanIwould?Beingfromthesamedistrict?Not
thatheevertookanyinterestinher.
AndwhataboutFoxface?Didshehangaroundto
watchmeblowupthesupplies?No.WhenIcaught
herlaughingintheashesthenextmorning,itwasas
ifsomeonehadgivenheralovelysurprise.
IdoubttheythinkPeetahaslitthissignalfire.Cato's
surehe'sasgoodasdead.IfindmyselfwishingI
couldtellPeetaabouttheflowersIputonRue.ThatI
nowunderstandwhathewastryingtosayonthe
roof.PerhapsifhewinstheGames,he'llseemeon
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victor'snight,whentheyreplaythehighlightsofthe
Gamesonascreenoverthestagewherewedidour
interviews.Thewinnersitsinaplaceofhonoronthe
platform,surroundedbytheirsupportcrew.
ButItoldRueI'dbethere.Forbothofus.And
somehowthatseemsevenmoreimportantthanthe
vowIgavePrim.
IreallythinkIstandachanceofdoingitnow.
Winning.It'snotjusthavingthearrowsor
outsmartingtheCareersafewtimes,althoughthose
thingshelp.SomethinghappenedwhenIwasholding
Rue'shand,watchingthelifedrainoutofher.NowI
amdeterminedtorevengeher,tomakeherloss
unforgettable,andIcanonlydothatbywinningand
therebymakingmyselfunforgettable.
Iovercookthebirdshopingsomeonewillshowupto
shoot,butnoonedoes.Maybetheothertributesare
outtherebeatingoneanothersenseless.Whichwould
befine,Eversincethebloodbath,I'vebeenfeatured
onscreensmostthanIcare.
Eventually,Iwrapupmyfoodandgobacktothe
streamtoreplenishmywaterandgathersome.But
theheavinessfromthemorningdrapesbackoverme
andeventhoughit'sonlyearlyevening,Iclimbatree
andsettleinforthenight.Mybrainbeginstoreplay
theeventsfromyesterday.IkeepseeingRuespeared,
myarrowpiercingtheboy'sneck.Idon'tknowwhyI
shouldevencareabouttheboy.
ThenIrealize...hewasmyfirstkill.
Alongwithotherstatisticstheyreporttohelppeople
placetheirbets,everytributehasalistofkills.I
guesstechnicallyI'dgetcreditedforGlimmerandthe
girlfromDistrict4,too,fordumpingthatneston
them.ButtheboyfromDistrict1wasthefirstperson
Iknewwoulddiebecauseofmyactions.Numerous
animalshavelosttheirlivesatmyhands,butonly
onehuman.IhearGalesaying,"Howdifferentcanit
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be,really?"
Amazinglysimilarintheexecution.Abowpulled,an
arrowshot.Entirelydifferentintheaftermath.Ikilled
aboywhosenameIdon'tevenknow.Somewherehis
familyisweepingforhim.Hisfriendscallformy
blood.Maybehehadagirlfriendwhoreallybelieved
hewouldcomeback...
230|Page
ButthenIthinkofRue'sstillbodyandI'mableto
banishtheboyfrommymind.Atleast,fornow.
It'sbeenanuneventfuldayaccordingtothesky.No
deaths.Iwonderhowlongwellgetuntilthenext
catastrophedrivesusbacktogether.Ifit'sgoingtobe
tonight,Iwanttogetsomesleepfirst.Icovermygood
eartoblockoutthestrainsoftheanthem,butthenI
hearthetrumpetsandsitstraightupinanticipation.
Forthemostpart,theonlycommunicationthe
tributesgetfromoutsidethearenaisthenightly
deathtoll.Butoccasionally,therewillbetrumpets
followedbyanannouncement.Usually,thiswillbea
calltoafeast.Whenfoodisscarce,theGamemakers
willinvitetheplayerstoabanquet,somewhere
knowntoallliketheCornucopia,asaninducement
togatherandfight.Sometimesthereisafeastand
sometimesthere'snothingbutaloafofstalebreadfor
thetributestocompetefor.Iwouldn'tgoinforthe
food,butthiscouldbeanidealtimetotakeoutafew
competitors.
ClaudiusTemplesmith'svoiceboomsdownfrom
overhead,congratulatingthesixofuswhoremain.
Butheisnotinvitingustoafeast.He'ssaying
somethingveryconfusing.There'sbeenarulechange
intheGames.Arulechange!Thatinitselfismind
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bendingsincewedon'treallyhaveanyrulestospeak
ofexceptdon'tstepoffyourcircleforsixtyseconds
andtheunspokenruleaboutnoteatingoneanother.
Underthenewrule,bothtributesfromthesame
districtwillbedeclaredwinnersiftheyarethelast
twoalive.Claudiuspauses,asifheknowswe'renot
gettingit,andrepeatsthechangeagain.
Thenewssinksin.Twotributescanwinthisyear.If
they'refromthesamedistrict.Bothcanlive.Bothof
uscanlive.
231|Page
BeforeIcanstopmyself,IcalloutPeeta'sname.
232|Page
PARTIII
"THEVICTOR"
233|Page
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Iclapmyhandsovermymouth,butthesoundhas
alreadyescaped.TheskygoesblackandIheara
chorusoffrogsbegintosing.Stupid!Itell
myself.Whatastupidthingtodo!Iwait,frozen,for
thewoodstocomealivewithassailants.ThenI
rememberthere'salmostnooneleft.
Peeta,who'sbeenwounded,isnowmyally.Whatever
doubtsI'vehadabouthimdissipatebecauseifeither
ofustooktheother'slifenowwe'dbepariahswhen
wereturnedtoDistrict12.Infact,IknowifIwas
watchingI'dloatheanytributewhodidn't
immediatelyallywiththeirdistrictpartner.Besides,it
justmakessensetoprotecteachother.Andinmy
casebeingoneofthestarcrossedloversfrom
District12it'sanabsoluterequirementifIwant
anymorehelpfromsympatheticsponsors.
Thestarcrossedlovers...Peetamusthavebeen
playingthatangleallalong.Whyelsewouldthe
Gamemakershavemadethisunprecedentedchange
intherules?Fortwotributestohaveashotat
winning,our"romance"mustbesopopularwiththe
audiencethatcondemningitwouldjeopardizethe
successoftheGames.Nothankstome.AllI'vedone
ismanagednottokillPeeta.Butwhateverhe'sdone
inthearena,hemusthavetheaudienceconvincedit
wastokeepmealive.Shakinghisheadtokeepme
fromrunningtotheCornucopia.FightingCatotolet
meescape.EvenhookingupwiththeCareersmust
havebeenamovetoprotectme.Peeta,itturnsout,
hasneverbeenadangertome.
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Thethoughtmakesmesmile.Idropmyhandsand
holdmyfaceuptothemoonlightsothecamerascan
besuretocatchit.
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So,whoistherelefttobeafraidof?Foxface?Theboy
tributefromherdistrictisdead.She'soperating
alone,atnight.Andherstrategyhasbeentoevade,
notattack.Idon'treallythinkthat,evenifsheheard
myvoice,she'ddoanythingbuthopesomeoneelse
wouldkillme.
Thenthere'sThresh.Allright,he'sadistinctthreat.
ButIhaven'tseenhim,notonce,sincetheGames
began.IthinkabouthowFoxfacegrewalarmedwhen
sheheardasoundatthesiteoftheexplosion.But
shedidn'tturntotheWoods,sheturnedtowhatever
liesacrossfromit.Tothatareaofthearenathat
dropsoffintoIdon'tknowwhat.Ifeelalmostcertain
thatthepersonsheranfromwasThreshandthatis
hisdomain.He'dneverhaveheardmefromthere
and,evenifhedid,I'muptoohighforsomeonehis
sizetoreach.
SothatleavesCatoandthegirlfromDistrict2,who
arenowsurelycelebratingthenewrule.They'rethe
onlyonesleftwhobenefitfromitbesidesPeetaand
myself.DoIrunfromthemnow,onthechancethey
heardmecallPeeta'sname?No,Ithink.Letthem
come.Letthemcomewiththeirnightvisionglasses
andtheirheavy,branchbreakingbodies.
Rightintotherangeofmyarrows.ButIknowthey
won't.Iftheydidn'tcomeindaylighttomyfire,they
won'triskwhatcouldbeanothertrapatnight.When
theycome,itwillbeontheirownterms,notbecause
I'veletthemknowmywhereabouts.
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Stayputandgetsomesleep,Katniss,Iinstruct
myself,althoughIwishIcouldstarttrackingPeeta
now.Tomorrow,you'llfindhim.
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Idosleep,butinthemorningI'mextracautious,
thinkingthatwhiletheCareersmighthesitateto
attackmeinatree,they'recompletelycapableof
settinganambushforme.Imakesuretofully
preparemyselfforthedayeatingabigbreakfast,
securingmypack,readyingmyweaponsbeforeI
descend.Butallseemspeacefulandundisturbedon
theground.
Today111havetobescrupulouslycareful.The
CareerswillknowI'mtryingtolocatePeeta.Theymay
wellwanttowaituntilIdobeforetheymovein.Ifhe's
asbadlywoundedasCatothinks,I'dbeinthe
positionofhavingtodefendusbothwithoutany
assistance.Butifhe'sthatincapacitated,howhashe
managedtostayalive?AndhowonearthwillIfind
him?
ItrytothinkofanythingPeetaeversaidthatmight
givemeanindicationastowherehe'shidingout,but
nothingringsabell.SoIgobacktothelastmomentI
sawhimsparklinginthesunlight,yellingatmeto
run.ThenCatoappeared,hissworddrawn.Andafter
Iwasgone,hewoundedPeeta.ButhowdidPeetaget
away?Maybehe'dheldoutbetteragainstthetracker
jackerpoisonthanCato.
Maybethatwasthevariablethatallowedhimto
escape.Buthe'dbeenstung,too.Sohowfarcouldhe
havegotten,stabbedandfilledwithvenom?Andhow
hashestayedaliveallthesedayssince?Ifthewound
andthestingershaven'tkilledhim,surelythirst
wouldhavetakenhimbynow.
236|Page
Andthat'swhenIgetmyfirstcluetohis
whereabouts.Hecouldn'thavesurvivedwithout
water.Iknowthatfrommyfirstfewdayshere.He
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mustbehiddensomewherenearasource.There'sthe
lake,butIfindthatanunlikelyoptionsinceit'sso
closetotheCareers'basecamp.Afewspringfed
pools.Butyou'dreallybeasittingduckatoneof
those.Andthestream.Theonethatleadsfromthe
campRueandImadeallthewaydownnearthelake
andbeyond.Ifhestucktothestream,hecould
changehislocationandalwaysbenearwater.He
couldwalkinthecurrentanderaseanytracks.He
mightevenbeabletogetafishortwo.
Well,it'saplacetostart,anyway.
Toconfusemyenemies'minds,Istartafirewith
plentyofgreenwood.Eveniftheythinkit'saruse,I
hopethey'lldecideI'mhiddensomewherenearit.
Whileinreality,I'llbetrackingPeeta.
Thesunburnsoffthemorninghazealmost
immediatelyandIcantellthedaywillbehotterthan
usual.Thewaterscoolandpleasantonmybarefeet
asIheaddownstream.I'mtemptedtocalloutPeeta's
nameasIgobutdecideagainstit.Iwillhavetofind
himwithmyeyesandonegoodearorhewillhaveto
findme.Buthe'llknow111belooking,right?Hewon't
havesolowofanopinionofmeastothinkI'dignore
thenewruleandkeeptomyself.Wouldhe?He'svery
hardtopredict,whichmightbeinterestingunder
differentcircumstances,butatthemomentonly
providesanextraobstacle.
Itdoesn'ttakelongtoreachthespotwhereIpeeled
offtogotheCareers'camp.There'sbeennosignof
Peeta,butthisdoesn'tsurpriseme.I'vebeenupand
downthisstretchthreetimessincethetrackerjacker
incident.Ifhewerenearby,surelyI'dhavehadsome
suspicionofit.Thestreambeginstocurvetotheleft
intoapartofthewoodsthat'snewtome.Muddy
bankscoveredintangledwaterplantsleadtolarge
rocksthatincreaseinsizeuntilIbegintofeel
somewhattrapped.Itwouldbenosmallmatterto
escapethestreamnow.FightingoffCatoorThreshas
Iclimbedoverthisrockyterrain.Infact,I'vejust
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aboutdecidedI'monthewrongtrackentirely,thata
woundedboywouldbeunabletonavigategettingto
andfromthiswatersource,whenIseethebloody
streakgoingdownthecurveofaboulder.It'slong
driednow,butthesmearylinesrunningsidetoside
suggestsomeonewhoperhapswasnotfullyin
controlofhismentalfacultiestriedtowipeitaway.
Huggingtherocks,Imoveslowlyinthedirectionof
theblood,searchingforhim.Ifindafewmore
bloodstains,onewithafewthreadsoffabricgluedto
it,butnosignoflife.Ibreakdownandsayhisname
inahushedvoice."Peeta!Peeta!"Thenamockingjay
landsonascruffytreeandbeginstomimicmytones
soIstop.Igiveupandclimbbackdowntothestream
thinking,Hemusthavemovedon.Somewherefarther
down.
Myfoothasjustbrokenthesurfaceofthewaterwhen
Ihearavoice.
"Youheretofinishmeoff,sweetheart?"
Iwhiparound.It'scomefromtheleft,soIcan'tpick
itupverywell.Andthevoicewashoarseandweak.
Still,itmusthavebeenPeeta.Whoelseinthearena
wouldcallmesweetheart?Myeyesperusethebank,
butthere'snothing.Justmud,theplants,thebaseof
therocks.
"Peeta?"Iwhisper."Whereareyou?"There'sno
answer.CouldIjusthaveimaginedit?No,I'mcertain
itwasrealandverycloseathand,too."Peeta?"I
creepalongthebank.
"Well,don'tsteponme."
Ijumpback.Hisvoicewasrightundermyfeet.Still
there'snothing.Thenhiseyesopen,unmistakably
blueinthebrownmudandgreenleaves.Igaspand
amrewardedwithahintofwhiteteethashelaughs.
It'sthefinalwordincamouflage.Forgetchucking
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weightsaround.Peetashouldhavegoneintohis
privatesessionwiththeGamemakersandpainted
himselfintoatree.Oraboulder.Oramuddybank
fullofweeds.
"Closeyoureyesagain,"Iorder.Hedoes,andhis
mouth,too,andcompletelydisappears.Mostofwhat
Ijudgetobehisbodyisactuallyunderalayerofmud
andplants.Hisfaceandarmsaresoartfully
disguisedastobeinvisible.Ikneelbesidehim."I
guessallthosehoursdecoratingcakespaidoff."
Peetasmiles."Yes,frosting.Thefinaldefenseofthe
dying."
"You'renotgoingtodie,"Itellhimfirmly."Sayswho?"
Hisvoiceissoragged."Saysme.We'reonthesame
teamnow,youknow,"Itellhim.
Hiseyesopen."So,Iheard.Niceofyoutofindwhat's
leftofme."
Ipulloutmywaterbottleandgivehimadrink."Did
Catocutyou?"Iask.
"Leftleg.Uphigh,"heanswers.
239|Page
"Let'sgetyouinthestream,washyouoffsoIcansee
whatkindofwoundsyou'vegot,"Isay.
"Leandownaminutefirst,"hesays."Needtotellyou
something."Ileanoverandputmygoodeartohis
lips,whichtickleashewhispers."Remember,we're
madlyinlove,soit'sallrighttokissmeanytimeyou
feellikeit."
Ijerkmyheadbackbutenduplaughing."Thanks,111
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keepitinmind."Atleast,he'sstillabletojoke
around.ButwhenIstarttohelphimtothestream,
allthelevitydisappears.It'sonlytwofeetaway,how
hardcanitbe?VeryhardwhenIrealizehe'sunable
tomoveaninchonhisown.He'ssoweakthatthe
besthecandoisnottoresist.Itrytodraghim,but
despitethefactthatIknowhe'sdoingallhecanto
keepquiet,sharpcriesofpainescapehim.Themud
andplantsseemtohaveimprisonedhimandIfinally
havetogiveagigantictugtobreakhimfromtheir
clutches.He'sstilltwofeetfromthewater,lying
there,teethgritted,tearscuttingtrailsinthedirton
hisface.
"Look,Peeta,I'mgoingtorollyouintothestream.It's
veryshallowhere,okay?"Isay.
"Excellent,"hesays.
Icrouchdownbesidehim.Nomatterwhathappens,I
tellmyself,don'tstopuntilhe'sinthewater."On
three,"Isay."One,two,three!"Icanonlymanageone
fullrollbeforeIhavetostopbecauseofthehorrible
soundhe'smaking.Nowhe'sontheedgeofthe
stream.Maybethisisbetteranyway.
"Okay,changeofplans.I'mnotgoingtoputyouall
thewayin,"Itellhim.Besides,ifIgethimin,who
knowsifI'deverbeabletogethimout?
"Nomorerolling?"heasks.
"That'salldone.Let'sgetyoucleanedup.Keepaneye
onthewoodsforme,okay?"Isay.It'shardtoknow
wheretostart.Hesocakedwithmudandmatted
leaves,Ican'tevenseehisclothes.Ifhe'swearing
clothes.Thethoughtmakesmehesitateamoment,
butthenIplungein.Nakedbodiesarenobigdealin
thearena,right?
I'vegottwowaterbottlesandRue'swaterskin.Iprop
themagainstrocksinthestreamsothattwoare
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alwaysfillingwhileIpourthethirdoverPeeta'sbody.
Ittakesawhile,butIfinallygetridofenoughmudto
findhisclothes.Igentlyunziphisjacket,unbutton
hisshirtandeasethemoffhim.Hisundershirtisso
plasteredintohiswoundsIhavetocutitawaywith
myknifeanddrenchhimagaintoworkitloose.He's
badlybruisedwithalongburnacrosshischestand
fourtrackerjackerstings,ifyoucounttheoneunder
hisear.ButIfeelabitbetter.ThismuchIcanfix.I
decidetotakecareofhisupperbodyfirst,toalleviate
somepain,beforeItacklewhateverdamageCatodid
tohisleg.
Sincetreatinghiswoundsseemspointlesswhenhe's
lyinginwhat'sbecomeamudpuddle,Imanageto
prophimupagainstaboulder.Hesitsthere,
uncomplaining,whileIwashawayallthetracesof
dirtfromhishairandskin.Hisfleshisverypalein
thesunlightandhenolongerlooksstrongand
stocky.Ihavetodigthestingersoutofhistracker
jackerlumps,whichcauseshimtowince,butthe
minuteIapplytheleaveshesighsinrelief.Whilehe
driesinthesun,Iwashhisfilthyshirtandjacketand
spreadthemoverboulders.ThenIapplytheburn
creamtohischest.ThisiswhenInoticehowhothis
skinisbecoming.Thelayerofmudandthebottlesof
waterhavedisguisedthefactthathe'sburningwith
241|Page
fever.IdigthroughthefirstaidkitIgotfromtheboy
fromDistrict1andfindpillsthatreduceyour
temperature.Mymotheractuallybreaksdownand
buystheseonoccasionwhenherhomeremediesfail.
"Swallowthese,"Itellhim,andheobedientlytakes
themedicine."Youmustbehungry."
"Notreally.It'sfunny,Ihaven'tbeenhungryfor
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days,"saysPeeta.Infact,whenIofferhimgroosling,
hewrinkleshisnoseatitandturnsaway.That's
whenIknowhowsickheis.
"Peeta,weneedtogetsomefoodinyou,"Iinsist.
"It'lljustcomerightbackup,"hesays.ThebestIcan
doistogethimtoeatafewbitsofdriedapple.
"Thanks.I'mmuchbetter,really.CanIsleepnow,
Katniss?"heasks.
"Soon,"Ipromise."Ineedtolookatyourleg
first."TryingtobeasgentleasIcan,Iremovehis
boots,hissocks,andthenveryslowlyinchhispants
offofhim.IcanseethetearCato'sswordmadeinthe
fabricoverhisthigh,butitinnowaypreparesmefor
whatliesunderneath.Thedeepinflamedgashoozing
bothbloodandpus.Theswellingoftheleg.Andworst
ofall,thesmelloffesteringflesh.
Iwanttorunaway.DisappearintothewoodslikeI
didthatdaytheybroughttheburnvictimtoour
house.GoandhuntwhilemymotherandPrim
attendtowhatIhaveneithertheskillnorthecourage
toface.Butthere'snooneherebutme.Itryto
capturethecalmdemeanormymotherassumes
whenhandlingparticularlybadcases.
"Prettyawful,huh?"saysPeeta.He'swatchingme
closely.
"Soso."Ishruglikeit'snobigdeal."Youshouldsee
someofthepeopletheybringmymotherfromthe
mines."IrefrainfromsayinghowIusuallyclearout
ofthehousewhenevershe'streatinganythingworse
thanacold.Cometothinkofit,Idon'tevenmuch
liketobearoundcoughing."Firstthingistocleanit
well."
I'veleftonPeeta'sundershortsbecausethey'renotin
badshapeandIdon'twanttopullthemoverthe
swollenthighand,allright,maybetheideaofhim
beingnakedmakesmeuncomfortable.That'sanother
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thingaboutmymotherandPrim.Nakednesshasno
effectonthem,givesthemnocausefor
embarrassment.Ironically,atthispointinthe
Games,mylittlesisterwouldbeoffarmoreuseto
PeetathanIam.Iscootmysquareofplasticunder
himsoIcanwashdowntherestofhim.Witheach
bottleIpouroverhim,theworsethewoundlooks.
Therestofhislowerbodyhasfaredprettywell,just
onetrackerjackerstingandafewsmallburnsthatI
treatquickly.Butthegashonhisleg...whatonearth
canIdoforthat?
"Whydon'twegiveitsomeairandthen..."Itrailoff.
"Andthenyoullpatchitup?"saysPeeta.Helooks
almostsorryforme,asifheknowshowlostIam.
"That'sright,"Isay."Inthemeantime,youeat
these."Iputafewdriedpearhalvesinhishandand
gobackinthestreamtowashtherestofhisclothes.
Whenthey'reflattenedoutanddrying,Iexaminethe
contentsofthefirstaidkit.It'sprettybasicstuff.
Bandages,feverpills,medicinetocalmstomachs.
NothingofthecaliberI'llneedtotreatPeeta.
"We'regoingtohavetoexperimentsome,"Iadmit.I
knowthetrackerjackerleavesdrawoutinfection,soI
startwiththose.Withinminutesofpressingthe
handfulofchewedupgreenstuffintothewound,pus
beginsrunningdownthesideofhisleg.Itellmyself
thisisagoodthingandbitetheinsideofmycheek
hardbecausemybreakfastisthreateningtomakea
reappearance.
"Katniss?"Peetasays.Imeethiseyes,knowingmy
facemustbesomeshadeofgreen.Hemouthsthe
words."Howaboutthatkiss?"
Iburstoutlaughingbecausethewholethingisso
revoltingIcan'tstandit.
"Somethingwrong?"heasksalittletooinnocently.
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"I...I'mnogoodatthis.I'mnotmymother.I'veno
ideawhatI'mdoingandIhatepus,"Isay."Euh!"I
allowmyselftoletoutagroanasIrinseawaythefirst
roundofleavesandapplythesecond."Euuuh!"
"Howdoyouhunt?"heasks.
"Trustme.Killingthingsismucheasierthanthis,"I
say."AlthoughforallIknow,Iamkillingyou."
"Canyouspeeditupalittle?"heasks.
"No.Shutupandeatyourpears,"Isay.
Afterthreeapplicationsandwhatseemslikeabucket
ofpus,thewounddoeslookbetter.Nowthatthe
swellinghasgonedown,IcanseehowdeepCato's
swordcut.Rightdowntothebone.
"Whatnext,Dr.Everdeen?"heasks.
"Maybe111putsomeoftheburnointmentonit.I
thinkithelpswithinfectionanyway.Andwrapitup?"
244|Page
Isay.Idoandthewholethingseemsalotmore
manageable,coveredincleanwhitecotton.Although,
againstthesterilebandage,thehemofhis
undershortslooksfilthyandteemingwithcontagion.I
pulloutRue'sbackpack."Here,coveryourselfwith
thisand111washyourshorts."
"Oh,Idon'tcareifyouseeme,"saysPeeta.
"You'rejustliketherestofmyfamily,"Isay."Icare,
allright?"Iturnmybackandlookatthestreamuntil
theundershortssplashintothecurrent.Hemustbe
feelingabitbetterifhecanthrow.
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"Youknow,you'rekindofsqueamishforsuchalethal
person,"saysPeetaasIbeattheshortscleanbetween
tworocks."IwishI'dletyougiveHaymitchashower
afterall."
Iwrinklemynoseatthememory."What'shesentyou
sofar?"
"Notathing,"saysPeeta.Thenthere'sapauseasit
hitshim."Why,didyougetsomething?"
"Burnmedicine,"Isayalmostsheepishly."Oh,and
somebread."
"Ialwaysknewyouwerehisfavorite,"saysPeeta.
"Please,hecan'tstandbeinginthesameroomwith
me,"Isay.
"Becauseyou'rejustalike,"muttersPeeta.Iignoreit
thoughbecausethisreallyisn'tthetimeformetobe
insultingHaymitch,whichismyfirstimpulse.
245|Page
IletPeetadozeoffwhilehisclothesdryout,butby
lateafternoon,Idon'tdarewaitanylonger.Igently
shakehisshoulder."Peeta,we'vegottogonow."
"Go?"Heseemsconfused."Gowhere?"
"Awayfromhere.Downstreammaybe.Somewherewe
canhideyouuntilyou'restronger,"Isay.Ihelphim
dress,leavinghisfeetbaresowecanwalkinthe
water,andpullhimupright.Hisfacedrainsofcolor
themomentheputsweightonhisleg."Comeon.You
candothis."
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Buthecan't.Notforlonganyway.Wemakeitabout
fiftyyardsdownstream,withhimproppedupbymy
shoulder,andIcantellhe'sgoingtoblackout.Isit
himonthebank,pushhisheadbetweenhisknees,
andpathisbackawkwardlyasIsurveythearea.Of
course,I'dlovetogethimupinatree,butthat'snot
goingtohappen.Itcouldbeworsethough.Someof
therocksformsmallcavelikestructures.Isetmy
sightsononeabouttwentyyardsabovethestream.
WhenPeeta'sabletostand,Ihalfguide,halfcarry
himuptothecave.Really,I'dliketolookaroundfor
abetterplace,butthisonewillhavetodobecause
myallyisshot.Paperwhite,panting,and,even
thoughit'sonlyjustcoolingoff,he'sshivering.
Icoverthefloorofthecavewithalayerofpine
needles,unrollmysleepingbag,andtuckhimintoit.
Igetacoupleofpillsandsomewaterintohimwhen
he'snotnoticing,butherefusestoeateventhefruit.
Thenhejustliesthere,hiseyestrainedonmyfaceas
Ibuildasortofblindoutofvinestoconcealthe
mouthofthecave.Theresultisunsatisfactory.An
animalmightnotquestionit,butahumanwouldsee
handshadmanufactureditquicklyenough.Itearit
downinfrustration.
246|Page
"Katniss,"hesays.Igoovertohimandbrushthe
hairbackfromhiseyes."Thanksforfindingme."
"Youwouldhavefoundmeifyoucould,"Isay.His
forehead'sburningup.Likethemedicine'shavingno
effectatall.Suddenly,outofnowhere,I'mscaredhe's
goingtodie.
"Yes.Look,ifIdon'tmakeitback"hebegins.
"Don'ttalklikethat.Ididn'tdrainallthatpusfor
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nothing,"Isay.
"Iknow.ButjustincaseIdon't"hetriesto
continue.
"No,Peeta,Idon'tevenwanttodiscussit,"Isay,
placingmyfingersonhislipstoquiethim.
"ButI"heinsists.
Impulsively,Ileanforwardandkisshim,stoppinghis
words.Thisisprobablyoverdueanywaysincehe's
right,wearesupposedtobemadlyinlove.It'sthe
firsttimeI'veeverkissedaboy,whichshouldmake
somesortofimpressionIguess,butallIcanregister
ishowunnaturallyhothislipsarefromthefever.I
breakawayandpulltheedgeofthesleepingbagup
aroundhim."You'renotgoingtodie.Iforbidit.All
right?"
"Allright,"hewhispers.
Istepoutinthecooleveningairjustastheparachute
floatsdownfromthesky.Myfingersquicklyundothe
tie,hopingforsomerealmedicinetotreatPeeta'sleg.
InsteadIfindapotofhotbroth.
247|Page
Haymitchcouldn'tbesendingmeaclearermessage.
Onekissequalsonepotofbroth.Icanalmosthear
hissnarl."You'resupposedtobeinlove,sweetheart.
Theboy'sdying.GivemesomethingIcanworkwith!"
Andhe'sright.IfIwanttokeepPeetaalive,I'vegotto
givetheaudiencesomethingmoretocareabout.Star
crossedloversdesperatetogethometogether.Two
heartsbeatingasone.Romance.
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Neverhavingbeeninlove,thisisgoingtobeareal
trick.Ithinkofmyparents.Thewaymyfathernever
failedtobringhergiftsfromthewoods.Thewaymy
mother'sfacewouldlightupatthesoundofhisboots
atthedoor.Thewayshealmoststoppedlivingwhen
hedied.
"Peeta!"Isay,tryingforthespecialtonethatmy
motherusedonlywithmyfather.He'sdozedoff
again,butIkisshimawake,whichseemstostartle
him.Thenhesmilesasifhe'dbehappytoliethere
gazingatmeforever.He'sgreatatthisstuff.
Iholdupthepot."Peeta,lookwhatHaymitchhas
sentyou."
248|Page
19
GettingthebrothintoPeetatakesanhourofcoaxing,
begging,threatening,andyes,kissing,butfinally,sip
bysip,heemptiesthepot.Ilethimdriftofftosleep
thenandattendtomyownneeds,wolfingdowna
supperofgrooslingandrootswhileIwatchthedaily
reportinthesky.Nonewcasualties.Still,PeetaandI
havegiventheaudienceafairlyinterestingday.
Hopefully,theGamemakerswillallowusapeaceful
night.
Iautomaticallylookaroundforagoodtreetonestin
beforeIrealizethat'sover.Atleastforawhile.Ican't
verywellleavePeetaunguardedontheground.Ileft
thesceneofhislasthidingplaceonthebankofthe
streamuntouchedhowcouldIconcealit?and
we'reascantfiftyyardsdownstream.Iputonmy
glasses,placemyweaponsinreadiness,andsettle
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downtokeepwatch.
ThetemperaturedropsrapidlyandsoonI'mchilledto
thebone.Eventually,Igiveinandslideintothe
sleepingbagwithPeeta.It'stoastywarmandI
snuggledowngratefullyuntilIrealizeit'smorethan
warm,it'soverlyhotbecausethebagisreflecting
backhisfever.Icheckhisforeheadandfindit
burninganddry.Idon'tknowwhattodo.Leavehim
inthebagandhopetheexcessiveheatbreaksthe
fever?Takehimoutandhopethenightaircoolshim
off?Iendupjustdampeningastripofbandageand
placingitonhisforehead.Itseemsweak,butI'm
afraidtodoanythingtoodrastic.
Ispendthenighthalfsitting,halflyingnexttoPeeta,
refreshingthebandage,andtryingnottodwellonthe
factthatbyteamingupwithhim,I'vemademyselffar
morevulnerablethanwhenIwasalone.Tetheredto
theground,onguard,withaverysickpersontotake
careof.ButIknewhewasinjured.AndstillIcame
afterhim.I'mjustgoingtohavetotrustthat
whateverinstinctsentmetofindhimwasagoodone.
Whentheskyturnsrosy,Inoticethesheenofsweat
onPeeta'slipanddiscoverthefeverhasbroken.He's
notbacktonormal,butit'scomedownafewdegrees.
Lastnight,whenIwasgatheringvines,Icameupona
bushofRue'sberries.Istripoffthefruitandmashit
upinthebrothpotwithcoldwater.
Peeta'sstrugglingtogetupwhenIreachthecave."I
wokeupandyouweregone,"hesays."Iwasworried
aboutyou."
IhavetolaughasIeasehimbackdown."Youwere
worriedaboutme?Haveyoutakenalookatyourself
lately?"
"IthoughtCatoandClovemighthavefoundyou.
Theyliketohuntatnight,"hesays,stillserious.
"Clove?Whichoneisthat?"Iask.
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"ThegirlfromDistrictTwo.She'sstillalive,right?"he
says.
"Yes,there'sjustthemandusandThreshand
Foxface,"Isay."That'swhatInicknamedthegirlfrom
Five.Howdoyoufeel?"
"Betterthanyesterday.Thisisanenormous
improvementoverthemud,"hesays."Cleanclothes
andmedicineandasleepingbag...andyou."
Oh,right,thewholeromancething.Ireachoutto
touchhischeekandhecatchesmyhandandpresses
250|Page
itagainsthislips.Iremembermyfatherdoingthis
verythingtomymotherandIwonderwherePeeta
pickeditup.Surelynotfromhisfatherandthewitch.
"Nomorekissesforyouuntilyou'veeaten,"Isay.
Wegethimproppedupagainstthewallandhe
obedientlyswallowsthespoonfulsoftheberrymushI
feedhim.Herefusesthegrooslingagain,though.
"Youdidn'tsleep,"Peetasays.
"I'mallright,"Isay.Butthetruthis,I'mexhausted.
"Sleepnow.Illkeepwatch.Illwakeyouifanything
happens,"hesays.Ihesitate."Katniss,youcan'tstay
upforever."
He'sgotapointthere.I'llhavetosleepeventually.
Andprobablybettertodoitnowwhenheseems
relativelyalertandwehavedaylightonourside."All
right,"Isay."Butjustforafewhours.Thenyouwake
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me."
It'stoowarmforthesleepingbagnow.Ismoothitout
onthecavefloorandliedown,onehandonmy
loadedbowincaseIhavetoshootatamoment's
notice.Peetasitsbesideme,leaningagainstthewall,
hisbadlegstretchedoutbeforehim,hiseyestrained
ontheworldoutside."Gotosleep,"hesayssoftly.His
handbrushestheloosestrandsofmyhairoffmy
forehead.Unlikethestagedkissesandcaressesso
far,thisgestureseemsnaturalandcomforting.Idon't
wanthimtostopandhedoesn't.He'sstillstroking
myhairwhenIfallasleep.
Toolong.Isleeptoolong.IknowfromthemomentI
openmyeyesthatwe'reintotheafternoon.Peeta's
rightbesideme,hispositionunchanged.Isitup,
feelingsomehowdefensivebutbetterrestedthanI've
beenindays.
"Peeta,youweresupposedtowakemeafteracouple
ofhours,"Isay.
"Forwhat?Nothing'sgoingonhere,"hesays.
"BesidesIlikewatchingyousleep.Youdon'tscowl.
Improvesyourlooksalot."
This,ofcourse,bringsonascowlthatmakeshim
grin.That'swhenInoticehowdryhislipsare.Itest
hischeek.Hotasacoalstove.Heclaimshe'sbeen
drinking,butthecontainersstillfeelfulltome.Igive
himmorefeverpillsandstandoverhimwhilehe
drinksfirstone,thenasecondquartofwater.ThenI
tendtohisminorwounds,theburns,thestings,
whichareshowingimprovement.Isteelmyselfand
unwraptheleg.
Myheartdropsintomystomach.It'sworse,much
worse.There'snomorepusinevidence,butthe
swellinghasincreasedandthetightshinyskinis
inflamed.ThenIseetheredstreaksstartingtocrawl
uphisleg.Bloodpoisoning.Unchecked,itwillkill
himforsure.Mychewedupleavesandointment
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won'tmakeadentinit.Wellneedstronganti
infectiondrugsfromtheCapitol.Ican'timaginethe
costofsuchpotentmedicine.IfHaymitchpooled
everydonationfromeverysponsor,wouldhehave
enough?Idoubtit.Giftsgoupinpricethelongerthe
Gamescontinue.Whatbuysafullmealondayone
buysacrackerondaytwelve.Andthekindof
medicinePeetaneedswouldhavebeenatapremium
fromthebeginning.
"Well,there'smoreswelling,butthepusisgone,"I
sayinanunsteadyvoice.
252|Page
"Iknowwhatbloodpoisoningis,Katniss,"says
Peeta."Evenifmymotherisn'tahealer."
"You'rejustgoingtohavetooutlasttheothers,Peeta.
They'llcureitbackattheCapitolwhenwewin,"Isay.
"Yes,that'sagoodplan,"hesays.ButIfeelthisis
mostlyformybenefit.
"Youhavetoeat.Keepyourstrengthup.I'mgoingto
makeyousoup,"Isay.
"Don'tlightafire,"hesays."It'snotworthit."
"Wellsee,"Isay.AsItakethepotdowntothe
stream,I'mstruckbyhowbrutallyhotitis.Iswear
theGamemakersareprogressivelyratchetingupthe
temperatureinthedaytimeandsendingit
plummetingatnight.Theheatofthesunbaked
stonesbythestreamgivesmeanideathough.Maybe
Iwon'tneedtolightafire.
Isettledownonabigflatrockhalfwaybetweenthe
streamandthecave.Afterpurifyinghalfapotof
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water,Iplaceitindirectsunlightandaddseveral
eggsizehotstonestothewater.I'mthefirsttoadmit
I'mnotmuchofacook.Butsincesoupmainly
involvestossingeverythinginapotandwaiting,it's
oneofmybetterdishes.Imincegrooslinguntilit's
practicallymushandmashsomeofRue'sroots.
Fortunately,they'vebothbeenroastedalreadysothey
mostlyneedtobeheatedup.Already,betweenthe
sunlightandtherocks,thewater'swarm.Iputinthe
meatandroots,swapinfreshrocks,andgofind
somethinggreentospiceitupalittle.Beforelong,I
discoveratuftofchivesgrowingatthebaseofsome
rocks.Perfect.Ichopthemveryfineandaddthemto
thepot,switchouttherocksagain,putonthelid,
andletthewholethingstew.
I'veseenveryfewsignsofgamearound,butIdon't
feelcomfortableleavingPeetaalonewhileIhunt,soI
righalfadozensnaresandhopeIgetlucky.Iwonder
abouttheothertributes,howthey'remanagingnow
thattheirmainsourceoffoodhasbeenblownup.At
leastthreeofthem,Cato,Clove,andFoxface,had
beenrelyingonit.ProbablynotThreshthough.I've
gotafeelinghemustsharesomeofRue'sknowledge
onhowtofeedyourselffromtheearth.Arethey
fightingeachother?Lookingforus?Maybeoneof
themhaslocatedusandisjustwaitingfortheright
momenttoattack.Theideasendsmebacktothe
cave.
Peeta'sstretchedoutontopofthesleepingbaginthe
shadeoftherocks.Althoughhebrightensabitwhen
Icomein,it'sclearhefeelsmiserable.Iputcool
clothsonhishead,buttheywarmupalmostassoon
astheytouchhisskin.
"Doyouwantanything?"Iask.
"No,"hesays."Thankyou.Wait,yes.Tellmeastory."
"Astory?Whatabout?"Isay.I'mnotmuchfor
storytelling.It'skindoflikesinging.Butonceina
while,Primwheedlesoneoutofme.
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"Somethinghappy.Tellmeaboutthehappiestday
youcanremember,"saysPeeta.
Somethingbetweenasighandahuffofexasperation
leavesmymouth.Ahappystory?Thiswillrequirea
lotmoreeffortthanthesoup.Irackmybrainsfor
goodmemories.MostoftheminvolveGaleandmeout
huntingandsomehowIdon'tthinkthesewillplay
wellwitheitherPeetaortheaudience.Thatleaves
Prim.
254|Page
"DidIevertellyouabouthowIgotPrim'sgoat?"I
ask.Peetashakeshishead,andlooksatme
expectantly.SoIbegin.Butcarefully.Becausemy
wordsaregoingoutalloverPanem.Andwhilepeople
havenodoubtputtwoandtwotogetherthatIhunt
illegally,Idon'twanttohurtGaleorGreasySaeor
thebutcheroreventhePeacekeepersbackhomewho
aremycustomersbypubliclyannouncingthey'd
breakingthelaw,too.
Here'stherealstoryofhowIgotthemoneyforPrim's
goat,Lady.ItwasaFridayevening,thedaybefore
Prim'stenthbirthdayinlateMay.Assoonasschool
ended,GaleandIhitthewoods,becauseIwantedto
getenoughtotradeforapresentforPrim.Maybe
somenewclothforadressorahairbrush.Our
snareshaddonewellenoughandthewoodswere
flushwithgreens,butthiswasreallynomorethan
ouraverageFridaynighthaul.Iwasdisappointedas
weheadedback,eventhoughGalesaidwe'dbesure
todobettertomorrow.Wewererestingamomentby
astreamwhenwesawhim.Ayoungbuck,probablya
yearlingbyhissize.Hisantlerswerejustgrowingin,
stillsmallandcoatedinvelvet.Poisedtorunbut
unsureofus,unfamiliarwithhumans.Beautiful.
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Lessbeautifulperhapswhenthetwoarrowscaught
him,oneintheneck,theotherinthechest.Galeand
Ihadshotatthesametime.Thebucktriedtorun
butstumbled,andGale'sknifeslithisthroatbefore
heknewwhathadhappened.Momentarily,I'dfelta
pangatkillingsomethingsofreshandinnocent.And
thenmystomachrumbledatthethoughtofallthat
freshandinnocentmeat.
Adeer!GaleandIhaveonlybroughtdownthreein
all.Thefirstone,adoethathadinjuredherleg
somehow,almostdidn'tcount.Butweknewfromthat
experiencenottogodraggingthecarcassintothe
Hob.Ithadcausedchaoswithpeoplebiddingon
partsandactuallytryingtohackoffpieces
themselves.GreasySaehadintervenedandsentus
withourdeertothebutcher,butnotbeforeit'dbeen
badlydamaged,hunksofmeattaken,thehideriddled
withholes.Althougheverybodypaidupfairly,ithad
loweredthevalueofthekill.
Thistime,wewaiteduntildarkfellandslippedunder
aholeinthefenceclosetothebutcher.Eventhough
wewereknownhunters,itwouldn'thavebeengood
togocarryinga150pounddeerthroughthestreets
ofDistrict12indaylightlikewewererubbingitinthe
officials'faces.
Thebutcher,ashort,chunkywomannamedRooba,
cametothebackdoorwhenweknocked.Youdon't
hagglewithRooba.Shegivesyouoneprice,which
youcantakeorleave,butit'safairprice.Wetookher
offeronthedeerandshethrewinacoupleofvenison
steakswecouldpickupafterthebutchering.Even
withthemoneydividedintwo,neitherGalenorIhad
heldsomuchatonetimeinourlives.Wedecidedto
keepitasecretandsurpriseourfamilieswiththe
meatandmoneyattheendofthenextday.
ThisiswhereIreallygotthemoneyforthegoat,butI
tellPeetaIsoldanoldsilverlocketofmymother's.
Thatcan'thurtanyone.ThenIpickupthestoryin
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thelateafternoonofPrim'sbirthday.
GaleandIwenttothemarketonthesquaresothatI
couldbuydressmaterials.AsIwasrunningmy
fingersoveralengthofthickbluecottoncloth,
somethingcaughtmyeye.There'sanoldmanwho
keepsasmallherdofgoatsontheothersideofthe
Seam.Idon'tknowhisrealname,everyonejustcalls
himtheGoatMan.Hisjointsareswollenandtwisted
inpainfulangles,andhe'sgotahackingcoughthat
proveshespentyearsinthemines.Buthe'slucky.
Somewherealongthewayhesavedupenoughfor
thesegoatsandnowhassomethingtodoinhisold
agebesidesslowlystarvetodeath.He'sfilthyand
impatient,butthegoatsarecleanandtheirmilkis
richifyoucanaffordit.
Oneofthegoats,awhiteonewithblackpatches,was
lyingdowninacart.Itwaseasytoseewhy.
Something,probablyadog,hadmauledhershoulder
andinfectionhadsetin.Itwasbad,theGoatMan
hadtoholdheruptomilkher.ButIthoughtIknew
someonewhocouldfixit.
"Gale,"Iwhispered."IwantthatgoatforPrim."
OwninganannygoatcanchangeyourlifeinDistrict
12.Theanimalscanliveoffalmostanything,the
Meadow'saperfectfeedingplace,andtheycangive
fourquartsofmilkaday.Todrink,tomakeinto
cheese,tosell.It'snotevenagainstthelaw.
"She'shurtprettybad,"saidGale."Webettertakea
closerlook."
Wewentoverandboughtacupofmilktoshare,then
stoodoverthegoatasifidlycurious.
"Letherbe,"saidtheman.
"Justlooking,"saidGale.
"Well,lookfast.Shegoestothebutchersoon.Hardly
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anyonewillbuyhermilk,andthentheyonlypayhalf
price,"saidtheman.
"What'sthebutchergivingforher?"Iasked.
257|Page
Themanshrugged."Hangaroundandsee."Iturned
andsawRoobacomingacrossthesquaretowardus.
"Luckythingyoushowedup,"saidtheGoatMan
whenshearrived."Girl'sgothereyeonyourgoat."
"Notifshe'sspokenfor,"Isaidcarelessly.
Roobalookedmeupanddownthenfrownedatthe
goat."She'snot.Lookatthatshoulder.Betyouhalf
thecarcasswillbetoorottenforevensausage."
"What?"saidtheGoatMan."Wehadadeal."
"Wehadadealonananimalwithafewteethmarks.
Notthatthing.Sellhertothegirlifshe'sstupid
enoughtotakeher,"saidRooba.Asshemarchedoff,
Icaughtherwink.
TheGoatManwasmad,buthestillwantedthatgoal
offhishands.Ittookushalfanhourtoagreeonthe
price.Quiteacrowdhadgatheredbythentohand
outopinions.Itwasanexcellentdealifthegoatlived;
I'dbeenrobbedifshedied.Peopletooksidesinthe
argument,butItookthegoat.
Galeofferedtocarryher.Ithinkhewantedtoseethe
lookonPrim'sfaceasmuchasIdid.Inamomentof
completegiddiness,Iboughtapinkribbonandtiedit
aroundherneck.Thenwehurriedbacktomyhouse.
YoushouldhaveseenPrim'sreactionwhenwe
walkedinwiththatgoat.Rememberthisisagirlwho
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wepttosavethatawfuloldcat,Buttercup.Shewas
soexcitedshestartedcryingandlaughingallatonce.
Mymotherwaslesssure,seeingtheinjury,butthe
pairofthemwenttoworkonit,grindingupherbs
andcoaxingbrewsdowntheanimal'sthroat.
258|Page
"Theysoundlikeyou,"saysPeeta.Ihadalmost
forgottenhewasthere.
"Oh,no,Peeta.Theyworkmagic.Thatthingcouldn't
havediedifittried,"Isay.ButthenIbitemytongue,
realizingwhatthatmustsoundliketoPeeta,whois
dying,inmyincompetenthands.
"Don'tworry.I'mnottrying,"hejokes."Finishthe
story."
"Well,that'sit.OnlyIrememberthatnight,Prim
insistedonsleepingwithLadyonablanketnextto
thefire.Andjustbeforetheydriftedoff,thegoat
lickedhercheek,likeitwasgivingheragoodnight
kissorsomething,"Isay."Itwasalreadymadabout
her."
"Wasitstillwearingthepinkribbon?"heasks.
"Ithinkso,"Isay."Why?"
"I'mjusttryingtogetapicture,"hesaysthoughtfully.
"Icanseewhythatdaymadeyouhappy."
"Well,Iknewthatgoatwouldbealittlegoldmine,"1
say.
"Yes,ofcourseIwasreferringtothat,notthelasting
joyyougavethesisteryoulovesomuchyoutookher
placeinthereaping,"saysPeetadrily.
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"Thegoathaspaidforitself.Severaltimesover,"Isay
inasuperiortone.
"Well,itwouldn'tdaredoanythingelseafteryou
saveditslife,"saysPeeta."Iintendtodothesame
thing."
259|Page
"Really?Whatdidyoucostmeagain?"Iask.
"Alotoftrouble.Don'tworry.You'llgetitallback,"he
says.
"You'renotmakingsense,"Isay.Itesthisforehead.
Thelever'sgoingnowherebutup."You'realittle
coolerthough."
Thesoundofthetrumpetsstartlesme.I'monmyfeet
andatthemouthofthecaveinaflash,notwanting
tomissasyllable.It'smynewbestfriend,Claudius
Templesmith,andasIexpected,he'sinvitingustoa
feast.Well,we'renotthathungryandIactuallywave
hisofferawayinindifferencewhenhesays,"Nowhold
on.Someofyoumayalreadybedecliningmy
invitation.Butthisisnoordinaryfeast.Eachofyou
needssomethingdesperately."
Idoneedsomethingdesperately.Somethingtoheal
Peeta'sleg.
"Eachofyouwillfindthatsomethinginabackpack,
markedwithyourdistrictnumber,attheCornucopia
atdawn.Thinkhardaboutrefusingtoshowup.For
someofyou,thiswillbeyourlastchance,"says
Claudius.
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There'snothingelse,justhiswordshanginginthe
air.IjumpasPeetagripsmyshoulderfrombehind.
"No,"hesays."You'renotriskingyourlifeforme."
"WhosaidIwas?"Isay.
"So,you'renotgoing?"heasks.
"Ofcourse,I'mnotgoing.Givemesomecredit.Do
youthinkI'mrunningstraightintosomefreeforall
againstCatoandCloveandThresh?Don'tbestupid,"
260|Page
Isay,helpinghimbacktobed."I'llletthemfightit
out,wellseewho'sintheskytomorrownightand
workoutaplanfromthere."
"You'resuchabadliar,Katniss.Idon'tknowhow
you'vesurvivedthislong."Hebeginstomimicme."I
knewthatgoatwouldbealittlegoldmine.You'rea
littlecoolerthough.Ofcourse,I'mnotgoing.He
shakeshishead."Nevergambleatcards.You'lllose
yourlastcoin,"hesays.
Angerflushesmyface."Allright,Iamgoing,andyou
can'tstopme!"
"Icanfollowyou.Atleastpartway.Imaynotmakeit
totheCornucopia,butifI'myellingyourname,Ibet
someonecanfindme.AndthenI'llbedeadforsure,"
hesays.
"Youwon'tgetahundredyardsfromhereonthat
leg,"Isay.
"Then111dragmyself,"saysPeeta."YougoandI'm
going,too."
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He'sjuststubbornenoughandmaybejuststrong
enoughtodoit.Comehowlingaftermeinthewoods.
Evenifatributedoesn'tfindhim,somethingelse
might.Hecan'tdefendhimself.I'dprobablyhaveto
wallhimupinthecavejusttogomyself.Andwho
knowswhattheexertionwilldotohim?
"WhatamIsupposedtodo?Sithereandwatchyou
die?"Isay.Hemustknowthat'snotanoption.That
theaudiencewouldhateme.Andfrankly,Iwould
hatemyself,too,ifIdidn'teventry.
"Iwon'tdie.Ipromise.Ifyoupromisenottogo,"he
says.
261|Page
We'reatsomethingofastalemate.IknowIcan't
arguehimoutofthisone,soIdon'ttry.Ipretend,
reluctantly,togoalong."ThenyouhavetodowhatI
say.Drinkyourwater,wakemewhenItellyou,and
eateverybiteofthesoupnomatterhowdisgustingit
is!"Isnapathim.
"Agreed.Isitready?"heasks.
"Waithere,"Isay.Theair'sgonecoldeventhoughthe
sun'sstillup.I'mrightabouttheGamemakers
messingwiththetemperature.Iwonderifthething
someoneneedsdesperatelyisagoodblanket.The
soupisstillniceandwarminitsironpot.And
actuallydoesn'ttastetoobad.
Peetaeatswithoutcomplaint,evenscrapingoutthe
pottoshowhisenthusiasm.Heramblesonabout
howdeliciousitis,whichshouldbeencouragingif
youdon'tknowwhatfeverdoestopeople.He'slike
listeningtoHaymitchbeforethealcoholhassoaked
himintoincoherence.Igivehimanotherdoseoffever
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medicinebeforehegoesoffhisheadcompletely.
AsIgodowntothestreamtowashup,allIcanthink
isthathe'sgoingtodieifIdon'tgettothatfeast.I'll
keephimgoingforadayortwo,andthenthe
infectionwillreachhisheartorhisbrainorhislungs
andhe'llbegone.And111behereallalone.Again.
Waitingfortheothers.
I'msolostinthoughtthatIalmostmissthe
parachute,eventhoughitfloatsrightbyme.ThenI
springafterit,yankingitfromthewater,tearingoff
thesilverfabrictoretrievethevial.Haymitchhas
doneit!He'sgottenthemedicineIdon'tknowhow,
persuadedsomegaggleofromanticfoolstoselltheir
jewelsandIcansavePeeta!It'ssuchatinyvial
though.Itmustbeverystrongtocuresomeoneasill
asPeeta.Arippleofdoubtrunsthroughme.Iuncork
thevialandtakeadeepsniff.Myspiritsfallatthe
sicklysweetscent.Justtobesure,Iplaceadropon
thetipofmytongue.There'snoquestion,it'ssleep
syrup.It'sacommonmedicineinDistrict12.Cheap,
asmedicinegoes,butveryaddictive.Almost
everyone'shadadoseatonetimeoranother.We
havesomeinabottleathome.Mymothergivesitto
hystericalpatientstoknockthemouttostitchupa
badwoundorquiettheirmindsorjusttohelp
someoneinpaingetthroughthenight.Itonlytakesa
little.AvialthissizecouldknockPeetaoutforafull
day,butwhatgoodisthat?I'msofuriousI'mabout
tothrowHaymitch'slastofferingintothestream
whenithitsme.Afullday?That'smorethanIneed.
Imashupahandfulofberriessothetastewon'tbe
asnoticeableandaddsomemintleavesforgood
measure.ThenIheadbackuptothecave."I've
broughtyouatreat.Ifoundanewpatchofberriesa
littlefartherdownstream."
Peetaopenshismouthforthefirstbitewithout
hesitation.Heswallowsthenfrownsslightly."They're
verysweet."
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"Yes,they'resugarberries.Mymothermakesjam
fromthem.Haven'tyoueverhadthembefore?"Isay,
pokingthenextspoonfulinhismouth.
"No,"hesays,almostpuzzled."Buttheytaste
familiar.Sugarberries?"
"Well,youcan'tgettheminthemarketmuch,they
onlygrowwild,"Isay.Anothermouthfulgoesdown.
Justonemoretogo.
"They'resweetassyrup,"hesays,takingthelast
spoonful."Syrup."Hiseyeswidenasherealizesthe
truth.Iclampmyhandoverhismouthandnose
hard,forcinghimtoswallowinsteadofspit.Hetries
tomakehimselfvomitthestuffup,butit'stoolate,
he'salreadylosingconsciousness.Evenashefades
away,IcanseeinhiseyeswhatI'vedoneis
unforgivable.
Isitbackonmyheelsandlookathimwithamixture
ofsadnessandsatisfaction.Astrayberrystainshis
chinandIwipeitaway."Whocan'tlie,Peeta?"Isay,
eventhoughhecan'thearme.
Itdoesn'tmatter.TherestofPanemcan.
264|Page
Intheremaininghoursbeforenightfall,Igatherrocks
anddomybesttocamouflagetheopeningofthecave.
It'saslowandarduousprocess,butafteralotof
sweatingandshiftingthingsaround,I'mpretty
pleasedwithmywork,Thecavenowappearstobe
partofalargerpileofrocks,likesomanyinthe
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vicinity.IcanstillcrawlintoPeetathroughasmall
opening,butit'sundetectablefromtheoutside.
That'sgood,becauseI'llneedtosharethatsleeping
bagagaintonight.Also,ifIdon'tmakeitbackfrom
thefeast,Peetawillbehiddenbutnotentirely
imprisoned.AlthoughIdoubthecanhangonmuch
longerwithoutmedicine.IfIdieatthefeast,District
12isn'tlikelytohaveavictor.
Imakeamealoutofthesmaller,bonierfishthat
inhabitthestreamdownhere,filleverywater
containerandpurifyit,andcleanmyweapons.I've
ninearrowsleftinall.Idebateleavingtheknifewith
PeetasohellhavesomeprotectionwhileI'mgone,
butthere'sreallynopoint.Hewasrightabout
camouflagebeinghisfinaldefense.ButIstillmight
haveusefortheknife.Whoknowswhat111
encounter?
HerearesomethingsI'mfairlycertainof.Thatat
leastCato,Clove,andThreshwillbeonhandwhen
thefeaststarts.I'mnotsureaboutFoxfacesince
directconfrontationisn'therstyleorherforte.She's
evensmallerthanIamandunarmed,unlessshe's
pickedupsomeweaponsrecently.Shellprobablybe
hangingsomewherenearby,seeingwhatshecan
scavenge.Buttheotherthree...I'mgoingtohavemy
handsfull.Myabilitytokillatadistanceismy
greatestasset,butIknow111havetogorightintothe
thickofthingstogetthatbackpack,theonewiththe
number12onitthatClaudiusTemplesmith
mentioned.
Iwatchthesky,hopingforonelessopponentat
dawn,butnobodyappearstonight.Tomorrowthere
willbefacesupthere.Feastsalwaysresultin
fatalities.
Icrawlintothecave,securemyglasses,andcurlup
nexttoPeeta.LuckilyIhadthatgoodlongsleep
today.Ihavetostayawake.Idon'treallythink
anyonewillattackourcavetonight,butIcan'trisk
missingthedawn.
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Socold,sobitterlycoldtonight.Asifthe
Gamemakershavesentaninfusionoffrozenair
acrossthearena,whichmaybeexactlywhatthey've
done.IlaynexttoPeetainthebag,tryingtoabsorb
everybitofhisfeverheat.It'sstrangetobeso
physicallyclosetosomeonewho'ssodistant.Peeta
mightaswellbebackintheCapitol,orinDistrict12,
oronthemoonrightnow,he'dbenohardertoreach.
I'veneverfeltloneliersincetheGamesbegan.
Justacceptitwillbeabadnight,Itellmyself.Itrynot
to,butIcan'thelpthinkingofmymotherandPrim,
wonderingifthey'llsleepawinktonight.Atthislate
stageintheGames,withanimportanteventlikethe
feast,schoolwillprobablybecanceled.Myfamilycan
eitherwatchonthatstaticfilledoldclunkerofa
televisionathomeorjointhecrowdsinthesquareto
watchonthebig,clearscreens,They'llhaveprivacy
athomebutsupportinthesquare.Peoplewillgive
themakindword,abitoffoodiftheycanspareit.I
wonderifthebakerhassoughtthemout,especially
nowthatPeetaandIareateam,andmadegoodon
hispromisetokeepmysister'sbellyfull.
266|Page
SpiritsmustberunninghighinDistrict12.Weso
rarelyhaveanyonetorootforatthispointinthe
Games.Surely,peopleareexcitedaboutPeetaand
me,especiallynowthatwe'retogether.IfIclosemy
eyes,Icanimaginetheirshoutsatthescreens,urging
uson.IseetheirfacesGreasySacandMadgeand
eventhePeacekeeperswhobuymymeatcheeringfor
us.
AndGale.Iknowhim.Hewon'tbeshoutingand
cheering.Buthe'llbewatching,everymoment,every
twistandturn,andwillingmetocomehome.I
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wonderifhe'shopingthatPeetamakesitaswell.
Gale'snotmyboyfriend,butwouldhebe,ifIopened
thatdoor?Hetalkedaboutusrunningawaytogether.
Wasthatjustapracticalcalculationofourchancesof
survivalawayfromthedistrict?Orsomethingmore?
Iwonderwhathemakesofallthiskissing.
Throughacrackintherocks,Iwatchthemooncross
thesky.AtwhatIjudgetobeaboutthreehours
beforedawn,Ibeginfinalpreparations.I'mcarefulto
leavePeetawithwaterandthemedicalkitright
besidehim.NothingelsewillbeofmuchuseifIdon't
return,andeventhesewouldonlyprolonghislifea
shorttime.Aftersomedebate,Istriphimofhisjacket
andzipitonovermyown.Hedoesn'tneedit.Not
nowinthesleepingbagwithhisfever,andduringthe
day,ifI'mnottheretoremoveit,hellberoastingin
it.Myhandsarealreadystifffromcold,soItake
Rue'ssparepairofsocks,cutholesformyfingersand
thumbs,andpullthemon.Ithelpsanyway.Ifillher
smallpackwithsomefood,awaterbottle,and
bandages,tucktheknifeinmybelt,getmybowand
arrows.I'mabouttoleavewhenIrememberthe
importanceofsustainingthestarcrossedlover
routineandIleanoverandgivePeetaalong,
lingeringkiss.Iimaginethetearysighsemanating
fromtheCapitolandpretendtobrushawayatearof
myown.ThenIsqueezethroughtheopeninginthe
rocksoutintothenight.
Mybreathmakessmallwhitecloudsasithitstheair.
It'sascoldasaNovembernightathome.Onewhere
I'veslippedintothewoods,lanterninhand,tojoin
Galeatsomeprearrangedplacewherewellsit
bundledtogether,sippingherbteafrommetalflasks
wrappedinquilting,hopinggamewillpassourway
asthemorningcomeson.Oh,Gale,Ithink.Ifonly
youhadmybacknow...
ImoveasfastasIdare.Theglassesarequite
remarkable,butIstillsorelymisshavingtheuseof
myleftear.Idon'tknowwhattheexplosiondid,butit
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damagedsomethingdeepandirreparable.Never
mind.IfIgethome,111besostinkingrich,111beable
topaysomeonetodomyhearing.
Thewoodsalwayslookdifferentatnight.Evenwith
theglasses,everythinghasanunfamiliarslanttoit.
Asifthedaytimetreesandflowersandstoneshad
gonetobedandsentslightlymoreominousversions
ofthemselvestotaketheirplaces.Idon'ttryanything
tricky,liketakinganewroute.Imakemywayback
upthestreamandfollowthesamepathbacktoRue's
hidingplacenearthelake.Alongtheway,Iseeno
signofanothertribute,notapuffofbreath,nota
quiverofabranch.EitherI'mthefirsttoarriveorthe
otherspositionedthemselveslastnight.There'sstill
morethananhour,maybetwo,whenIwriggleinto
theunderbrushandwaitforthebloodtobeginto
flow.
Ichewafewmintleaves,mystomachisn'tupfor
muchmore.Thankgoodness,IhavePeeta'sjacketas
wellasmyown.Ifnot,I'dbeforcedtomovearoundto
staywarm.Theskyturnsamistymorninggrayand
stillthere'snosignoftheothertributes.It'snot
surprisingreally.Everyonehasdistinguished
themselveseitherbystrengthordeadlinessor
cunning.Dotheysuppose,Iwonder,thatIhavePeeta
withme?IdoubtFoxfaceandThreshevenknowhe
waswounded.Allthebetteriftheythinkhe'scovering
mewhenIgoinforthebackpack.
Butwhereisit?Thearenahaslightenedenoughfor
metoremovemyglasses.Icanhearthemorning
birdssinging.Isn'tittime?Forasecond,I'm
panickedthatI'matthewronglocation.Butno,I'm
certainIrememberClaudiusTemplesmithspecifying
theCornucopia.Andthereitis.AndhereIam.So
where'smyfeast?
Justasthefirstrayofsunglintsoffthegold
Cornucopia,there'sadisturbanceontheplain.The
groundbeforethemouthofthehornsplitsintwoand
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aroundtablewithasnowywhiteclothrisesintothe
arena.Onthetablesitfourbackpacks,twolarge
blackoneswiththenumbers2and11,amediumsize
greenonewiththenumber5,andatinyorangeone
reallyIcouldcarryitaroundmywristthatmust
bemarkedwitha.12.
Thetablehasjustclickedintoplacewhenafigure
dartsoutoftheCornucopia,snagsthegreen
backpack,andspeedsoff.Foxface!Leaveittoherto
comeupwithsuchacleverandriskyidea!Therestof
usarestillpoisedaroundtheplain,sizingupthe
situation,andshe'sgothers.She'sgotustrapped,
too,becausenoonewantstochaseherdown,not
whiletheirownpacksitssovulnerableonthetable.
Foxfacemusthavepurposefullylefttheotherpacks
alone,knowingthattostealonewithouthernumber
woulddefinitelybringonapursuer.Thatshouldhave
beenmystrategy!BythelimeI'veworkedthroughthe
emotionsofsurprise,admiration,anger,jealousy,and
frustration,I'mwatchingthatreddishmaneofhair
disappearintothetreeswelloutofshootingrange.
Huh.I'malwaysdreadingtheothers,butmaybe
Foxfaceistherealopponenthere.
She'scostmetime,too,becausebynowit'sclearthat
Imustgettothetablenext.Anyonewhobeatsmeto
itwilleasilyscoopupmypackandbegone.Without
hesitation,Isprintforthetable.Icansensethe
emergenceofdangerbeforeIseeit.Fortunately,the
firstknifecomeswhizzinginonmyrightsidesoIcan
hearitandI'mabletodeflectitwithmybow.Iturn,
drawingbackthebowstringandsendanarrow
straightatClove'sheart.Sheturnsjustenoughto
avoidafatalhit,butthepointpuncturesherupper
leftarm.Unfortunately,shethrowswithherright,
butit'senoughtoslowherdownafewmoments,
havingtopullthearrowfromherarm,takeinthe
severityofthewound.Ikeepmoving,positioningthe
nextarrowautomatically,asonlysomeonewhohas
huntedforyearscando.
I'matthetablenow,myfingersclosingoverthetiny
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orangebackpack.Myhandslipsbetweenthestraps
andIyankituponmyarm,it'sreallytoosmalltofit
onanyotherpartofmyanatomy,andI'mturningto
fireagainwhenthesecondknifecatchesmeinthe
forehead.Itslicesabovemyrighteyebrow,openinga
gashthatsendsagushrunningdownmyface,
blindingmyeye,fillingmymouthwiththesharp,
metallictasteofmyownblood.Istaggerbackward
butstillmanagetosendmyreadiedarrowinthe
generaldirectionofmyassailant.Iknowasitleaves
myhandsitwillmiss.AndthenCloveslamsintome,
knockingmeflatonmyback,pinningmyshoulders
totheground,withherknees.
Thisisit,Ithink,andhopeforPrim'ssakeitwillbe
fast.ButClovemeanstosavorthemoment.Even
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feelsshehastime.NodoubtCatoissomewhere
nearby,guardingher,waitingforThreshandpossibly
Peeta.
"Where'syourboyfriend,DistrictTwelve?Still
hangingon?"sheasks.
Well,aslongaswe'retalkingI'malive."He'soutthere
now.HuntingCato,"Isnarlather.ThenIscreamat
thetopofmylungs."Peeta!"
Clovejamsherfistintomywindpipe,veryeffectively
cuttingoffmyvoice.Butherhead'swhippingfrom
sidetoside,andIknowforamomentshe'satleast
consideringI'mtellingthetruth.SincenoPeeta
appearstosaveme,sheturnsbacktome.
"Liar,"shesayswithagrin."He'snearlydead.Cato
knowswherehecuthim.You'veprobablygothim
strappedupinsometreewhileyoutrytokeephis
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heartgoing.What'sintheprettylittlebackpack?That
medicineforLoverBoy?Toobadhe'llnevergetit."
Cloveopensherjacket.It'slinedwithanimpressive
arrayofknives.Shecarefullyselectsanalmost
daintylookingnumberwithacruel,curvedblade."I
promisedCatoifheletmehaveyou,I'dgivethe
audienceagoodshow."
I'mstrugglingnowinanefforttounseather,butit's
nouse.She'stooheavyandherlockonmetootight.
"Forgetit,DistrictTwelve.We'regoingtokillyou.
Justlikewedidyourpatheticlittleally...whatwas
hername?Theonewhohoppedaroundinthetrees?
Rue?Well,firstRue,thenyou,andthenIthinkwe'll
justletnaturetakecareofLoverBoy.Howdoesthat
sound?"Cloveasks."Now,wheretostart?"
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Shecarelesslywipesawaythebloodfrommywound
withherjacketsleeve.Foramoment,shesurveysmy
face,tiltingitfromsidetosideasifit'sablockof
woodandshe'sdecidingexactlywhatpatterntocarve
onit.Iattempttobiteherhand,butshegrabsthe
haironthetopofmyhead,forcingmebacktothe
ground."Ithink..."shealmostpurrs."Ithinkwell
startwithyourmouth."Iclampmyteethtogetheras
sheteasinglytracestheoutlineofmylipswiththetip
oftheblade.
Iwon'tclosemyeyes.ThecommentaboutRuehas
filledmewithfury,enoughfuryIthinktodiewith
somedignity.Asmylastactofdefiance,Iwillstare
herdownaslongasIcansee,whichwillprobablynot
beanextendedperiodoftime,butIwillstareher
down,Iwillnotcryout.Iwilldie,inmyownsmall
way,undefeated.
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"Yes,Idon'tthinkyoullhavemuchuseforyourlips
anymore.WanttoblowLoverBoyonelastkiss?"she
asks,Iworkupamouthfulofbloodandsalivaand
spititinherface.Sheflusheswithrage."Allright
then.Let'sgetstarted."
Ibracemyselffortheagonythat'ssuretofollow.But
asIfeelthetipopenthefirstcutatmylip,somegreat
formyanksClovefrommybodyandthenshe's
screaming.I'mtoostunnedatfirst,toounableto
processwhathashappened.HasPeetasomehow
cometomyrescue?HavetheGamemakerssentin
somewildanimaltoaddtothefun?Hasahovercraft
inexplicablypluckedherintotheair?
ButwhenIpushmyselfuponmynumbarms,Isee
it'snoneoftheabove.Cloveisdanglingafootoffthe
ground,imprisonedinThresh'sarms.Iletoutagasp,
seeinghimlikethat,toweringoverme,holdingClove
likearagdoll.Irememberhimasbig,butheseems
moremassive,morepowerfulthanIevenrecall.If
anything,heseemstohavegainedweightinthe
arena.HeflipsClovearoundandflingsherontothe
ground.
Whenheshouts,Ijump,neverhavingheardhim
speakaboveamutter."What'dyoudotothatlittle
girl?Youkillher?"
Cloveisscramblingbackwardonallfours,likea
franticinsect,tooshockedtoevencallforCato."No!
No,itwasn'tme!"
"Yousaidhername.Iheardyou.Youkillher?"
Anotherthoughtbringsafreshwaveofragetohis
features."Youcutheruplikeyouweregoingtocut
upthisgirlhere?"
"No!No,I"Cloveseesthestone,aboutthesizeofa
smallloafofbreadinThresh'shandandlosesit.
"Cato!"shescreeches."Cato!"
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"Clove!"IhearCato'sanswer,buthe'stoofaraway,I
cantellthatmuch,todoheranygood.Whatwashe
doing?TryingtogetFoxfaceorPeeta?Orhadhebeen
lyinginwaitforThreshandjustbadlymisjudgedhis
location?
ThreshbringstherockdownhardagainstClove's
temple.It'snotbleeding,butIcanseethedentinher
skullandIknowthatshe'sagoner.There'sstilllifein
hernowthough,intherapidriseandfallofher
chest,thelowmoanescapingherlips.
WhenThreshwhirlsaroundonme,therockraised,I
knowit'snogoodtorun.Andmybowisempty,the
lastloadedarrowhavinggoneinClove'sdirection.I'm
trappedintheglareofhisstrangegoldenbrowneyes.
"What'dshemean?AboutRuebeingyourally?"
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"IIweteamedup.Blewupthesupplies.Itried
tosaveher,Idid.Buthegottherefirst.DistrictOne,"
Isay.MaybeifheknowsIhelpedRue,hewon't
choosesomeslow,sadisticendforme.
"Andyoukilledhim?"hedemands.
"Yes.Ikilledhim.Andburiedherinflowers,"I
say."AndIsanghertosleep."
Tearsspringinmyeyes.Thetension,thefightgoes
outofmeatthememory.AndI'moverwhelmedby
Rue,andthepaininmyhead,andmyfearofThresh,
andthemoaningofthedyinggirlafewfeetaway.
"Tosleep?"Threshsaysgruffly.
"Todeath.Isanguntilshedied,"Isay."Your
district...theysentmebread."Myhandreachesup
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butnotforanarrowthatIknow111neverreach.Just
towipemynose."Doitfast,okay,Thresh?"
ConflictingemotionscrossThresh'sface.Helowers
therockandpointsatme,almostaccusingly."Just
thisonetime,Iletyougo.Forthelittlegirl.Youand
me,we'reeventhen.Nomoreowed.You
understand?"
InodbecauseIdounderstand.Aboutowing.About
hatingit.IunderstandthatifThreshwins,he'llhave
togobackandfaceadistrictthathasalreadybroken
alltherulestothankme,andheisbreakingtherules
tothankme,too.AndIunderstandthat,forthe
moment,Threshisnotgoingtosmashinmyskull.
"Clove!"Cato'svoiceismuchnearernow.Icantellby
thepaininitthatheseesherontheground.
"Youbetterrunnow,FireGirl,"saysThresh.
274|Page
Idon'tneedtobetoldtwice.Iflipoverandmyfeetdip
intothehardpackedearthasIrunawayfromThresh
andCloveandthesoundofCato'svoice.OnlywhenI
reachthewoodsdoIturnbackforaninstant.Thresh
andbothlargebackpacksarevanishingovertheedge
oftheplainintotheareaI'veneverseen.Catokneels
besideClove,spearinhand,begginghertostaywith
him.Inamoment,hewillrealizeit'sfutile,shecan't
besaved.Icrashintothetrees,repeatedlyswiping
awaythebloodthat'spouringintomyeye,fleeinglike
thewild,woundedcreatureIam.Afterafewminutes,
IhearthecannonandIknowthatClovehasdied,
thatCatowillbeononeofourtrails.EitherThresh's
ormine.I'mseizedwithterror,weakfrommyhead
wound,shaking.Iloadanarrow,butCatocanthrow
thatspearalmostasfarasIcanshoot.
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Onlyonethingcalmsmedown.ThreshhasCato's
backpackcontainingthethingheneedsdesperately.
IfIhadtobet,CatoheadedoutafterThresh,notme.
StillIdon'tslowdownwhenIreachthewater.I
plungerightin,bootsstillon,andflounder
downstream.IpulloffRue'ssocksthatI'vebeen
usingforglovesandpressthemintomyforehead,
tryingtostaunchtheflowofblood,butthey'resoaked
inminutes.
SomehowImakeitbacktothecave.Isqueeze
throughtherocks.Inthedappledlight,Ipullthe
littleorangebackpackfrommyarm,cutopenthe
clasp,anddumpthecontentsontheground.One
slimboxcontainingonehypodermicneedle.Without
hesitating,IjamtheneedleintoPeeta'sarmand
slowlypressdownontheplunger.
Myhandsgotomyheadandthendroptomylap,
slickwithblood.
275|Page
ThelastthingIrememberisanexquisitelybeautiful
greenandsilvermothlandingonthecurveofmy
wrist.
276|Page
Thesoundofraindrummingontheroofofourhouse
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gentlypullsmetowardconsciousness.Ifightto
returntosleepthough,wrappedinawarmcocoonof
blankets,safeathome.I'mvaguelyawarethatmy
headaches.PossiblyIhavethefluandthisiswhyI'm
allowedtostayinbed,eventhoughIcantellI'vebeen
asleepalongtime.Mymother'shandstrokesmy
cheekandIdon'tpushitawayasIwouldin
wakefulness,neverwantinghertoknowhowmuchI
cravethatgentletouch.HowmuchImisshereven
thoughIstilldon'ttrusther.Thenthere'savoice,the
wrongvoice,notmymother's,andI'mscared.
"Katniss,"itsays."Katniss,canyouhearme?"
Myeyesopenandthesenseofsecurityvanishes.I'm
nothome,notwithmymother.I'minadim,chilly
cave,mybarefeetfreezingdespitethecover,theair
taintedwiththeunmistakablesmellofblood.The
haggard,palefaceofaboyslidesintoview,andafter
aninitialjoltofalarm,Ifeelbetter."Peeta."
"Hey,"hesays."Goodtoseeyoureyesagain."
"HowlonghaveIbeenout?"Iask.
"Notsure.Iwokeupyesterdayeveningandyouwere
lyingnexttomeinaveryscarypoolofblood,"he
says."Ithinkit'sstoppedfinally,butIwouldn'tsitup
oranything."
Igingerlyliftmyhandtomyheadandfindit
bandaged.Thissimplegestureleavesmeweakand
dizzy.PeetaholdsabottletomylipsandIdrink
thirstily.
"You'rebetter,"Isay.
"Muchbetter.Whateveryoushotintomyarmdidthe
trick,"hesays."Bythismorning,almostallthe
swellinginmylegwasgone."
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Hedoesn'tseemangryaboutmytrickinghim,
drugginghim,andrunningofftothefeast.MaybeI'm
justtoobeatupand111hearaboutitlaterwhenI'm
stronger.Butforthemoment,he'sallgentleness.
"Didyoueat?"Iask.
"I'msorrytosayIgobbleddownthreepiecesofthat
grooslingbeforeIrealizeditmighthavetolasta
while.Don'tworry,I'mbackonastrictdiet,"hesays.
"No,it'sgood.Youneedtoeat.I'llgohuntingsoon,"I
say.
"Nottoosoon,allright?"hesays."Youjustletme
takecareofyouforawhile."
Idon'treallyseemtohavemuchchoice.Peetafeeds
mebitesofgrooslingandraisinsandmakesmedrink
plentyofwater.Herubssomewarmthbackintomy
feetandwrapstheminhisjacketbeforetuckingthe
sleepingbagbackuparoundmychin.
"Yourbootsandsocksarestilldampandthe
weather'snothelpingmuch,"hesays.There'saclap
ofthunder,andIseelightningelectrifythesky
throughanopeningintherocks.Raindripsthrough
severalholesintheceiling,butPeetahasbuiltasort
ofcanopyovermyheadanupperbodybywedging
thesquareofplasticintotherockaboveme.
"Iwonderwhatbroughtonthisstorm?Imean,who's
thetarget?"saysPeeta.
278|Page
"CatoandThresh,"Isaywithoutthinking."Foxface
willbeinherdensomewhere,andClove...shecut
meanthen..."Myvoicetrailsoff.
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"IknowClove'sdead.Isawitintheskylastnight,"he
says."Didyoukillher?"
"No.Threshbrokeherskullwitharock,"Isay.
"Luckyhedidn'tcatchyou,too,"saysPeeta.
ThememoryofthefeastreturnsfullforceandIfeel
sick."Hedid.Butheletmego."Then,ofcourse,I
havetotellhim.AboutthingsI'vekepttomyself
becausehewastoosicktoaskandIwasn'treadyto
reliveanyway.Liketheexplosionandmyearand
Rue'sdyingandtheboyfromDistrict1andthe
bread.Allofwhichleadstowhathappenedwith
Threshandhowhewaspayingoffadebtofsorts.
"Heletyougobecausehedidn'twanttooweyou
anything?"asksPeetaindisbelief.
"Yes.Idon'texpectyoutounderstandit.You've
alwayshadenough.Butifyou'dlivedintheSeam,I
wouldn'thavetoexplain,"Isay.
"Anddon'ttry.ObviouslyI'mtoodimtogetit."
"It'slikethebread.HowIneverseemtogetover
owingyouforthat,"Isay.
"Thebread?What?Fromwhenwewerekids?"he
says."Ithinkwecanletthatgo.Imean,youjust
broughtmebackfromthedead."
"Butyoudidn'tknowme.Wehadneverevenspoken.
Besides,it'sthefirstgiftthat'salwaysthehardestto
payback.Iwouldn'tevenhavebeenheretodoitif
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youhadn'thelpedmethen,"Isay."Whydidyou,
anyway?"
"Why?Youknowwhy,"Peetasays.Igivemyheada
slight,painfulshake."Haymitchsaidyouwouldtake
alotofconvincing."
"Haymitch?"Iask."What'shegottodowithit?"
"Nothing,"Peetasays."So,CatoandThresh,huh?I
guessit'stoomuchtohopethatthey'll
simultaneouslydestroyeachother?"
Butthethoughtonlyupsetsme."Ithinkwewould
likeThresh.Ithinkhe'dbeourfriendbackinDistrict
Twelve,"Isay.
"Thenlet'shopeCatokillshim,sowedon'thave
to,"saysPeetagrimly.
Idon'twantCatotokillThreshatall.Idon'twant
anyoneelsetodie.Butthisisabsolutelynotthekind
ofthingthatvictorsgoaroundsayinginthearena.
Despitemybestefforts,Icanfeeltearsstartingto
poolinmyeyes.
Peetalooksatmeinconcern."Whatisit?Areyouin
alotofpain?"
Igivehimanotheranswer,becauseitisequallytrue
butcanbetakenasabriefmomentofweakness
insteadofaterminalone."Iwanttogohome,Peeta,"
Isayplaintively,likeasmallchild.
"Youwill.Ipromise,"hesays,andbendsovertogive
meakiss.
"Iwanttogohomenow,"Isay.
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"Tellyouwhat.Yougobacktosleepanddreamof
home.Andyou11bethereforrealbeforeyouknow
it/'liesays."Okay?"
"Okay,"Iwhisper."Wakemeifyouneedmetokeep
watch."
"I'mgoodandrested,thankstoyouandHaymitch.
Besides,whoknowshowlongthiswilllast?"hesays.
Whatdoeshemean?Thestorm?Thebriefrespiteii
bringsus?TheGamesthemselves?Idon'tknow,but
I'mionsadandtiredtoask.
It'seveningwhenPeetawakesmeagain.Therainhas
turnedtoadownpour,sendingstreamsofwater
throughourceilingwhereearliertherehadbeenonly
drips.Peetahasplacedthebrothpotundertheworst
oneandrepositionedtheplastictodeflectmostofit
fromme.Ifeelabitbetter,abletositupwithout
gettingtoodizzy,andI'mabsolutelyfamished.Sois
Peeta.It'sclearhe'sbeenwaitingformetowakeupto
eatandiseagertogetstarted.
There'snotmuchleft.Twopiecesofgroosling,asmall
mishmashofroots,andahandfulofdriedfruit.
"Shouldwetryandrationit?"Peetaasks.
"No,let'sjustfinishit.Thegroosling'sgettingold
anyway,andthelastthingweneedistogetsick
offspoiltfood,"Isay,dividingthefoodintotwoequal
piles.Wetryandeatslowly,butwe'rebothsohungry
weredoneinacoupleofminutes.Mystomachisin
nowaysatisfied."Tomorrow'sahuntingday,"Isay.
"Iwon'tbemuchhelpwiththat,"Peetasays."I've
neverhuntedbefore."
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"I'llkillandyoucook,"Isay."Andyoucanalways
gather."
"Iwishtherewassomesortofbreadbushout
there,"saysPeeta.
"ThebreadtheysentmefromDistrictElevenwasstill
warm,"Isaywithasigh."Here,chewthese."Ihand
himacoupleofmintleavesandpopafewinmyown
mouth.
It'shardtoevenseetheprojectioninthesky,butit's
clearenoughtoknowtherewerenomoredeaths
today.SoCatoandThreshhaven'thaditoutyet.
"WheredidThreshgo?Imean,what'sonthefarside
ofthecircle?"IaskPeeta.
"Afield.Asfarasyoucanseeit'sfullofgrassesas
highasmyshoulders.Idon'tknow,maybesomeof
themaregrain.Therearepatchesofdifferentcolors.
Buttherearenopaths,"saysPeeta.
"Ibetsomeofthemaregrain.IbetThreshknows
whichones,too,"Isay."Didyougointhere?"
"No.NobodyreallywantedtotrackThreshdownin
thatgrass.Ithasasinisterfeelingtoit.EverytimeI
lookatthatfield,allIcanthinkofarehiddenthings.
Snakes,andrabidanimals,andquicksand,"Peeta
says."Therecouldbeanythinginthere."
Idon'tsaysobutPeeta'swordsremindmeofthe
warningstheygiveusaboutnotgoingbeyondthe
fenceinDistrict12.1can'thelp,foramoment,
comparinghimwithGale,whowouldseethatfieldas
apotentialsourceoffoodaswellasathreat.Thresh
certainlydid.It'snotthatPeeta'ssoftexactly,and
he'sprovedhe'snotacoward.Buttherearethings
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youdon'tquestiontoomuch,Iguess,whenyour
homealwayssmellslikebakingbread,whereasGale
questionseverything.WhatwouldPeetathinkofthe
irreverentbanterthatpassesbetweenusaswebreak
thelaweachday?Woulditshockhim?Thethingswe
sayaboutPanem?Gale'stiradesagainsttheCapitol?
"Maybethereisabreadbushinthatfield,"I
say."Maybethat'swhyThreshlooksbetterfednow
thanwhenwestartedtheGames."
"Eitherthatorhe'sgotverygeneroussponsors,"says
Peeta."Iwonderwhatwe'dhavetodotogetHaymitch
tosendussomebread."
IraisemyeyebrowsbeforeIrememberhedoesn't
knowaboutthemessageHaymitchsentusacouple
ofnightsago.Onekissequalsonepotofbroth.It's
notthesortofthingIcanblurtout,either.Tosaymy
thoughtsaloudwouldbetippingofftheaudiencethat
theromancehasbeenfabricatedtoplayontheir
sympathiesandthatwouldresultinnofoodatall.
Somehow,believably,I'vegottogetthingsbackon
track.Somethingsimpletostartwith.Ireachoutand
takehishand.
"Well,heprobablyusedupalotofresourceshelping
meknockyouout,"Isaymischievously.
"Yeah,aboutthat,"saysPeeta,entwininghisfingers
inmine."Don'ttrysomethinglikethatagain."
"Orwhat?"Iask.
"Or...or..."Hecan'tthinkofanythinggood."Just
givemeaminute."
"What'stheproblem?"Isaywithagrin.
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283|Page
"Theproblemiswe'rebothstillalive.Whichonly
reinforcestheideainyourmindthatyoudidtheright
thing,"saysPeeta.
"Ididdotherightthing,"Isay.
"No!Justdon't,Katniss!"Hisgriptightens,hurting
myhand,andthere'srealangerinhisvoice."Don't
dieforme.Youwon'tbedoingmeanyfavors.All
right?"
I'mstartledbyhisintensitybutrecognizeanexcellent
opportunityforgettingfood,soItrytokeepup.
"MaybeIdiditformyself,Peeta,didyoueverthinkof
that?Maybeyouaren'ttheonlyonewho...who
worriesabout...whatitwouldbelikeif..."
Ifumble.I'mnotassmoothwithwordsasPeeta.And
whileIwastalking,theideaofactuallylosingPeeta
hitmeagainandIrealizedhowmuchIdon'twant
himtodie.Andit'snotaboutthesponsors.Andit's
notaboutwhatwillhappenbackhome.Andit'snot
justthatIdon'twanttobealone.It'shim.Idonot
wanttolosetheboywiththebread.
"Ifwhat,Katniss?"hesayssoftly.
IwishIcouldpulltheshuttersclosed,blockingout
thismomentfromthepryingeyesofPanem.Evenifit
meanslosingfood.WhateverI'mfeeling,it'snoone's
businessbutmine.
"That'sexactlythekindoftopicHaymitchtoldmeto
steerclearof,"Isayevasively,althoughHaymitch
neversaidanythingofthekind.Infact,he'sprobably
cursingmeoutrightnowfordroppingtheballduring
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suchanemotionallychargedmoment.ButPeeta
somehowcatchesit.
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"Then111justhavetofillintheblanksmyself,"he
says,andmovesintome.
Thisisthefirstkissthatwe'rebothfullyawareof.
Neitherofushobbledbysicknessorpainorsimply
unconscious.Ourlipsneitherburningwithfeveror
icycold.ThisisthefirstkisswhereIactuallyfeel
stirringinsidemychest.Warmandcurious.Thisis
thefirstkissthatmakesmewantanother.
ButIdon'tgetit.Well,Idogetasecondkiss,butit's
justalightoneonthetipofmynosebecausePeeta's
beendistracted."Ithinkyourwoundisbleeding
again.Comeon,liedown,it'sbedtimeanyway,"he
says.
Mysocksaredryenoughtowearnow.ImakePeeta
puthisjacketbackon.Thedampcoldseemstocut
rightdowntomybones,sohemustbehalffrozen.I
insistontakingthefirstwatch,too,althoughneither
ofusthinkit'slikelyanyonewillcomeinthis
weather.Buthewon'tagreeunlessI'minthebag,
too,andI'mshiveringsohardthatit'spointlessto
object.Instarkcontrasttotwonightsago,whenIfelt
Peetawasamillionmilesaway,I'mstruckbyhis
immediacynow.Aswesettlein,hepullsmyhead
downtousehisarmasapillow,theotherrests
protectivelyovermeevenwhenhegoestosleep.No
onehasheldmelikethisinsuchalongtime.Since
myfatherdiedandIstoppedtrustingmymother,no
oneelse'sarmshavemademefeelthissafe.
Withtheaidoftheglasses,Iliewatchingthedripsof
watersplatteronthecavefloor.Rhythmicandlulling.
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Severaltimes,Idriftoffbrieflyandthensnapawake,
guiltyandangrywithmyself.Afterthreeorfour
hours,Ican'thelpit,IhavetorousePeetabecauseI
can'tkeepmyeyesopen.Hedoesn'tseemtomind.
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"Tomorrow,whenit'sdry,111findusaplacesohigh
inthetreeswecanbothsleepinpeace,"Ipromiseas
Idriftoff.
Buttomorrowisnobetterintermsofweather.The
delugecontinuesasiftheGamemakersareintenton
washingusallaway.Thethunder'ssopowerfulit
seemstoshaketheground.Peeta'sconsidering
headingoutanywaytoscavengeforfood,butItell
himinthisstormitwouldbepointless.Hewon'tbe
abletoseethreefeetinfrontofhisfaceandhellonly
endupgettingsoakedtotheskinforhistroubles.He
knowsI'mright,butthegnawinginourstomachsis
becomingpainful.
Thedaydragsonturningintoeveningandthere'sno
breakintheweather.Haymitchisouronlyhope,but
nothingisforthcoming,eitherfromlackofmoney
everythingwillcostanexorbitantamountor
becausehe'sdissatisfiedwithourperformance.
Probablythelatter.I'dbethefirsttoadmitwe'renot
exactlyrivetingtoday.Starving,weakfrominjuries,
tryingnottoreopenwounds.We'resittinghuddled
togetherwrappedinthesleepingbag,yes,butmostly
tokeepwarm.Themostexcitingthingeitherofus
doesisnap.
I'mnotreallysurehowtorampuptheromance.The
kisslastnightwasnice,butworkinguptoanother
willtakesomeforethought.Therearegirlsinthe
Seam,someofthemerchantgirls,too,whonavigate
thesewaterssoeasily.ButI'veneverhadmuchtime
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oruseforit.Anyway,justakissisn'tenough
anymoreclearlybecauseifitwaswe'dhavegotten
foodlastnight.MyinstinctstellmeHaymitchisn't
justlookingforphysicalaffection,hewants
somethingmorepersonal.Thesortofstuffhewas
tryingtogetmetotellaboutmyselfwhenwewere
practicingfortheinterview.I'mrottenatit,but
Peeta'snot.Maybethebestapproachistogethim
talking.
"Peeta,"Isaylightly."Yousaidattheinterviewyou'd
hadacrushonmeforever.Whendidforeverstart?"
"Oh,let'ssee.Iguessthefirstdayofschool.Wewere
five.Youhadonaredplaiddressandyourhair...it
wasintwobraidsinsteadofone.Myfatherpointed
yououtwhenwewerewaitingtolineup,"Peetasays.
"Yourfather?Why?"Iask.
"Hesaid,'Seethatlittlegirl?Iwantedtomarryher
mother,butsheranoffwithacoalminer,'"Peeta
says.
"What?You'remakingthatup!"Iexclaim.
"No,truestory,"Peetasays."AndIsaid,'Acoal
miner?WhydidshewantacoalminerifshecouldVe
hadyou?'Andhesaid,'Becausewhenhesings...
eventhebirdsstoptolisten.'"
"That'strue.Theydo.Imean,theydid,"Isay.I'm
stunnedandsurprisinglymoved,thinkingofthe
bakertellingthistoPeeta.Itstrikesmethatmyown
reluctancetosing,myowndismissalofmusicmight
notreallybethatIthinkit'sawasteoftime.Itmight
bebecauseitremindsmetoomuchofmyfather.
"Sothatday,inmusicassembly,theteacherasked
whoknewthevalleysong.Yourhandshotrightupin
theair.Shestoodyouuponastoolandhadyousing
itforus.AndIswear,everybirdoutsidethewindows
fellsilent,"Peetasays.
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"Oh,please,"Isay,laughing.
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"No,ithappened.Andrightwhenyoursongended,I
knewjustlikeyourmotherIwasagoner,"Peeta
says."Thenforthenextelevenyears,Itriedtowork
upthenervetotalktoyou."
"Withoutsuccess,"Iadd.
"Withoutsuccess.So,inaway,mynamebeingdrawn
inthereapingwasarealpieceofluck,"saysPeeta.
Foramoment,I'malmostfoolishlyhappyandthen
confusionsweepsoverme.Becausewe'resupposedto
bemakingupthisstuff,playingatbeinginlovenot
actuallybeinginlove.ButPeeta'sstoryhasaringof
truthtoit.Thatpartaboutmyfatherandthebirds.
AndIdidsingthefirstdayofschool,althoughIdon't
rememberthesong.Andthatredplaiddress...there
wasone,ahandmedowntoPrimthatgotwashedto
ragsaftermyfather'sdeath.
Itwouldexplainanotherthing,too.WhyPeetatooka
beatingtogivemethebreadonthatawfulhollowday.
So,ifthosedetailsaretrue...coulditallbetrue?
"Youhavea...remarkablememory,"Isayhaltingly.
"Iremembereverythingaboutyou,"saysPeeta,
tuckingaloosestrandofhairbehindmyear."You're
theonewhowasn'tpayingattention."
"Iamnow,"Isay.
"Well,Idon'thavemuchcompetitionhere,"hesays.
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Iwanttodrawaway,toclosethoseshuttersagain,
butIknowIcan't.It'sasifIcanhearHaymitch
whisperinginmyear,"Sayit!Sayit!"
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Iswallowhardandgetthewordsout."Youdon'thave
muchcompetitionanywhere."Andthistime,it'sme
wholeansin.
Ourlipshavejustbarelytouchedwhentheclunk
outsidemakesusjump.Mybowcomesup,thearrow
readytofly,butthere'snoothersound.Peetapeers
throughtherocksandthengivesawhoop.BeforeI
canstophim,lie'soutintherain,thenhanding
somethingintome.Asilverparachuteattachedtoa
basket.Iripitopenatonceandinsidethere'safeast
freshrolls,goatcheese,apples,andbestofall,a
tureenofthatincrediblelambstewonwildrice.The
verydishItoldCaesarFlickermanwasthemost
impressivethingtheCapitolhadtooffer.
Peetawrigglesbackinside,hisfacelituplikethesun.
"IguessHaymitchfinallygottiredofwatchingus
starve."
"Iguessso,"Ianswer.
ButinmyheadIcanhearHaymitch'ssmug,if
slightlyexasperated,words,"Yes,that'swhatI'm
lookinglot,sweetheart."
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Everycellinmybodywantsmetodigintothestew
andcramit,handfulbyhandfulintomymouth.But
Peeta'svoicestopsme."Webettertakeitslowonthat
stew.Rememberthefirstnightonthetrain?Therich
foodmademesickandIwasn'tevenstarvingthen."
"You'reright.AndIcouldjustinhalethewhole
thing!"Isayregretfully.ButIdon't.Wearequite
sensible.Weeachhavearoll,halfanapple,andan
eggsizeservingofstewandrice.Imakemyselfeat
thestewintinyspoonfulstheyevensentus
silverwareandplatessavoringeachbite.Whenwe
finish,Istarelonginglyatthedish."Iwantmore."
"Me,too.Tellyouwhat.Wewaitanhour,ifitstays
down,thenwegetanotherserving,"Peetasays.
"Agreed,"Isay."It'sgoingtobealonghour."
"Maybenotthatlong,"saysPeeta."Whatwasthat
youweresayingjustbeforethefoodarrived?
Somethingaboutme...nocompetition...bestthing
thateverhappenedtoyou..."
"Idon'trememberthatlastpart,"Isay,hopingit'stoo
diminhereforthecamerastopickupmyblush.
"Oh,that'sright.That'swhat/wasthinking,"hesays.
"Scootover,I'mfreezing."
Imakeroomforhiminthesleepingbag.Welean
backagainstthecavewall,myheadonhisshoulder,
hisarmswrappedaroundme.IcanfeelHaymitch
nudgingmetokeepuptheact."So,sincewewere
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five,youneverevennoticedanyothergirls?"Iask
him.
"No,Inoticedjustabouteverygirl,butnoneofthem
madealastingimpressionbutyou,"hesays.
"I'msurethatwouldthrillyourparents,youlikinga
girlfromtheSeam,"Isay.
"Hardly.ButIcouldn'tcareless.Anyway,ifwemake
itback,youwon'tbeagirlfromtheSeam,you'llbea
girlfromtheVictor'sVillage,"hesays.
That'sright.Ifwewin,welleachgetahouseinthe
partoftownreservedforHungerGames'victors.Long
ago,whentheGamesbegan,theCapitolhadbuilta
dozenfinehousesineachdistrict.Ofcourse,inours
onlyoneisoccupied.Mostoftheothershavenever
beenlivedinatall.
Adisturbingthoughthitsme."Butthen,ouronly
neighborwillbeHaymitch!"
"Ah,thatllbenice,"saysPeeta,tighteninghisarms
aroundme."YouandmeandHaymitch.Verycozy.
Picnics,birthdays,longwinternightsaroundthefire
retellingoldHungerGames'tales."
"Itoldyou,hehatesme!"Isay,butIcan'thelp
laughingattheimageofHaymitchbecomingmynew
pal.
"Onlysometimes.Whenhe'ssober,I'veneverheard
himsayonenegativethingaboutyou,"saysPeeta.
"He'sneversober!"Iprotest.
"That'sright.WhoamIthinkingof?Oh,Iknow.It's
Cinnawholikesyou.Butthat'smainlybecauseyou
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didn'ttrytorunwhenhesetyouonfire,"saysPeeta.
"Ontheotherhand,Haymitch...well,ifIwereyou,
I'davoidHaymitchcompletely.Hehatesyou."
"IthoughtyousaidIwashisfavorite,"Isay.
"Hehatesmemore,"saysPeeta."Idon'tthinkpeople
ingeneralarehissortofthing."
Iknowtheaudiencewillenjoyourhavingfunat
Haymitch'sexpense.Hehasbeenaroundsolong,
he'spracticallyanoldfriendtosomeofthem.And
afterhisheaddiveoffthestageatthereaping,
everybodyknowshim.Bythistime,they'llhave
draggedhimoutofthecontrolroomforinterviews
aboutus.Notellingwhatsortoflieshe'smadeup.
He'satsomethingofadisadvantagebecausemost
mentorshaveapartner,anothervictortohelpthem
whereasHaymitchhastobereadytogointoactionat
anymoment.KindoflikemewhenIwasaloneinthe
arena.Iwonderhowhe'sholdingup,withthe
drinking,theattention,andthestressoftryingto
keepusalive.
It'sfunny.HaymitchandIdon'tgetalongwellin
person,butmaybePeetaisrightaboutusbeingalike
becauseheseemsabletocommunicatewithmeby
thetimingofhisgifts.LikehowIknewImustbe
closetowaterwhenhewithhelditandhowIknew
thesleepsyrupjustwasn'tsomethingtoeasePeeta's
painandhowIknownowthatIhavetoplayupthe
romance.Hehasn'tmademuchefforttoconnectwith
Peetareally.Perhapshethinksabowlofbrothwould
justbeabowlofbrothtoPeeta,whereasI'llseethe
stringsattachedtoit.
Athoughthitsme,andI'mamazedthequestion's
takensolongtosurface.Maybeit'sbecauseI'veonly
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recentlybeguntoviewHaymitchwithadegreeof
curiosity."Howdoyouthinkhedidit?"
"Who?Didwhat?"Peetaasks.
"Haymitch.HowdoyouthinkhewontheGames?"I
say.
Peetaconsidersthisquiteawhilebeforeheanswers.
Haymitchissturdilybuilt,butnophysicalwonder
likeCatoorThresh.He'snotparticularlyhandsome.
Notinthewaythatcausessponsorstoraingiftson
you.Andhe'ssosurly,it'shardtoimagineanyone
teamingupwithhim.There'sonlyonewayHaymitch
couldhavewon,andPeetasaysitjustasI'mreaching
thisconclusionmyself.
"Heoutsmartedtheothers,"saysPeeta.
Inod,thenlettheconversationdrop.ButsecretlyI'm
wonderingifHaymitchsobereduplongenoughto
helpPeetaandmebecausehethoughtwejustmight
havethewitstosurvive.Maybehewasn'talwaysa
drunk.Maybe,inthebeginning,hetriedtohelpthe
tributes.Butthenitgotunbearable.Itmustbehellto
mentortwokidsandthenwatchthemdie.Yearafter
yearafteryear.IrealizethatifIgetoutofhere,that
willbecomemyjob.TomentorthegirlfromDistrict
12.Theideaissorepellent,Ithrustitfrommymind.
AbouthalfanhourhaspassedbeforeIdecideIhave
toeatagain.Peeta'stoohungryhimselftoputupan
argument.WhileI'mdishinguptwomoresmall
servingsoflambstewandrice,weheartheanthem
begintoplay.Peetapresseshiseyesagainstacrack
intherockstowatchthesky.
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"Therewon'tbeanythingtoseetonight,"Isay,far
moreinterestedinthestewthanthesky."Nothing's
happenedorwewould'veheardacannon."
"Katniss,"Peetasaysquietly.
"What?Shouldwesplitanotherroll,too?"Iask.
"Katniss,"herepeats,butIfindmyselfwantingto
ignorehim.
"I'mgoingtosplitone.But111savethecheesefor
tomorrow,"Isay.IseePeetastaringatme."What?"
"Threshisdead,"saysPeeta.
"Hecan'tbe,"Isay.
"Theymusthavefiredthecannonduringthethunder
andwemissedit,"saysPeeta.
"Areyousure?Imean,it'spouringbucketsoutthere.
Idon'tknowhowyoucanseeanything,"Isay.Ipush
himawayfromtherocksandsquintoutintothe
dark,rainysky.Forabouttenseconds,Icatcha
distortedglimpseofThresh'spictureandthenhe's
gone.Justlikethat.
Islumpdownagainsttherocks,momentarily
forgettingaboutthetaskathand.Threshdead.I
shouldbehappy,right?Onelesstributetoface.And
apowerfulone,too.ButI'mnothappy.AllIcanthink
aboutisThreshlettingmego,lettingmerunbecause
ofRue,whodiedwiththatspearinherstomach....
"Youallright?"asksPeeta.
Igiveanoncommittalshrugandcupmyelbowsinmy
hands,huggingthemclosetomybody.Ihavetobury
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294|Page
therealpainbecausewho'sgoingtobetonatribute
whokeepssnivelingoverthedeathsofheropponents.
Ruewasonething.Wewereallies.Shewassoyoung.
ButnoonewillunderstandmysorrowatThresh's
murder.Thewordpullsmeupshort.Murder!
Thankfully,Ididn'tsayitaloud.That'snotgoingto
winmeanypointsinthearena.WhatIdosayis,"It's
just...ifwedidn'twin...IwantedThreshto.Because
heletmego.AndbecauseofRue."
"Yeah,Iknow,"saysPeeta."Butthismeanswe'reone
stepclosertoDistrictTwelve."Henudgesaplateof
footintomyhands."Eat.It'sstillwarm."
ItakeabiteofthestewtoshowIdon'treallycare,
butit'slikeglueinmymouthandtakesalotofeffort
toswallow."ItalsomeansCatowillbebackhunting
us."
"Andhe'sgotsuppliesagain,"saysPeeta.
"Hellbewounded,Ibet,"Isay.
"Whatmakesyousaythat?"Peetaasks.
"BecauseThreshwouldhavenevergonedown
withoutafight.He'ssostrong,Imean,hewas.And
theywereinhisterritory,"Isay.
"Good,"saysPeeta."ThemorewoundedCatoisthe
better.IwonderhowFoxfaceismakingout."
"Oh,she'sfine,"Isaypeevishly.I'mstillangryshe
thoughtofhidingintheCornucopiaandIdidn't.
"ProbablybeeasiertocatchCatothanher."
"MaybetheyHcatcheachotherandwecanjustgo
home,"saysPeeta."Butwebetterbeextracareful
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aboutthewatches.Idozedoffafewtimes."
295|Page
"Me,too,"Iadmit."Butnottonight."
WefinishourfoodinsilenceandthenPeetaoffersto
takethefirstwatch.Iburrowdowninthesleeping
bagnexttohim,pullingmyhoodupovermyfaceto
hideitfromthecameras.Ijustneedafewmoments
ofprivacywhereIcanletanyemotioncrossmyface
withoutbeingseen.Underthehood,Isilentlysay
goodbyetoThreshandthankhimformylife.I
promisetorememberhimand,ifIcan,dosomething
tohelphisfamilyandRue's,ifIwin.ThenIescape
intosleep,comfortedbyafullbellyandthesteady
warmthofPeetabesideme.
WhenPeetawakesmelater,thefirstthingIregisteris
thesmellofgoatcheese.He'sholdingouthalfaroll
spreadwiththecreamywhitestuffandtoppedwith
appleslices."Don'tbemad,"hesays."Ihadtoeat
again.Here'syourhalf."
"Oh,good,"Isay,immediatelytakingahugebite.The
strongfattycheesetastesjustlikethekindPrim
makes,theapplesaresweetandcrunchy."Mm."
"Wemakeagoatcheeseandappletartatthebakery,"
hesays.
"Betthat'sexpensive,"Isay.
"Tooexpensiveformyfamilytoeat.Unlessit'sgone
verystale.Ofcourse,practicallyeverythingweeatis
stale,"saysPeeta,pullingthesleepingbaguparound
him.Inlessthanaminute,he'ssnoring.
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Huh.Ialwaysassumedtheshopkeepersliveasoft
life.
Andit'strue,Peetahasalwayshadenoughtoeat.
Butthere'ssomethingkindofdepressingaboutliving
296|Page
yourlifeonstalebread,thehard,dryloavesthatno
oneelsewanted.Onethingaboutus,sinceIbring
ourfoodhomeonadailybasis,mostofitissofresh
youhavetomakesureitisn'tgoingtomakearunfor
it.
Somewhereduringmyshift,therainstopsnot
graduallybutallatonce.Thedownpourendsand
there'sonlytheresidualdrippingsofwaterfrom
branches,therushofthenowoverflowingstream
belowus.Afull,beautifulmoonemerges,andeven
withouttheglassesIcanseeoutside.Ican'tdecideif
themoonisrealormerelyaprojectionofthe
Gamemakers.IknowitwasfullshortlybeforeIleft
home.GaleandIwatcheditriseaswehuntedinto
thelatehours.
HowlonghaveIbeengone?I'mguessingit'sbeen
abouttwoweeksinthearena,andtherewasthat
weekofpreparationintheCapitol.Maybethemoon
hascompleteditscycle.Forsomereason,Ibadly
wantittobemymoon,thesameoneIseefromthe
woodsaroundDistrict12.Thatwouldgiveme
somethingtoclingtointhesurrealworldofthearena
wheretheauthenticityofeverythingistobedoubted.
Fourofusleft.
Forthefirsttime,Iallowmyselftotrulythinkabout
thepossibilitythatImightmakeithome.Tofame.To
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wealth.TomyownhouseintheVictor'sVillage.My
motherandPrimwouldlivetherewithme.Nomore
fearofhunger.Anewkindoffreedom.Butthen...
what?Whatwouldmylifebelikeonadailybasis?
Mostofithasbeenconsumedwiththeacquisitionof
food.TakethatawayandI'mnotreallysurewhoI
am,whatmyidentityis.Theideascaresmesome.I
thinkofHaymitch,withallhismoney.Whatdidhis
lifebecome?Helivesalone,nowifeorchildren,most
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ofhiswakinghoursdrunk.Idon'twanttoenduplike
that.
"Butyouwon'tbealone,"Iwhispertomyself.Ihave
mymotherandPrim.Well,forthetimebeing.And
then...Idon'twanttothinkaboutthen,whenPrim
hasgrownup,mymotherpassedaway.Iknow111
nevermarry,neverriskbringingachildintothe
world.Becauseifthere'sonethingbeingavictor
doesn'tguarantee,it'syourchildren'ssafety.Mykids'
nameswouldgorightintothereapingballswith
everyoneelse's.AndIswearI'llneverletthathappen.
Thesuneventuallyrises,itslightslippingthroughthe
cracksandilluminatingPeeta'sface.Whowillhe
transformintoifwemakeithome?Thisperplexing,
goodnaturedboywhocanspinoutliesso
convincinglythewholeofPanembelieveshimtobe
hopelesslyinlovewithme,and111admitit,thereare
momentswhenhemakesmebelieveitmyself?At
least,we'llbefriends,Ithink.Nothingwillchangethe
factthatwe'vesavedeachother'slivesinhere.And
beyondthat,hewillalwaysbetheboywiththebread.
Goodfriends.Anythingbeyondthatthough...andI
feelGale'sgrayeyeswatchingmewatchingPeeta,all
thewayfromDistrict12.
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Discomfortcausesmetomove.Iscootoverandshake
Peeta'sshoulder.Hiseyesopensleepilyandwhen
theyfocusonme,hepullsmedownforalongkiss.
"We'rewastinghuntingtime,"IsaywhenIfinally
breakaway.
"Iwouldn'tcallitwasting,"hesaysgivingabig
stretchashesitsup."Sodowehuntonempty
stomachstogiveusanedge?"
298|Page
"Notus,"Isay."Westuffourselvestogiveusstaying
power."
"Countmein,"Peetasays.ButIcanseehe's
surprisedwhenIdividetherestofthestewandrice
andhandaheapingplatetohim."Allthis?"
"Wellearnitbacktoday,"Isay,andwebothplow
intoourplates.Evencold,it'soneofthebestthings
I'veevertasted.Iabandonmyforkandscrapeupthe
lastdabsofgravywithmyfinger."IcanfeelEffie
Trinketshudderingatmymanners."
"Hey,Effie,watchthis!"saysPeeta.Hetosseshisfork
overhisshoulderandliterallylickshisplateclean
withhistonguemakingloud,satisfiedsounds.Then
heblowsakissouttoheringeneralandcalls,"We
missyou,Effie!"
Icoverhismouthwithmyhand,butI'mlaughing.
"Stop!Catocouldberightoutsideourcave."
Hegrabsmyhandaway."WhatdoIcare?I'vegotyou
toprotectmenow,"saysPeeta,pullingmetohim.
"Comeon,"Isayinexasperation,extricatingmyself
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fromhisgraspbutnotbeforehegetsinanotherkiss.
Oncewe'repackedupandstandingoutsideourcave,
ourmoodshiftstoserious.It'sasthoughforthelast
fewdays,shelteredbytherocksandtherainand
Cato'spreoccupationwithThresh,weweregivena
respite,aholidayofsorts.Now,althoughthedayis
sunnyandwarm,webothsensewe'rereallybackin
theGames.IhandPeetamyknife,sincewhatever
weaponsheoncehadarelonggone,andheslipsit
intohisbelt.MylastsevenarrowsofthetwelveI
sacrificedthreeintheexplosion,twoatthefeast
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rattleabittoolooselyinthequiver.Ican'taffordto
loseanymore.
"He'llbehuntingusbynow,"saysPeeta."Catoisn't
onetowaitforhispreytowanderby."
"Ifhe'swounded"Ibegin.
"Itwon'tmatter,"Peetabreaksin."Ifhecanmove,
he'scoming."
Withalltherain,thestreamhasoverrunitsbanksby
severalfeetoneitherside.Westoptheretoreplenish
ourwater.IcheckthesnaresIsetdaysagoandcome
upempty.Notsurprisingwiththeweather.Besides,I
haven'tseenmanyanimalsorsignsoftheminthis
area.
"Ifwewantfood,webetterheadbackuptomyold
huntinggrounds,"Isay.
"Yourcall.Justtellmewhatyouneedmetodo,"
Peetasays.
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"Keepaneyeout,"Isay."Stayontherocksasmuch
aspossible,nosenseinleavinghimtrackstofollow.
Andlistenforbothofus."It'sclear,atthispoint,that
theexplosiondestroyedthehearinginmyleftearfor
good.
I'dwalkinthewatertocoverourtrackscompletely,
butI'mnotsurePeeta'slegcouldtakethecurrent.
Althoughthedrugshaveerasedtheinfection,he's
stillprettyweak.Myforeheadhurtsalongtheknife
cut,butafterthreedaysthebleedinghasstopped.I
wearabandagearoundmyheadthough,justincase
physicalexertionshouldbringitback.
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Asweheadupalongsidethestream,wepassthe
placewhereIfoundPeetacamouflagedintheweeds
andmud.Onegoodthing,betweenthedownpourand
thefloodedbanks,allsignsofhishidingplacehave
beenwipedout.Thatmeansthat,ifneedbe,wecan
comebacktoourcave.Otherwise,Iwouldn'triskit
withCatoafterus.
Thebouldersdiminishtorocksthateventuallyturn
topebbles,andthen,tomyrelief,we'rebackonpine
needlesandthegentleinclineoftheforestfloor.For
thefirsttime,Irealizewehaveaproblem.Navigating
therockyterrainwithabadlegwell,you're
naturallygoingtomakesomenoise.Butevenonthe
smoothbedofneedles,Peetaisloud.AndI
meanloudloud,asifhe'sstompinghisfeetor
something.Iturnandlookathim.
"What?"heasks.
"You'vegottomovemorequietly,"Isay."Forgetabout
Cato,you'rechasingoffeveryrabbitinatenmile
radius."
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"Really?"hesays."Sorry,Ididn'tknow."
So,westartupagainandhe'satinybitbetter,but
evenwithonlyoneworkingear,he'smakingme
jump.
"Canyoutakeyourbootsoff?"Isuggest.
"Here?"heasksindisbelief,asifI'daskedhimto
walkbarefootonhotcoalsorsomething.Ihaveto
remindmyselfthathe'sstillnotusedtothewoods,
thatit'sthescary,forbiddenplacebeyondthefences
ofDistrict12.IthinkofGale,withhisvelvettread.
It'seeriehowlittlesoundhemakes,evenwhenthe
leaveshavefallenandit'sachallengetomoveatall
withoutchasingoffthegame.Ifeelcertainhe's
laughingbackhome.
"Yes,"Isaypatiently."Iwill,too.Thatwaywellboth
bequieter."LikeIwasmakinganynoise.Soweboth
stripoffourbootsandsocksand,whilethere'ssome
improvement,Icouldswearhe'smakinganeffortto
snapeverybranchweencounter.
Needlesstosay,althoughittakesseveralhoursto
reachmyoldcampwithRue,I'veshotnothing.Ifthe
streamwouldsettledown,fishmightbeanoption,
butthecurrentisstilltoostrong.Aswestoptorest
anddrinkwater,Itrytoworkoutasolution.Ideally,
I'ddumpPeetanowwithsomesimplerootgathering
choreandgohunt,butthenhe'dbeleftwithonlya
knifetodefendhimselfagainstCato'sspearsand
superiorstrength.SowhatI'dreallylikeistotryand
concealhimsomewheresafe,thengohunt,andcome
backandcollecthim.ButIhaveafeelinghisegoisn't
goingtogoforthatsuggestion.
"Katniss,"hesays."Weneedtosplitup.IknowI'm
chasingawaythegame."
"Onlybecauseyourleg'shurt,"Isaygenerously,
becausereally,youcantellthat'sonlyasmallpartof
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theproblem.
"Iknow,"hesays."So,whydon'tyougoon?Showme
someplantstogatherandthatwaywellbothbe
useful."
"NotifCatocomesandkillsyou."Itriedtosayitina
niceway,butitstillsoundslikeIthinkhe'sa
weakling.
Surprisingly,hejustlaughs."Look,Icanhandle
Cato.Ifoughthimbefore,didn'tI?"
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Yeah,andthatturnedoutgreat.Youendedupdying
inamudbank.That'swhatIwanttosay,butIcan't.
HedidsavemylifebytakingonCatoafterall.Itry
anothertactic."Whatifyouclimbedupinatreeand
actedasalookoutwhileIhunted?"Isay,tryingto
makeitsoundlikeveryimportantwork.
"Whatifyoushowmewhat'sediblearoundhereand
gogetussomemeat?"hesays,mimickingmytone.
"Justdon'tgofar,incaseyouneedhelp."
Isighandshowhimsomerootstodig.Wedoneed
food,noquestion.Oneapple,tworolls,andablobof
cheesethesizeofaplumwon'tlastlong.Illjustgoa
shortdistanceandhopeCatoisalongwayoff.
IteachhimabirdwhistlenotamelodylikeRue's
butasimpletwonotewhistlewhichwecanuseto
communicatethatwe'reallright.Fortunately,he's
goodatthis.Leavinghimwiththepack,Iheadoff.
IfeellikeI'melevenagain,tetherednottothesafety
ofthefencebuttoPeeta,allowingmyselftwenty,
maybethirtyyardsofhuntingspace.Awayfromhim
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though,thewoodscomealivewithanimalsounds.
Reassuredbyhisperiodicwhistles,Iallowmyselfto
driftfartheraway,andsoonhavetworabbitsanda
fatsquirreltoshowforit.Idecideit'senough.Ican
setsnaresandmaybegetsomefish.WithPeeta's
roots,thiswillbeenoughfornow.
AsItraveltheshortdistanceback,Irealizewe
haven'texchangedsignalsinawhile.Whenmy
whistlereceivesnoresponse,Irun.Innotime,Ifind
thepack,aneatpileofrootsbesideit.Thesheetof
plastichasbeenlaidonthegroundwherethesun
canreachthesinglelayerofberriesthatcoversit.
Butwhereishe?
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"Peeta!"Icalloutinapanic."Peeta!"Iturntothe
rustleofbrushandalmostsendanarrowthrough
him.Fortunately,Ipullmybowatthelastsecond
anditsticksinanoaktrunktohisleft.Hejumps
back,flingingahandfulofberriesintothefoliage.
Myfearcomesoutasanger."Whatareyoudoing?
You'resupposedtobehere,notrunningaroundin
thewoods!"
"Ifoundsomeberriesdownbythestream,"hesays,
clearlyconfusedbymyoutburst.
"Iwhistled.Whydidn'tyouwhistleback?"Isnapat
him.
"Ididn'thear.Thewater'stooloud,Iguess,"hesays.
Hecrossesandputshishandsonmyshoulders.
That'swhenIfeelthatI'mtrembling.
"IthoughtCatokilledyou!"Ialmostshout.
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"No,I'mfine."Peetawrapshisarmsaroundme,butI
don'trespond."Katniss?"
Ipushaway,tryingtosortoutmyfeelings."Iftwo
peopleagreeonasignal,theystayinrange.Because
ifoneofthemdoesn'tanswer,they'reintrouble,all
right?"
"Allright!"hesays.
"Allright.Becausethat'swhathappenedwithRue,
andIwatchedherdie!"Isay.Iturnawayfromhim,
gotothepackandopenafreshbottleofwater,
althoughIstillhavesomeinmine.ButI'mnotready
toforgivehim.Inoticethefood.Therollsandapples
areuntouched,butsomeone'sdefinitelypickedaway
partofthecheese."Andyouatewithoutme!"Ireally
don'tcare,Ijustwantsomethingelsetobemad
about.
"What?No,Ididn't,"Peetasays.
"Oh,andIsupposetheapplesatethecheese,"Isay.
"Idon'tknowwhatatethecheese,"Peetasaysslowly
anddistinctly,asiftryingnottolosehistemper,"but
itwasn'tme.I'vebeendownbythestreamcollecting
berries.Wouldyoucareforsome?"
Iwouldactually,butIdon'twanttorelenttoosoon.I
dowalkoverandlookatthem.I'veneverseenthis
typebefore.No,Ihave.Butnotinthearena.These
aren'tRue'sberries,althoughtheyresemblethem.
NordotheymatchanyIlearnedaboutintraining.I
leandownandscoopupafew,rollingthembetween
myfingers.
Myfather'svoicecomesbacktome."Notthese,
Katniss.Neverthese.They'renightlock.You11bedead
beforetheyreachyourstomach."
Justthen,thecannonfires.Iwhiparound,expecting
Peetatocollapsetotheground,butheonlyraiseshis
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eyebrows.Thehovercraftappearsahundredyardsor
soaway.What'sleftofFoxface'semaciatedbodyis
liftedintotheair.Icanseetheredglintofherhairin
thesunlight.
IshouldhaveknownthemomentIsawthemissing
cheese....
Peetahasmebythearm,pushingmetowarda
tree."Climb.He'llbehereinasecond.Wellstanda
betterchancefightinghimfromabove."
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Istophim,suddenlycalm."No,Peeta,she'syourkill,
notCato's."
"What?Ihaven'tevenseenhersincethefirstday,"he
says."HowcouldIhavekilledher?"
Inanswer,Iholdouttheberries.
306|Page
IttakesawhiletoexplainthesituationtoPeeta.How
FoxfacestolethefoodfromthesupplypilebeforeI
blewitup,howshetriedtotakeenoughtostayalive
butnotenoughthatanyonewouldnoticeit,howshe
wouldn'tquestionthesafelyofberrieswewere
preparingtoeatourselves.
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"Iwonderhowshefoundus,"saysPeeta."Myfault,I
guess,ifI'masloudasyousay."
Wewereaboutashardtofollowasaherdofcattle,
butItrytobekind."Andshe'sveryclever,Peeta.
Well,shewas.Untilyououtfoxedher."
"Notonpurpose.Doesn'tseemfairsomehow.Imean,
wewouldhavebothbeendead,too,ifshehadn't
eatentheberriesfirst."Hecheckshimself."No,of
course,wewouldn't.Yourecognizedthem,didn't
you?"
Igiveanod."Wecallthemnightlock."
"Eventhenamesoundsdeadly,"hesays."I'msorry,
Katniss.Ireallythoughttheywerethesameones
you'dgathered."
"Don'tapologize.Itjustmeanswe'reonestepcloserto
home,right?"Iask.
"I'llgetridoftherest,"Peetasays.Hegathersupthe
sheetofblueplastic,carefultotraptheberriesinside,
andgoestotossthemintothewoods.
"Wait!"Icry.Ifindtheleatherpouchthatbelongedto
theboyfromDistrict1andfillitwithafewhandfuls
ofberriesfromtheplastic."IftheyfooledFoxface,
maybetheycanfoolCatoaswell.Ifhe'schasingusor
something,wecanactlikeweaccidentallydropthe
pouchandifheeatsthem"
"ThenhelloDistrictTwelve,"saysPeeta.
"That'sit,"Isay,securingthepouchtomybelt.
"He'llknowwherewearenow,"saysPeeta."Ifhewas
anywherenearbyandsawthathovercraft,he'llknow
wekilledherandcomeafterus."
Peeta'sright.Thiscouldbejusttheopportunity
Cato'sbeenwaitingfor.Butevenifwerunnow,
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there'sthemeattocookandourfirewillbeanother
signofourwhereabouts."Let'smakeafire.Right
now."Ibegintogatherbranchesandbrush.
"Areyoureadytofacehim?"Peetaasks.
"I'mreadytoeat.Bettertocookourfoodwhilewe
havethechance.Ifheknowswe'rehere,heknows.
Buthealsoknowsthere'stwoofusandprobably
assumeswewerehuntingFoxface.Thatmeansyou're
recovered.Andthefiremeanswe'renothiding,we're
invitinghimhere.Wouldyoushowup?"Iask.
"Maybenot,"hesays.
Peeta'sawhizwithfires,coaxingablazeoutofthe
dampwood.Innotime,Ihavetherabbitsand
squirrelroasting,theroots,wrappedinleaves,baking
inthecoals.Wetaketurnsgatheringgreensand
keepingacarefulwatchforCato,butasIanticipated,
hedoesn'tmakeanappearance.
Whenthefood'scooked,Ipackmostofitup,leaving
useacharabbit'slegtoeataswewalk.
Iwanttomovehigherintothewoods,climbagood
tree,andmakecampforthenight,butPeetaresists.
"Ican'tclimblikeyou,Katniss,especiallywithmyleg,
andIdon'tthinkIcouldeverfallasleepfiftyfeet
abovetheground."
"It'snotsafetostayintheopen,Peeta,"Isay.
"Can'twegobacktothecave?"heasks."It'snear
waterandeasytodefend."
Isigh.SeveralmorehoursofwalkingorshouldI
saycrashingthroughthewoodstoreachanarea
we'lljusthavetoleaveinthemorningtohunt.But
Peetadoesn'taskformuch.He'sfollowedmy
instructionsalldayandI'msureifthingswere
reversed,hewouldn'tmakemespendthenightina
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tree.ItdawnsonmethatIhaven'tbeenveryniceto
Peetatoday.Nagginghimabouthowloudhewas,
screamingathimoverdisappearing.Theplayful
romancewehadsustainedinthecavehas
disappearedoutintheopen,underthehotsun,with
thethreatofCatoloomingoverus.Haymitchhas
probablyjustabouthaditwithme.Andasforthe
audience...
Ireachupandgivehimakiss."Sure.Let'sgobackto
thecave."
Helookspleasedandrelieved."Well,thatwaseasy."
Iworkmyarrowoutoftheoak,carefulnottodamage
theshaft.Thesearrowsarefood,safety,andlifeitself
now.
Wetossabunchmorewoodonthefire.Itshouldbe
sendingoffsmokeforafewmorehours,althoughI
doubtCatoassumesanythingatthispoint.Whenwe
reachthestream,Iseethewaterhasdropped
309|Page
considerablyandmovesatitsoldleisurelypace,soI
suggestwewalkbackinit.Peeta'shappytooblige
andsincehe'salotquieterinwaterthanonland,it's
adoublygoodidea.It'salongwalkbacktothecave
though,evengoingdownward,evenwiththerabbitto
giveusaboost.We'rebothexhaustedbyourhike
todayandstillwaytoounderfed.Ikeepmybow
loaded,bothforCatoandanyfishImightsee,butthe
streamseemsstrangelyemptyofcreatures.
Bythetimewereachourdestination,ourfeetare
draggingandthesunsitslowonthehorizon.Wefill
upourwaterbottlesandclimbthelittleslopetoour
den.It'snotmuch,butouthereinthewilderness,it's
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theclosestthingwehavetoahome.Itwillbewarmer
thanatree,too,becauseitprovidessomeshelter
fromthewindthathasbeguntoblowsteadilyinfrom
thewest.Isetagooddinnerout,buthalfwaythrough
Peetabeginstonodoff.Afterdaysofinactivity,the
hunthastakenitstoll.Iorderhimintothesleeping
bagandsetasidetherestofhisfoodforwhenhe
wakes.Hedropsoffimmediately.Ipullthesleeping
baguptohischinandkisshisforehead,notforthe
audience,butforme.BecauseI'msogratefulthat
he'sstillhere,notdeadbythestreamasI'dthought.
SogladthatIdon'thavetofaceCatoalone.
Brutal,bloodyCatowhocansnapaneckwithatwist
ofhisarm,whohadthepowertoovercomeThresh,
whohashaditoutformesincethebeginning.He
probablyhashadaspecialhatredformeeversinceI
outscoredhimintraining.AboylikePeetawould
simplyshrugthatoff.ButIhaveafeelingitdrove
Catotodistraction.Whichisnotthathard.Ithinkof
hisridiculousreactiontofindingthesuppliesblown
up.Theotherswereupset,ofcourse,buthewas
completelyunhinged.IwondernowifCatomightnot
beentirelysane.
310|Page
Theskylightsupwiththeseal,andIwatchFoxface
shineintheskyandthendisappearfromtheworld
forever.Hehasn'tsaidit,butIdon'tthinkPeetafelt
goodaboutkillingher,evenifitwasessential.Ican't
pretendI'llmissher,butIhavetoadmireher.My
guessisiftheyhadgivenussomesortoftest,she
wouldhavebeenthesmartestofallthetributes.If,in
fact,wehadbeensettingatrapforher,Ibetshe'd
havesenseditandavoidedtheberries.ItwasPeeta's
ownignorancethatbroughtherdown.I'vespentso
muchtimemakingsureIdon'tunderestimatemy
opponentsthatI'veforgottenit'sjustasdangerousto
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overestimatethemaswell.
ThatbringsmebacktoCato.ButwhileIthinkIhad
asenseofFoxface,whoshewasandhowshe
operated,he'salittlemoreslippery.Powerful,well
trained,butsmart?Idon'tknow.Notlikeshewas.
AndutterlylackinginthecontrolFoxface
demonstrated.IbelieveCatocouldeasilylosehis
judgmentinafitoftemper.NotthatIcanfeel
superioronthatpoint.IthinkofthemomentIsent
thearrowflyingintotheappleinthepig'smouth
whenIwassoenraged.MaybeIdounderstandCato
betterthanIthink.
Despitethefatigueinmybody,mymind'salert,soI
letPeetasleeplongpastourusualswitch.Infact,a
softgraydayhasbegunwhenIshakehisshoulder.
Helooksout,almostinalarm."Isleptthewhole
night.That'snotfair,Katniss,youshouldhavewoken
me."
Istretchandburrowdownintothebag."I'llsleep
now.Wakemeifanythinginterestinghappens."
Apparentlynothingdoes,becausewhenIopenmy
eyes,brighthotafternoonlightgleamsthroughthe
rocks."Anysignofourfriend?"Iask.
Peetashakeshishead."No,he'skeepinga
disturbinglylowprofile."
"Howlongdoyouthinkwellhavebeforethe
Gamemakersdriveustogether?"Iask.
"Well,Foxfacediedalmostadayago,sothere'sbeen
plentyoftimefortheaudiencetoplacebetsandget
bored.Iguessitcouldhappenatanymoment,"says
Peeta.
"Yeah,Ihaveafeelingtoday'stheday,"Isay.Isitup
andlookoutatthepeacefulterrain."Iwonderhow
they'lldoit."
Peetaremainssilent.There'snotreallyanygood
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answer.
"Well,untiltheydo,nosenseinwastingahunting
day.Butweshouldprobablyeatasmuchaswecan
holdjustincasewerunintotrouble,"Isay.
PeetapacksupourgearwhileIlayoutabigmeal.
Therestoftherabbits,roots,greens,therollsspread
withthelastbitofcheese.TheonlythingIleavein
reserveisthesquirrelandtheapple.
Bythetimewe'redone,allthat'sleftisapileofrabbit
bones.Myhandsaregreasy,whichonlyaddstomy
growingfeelingofgrubbiness.Maybewedon'tbathe
dailyintheSeam,butwekeepcleanerthanIhaveof
late.Exceptformyfeet,whichhavewalkedinthe
stream,I'mcoveredinalayerofgrime.
Leavingthecavehasasenseoffinalityaboutit.I
don'tthinktherewillbeanothernightinthearena
somehow.Onewayortheother,deadoralive,Ihave
thefeeling111escapeittoday.Igivetherocksapat
goodbyeandweheaddowntothestreamtowash
up.Icanfeelmyskin,itchingforthecoolwater.I
maydomyhairandbraiditbackwet.I'mwondering
ifwemightevenbeabletogiveourclothesaquick
scrubwhenwereachthestream.Orwhatusedtobe
thestream.Nowthere'sonlyabonedrybed.Iputmy
handdowntofeelit.
"Notevenalittledamp.Theymusthavedrainedit
whileweslept,"Isay.Afearofthecrackedtongue,
achingbodyandfuzzymindbroughtonbymy
previousdehydrationcreepsintomyconsciousness.
Ourbottlesandskinarefairlyfull,butwithtwo
drinkingandthishotsunitwon'ttakelongtodeplete
them.
"Thelake,"saysPeeta."That'swheretheywantusto
go."
"Maybethepondsstillhavesome,"Isayhopefully.
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"Wecancheck,"hesays,buthe'sjusthumoringme.
I'mhumoringmyselfbecauseIknowwhatI'llfind
whenwereturntothepondwhereIsoakedmyleg.A
dusty,gapingmouthofahole.Butwemakethetrip
anywayjusttoconfirmwhatwealreadyknow.
"You'reright.They'redrivingustothelake,"Isay.
Wherethere'snocover.Wherethey'reguaranteeda
bloodyfighttothedeathwithnothingtoblocktheir
view."Doyouwanttogostraightawayorwaituntil
thewater'stappedout?"
"Let'sgonow,whilewe'vehadfoodandrest.Let'sjust
goendthisthing,"hesays.
Inod.It'sfunny.Ifeelalmostasifit'sthefirstdayof
theGamesagain.ThatI'minthesameposition.
Twentyonetributesaredead,butIstillhaveyetto
killCato.Andreally,wasn'thealwaystheonetokill?
Nowitseemstheothertributeswerejustminor
obstacles,distractions,keepingusfromthereal
battleoftheGames.Catoandme.
Butno,there'stheboywaitingbesideme.Ifeelhis
armswraparoundme.
"Twoagainstone.Shouldbeapieceofcake,"hesays.
"Nexttimeweeat,itwillbeintheCapitol,"Ianswer.
"Youbetitwill,"hesays.
Westandthereawhile,lockedinanembrace,feeling
eachother,thesunlight,therustleoftheleavesat
ourfeet.Thenwithoutaword,webreakapartand
headforthelake.
Idon'tcarenowthatPeeta'sfootfallssendrodents
scurrying,makebirdstakewing.Wehavetofight
CatoandI'djustassoondoithereasontheplain.
ButIdoubtI'llhavethatchoice.IftheGamemakers
wantusintheopen,thenintheopenwewillbe.
Westoptorestforafewmomentsunderthetree
wheretheCareerstrappedme.Thehuskofthe
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trackerjackernest,beatentoapulpbytheheavy
rainsanddriedintheburningsun,confirmsthe
location.Itouchitwiththetipofmyboot,andit
dissolvesintodustthatisquicklycarriedoffbythe
breeze.Ican'thelplookingupinthetreewhereRue
secretlyperched,waitingtosavemylife.Tracker
jackers.Glimmer'sbloatedbody.Theterrifying
hallucinations...
"Let'smoveon,"Isay,wantingtoescapethedarkness
thatsurroundsthisplace.Peetadoesn'tobject.
314|Page
Givenourlatestarttotheday,whenwereachthe
plainit'salreadyearlyevening.There'snosignof
Cato.NosignofanythingexceptthegoldCornucopia
glowingintheslantingsunrays.JustincaseCato
decidedtopullaFoxfaceonus,wecirclethe
Cornucopiatomakesureit'sempty.Thenobediently,
asiffollowinginstructions,wecrosstothelakeand
fillourwatercontainers.
Ifrownattheshrinkingsun."Wedon'twanttofight
himafterdark.There'sonlytheonepairofglasses."
Peetacarefullysqueezesdropsofiodineintothe
water."Maybethat'swhathe'swaitingfor.Whatdo
youwanttodo?Gobacktothecave?"
"Eitherthatorfindatree.Butlet'sgivehimanother
halfanhourorso.Thenwelltakecover,"Ianswer.
Wesitbythelake,infullsight.There'snopointin
hidingnow.Inthetreesattheedgeoftheplain,Ican
seethemockingjaysflittingabout.Bouncingmelodies
backandforthbetweenthemlikebrightlycolored
balls.IopenmymouthandsingoutRue'sfournote
run.Icanfeelthempausecuriouslyatthesoundof
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myvoice,listeningformore.Irepeatthenotesinthe
silence.Firstonemockingjaytrillsthetuneback,
thenanother.Thenthewholeworldcomesalivewith
thesound.
"Justlikeyourfather,"saysPeeta.
Myfingersfindthepinonmyshirt."That'sRue's
song,"Isay."Ithinktheyrememberit."
ThemusicswellsandIrecognizethebrillianceofit.
Asthenotesoverlap,theycomplimentoneanother,
formingalovely,unearthlyharmony.Itwasthis
soundthen,thankstoRue,thatsenttheorchard
315|Page
workersofDistrict11homeeachnight.Does
someonestartitatquittingtime,Iwonder,nowthat
sheisdead?
Forawhile,Ijustclosemyeyesandlisten,
mesmerizedbythebeautyofthesong.Then
somethingbeginstodisruptthemusic.Runscutoff
injagged,imperfectlines.Dissonantnotesintersperse
withthemelody.Themockingjays'voicesriseupina
shriekingcryofalarm.
We'reonourfeet,Peetawieldinghisknife,mepoised
toshoot,whenCatosmashesthroughthetreesand
bearsdownonus.Hehasnospear.Infact,hishands
areempty,yetherunsstraightforus.Myfirstarrow
hitshischestandinexplicablyfallsaside.
"He'sgotsomekindofbodyarmor!"IshouttoPeeta.
Justintime,too,becauseCatoisuponus.Ibrace
myself,butherocketsrightbetweenuswithno
attempttocheckhisspeed.Icantellfromhis
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panting,thesweatpouringoffhispurplishface,that
he'sbeenrunninghardalongtime.Nottowardus.
Fromsomething.Butwhat?
Myeyesscanthewoodsjustintimetoseethefirst
creatureleapontotheplain.AsI'mturningaway,I
seeanotherhalfdozenjoinit.ThenIamstumbling
blindlyafterCatowithnothoughtofanythingbutto
savemyself.
316|Page
Muttations.Noquestionaboutit.I'veneverseen
thesemutts,butthey'renonaturalbornanimals.
Theyresemblehugewolves,butwhatwolflandsand
thenbalanceseasilyonitshindlegs?Whatwolf
wavestherestofthepackforwardwithitsfrontpaw
asthoughithadawrist?ThesethingsIcanseeata
distance.Upclose,I'msuretheirmoremenacing
attributeswillberevealed.
CatohasmadeabeelinefortheCornucopia,and
withoutquestionIfollowhim.Ifhethinksit'sthe
safestplace,whoamItoargue?Besides,evenifI
couldmakeittothetrees,itwouldbeimpossiblefor
PeetatooutrunthemonthatlegPeeta!Myhands
havejustlandedonthemetalatthepointedtailof
theCornucopiawhenIrememberI'mpartofateam.
He'saboutfifteenyardsbehindme,hobblingasfast
ashecan,butthemuttsareclosinginonhimfast.I
sendanarrowintothepackandonegoesdown,but
thereareplentytotakeitsplace.
Peeta'swavingmeupthehorn,"Go,Katniss!Go!"
He'sright.Ican'tprotecteitherofusontheground.I
startclimbing,scalingtheCornucopiaonmyhands
andfeet.Thepuregoldsurfacehasbeendesignedto
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resemblethewovenhornthatwefillatharvest,so
therearelittleridgesandseamstogetadecenthold
on.Butafteradayinthearenasun,themetalfeels
hotenoughtoblistermyhands.
Catoliesonhissideattheverytopofthehorn,
twentyfeetabovetheground,gaspingtocatchhis
breathashegagsovertheedge.Now'smychanceto
finishhimoff.Istopmidwayupthehornandload
anotherarrow,butjustasI'mabouttoletitfly,I
hearPeetacryout.Itwistaroundandseehe'sjust
reachedthetail,andthemuttsarerightonhisheels.
"Climb!"Iyell.Peetastartsuphamperedbynotonly
thelegbuttheknifeinhishand.Ishootmyarrow
downthethroatofthefirstmuttthatplacesitspaws
onthemetal.Asitdiesthecreaturelashesout,
inadvertentlyopeninggashesonafewofits
companions.That'swhenIgetalookattheclaws.
Fourinchesandclearlyrazorsharp.
PeetareachesmyfeetandIgrabhisarmandpull
himalong.ThenIrememberCatowaitingatthetop
andwhiparound,buthe'sdoubledoverwithcramps
andapparentlymorepreoccupiedwiththemutts
thanus.Hecoughsoutsomethingunintelligible.The
snuffling,growlingsoundcomingfromthemuttsisn't
helping.
"What?"Ishoutathim.
"Hesaid,'Cantheyclimbit?'"answersPeeta,drawing
myfocusbacktothebaseofthehorn.
Themuttsarebeginningtoassemble.Astheyjoin
together,theyraiseupagaintostandeasilyontheir
backlegsgivingthemaneerilyhumanquality.Each
hasathickcoat,somewithfurthatisstraightand
sleek,otherscurly,andthecolorsvaryfromjetblack
towhatIcanonlydescribeasblond.There's
somethingelseaboutthem,somethingthatmakes
thehairriseuponthebackofmyneck,butIcan't
putmyfingeronit.
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Theyputtheirsnoutsonthehorn,sniffingand
tastingthemetal,scrapingpawsoverthesurfaceand
thenmakinghighpitchedyippingsoundstoone
another.Thismustbehowtheycommunicate
becausethepackbacksupasiftomakeroom.Then
oneofthem,agoodsizemuttwithsilkywavesof
blondfurtakesarunningstartandleapsontothe
horn.Itsbacklegsmustbeincrediblypowerful
becauseitlandsameretenfeetbelowus,itspink
lipspulledbackinasnarl.Foramomentithangs
there,andinthatmomentIrealizewhatelse
unsettledmeaboutthemutts.Thegreeneyes
gloweringatmeareunlikeanydogorwolf,any
canineI'veeverseen.Theyareunmistakablyhuman.
AndthatrevelationhasbarelyregisteredwhenI
noticethecollarwiththenumber1inlaidwithjewels
andthewholehorriblethinghitsme.Theblondehair,
thegreeneyes,thenumber...it'sGlimmer.
AshriekescapesmylipsandI'mhavingtrouble
holdingthearrowinplace.Ihavebeenwaitingtofire,
onlytooawareofmydwindlingsupplyofarrows.
Waitingtoseeifthecreaturescan,infact,climb.But
now,eventhoughthemutthasbeguntoslide
backward,unabletofindanypurchaseonthemetal,
eventhoughIcanheartheslowscreechingofthe
clawslikenailsonablackboard,Ifireintoitsthroat.
Itsbodytwitchesandflopsontothegroundwitha
thud.
"Katniss?"IcanfeelPeeta'sgriponmyarm.
"It'sher!"Igetout.
"Who?"asksPeeta.
MyheadsnapsfromsidetosideasIexaminethe
pack,takinginthevarioussizesandcolors.The
smallonewiththeredcoatandambereyes...
Foxface!Andthere,theashenhairandhazeleyesof
theboyfromDistrict9whodiedaswestruggledfor
thebackpack!Andworstofall,thesmallestmutt,
withdarkglossyfur,hugebrowneyesandacollar
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thatreads11inwovenstraw.Teethbaredinhatred.
Rue...
"Whatisit,Katniss?"Peetashakesmyshoulder.
"It'sthem.It'sallofthem.Theothers.Rueand
Foxfaceand...alloftheothertributes,"Ichokeout.
IhearPeeta'sgaspofrecognition."Whatdidtheydo
tothem?Youdon'tthink...thosecouldbetheirreal
eyes?"
Theireyesaretheleastofmyworries.Whatabout
theirbrains?Havetheybeengivenanyofthereal
tributesmemories?Havetheybeenprogrammedto
hateourfacesparticularlybecausewehavesurvived
andtheyweresocallouslymurdered?Andtheones
weactuallykilled...dotheybelievethey'reavenging
theirowndeaths?
BeforeIcangetthisout,themuttsbeginanew
assaultonthehorn.They'vesplitintotwogroupsat
thesidesofthehornandareusingthosepowerful
hindquarterstolaunchthemselvesatus.Apairof
teethringtogetherjustinchesfrommyhandand
thenIhearPeetacryout,feeltheyankonhisbody,
theheavyweightofboyandmuttpullingmeoverthe
side.Ifnotforthegriponmyarm,he'dbeonthe
ground,butasitis,ittakesallmystrengthtokeep
usbothonthecurvedbackofthehorn.Andmore
tributesarecoming.
"Killit,Peeta!Killit!"I'mshouting,andalthoughI
can'tquiteseewhat'shappening,Iknowhemust
havestabbedthethingbecausethepulllessens.I'm
abletohaulhimbackontothehornwherewedrag
ourselvestowardthetopwherethelesseroftwoevils
awaits.
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Catohasstillnotregainedhisfeet,buthisbreathing
isslowingandIknowsoonhe'llberecoveredenough
tocomeforus,tohurlusoverthesidetoourdeaths.
Iarmmybow,butthearrowendsuptakingouta
muttthatcanonlybeThresh.Whoelsecouldjump
sohigh?Ifeelamoment'sreliefbecausewemust
finallybeupabovethemuttlineandI'mjustturning
backtofaceCatowhenPeeta'sjerkedfrommyside.
I'msurethepackhasgothimuntilhisblood
splattersmyface.
Catostandsbeforeme,almostatthelipofthehorn,
holdingPeetainsomekindofheadlock,cuttingoffhis
air.Peeta'sclawingatCato'sarm,butweakly,asif
confusedoverwhetherit'smoreimportanttobreathe
ortryandstemthegushofbloodfromthegaping
holeamuttleftinhiscalf.
IaimoneofmylasttwoarrowsatCato'shead,
knowingit11havenoeffectonhistrunkorlimbs,
whichIcannowseeareclothedinaskintight,flesh
coloredmesh.Somehighgradebodyarmorfromthe
Capitol.Wasthatwhatwasinhispackatthefeast?
Bodyarmortodefendagainstmyarrows?Well,they
neglectedtosendafaceguard.
Catojustlaughs."Shootmeandhegoesdownwith
me."
He'sright.IfItakehimoutandhefallstothemutts,
Peetaissuretodiewithhim.We'vereacheda
stalemate.Ican'tshootCatowithoutkillingPeeta,
too.Hecan'tkillPeetawithoutguaranteeinganarrow
inhisbrain.Westandlikestatues,bothofusseeking
anout.
Mymusclesarestrainedsotightly,theyfeelthey
mightsnapatanymoment.Myteethclenchedtothe
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breakingpoint.Themuttsgosilentandtheonlything
Icanhearisthebloodpoundinginmygoodear.
Peeta'slipsareturningblue.IfIdon'tdosomething
quickly,helldieofasphyxiationandthen111have
losthimandCatowillprobablyusehisbodyasa
weaponagainstme.Infact,I'msurethisisCato's
planbecausewhilehe'sstoppedlaughing,hislipsare
setinatriumphantsmile.
Asifinalastditcheffort,Peetaraiseshisfingers,
drippingwithbloodfromhisleg,uptoCato'sarm.
Insteadoftryingtowrestlehiswayfree,hisforefinger
veersoffandmakesadeliberateXonthebackof
Cato'shand.Catorealizeswhatitmeansexactlyone
secondafterIdo.Icantellbythewaythesmiledrops
fromhislips.Butit'sonesecondtoolatebecause,by
thattime,myarrowispiercinghishand.Hecriesout
andreflexivelyreleasesPeetawhoslamsbackagainst
him.Forahorriblemoment,Ithinkthey'rebothgoing
over.IdiveforwardjustcatchingholdofPeetaas
Catoloseshisfootingonthebloodslickhornand
plummetstotheground.
Wehearhimhit,theairleavinghisbodyonimpact,
andthenthemuttsattackhim.PeetaandIholdonto
eachother,waitingforthecannon,waitingforthe
competitiontofinish,waitingtobereleased.Butit
doesn'thappen.Notyet.Becausethisistheclimaxof
theHungerGames,andtheaudienceexpectsashow.
Idon'twatch,butIcanhearthesnarls,thegrowls,
thehowlsofpainfrombothhumanandbeastasCato
takesonthemuttpack.Ican'tunderstandhowhe
canbesurvivinguntilIrememberthebodyarmor
protectinghimfromankletoneckandIrealizewhata
longnightthiscouldbe.Catomusthaveaknifeor
swordorsomething,too,somethinghehadhiddenin
hisclothes,becauseonoccasionthere'sthedeath
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322|Page
screamofamuttorthesoundofmetalonmetalas
thebladecollideswiththegoldenhorn.Thecombat
movesaroundthesideoftheCornucopia,andIknow
Catomustbeattemptingtheonemaneuverthat
couldsavehislifetomakehiswaybackaroundto
thetailofthehornandrejoinus.Butintheend,
despitehisremarkablestrengthandskill,heis
simplyoverpowered.
Idon'tknowhowlongithasbeen,maybeanhouror
so,whenCatohitsthegroundandwehearthemutts
dragginghim,dragginghimbackintothe
Cornucopia.Nowthey'llfinishhimoff,Ithink.But
there'sstillnocannon.
Nightfallsandtheanthemplaysandthere'sno
pictureofCatointhesky,onlythefaintmoans
comingthroughthemetalbeneathus.Theicyair
blowingacrosstheplainremindsmethattheGames
arenotoverandmaynotbeforwhoknowshowlong,
andthereisstillnoguaranteeofvictory.
IturnmyattentiontoPeetaanddiscoverhislegis
bleedingasbadlyasever.Alloursupplies,ourpacks,
remaindownbythelakewhereweabandonedthem
whenwefledfromthemutts.Ihavenobandage,
nothingtostaunchtheflowofbloodfromhiscalf.
AlthoughI'mshakinginthebitingwind,Iripoffmy
jacket,removemyshirt,andzipbackintothejacket
asswiftlyaspossible.Thatbriefexposuresetsmy
teethchatteringbeyondcontrol.
Peeta'sfaceisgrayinthepalemoonlight.Imakehim
liedownbeforeIprobehiswound.Warm,slippery
bloodrunsovermyfingers.Abandagewillnotbe
enough.I'veseenmymothertieatourniqueta
handfuloftimesandtrytoreplicateit.Icutfreea
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sleevefrommyshirt,wrapittwicearoundhislegjust
underhisknee,andtieahalfknot.Idon'thavea
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stick,soItakemyremainingarrowandinsertitin
theknot,twistingitastightlyasIdare.It'srisky
businessPeetamayenduplosinghislegbut
whenIweighthisagainsthimlosinghislife,what
alternativedoIhave?Ibandagethewoundintherest
ofmyshirtandlaydownwithhim.
"Don'tgotosleep,"Itellhim.I'mnotsureifthisis
exactlymedicalprotocol,butI'mterrifiedthatifhe
driftsoffhellneverwakeagain.
"Areyoucold?"heasks.HeunzipshisjacketandI
pressagainsthimashefastensitaroundme.It'sa
bitwarmer,sharingourbodyheatinsidemydouble
layerofjackets,butthenightisyoung.The
temperaturewillcontinuetodrop.
EvennowIcanfeeltheCornucopia,whichburnedso
whenIfirstclimbedit,slowlyturningtoice.
"Catomaywinthisthingyet,"IwhispertoPeeta.
"Don'tyoubelieveit,"hesays,pullingupmyhood,
buthe'sshakingharderthanIam.
Thenexthoursaretheworstinmylife,whichifyou
thinkaboutit,issayingsomething.Thecoldwouldbe
tortureenough,buttherealnightmareislisteningto
Cato,moaning,begging,andfinallyjustwhimpering
asthemuttsworkawayathim.Afteraveryshort
time,Idon'tcarewhoheisorwhathe'sdone,allI
wantisforhissufferingtoend.
"Whydon'ttheyjustkillhim?"IaskPeeta.
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"Youknowwhy,"hesays,andpullsmeclosertohim.
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AndIdo.Noviewercouldturnawayfromtheshow
now.FromtheGamemakers'pointofview,thisisthe
finalwordinentertainment.
Itgoesonandonandonandeventuallycompletely
consumesmymind,blockingoutmemoriesand
hopesoftomorrow,erasingeverythingbutthe
present,whichIbegintobelievewillneverchange.
Therewillneverbeanythingbutcoldandfearand
theagonizedsoundsoftheboydyinginthehorn.
Peetabeginstodozeoffnow,andeachtimehedoes,I
findmyselfyellinghisnamelouderandlouder
becauseifhegoesanddiesonmenow,Iknow111go
completelyinsane.He'sfightingit,probablymorefor
methanforhim,andit'shardbecause
unconsciousnesswouldbeitsownformofescape.
Buttheadrenalinepumpingthroughmybodywould
neverallowmetofollowhim,soIcan'tlethimgo.I
justcan't.
Theonlyindicationofthepassageoftimeliesinthe
heavens,thesubtleshiftofthemoon.SoPeetabegins
pointingitouttome,insistingIacknowledgeits
progressandsometimes,forjustamomentIfeela
flickerofhopebeforetheagonyofthenightengulfs
meagain.
Finally,Ihearhimwhisperthatthesunisrising.I
openmyeyesandfindthestarsfadinginthepale
lightofdawn.Icansee,too,howbloodlessPeeta's
facehasbecome.Howlittletimehehasleft.AndI
knowIhavetogethimbacktotheCapitol.
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Still,nocannonhasfired.Ipressmygoodearagainst
thehornandcanjustmakeoutCato'svoice.
"Ithinkhe'sclosernow.Katniss,canyoushoot
him?"Peetaasks.
325|Page
Ifhe'snearthemouth,Imaybeabletotakehimout.
Itwouldbeanactofmercyatthispoint.
"Mylastarrow'sinyourtourniquet,"Isay.
"Makeitcount,"saysPeeta,unzippinghisjacket,
lettingmeloose.
SoIfreethearrow,tyingthetourniquetbackas
tightlyasmyfrozenfingerscanmanage.Irubmy
handstogether,tryingtoregaincirculation.WhenI
crawltothelipofthehornandhangovertheedge,I
feelPeeta'shandsgripmeforsupport.
IttakesafewmomentstofindCatointhedimlight,
intheblood.Thentherawhunkofmeatthatusedto
bemyenemymakesasound,andIknowwherehis
mouthis.AndIthinkthewordhe'stryingtosayis
please.
Pity,notvengeance,sendsmyarrowflyingintohis
skull.Peetapullsmebackup,bowinhand,quiver
empty.
"Didyougethim?"hewhispers.
Thecannonfiresinanswer.
"Thenwewon,Katniss,"hesayshollowly.
"Hurrayforus,"Igetout,butthere'snojoyofvictory
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inmyvoice.
Aholeopensintheplainandasifoncue,the
remainingmuttsboundintoit,disappearingasthe
earthclosesabovethem.
326|Page
Wewait,forthehovercrafttotakeCato'sremains,for
thetrumpetsofvictorythatshouldfollow,but
nothinghappens.
"Hey!"Ishoutintoair."What'sgoingon?"Theonly
responseisthechatterofwakingbirds.
"Maybeit'sthebody.Maybewehavetomoveaway
fromit,"saysPeeta.
Itrytoremember.Doyouhavetodistanceyourself
fromthedeadtributeonthefinalkill?Mybrainistoo
muddledtobesure,butwhatelsecouldbethe
reasonforthedelay?
"Okay.Thinkyoucouldmakeittothelake?"Iask.
"ThinkIbettertry,"saysPeeta.Weinchdowntothe
tailofthehornandfalltotheground.Ifthestiffness
inmylimbsisthisbad,howcanPeetaevenmove?I
risefirst,swingingandbendingmyarmsandlegs
untilIthinkIcanhelphimup.Somehow,wemakeit
backtothelake.Iscoopupahandfulofthecold
waterforPeetaandbringasecondtomylips.
Amockingjaygivesthelong,lowwhistle,andtearsof
relieffillmyeyesasthehovercraftappearsandtakes
Cato'sbodyaway.Nowtheywilltakeus.Nowwecan
gohome.
Butagainthere'snoresponse.
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"Whataretheywaitingfor?"saysPeetaweakly.
Betweenthelossofthetourniquetandtheeffortit
tooktogettothelake,hiswoundhasopenedup
again.
"Idon'tknow,"Isay.Whatevertheholdupis,Ican't
watchhimloseanymoreblood.Igetuptofinda
stickbutalmostimmediatelycomeacrossthearrow
thatbouncedoffCato'sbodyarmor.Itwilldoaswell
astheotherarrow.AsIstooptopickitup,Claudius
Templesmith'svoiceboomsintothearena.
"GreetingstothefinalcontestantsoftheSeventy
fourthHungerGames.Theearlierrevisionhasbeen
revoked.Closerexaminationoftherulebookhas
disclosedthatonlyonewinnermaybeallowed,"he
says."Goodluckandmaytheoddsbeeverinyour
favor."
There'sasmallburstofstaticandthennothingmore.
IstareatPeetaindisbeliefasthetruthsinksin.They
neverintendedtoletusbothlive.Thishasallbeen
devisedbytheGamemakerstoguaranteethemost
dramaticshowdowninhistory.Andlikeafool,I
boughtintoit.
"Ifyouthinkaboutit,it'snotthatsurprising,"he
sayssoftly.Iwatchashepainfullymakesittohis
feet.Thenhe'smovingtowardme,asifinslow
motion,hishandispullingtheknifefromhisbelt
BeforeIamevenawareofmyactions,mybowis
loadedwiththearrowpointedstraightathisheart.
PeetaraiseshiseyebrowsandIseetheknifehas
alreadylefthishandonitswaytothelakewhereit
splashesinthewater.Idropmyweaponsandtakea
stepback,myfaceburninginwhatcanonlybe
shame.
"No,"hesays."Doit."Peetalimpstowardmeand
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thruststheweaponsbackinmyhands.
"Ican't,Isay."Iwon't."
"Doit.Beforetheysendthosemuttsbackor
something.Idon'twanttodielikeCato,"hesays.
"Thenyoushootme,"Isayfuriously,shovingthe
weaponsbackathim."Youshootmeandgohome
andlivewithit!"AndasIsayit,Iknowdeathright
here,rightnowwouldbetheeasierofthetwo.
"YouknowIcan't,"Peetasays,discardingthe
weapons."Fine,I'llgofirstanyway."Heleansdown
andripsthebandageoffhisleg,eliminatingthefinal
barrierbetweenhisbloodandtheearth.
"No,youcan'tkillyourself,"Isay.I'monmyknees,
desperatelyplasteringthebandagebackontohis
wound.
"Katniss,"hesays."It'swhatIwant."
"You'renotleavingmeherealone,"Isay.Becauseif
hedies,111nevergohome,notreally.Illspendthe
restofmylifeinthisarenatryingtothinkmyway
out.
"Listen,"hesayspullingmetomyfeet."Weboth
knowtheyhavetohaveavictor.Itcanonlybeoneof
us.Please,takeit.Forme."Andhegoesonabout
howhelovesme,whatlifewouldbewithoutmebut
I'vestoppedlisteningbecausehispreviouswordsare
trappedinmyhead,thrashingdesperatelyaround.
Webothknowtheyhavetohaveavictor.
Yes,theyhavetohaveavictor.Withoutavictor,the
wholethingwouldblowupintheGamemakers'faces.
They'dhavefailedtheCapitol.Mightpossiblyevenbe
executed,slowlyandpainfullywhilethecameras
broadcastittoeveryscreeninthecountry.
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IfPeetaandIwerebothtodie,ortheythoughtwe
were...
329|Page
Myfingersfumblewiththepouchonmybelt,freeing
it.Peetaseesitandhishandclampsonmywrist.
"No,Iwon'tletyou."
"Trustme,"Iwhisper.Heholdsmygazeforalong
momentthenletsmego.Iloosenthetopofthepouch
andpourafewspoonfulsofberriesintohispalm.
ThenIfillmyown."Onthecountofthree?"
Peetaleansdownandkissesmeonce,verygently.
"Thecountofthree,"hesays.
Westand,ourbackspressedtogether,ourempty
handslockedtight.
"Holdthemout.Iwanteveryonetosee,"hesays.
Ispreadoutmyfingers,andthedarkberriesglisten
inthesun.IgivePeeta'shandonelastsqueezeasa
signal,asagoodbye,andwebegincounting."One."
MaybeI'mwrong."Two."Maybetheydon'tcareifwe
bothdie."Three!"It'stoolatetochangemymind.Ilift
myhandtomymouth,takingonelastlookatthe
world.Theberrieshavejustpassedmylipswhenthe
trumpetsbegintoblare.
ThefranticvoiceofClaudiusTemplesmithshouts
abovethem."Stop!Stop!Ladiesandgentlemen,Iam
pleasedtopresentthevictorsoftheSeventyfourth
HungerGames,KatnissEverdeenandPeetaMellark!I
giveyouthetributesofDistrictTwelve!"
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330|Page
Ispewtheberriesfrommymouth,wipingmytongue
withtheendofmyshirttomakesurenojuice
remains.Peetapullsmetothelakewhereweboth
flushourmouthswithwaterandthencollapseinto
eachother'sarms.
"Youdidn'tswallowany?"Iaskhim.
Heshakeshishead."You?"
"GuessI'dbedeadbynowifIdid,"Isay.Icanseehis
lipsmovinginreply,butIcan'thearhimoverthe
roarofthecrowdintheCapitolthatthey'replaying
liveoverthespeakers.
Thehovercraftmaterializesoverheadandtwoladders
drop,onlythere'snowayI'mlettinggoofPeeta.I
keeponearmaroundhimasIhelphimup,andwe
eachplaceafootonthefirstrungoftheladder.The
electriccurrentfreezesusinplace,andthistimeI'm
gladbecauseI'mnotreallysurePeetacanhangonfor
thewholeride.Andsincemyeyeswerelookingdown,
Icanseethatwhileourmusclesareimmobile,
nothingispreventingthebloodfromdrainingoutof
Peeta'sleg.Sureenough,theminutethedoorcloses
behindusandthecurrentstops,heslumpstothe
floorunconscious.
Myfingersarestillgrippingthebackofhisjacketso
tightlythatwhentheytakehimawayittearsleaving
mewithafistfulofblackfabric.Doctorsinsterile
white,maskedandgloved,alreadypreppedto
operate,gointoaction.Peeta'ssopaleandstillona
silvertable,tubesandwiresspringingoutofhim
everywhichway,andforamomentIforgetwe'reout
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oftheGamesandIseethedoctorsasjustonemore
threat,onemorepackofmuttsdesignedtokillhim.
Petrified,Ilungeforhim,butI'mcaughtandthrust
backintoanotherroom,andaglassdoorseals
betweenus.Ipoundontheglass,screamingmyhead
off.EveryoneignoresmeexceptforsomeCapitol
attendantwhoappearsbehindmeandoffersmea
beverage.
Islumpdownonthefloor,myfaceagainstthedoor,
staringuncomprehendinglyatthecrystalglassinmy
hand.Icycold,filledwithorangejuice,astrawwitha
frillywhitecollar.Howwrongitlooksinmybloody,
filthyhandwithitsdirtcakednailsandscars.My
mouthwatersatthesmell,butIplaceitcarefullyon
thefloor,nottrustinganythingsocleanandpretty.
Throughtheglass,Iseethedoctorsworking
feverishlyonPeeta,theirbrowscreasedin
concentration.Iseetheflowofliquids,pumping
throughthetubes,watchawallofdialsandlights
thatmeannothingtome.I'mnotsure,butIthinkhis
heartstopstwice.
It'slikebeinghomeagain,whentheybringinthe
hopelesslymangledpersonfromthemineexplosion,
orthewomaninherthirddayoflabor,orthe
famishedchildstrugglingagainstpneumoniaandmy
motherandPrim,theywearthatsamelookontheir
faces.Nowisthetimetorunawaytothewoods,to
hideinthetreesuntilthepatientislonggoneandin
anotherpartoftheSeamthehammersmakethe
coffin.ButI'mheldherebothbythehovercraftwalls
andthesameforcethatholdsthelovedonesofthe
dying.HowoftenI'veseenthem,ringedaroundour
kitchentableandIthought,Whydon'ttheyleave?
Whydotheystaytowatch?
AndnowIknow.It'sbecauseyouhavenochoice.
IstartlewhenIcatchsomeonestaringatmefrom
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onlyafewinchesawayandthenrealizeit'smyown
facereflectingbackintheglass.Wildeyes,hollow
cheeks,myhairinatangledmat.Rabid.Feral.Mad.
Nowondereveryoneiskeepingasafedistancefrom
me.
ThenextthingIknowwe'velandedbackontheroof
oftheTrainingCenterandthey'retakingPeetabut
leavingmebehindthedoor.Istarthurlingmyself
againsttheglass,shriekingandIthinkIjustcatcha
glimpseofpinkhairitmustbeEffie,ithastobe
Effiecomingtomyrescuewhentheneedlejabsme
frombehind.
WhenIwake,I'mafraidtomoveatfirst.Theentire
ceilingglowswithasoftyellowlightallowingmeto
seethatI'minaroomcontainingjustmybed.No
doors,nowindowsarevisible.Theairsmellsof
somethingsharpandantiseptic.Myrightarmhas
severaltubesthatextendintothewallbehindme.I'm
naked,butthebedclothesarcsoothingagainstmy
skin.Itentativelyliftmylefthandabovethecover.
Notonlyhasitbeenscrubbedclean,thenailsare
filedinperfectovals,thescarsfromtheburnsare
lessprominent.Itouchmycheek,mylips,the
puckeredscarabovemyeyebrow,andamjust
runningmyfingersthroughmysilkenhairwhenI
freeze.ApprehensivelyIrufflethehairbymyleftear.
No,itwasn'tanillusion.Icanhearagain.
Itryandsitup,butsomesortofwiderestraining
bandaroundmywaistkeepsmefromrisingmore
thanafewinches.Thephysicalconfinementmakes
mepanicandI'mtryingtopullmyselfupandwriggle
myhipsthroughthebandwhenaportionofthewall
slidesopenandinstepstheredheadedAvoxgirl
carryingatray.ThesightofhercalmsmeandIstop
tryingtoescape.Iwanttoaskheramillion
questions,butI'mafraidanyfamiliaritywouldcause
herharm.ObviouslyIambeingcloselymonitored.
Shesetsthetrayacrossmythighsandpresses
somethingthatraisesmetoasittingposition.While
sheadjustsmypillows,Iriskonequestion.Isayit
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outloud,asclearlyasmyrustyvoicewillallow,so
nothingwillseemsecretive."DidPeetamakeit?"She
givesmeanod,andassheslipsaspoonintomy
hand,Ifeelthepressureoffriendship.
Iguessshedidnotwishmedeadafterall.AndPeeta
hasmadeit.Ofcourse,hedid.Withalltheir
expensiveequipmenthere.Still,Ihadn'tbeensure
untilnow.
AstheAvoxleaves,thedoorclosesnoiselesslyafter
herandIturnhungrilytothetray.Abowlofclear
broth,asmallservingofapplesauce,andaglassof
water.Thisisit?Ithinkgrouchily.Shouldn'tmy
homecomingdinnerbealittlemorespectacular?But
Ifindit'sanefforttofinishthesparemealbeforeme.
Mystomachseemstohaveshrunktothesizeofa
chestnut,andIhavetowonderhowlongI'vebeenout
becauseIhadnotroubleeatingafairlysizable
breakfastthatlastmorninginthearena.There's
usuallyalagofafewdaysbetweentheendofthe
competitionandthepresentationofthevictorsothat
theycanputthestarving,wounded,messofaperson
backtogetheragain.Somewhere,CinnaandPortia
willbecreatingourwardrobesforthepublic
appearances.HaymitchandEffiewillbearranging
thebanquetforoursponsors,reviewingthequestions
forourfinalinterviews.Backhome,District12is
probablyinchaosastheytryandorganizethe
homecomingcelebrationsforPeetaandme,giventhat
thelastonewasclosetothirtyyearsago.
334|Page
Home!Primandmymother!Gale!Eventhethought
ofPrim'sscruffyoldcatmakesmesmile.SoonIwill
behome!
Iwanttogetoutofthisbed.ToseePeetaandCinna,
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tofindoutmoreaboutwhat'sbeengoingon.Andwhy
shouldn'tI?Ifeelfine.ButasIstarttoworkmyway
outoftheband,Ifeelacoldliquidseepingintomy
veinfromoneofthetubesandalmostimmediately
loseconsciousness.
Thishappensonandoffforanindeterminateamount
oftime.Mywaking,eating,and,eventhoughIresist
theimpulsetotryandescapethebed,beingknocked
outagain.Iseemtobeinastrange,continual
twilight.Onlyafewthingsregister.Theredheaded
Avoxgirlhasnotreturnedsincethefeeding,myscars
aredisappearing,anddoIimagineit?OrdoIheara
man'svoiceyelling?NotintheCapitolaccent,butin
theroughercadencesofhome.AndIcan'thelp
havingavague,comfortingfeelingthatsomeoneis
lookingoutforme.
Thenfinally,thetimearriveswhenIcometoand
there'snothingpluggedintomyrightarm.The
restraintaroundmymiddlehasbeenremovedandI
amfreetomoveabout.Istarttositupbutam
arrestedbythesightofmyhands.Theskin's
perfection,smoothandglowing.Notonlyarethe
scarsfromthearenagone,butthoseaccumulated
overyearsofhuntinghavevanishedwithoutatrace.
Myforeheadfeelslikesatin,andwhenItrytofindthe
burnonmycalf,there'snothing.
Islipmylegsoutofbed,nervousabouthowtheywill
bearmyweightandfindthemstrongandsteady.
Lyingatthefootofthebedisanoutfitthatmakesme
flinch.It'swhatallofustributesworeinthearena.I
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stareatitasifithadteethuntilIrememberthat,of
course,thisiswhatIwillweartogreetmyteam.
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I'mdressedinlessthanaminuteandfidgetingin
frontofthewallwhereIknowthere'sadoorevenifI
can'tseeitwhensuddenlyitslidesopen.Istepintoa
wide,desertedhallthatappearstohavenoother
doorsonit.Butitmust.Andbehindoneofthem
mustbePeeta.NowthatI'mconsciousandmoving,
I'mgrowingmoreandmoreanxiousabouthim.He
mustbeallrightortheAvoxgirlwouldn'thavesaid
so.ButIneedtoseehimformyself.
"Peeta!"Icallout,sincethere'snoonetoask.Ihear
mynameinresponse,butit'snothisvoice.It'sa
voicethatprovokesfirstirritationandtheneagerness.
Effie.
Iturnandseethemallwaitinginabigchamberat
theendofthehallEffie,Haymitch,andCinna.My
feettakeoffwithouthesitation.Maybeavictorshould
showmorerestraint,moresuperiority,especially
whensheknowsthiswillbeontape,butIdon'tcare.
IrunforthemandsurpriseevenmyselfwhenI
launchintoHaymitch'sarmsfirst.Whenhewhispers
inmyear,"Nicejob,sweetheart,"itdoesn'tsound
sarcastic.Effie'ssomewhattearyandkeepspatting
myhairandtalkingabouthowshetoldeveryonewe
werepearls.Cinnajusthugsmetightanddoesn'tsay
anything.ThenInoticePortiaisabsentandgetabad
feeling.
"Where'sPortia?IsshewithPeeta?Heisallright,
isn'the?Imean,he'salive?"Iblurtout.
"He'sfine.Onlytheywanttodoyourreunionliveon
airattheceremony,"saysHaymitch.
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"Oh.That'sall,"Isay.Theawfulmomentofthinking
Peeta'sdeadagainpasses."IguessI'dwanttosee
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thatmyself."
"GoonwithCinna.Hehastogetyouready,"says
Haymitch.
It'sarelieftobealonewithCinna,tofeelhis
protectivearmaroundmyshouldersasheguidesme
awayfromthecameras,downafewpassagesandto
anelevatorthatleadstothelobbyoftheTraining
Center.Thehospitalthenisfarunderground,even
beneaththegymwherethetributespracticedtying
knotsandthrowingspears.Thewindowsofthelobby
aredarkened,andahandfulofguardsstandonduty.
Nooneelseistheretoseeuscrosstothetribute
elevator.Ourfootstepsechointheemptiness.And
whenwerideuptothetwelfthfloor,thefacesofall
thetributeswhowillneverreturnflashacrossmy
mindandthere'saheavy,tightplaceinmychest.
Whentheelevatordoorsopen,Venia,Flavius,and
Octaviaengulfme,talkingsoquicklyandecstatically
Ican'tmakeouttheirwords.Thesentimentisclear
though.TheyaretrulythrilledtoseemeandI'm
happytoseethem,too,althoughnotlikeIwastosee
Cinna.It'smoreinthewayonemightbegladtosee
anaffectionatetrioofpetsattheendofaparticularly
difficultday.
TheysweepmeintothediningroomandIgetareal
mealroastbeefandpeasandsoftrollsalthough
myportionsarestillbeingstrictlycontrolled.Because
whenIaskforseconds,I'mrefused.
"No,no,no.Theydon'twantitallcomingbackupon
thestage,"saysOctavia,butshesecretlyslipsmean
extrarollunderthetabletoletmeknowshe'sonmy
side.
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WegobacktomyroomandCinnadisappearsfora
whileastheprepteamgetsmeready.
"Oh,theydidafullbodypolishonyou,"saysFlavius
enviously."Notaflawleftonyourskin."
ButwhenIlookatmynakedbodyinthemirror,allI
canseeishowskinnyIam.Imean,I'msureIwas
worsewhenIcameoutofthearena,butIcaneasily
countmyribs.
Theytakecareoftheshowersettingsforme,andthey
gotoworkonmyhair,nails,andmakeupwhenI'm
done.TheychattersocontinuouslythatIbarelyhave
toreply,whichisgood,sinceIdon'tfeelvery
talkative.It'sfunny,becauseeventhoughthey're
rattlingonabouttheGames,it'sallaboutwherethey
wereorwhattheyweredoingorhowtheyfeltwhena
specificeventoccurred."Iwasstillinbed!""Ihadjust
hadmyeyebrowsdyed!""IswearInearlyfainted!"
Everythingisaboutthem,notthedyingboysand
girlsinthearena.
Wedon'twallowaroundintheGamesthiswayin
District12.Wegritourteethandwatchbecausewe
mustandtrytogetbacktobusinessassoonas
possiblewhenthey'reover.Tokeepfromhatingthe
prepteam,Ieffectivelytuneoutmostofwhatthey're
saying.
Cinnacomesinwithwhatappearstobean
unassumingyellowdressacrosshisarms.
"Haveyougivenupthewhole'girlonfire'thing?"I
ask.
"Youtellme,"hesays,andslipsitovermyhead.I
immediatelynoticethepaddingovermybreasts,
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addingcurvesthathungerhasstolenfrommybody.
MyhandsgotomychestandIfrown.
"Iknow,"saysCinnabeforeIcanobject."Butthe
Gamemakerswantedtoalteryousurgically.
Haymitchhadahugefightwiththemoverit.This
wasthecompromise."HestopsmebeforeIcanlook
atmyreflection."Wait,don'tforgettheshoes."Venia
helpsmeintoapairofflatleathersandalsandIturn
tothemirror.
Iamstillthe"girlonfire."Thesheerfabricsoftly
glows.Eventheslightmovementintheairsendsa
rippleupmybody.Bycomparison,thechariot
costumeseemsgarish,theinterviewdresstoo
contrived.Inthisdress,Igivetheillusionofwearing
candlelight.
"Whatdoyouthink?"asksCinna.
"Ithinkit'sthebestyet,"Isay.WhenImanagetopull
myeyesawayfromtheflickeringfabric,I'minfor
somethingofashock.Myhair'sloose,heldbackbya
simplehairband.Themakeuproundsandfillsoutthe
sharpanglesofmyface.Aclearpolishcoatsmynails.
Thesleevelessdressisgatheredatmyribs,notmy
waist,largelyeliminatinganyhelpthepaddingwould
havegivenmyfigure.Thehemfallsjusttomyknees.
Withoutheels,youcanseemytruestature.Ilook,
verysimply,likeagirl.Ayoungone.Fourteenatthe
most.Innocent.Harmless.Yes,itisshockingthat
CinnahaspulledthisoffwhenyourememberI'vejust
wontheGames.
Thisisaverycalculatedlook.NothingCinnadesigns
isarbitrary.Ibitemyliptryingtofigureouthis
motivation.
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"Ithoughtit'dbesomethingmore...sophisticated
looking,"Isay.
"IthoughtPeetawouldlikethisbetter,"heanswers
carefully.
Peeta?No,it'snotaboutPeeta.It'sabouttheCapitol
andtheGamemakersandtheaudience.AlthoughIdo
notyetunderstandCinna'sdesign,it'sareminderthe
Gamesarenotquitefinished.Andbeneathhisbenign
reply,Isenseawarning.Ofsomethinghecan'teven
mentioninfrontofhisownteam.
Wetaketheelevatortothelevelwherewetrained.It's
customaryforthevictorandhisorhersupportteam
torisefrombeneaththestage.Firsttheprepteam,
followedbytheescort,thestylist,thementor,and
finallythevictor.Onlythisyear,withtwovictorswho
sharebothanescortandamentor,thewholething
hashadtoberethought.Ifindmyselfinapoorlylit
areaunderthestage.Abrandnewmetalplatehas
beeninstalledtotransportmeupward.Youcanstill
seesmallpilesofsawdust,smellfreshpaint.Cinna
andtheprepteampeelofftochangeintotheirown
costumesandtaketheirpositions,leavingmealone.
Inthegloom,Iseeamakeshiftwallabouttenyards
awayandassumePeeta'sbehindit.
Therumblingofthecrowdisloud,soIdon'tnotice
Haymitchuntilhetouchesmyshoulder.Ispring
away,startled,stillhalfinthearena,Iguess.
"Easy,justme.Let'shavealookatyou,"Haymitch
says.Iholdoutmyarmsandturnonce."Good
enough."
It'snotmuchofacompliment."Butwhat?"Isay.
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Haymitch'seyesshiftaroundmymustyholding
space,andheseemstomakeadecision."But
nothing.Howaboutahugforluck?"
Okay,that'sanoddrequestfromHaymitchbut,after
all,wearevictors.Maybeahugforluckisinorder.
Only,whenIputmyarmsaroundhisneck,Ifind
myselftrappedinhisembrace.Hebeginstalking,
veryfast,veryquietlyinmyear,myhairconcealing
hislips.
"Listenup.You'reintrouble.WordistheCapitol's
furiousaboutyoushowingthemupinthearena.The
onethingtheycan'tstandisbeinglaughedatand
they'rethejokeofPanem,"saysHaymitch.
Ifeeldreadcoursingthroughmenow,butIlaughas
thoughHaymitchissayingsomethingcompletely
delightfulbecausenothingiscoveringmymouth."So,
what?"
"Youronlydefensecanbeyouweresomadlyinlove
youweren'tresponsibleforyouractions."Haymitch
pullsbackandadjustsmyhairband."Gotit,
sweetheart?"Hecouldbetalkingaboutanythingnow.
"Gotit,"Isay."DidyoutellPeetathis?"
"Don'thaveto,"saysHaymitch."He'salreadythere."
"ButyouthinkI'mnot?"Isay,takingtheopportunity
tostraightenabrightredbowtieCinnamusthave
wrestledhiminto.
"SincewhendoesitmatterwhatIthink?"says
Haymitch."Bettertakeourplaces."Heleadsmetothe
metalcircle."Thisisyournight,sweetheart.Enjoyit."
Hekissesmeontheforeheadanddisappearsintothe
gloom.
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341|Page
Itugonmyskirt,willingittobelonger,wantingitto
covertheknockinginmyknees.ThenIrealizeit's
pointless.Mywholebody'sshakinglikealeaf.
Hopefully,itwillbeputdowntoexcitement.Afterall,
it'smynight.
Thedamp,moldysmellbeneaththestagethreatens
tochokeme.Acold,clammysweatbreaksoutonmy
skinandIcan'tridmyselfofthefeelingthatthe
boardsabovemyheadareabouttocollapse,tobury
mealiveundertherubble.WhenIleftthearena,
whenthetrumpetsplayed,Iwassupposedtobesafe.
Fromthenon.Fortherestofmylife.Butifwhat
Haymitchsaysistrue,andhe'sgotnoreasontolie,
I'veneverbeeninsuchadangerousplaceinmylife.
It'ssomuchworsethanbeinghuntedinthearena.
There,Icouldonlydie.Endofstory.Butouthere
Prim,mymother,Gale,thepeopleofDistrict12,
everyoneIcareaboutbackhomecouldbepunishedif
Ican'tpulloffthegirldrivencrazybylovescenario
Haymitchhassuggested.
SoIstillhaveachance,though.Funny,inthearena,
whenIpouredoutthoseberries,Iwasonlythinking
ofoutsmartingtheGamemakers,nothowmyactions
wouldreflectontheCapitol.ButtheHungerGames
aretheirweaponandyouarenotsupposedtobeable
todefeatit.SonowtheCapitolwillactasifthey've
beenincontrolthewholetime.Asiftheyorchestrated
thewholeevent,rightdowntothedoublesuicide.But
thatwillonlyworkifIplayalongwiththem.
AndPeeta...Peetawillsuffer,too,ifthisgoeswrong.
ButwhatwasitHaymitchsaidwhenIaskedifhehad
toldPeetathesituation?Thathehadtopretendtobe
desperatelyinlove?
"Don'thaveto.He'salreadythere."
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AlreadythinkingaheadofmeintheGamesagainand
wellawareofthedangerwe'rein?Or...already
desperatelyinlove?Idon'tknow.Ihaven'teven
beguntoseparateoutmyfeelingsaboutPeeta.It'stoo
complicated.WhatIdidaspartoftheGames.As
opposedtowhatIdidoutofangerattheCapitol.Or
becauseofhowitwouldbeviewedbackinDistrict12.
Orsimplybecauseitwastheonlydecentthingtodo.
OrwhatIdidbecauseIcaredabouthim.
Thesearequestionstobeunraveledbackhome,in
thepeaceandquietofthewoods,whennooneis
watching.Notherewitheveryeyeuponme.ButI
won'thavethatluxuryforwhoknowshowlong.And
rightnow,themostdangerouspartoftheHunger
Gamesisabouttobegin.
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Theanthemboomsinmyears,andthenIhear
CaesarFlickermangreetingtheaudience.Doeshe
knowhowcrucialitistogeteverywordrightfrom
nowon?Hemust.Hewillwanttohelpus.Thecrowd
breaksintoapplauseastheprepteamsare
presented.IimagineFlavius,Venia,andOctavia
bouncingaroundandtakingridiculous,bobbing
bows.It'sasafebetthey'reclueless.ThenEffie's
introduced.Howlongshe'swaitedforthismoment.I
hopeshe'sabletoenjoyitbecauseasmisguidedas
Effiecanbe,shehasaverykeeninstinctabout
certainthingsandmustatleastsuspectwe'rein
trouble.PortiaandCinnareceivehugecheers,of
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course,they'vebeenbrilliant,hadadazzlingdebut.I
nowunderstandCinna'schoiceofdressformefor
tonight.Illneedtolookasgirlishandinnocentas
possible.Haymitch'sappearancebringsaroundof
stompingthatgoesonatleastfiveminutes.Well,he's
accomplishedafirst.Keepingnotonlyonebuttwo
tributesalive.Whatifhehadn'twarnedmeintime?
WouldIhaveacteddifferently?Flauntedthemoment
withtheberriesintheCapitol'sface?No,Idon'tthink
so.ButIcouldeasilyhavebeenalotlessconvincing
thanIneedtobenow.Rightnow.BecauseIcanfeel
theplateliftingmeuptothestage.
Blindinglights.Thedeafeningroarrattlesthemetal
undermyfeet.Thenthere'sPeetajustafewyards
away.Helookssocleanandhealthyandbeautiful,I
canhardlyrecognizehim.Buthissmileisthesame
whetherinmudorintheCapitolandwhenIseeit,I
takeaboutthreestepsandflingmyselfintohisarms.
Hestaggersback,almostlosinghisbalance,and
that'swhenIrealizetheslim,metalcontraptioninhis
handissomekindofcane.Herightshimselfandwe
justclingtoeachotherwhiletheaudiencegoes
insane.He'skissingmeandallthetimeI'mthinking,
Doyouknow?Doyouknowhowmuchdangerwe're
in?Afterabouttenminutesofthis,Caesar
Flickermantapsonhisshouldertocontinuethe
show,andPeetajustpusheshimasidewithouteven
glancingathim.Theaudiencegoesberserk.Whether
heknowsornot,Peetais,asusual,playingthecrowd
exactlyright.
Finally,Haymitchinterruptsusandgivesusagood
naturedshovetowardthevictor'schair.Usually,this
isasingle,ornatechairfromwhichthewinning
tributewatchesafilmofthehighlightsoftheGames,
butsincetherearetwoofus,theGamemakershave
providedaplushredvelvetcouch.Asmallone,my
motherwouldcallitaloveseat,Ithink.Isitsoclose
toPeetathatI'mpracticallyonhislap,butonelook
fromHaymitchtellsmeitisn'tenough.Kickingoffmy
sandals,Ituckmyfeettothesideandleanmyhead
againstPeeta'sshoulder.Hisarmgoesaroundme
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automatically,andIfeellikeI'mbackinthecave,
curledupagainsthim,tryingtokeepwarm.Hisshirt
ismadeofthesameyellowmaterialasmydress,but
Portia'sputhiminlongblackpants.Nosandals,
either,butapairofsturdyblackbootshekeeps
solidlyplantedonthestage.IwishCinnahadgiven
measimilaroutfit,Ifeelsovulnerableinthisflimsy
dress.ButIguessthatwasthepoint.
CaesarFlickermanmakesafewmorejokes,andthen
it'stimefortheshow.Thiswilllastexactlythree
hoursandisrequiredviewingforallofPanem.Asthe
lightsdimandthesealappearsonthescreen,I
realizeI'munpreparedforthis.Idonotwanttowatch
mytwentytwofellowtributesdie.Isawenoughof
themdiethefirsttime.Myheartstartspoundingand
Ihaveastrongimpulsetorun.Howhavetheother
victorsfacedthisalone?Duringthehighlights,they
periodicallyshowthewinner'sreactionuponaboxin
thecornerofthescreen.Ithinkbacktoearlieryears
...somearetriumphant,pumpingtheirfistsinthe
air,beatingtheirchests.Mostjustseemstunned.All
Iknowisthattheonlythingkeepingmeonthislove
seatisPeetahisarmaroundmyshoulder,his
otherhandclaimedbybothofmine.Ofcourse,the
previousvictorsdidn'thavetheCapitollookingfora
waytodestroythem.
Condensingseveralweeksintothreehoursisquitea
feat,especiallywhenyouconsiderhowmanycameras
weregoingatonce.Whoeverputstogetherthe
highlightshastochoosewhatsortofstorytotell.
Thisyear,forthefirsttime,theytellalovestory.I
knowPeetaandIwon,butadisproportionateamount
oftimeisspentonus,rightfromthebeginning.I'm
gladthough,becauseitsupportsthewholecrazyin
lovethingthat'smydefensefordefyingtheCapitol,
plusitmeanswewon'thaveasmuchtimetolinger
overthedeaths.
Thefirsthalfhourorsofocusesontheprearena
events,thereaping,thechariotridethroughthe
Capitol,ourtrainingscores,andourinterviews.
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There'sthissortofupbeatsoundtrackplayingunder
itthatmakesittwiceasawfulbecause,ofcourse,
almosteveryoneonscreenisdead.
Oncewe'reinthearena,there'sdetailedcoverageof
thebloodbathandthenthefilmmakersbasically
alternatebetweenshotsoftributesdyingandshotsof
us.MostlyPeetareally,there'snoquestionhe's
carryingthisromancethingonhisshoulders.NowI
seewhattheaudiencesaw,howhemisledthe
Careersaboutme,stayedawaketheentirenight
underthetrackerjackertree,foughtCatotoletme
escapeandevenwhilehelayinthatmudbank,
whisperedmynameinhissleep.Iseemheartlessin
comparisondodgingfireballs,droppingnests,and
blowingupsuppliesuntilIgohuntingforRue.
Theyplayherdeathinfull,thespearing,myfailed
rescueattempt,myarrowthroughtheboyfrom
District1'sthroat,Ruedrawingherlastbreathinmy
arms.Andthesong.Igettosingeverynoteofthe
song.SomethinginsidemeshutsdownandI'mtoo
numbtofeelanything.It'slikewatchingcomplete
strangersinanotherHungerGames.ButIdonotice
theyomitthepartwhereIcoveredherinflowers.
Right.Becauseeventhatsmacksofrebellion.
Thingspickupformeoncethey'veannouncedtwo
tributesfromthesamedistrictcanliveandIshout
outPeeta'snameandthenclapmyhandsovermy
mouth.IfI'veseemedindifferenttohimearlier,I
makeupforitnow,byfindinghim,nursinghimback
tohealth,goingtothefeastforthemedicine,and
beingveryfreewithmykisses.Objectively,Icansee
themuttsandCato'sdeathareasgruesomeasever,
butagain,IfeelithappenstopeopleIhavenevermet.
Andthencomesthemomentwiththeberries.Ican
heartheaudiencehushingoneanother,notwanting
tomissanything.Awaveofgratitudetothe
filmmakerssweepsovermewhentheyendnotwith
theannouncementofourvictory,butwithme
poundingontheglassdoorofthehovercraft,
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screamingPeeta'snameastheytrytorevivehim.
Intermsofsurvival,it'smybestmomentallnight.
Theanthem'splayingyetagainandweriseas
PresidentSnowhimselftakesthestagefollowedbya
littlegirlcarryingacushionthatholdsthecrown.
There'sjustonecrown,though,andyoucanhearthe
crowd'sconfusionwhoseheadwillheplaceiton?
untilPresidentSnowgivesitatwistandit
separatesintotwohalves.Heplacesthefirstaround
Peeta'sbrowwithasmile.He'sstillsmilingwhenhe
settlesthesecondonmyhead,buthiseyes,just
inchesfrommine,areasunforgivingasasnake's.
That'swhenIknowthateventhoughbothofus
wouldhaveeatentheberries,Iamtoblamefor
havingtheidea.I'mtheinstigator.I'mtheonetobe
punished.
Muchbowingandcheeringfollows.Myarmisabout
tofallofffromwavingwhenCaesarFlickermanfinally
bidstheaudiencegoodnight,remindingthemtotune
intomorrowforthefinalinterviews.Asiftheyhavea
choice.
PeetaandIarewhiskedtothepresident'smansion
fortheVictoryBanquet,wherewehaveverylittletime
toeatasCapitolofficialsandparticularlygenerous
sponsorselbowoneanotheroutofthewayastheytry
togettheirpicturewithus.Faceafterbeamingface
flashesby,becomingincreasinglyintoxicatedasthe
eveningwearson.Occasionally,Icatchaglimpseof
Haymitch,whichisreassuring,orPresidentSnow,
whichisterrifying,butIkeeplaughingandthanking
peopleandsmilingasmypictureistaken.Theone
thingIneverdoisletgoofPeeta'shand.
Thesunisjustpeekingoverthehorizonwhenwe
stragglebacktothetwelfthflooroftheTraining
Center.Ithinknow111finallygetawordalonewith
Peeta,butHaymitchsendshimoffwithPortiatoget
somethingfittedfortheinterviewandpersonally
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escortsmetomydoor.
"Whycan'tItalktohim?"Iask.
"Plentyoftimefortalkwhenwegethome,"says
Haymitch."Gotobed,you'reonairattwo."
DespiteHaymitch'srunninginterference,I'm
determinedtoseePeetaprivately.AfterItossand
turnforafewhours,Islipintothehall.Myfirst
thoughtistochecktheroof,butit'sempty.Eventhe
citystreetsfarbelowaredesertedafterthe
celebrationlastnight.Igobacktobedforawhileand
thendecidetogodirectlytohisroom,butwhenItry
toturntheknob,Ifindmyownbedroomdoorhas
beenlockedfromtheoutside.IsuspectHaymitch
initially,butthenthere'samoreinsidiousfearthat
theCapitolmaybymonitoringandconfiningme.I've
beenunabletoescapesincetheHungerGames
began,butthisfeelsdifferent,muchmorepersonal.
ThisfeelslikeI'vebeenimprisonedforacrimeand
I'mawaitingsentencing.Iquicklygetbackinbedand
pretendtosleepuntilEffieTrinketcomestoalertme
tothestartofanother"big,big,bigday!"
Ihaveaboutfiveminutestoeatabowlofhotgrain
andstewbeforetheprepteamdescends.AllIhaveto
sayis,"Thecrowdlovedyou!"andit'sunnecessaryto
speakforthenextcoupleofhours.WhenCinna
comesin,heshoosthemoutanddressesmeina
white,gauzydressandpinkshoes.Thenhe
personallyadjustsmymakeupuntilIseemtoradiate
asoft,rosyglow.Wemakeidlechitchat,butI'm
afraidtoaskhimanythingofrealimportancebecause
aftertheincidentwiththedoor,Ican'tshakethe
feelingthatI'mbeingwatchedconstantly.
Theinterviewtakesplacerightdownthehallinthe
sittingroom.Aspacehasbeenclearedandthelove
seathasbeenmovedinandsurroundedbyvasesof
redandpinkroses.Thereareonlyahandfulof
camerastorecordtheevent.Noliveaudienceatleast.
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CaesarFlickermangivesmeawarmhugwhenI.
comein."Congratulations,Katniss.Howareyou
faring?"
"Fine.Nervousabouttheinterview,"Isay.
"Don'tbe.We'regoingtohaveafabuloustime,"he
says,givingmycheekareassuringpat.
"I'mnotgoodattalkingaboutmyself,"Isay.
"Nothingyousaywillbewrong,"hesays.
AndIthink,Oh,Caesar,ifonlythatweretrue.But
actually,PresidentSnowmaybearrangingsomesort
of'accident"formeaswespeak.
ThenPeeta'stherelookinghandsomeinredand
white,pullingmeofftotheside."Ihardlygettosee
you.Haymitchseemsbentonkeepingusapart."
Haymitchisactuallybentonkeepingusalive,but
therearetoomanyearslistening,soIjustsay,"Yes,
he'sgottenveryresponsiblelately."
"Well,there'sjustthisandwegohome.Thenhecan't
watchusallthetime,"saysPeeta.
Ifeelasortofshiverrunthroughmeandthere'sno
timetoanalyzewhy,becausethey'rereadyforus.We
sitsomewhatformallyontheloveseat,butCaesar
says,"Oh,goaheadandcurlupnexttohimifyou
want.Itlookedverysweet."SoItuckmyfeetupand
Peetapullsmeinclosetohim.
Someonecountsbackwardandjustlikethat,we're
beingbroadcastlivetotheentirecountry.Caesar
Flickermaniswonderful,teasing,joking,getting
chokedupwhentheoccasionpresentsitself.Heand
Peetaalreadyhavetherapporttheyestablishedthat
nightofthefirstinterview,thateasybanter,soIjust
smilealotandtrytospeakaslittleaspossible.I
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350|Page
mean,Ihavetotalksome,butassoonasIcanI
redirecttheconversationbacktoPeeta.
Eventuallythough,Caesarbeginstoposequestions
thatinsistonfulleranswers."Well,Peeta,weknow,
fromourdaysinthecave,thatitwasloveatfirst
sightforyoufromwhat,agefive?"Caesarsays.
"FromthemomentIlaideyesonher,"saysPeeta.
"But,Katniss,whatarideforyou.Ithinkthereal
excitementfortheaudiencewaswatchingyoufallfor
him.Whendidyourealizeyouwereinlovewithhim?"
asksCaesar.
"Oh,that'sahardone..."Igiveafaint,breathylaugh
andlookdownatmyhands.Help.
"Well,Iknowwhenithitme.Thenightwhenyou
shoutedouthisnamefromthattree,"saysCaesar.
Thankyou,Caesar!Ithink,andthengowithhisidea.
"Yes,Iguessthatwasit.Imean,untilthatpoint,I
justtriednottothinkaboutwhatmyfeelingsmight
be,honestly,becauseitwassoconfusinganditonly
madethingsworseifIactuallycaredabouthim.But
then,inthetree,everythingchanged,"Isay.
"Whydoyouthinkthatwas?"urgesCaesar.
"Maybe...becauseforthefirsttime...therewasa
chanceIcouldkeephim,"Isay.
Behindacameraman,IseeHaymitchgiveasortof
huffwithreliefandIknowI'vesaidtherightthing.
Caesarpullsoutahandkerchiefandhastotakea
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momentbecausehe'ssomoved.IcanfeelPeetapress
hisforeheadintomytempleandheasks,"Sonow
351|Page
thatyou'vegotme,whatareyougoingtodowith
me?"
Iturnintohim."Putyousomewhereyoucan'tget
hurt."Andwhenhekissesme,peopleintheroom
actuallysigh.
ForCaesar,thisisanaturalplacetosegueintoall
thewayswedidgethurtinthearena,fromburns,to
stings,towounds.Butit'snotuntilwegetaroundto
themuttsthatIforgetI'moncamera.WhenCaesar
asksPeetahowhis"newleg"isworkingout.
"Newleg?"Isay,andIcan'thelpreachingoutand
pullingupthebottomofPeeta'spants."Oh,no,"I
whisper,takinginthemetalandplasticdevicethat
hasreplacedhisflesh.
"Noonetoldyou?"asksCaesargently.Ishakemy
head.
"Ihaven'thadthechance,"saysPeetawithaslight
shrug.
"It'smyfault,"Isay."BecauseIusedthattourniquet."
"Yes,it'syourfaultI'malive,"saysPeeta.
"He'sright,"saysCaesar."He'dhavebledtodeathfor
surewithoutit."
Iguessthisistrue,butIcan'thelpfeelingupset
aboutittotheextentthatI'mafraidImightcryand
thenIremembereveryoneinthecountryiswatching
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mesoIjustburymyfaceinPeeta'sshirt.Ittakes
themacoupleofminutestocoaxmebackout
becauseit'sbetterintheshirt,wherenoonecansee
me,andwhenIdocomeout,Caesarbacksoff
352|Page
questioningmesoIcanrecover.Infact,hepretty
muchleavesmealoneuntiltheberriescomeup.
"Katniss,Iknowyou'vehadashock,butI'vegotto
ask.Themomentwhenyoupulledoutthoseberries.
Whatwasgoingoninyourmind...hm?"hesays.
ItakealongpausebeforeIanswer,tryingtocollect
mythoughts.ThisisthecrucialmomentwhereI
eitherchallengedtheCapitolorwentsocrazyatthe
ideaoflosingPeetathatIcan'tbeheldresponsiblefor
myactions.Itseemstocallforabig,dramatic
speech,butallIgetoutisonealmostinaudible
sentence."Idon'tknow,Ijust...couldn'tbearthe
thoughtof...beingwithouthim."
"Peeta?Anythingtoadd?"asksCaesar.
"No.Ithinkthatgoesforbothofus,"hesays.
Caesarsignsoffandit'sover.Everyone'slaughing
andcryingandhugging,butI'mstillnotsureuntilI
reachHaymitch."Okay?"Iwhisper.
"Perfect,"heanswers.
Igobacktomyroomtocollectafewthingsandfind
there'snothingtotakebutthemockingjaypinMadge
gaveme.Someonereturnedittomyroomafterthe
Games.Theydriveusthroughthestreetsinacar
withblackenedwindows,andthetrain'swaitingfor
us.WebarelyhavetimetosaygoodbyetoCinnaand
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Portia,althoughwe'llseetheminafewmonths,when
wetourthedistrictsforaroundofvictory
ceremonies.It'stheCapitol'swayofremindingpeople
thattheHungerGamesneverreallygoaway.Wellbe
givenalotofuselessplaques,andeveryonewillhave
topretendtheyloveus.
353|Page
Thetrainbeginsmovingandwe'replungedintonight
untilweclearthetunnelandItakemyfirstfree
breathsincethereaping.Effieisaccompanyingus
backandHaymitch,too,ofcourse.Weeatan
enormousdinnerandsettleintosilenceinfrontofthe
televisiontowatchareplayoftheinterview.Withthe
Capitolgrowingfartherawayeverysecond,Ibeginto
thinkofhome.OfPrimandmymother.OfGale.I
excusemyselftochangeoutofmydressandintoa
plainshirtandpants.AsIslowly,thoroughlywash
themakeupfrommyfaceandputmyhairinits
braid,Ibegintransformingbackintomyself.Katniss
Everdeen.AgirlwholivesintheSeam.Huntsinthe
woods.TradesintheHob.IstareinthemirrorasItry
torememberwhoIamandwhoIamnot.Bythetime
Ijointheothers,thepressureofPeeta'sarmaround
myshouldersfeelsalien.
Whenthetrainmakesabriefstopforfuel,we're
allowedtogooutsideforsomefreshair.There'sno
longeranyneedtoguardus.PeetaandIwalkdown
alongthetrack,handinhand,andIcan'tfind
anythingtosaynowthatwe'realone.Hestopsto
gatherabunchofwildflowersforme.Whenhe
presentsthem,Iworkhardtolookpleased.Because
hecan'tknowthatthepinkandwhiteflowersarethe
topsofwildonionsandonlyremindmeofthehours
I'vespentgatheringthemwithGale.
Gale.TheideaofseeingGaleinamatterofhours
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makesmystomachchurn.Butwhy?Ican'tquite
frameitinmymind.IonlyknowthatIfeellikeI've
beenlyingtosomeonewhotrustsme.Ormore
accurately,totwopeople.I'vebeengettingawaywith
ituptothispointbecauseoftheGames.Butthere
willbenoGamestohidebehindbackhome.
"What'swrong?"Peetaasks.
354|Page
"Nothing,"Ianswer.Wecontinuewalking,pastthe
endofthetrain,outwhereevenI'mfairlysurethere
arenocamerashiddeninthescrubbybushesalong
thetrack.Stillnowordscome.
Haymitchstartlesmewhenhelaysahandonmy
back.Evennow,inthemiddleofnowhere,hekeeps
hisvoicedown."Greatjob,youtwo.Justkeepitupin
thedistrictuntilthecamerasaregone.Weshouldbe
okay."Iwatchhimheadbacktothetrain,avoiding
Peeta'seyes.
"What'shemean?"Peetaasksme.
"It'stheCapitol.Theydidn'tlikeourstuntwiththe
berries,"Iblurtout.
"What?Whatareyoutalkingabout?"hesays.
"Itseemedtoorebellious.So,Haymitchhasbeen
coachingmethroughthelastfewdays.SoIdidn't
makeitworse,"Isay.
"Coachingyou?Butnotme,"saysPeeta.
"Heknewyouweresmartenoughtogetitright,"I
say.
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"Ididn'tknowtherewasanythingtogetright,"says
Peeta."So,whatyou'resayingis,theselastfewdays
andthenIguess...backinthearena...thatwasjust
somestrategyyoutwoworkedout."
"No.Imean,Icouldn'teventalktohiminthearena,
couldI?"Istammer.
"Butyouknewwhathewantedyoutodo,didn't
you?"saysPeeta.Ibitemylip."Katniss?"Hedropsmy
handandItakeastep,asiftocatchmybalance.
355|Page
"ItwasallfortheGames,"Peetasays."Howyou
acted."
"Notallofit,"Isay,tightlyholdingontomyflowers.
"Thenhowmuch?No,forgetthat.Iguessthereal
questioniswhat'sgoingtobeleftwhenwegethome?"
hesays.
"Idon'tknow.ThecloserwegettoDistrictTwelve,the
moreconfusedIget,"Isay.Hewaits,forfurther
explanation,butnone'sforthcoming.
"Well,letmeknowwhenyouworkitout,"hesays,
andthepaininhisvoiceispalpable.
Iknowmyearsarehealedbecause,evenwiththe
rumbleoftheengine,Icanheareverystephetakes
backtothetrain.BythetimeI'veclimbedaboard,
Peetahasdisappearedintohisroomforthenight.I
don'tseehimthenextmorning,either.Infact,the
nexttimeheturnsup,we'repullingintoDistrict12.
Hegivesmeanod,hisfaceexpressionless.
Iwanttotellhimthathe'snotbeingfair.Thatwe
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werestrangers.ThatIdidwhatittooktostayalive,to
keepusbothaliveinthearena.ThatIcan'texplain
howthingsarewithGalebecauseIdon'tknow
myself.Thatit'snogoodlovingmebecauseI'mnever
goingtogetmarriedanywayandhe'djustendup
hatingmelaterinsteadofsooner.ThatifIdohave
feelingsforhim,itdoesn'tmatterbecauseI'llneverbe
abletoaffordthekindoflovethatleadstoafamily,to
children.Andhowcanhe?Howcanheafterwhat
we'vejustbeenthrough?
IalsowanttotellhimhowmuchIalreadymisshim.
Butthatwouldn'tbefaironmypart.
356|Page
Sowejuststandtheresilently,watchingourgrimy
littlestationriseuparoundus.Throughthewindow,
Icanseetheplatform'sthickwithcameras.Everyone
willbeeagerlywatchingourhomecoming.
Outofthecornerofmyeye,IseePeetaextendhis
hand.Ilookathim,unsure."Onemoretime?Forthe
audience?"hesays.Hisvoiceisn'tangry.It'shollow,
whichisworse.Alreadytheboywiththebreadis
slippingawayfromme.
Itakehishand,holdingontightly,preparingforthe
cameras,anddreadingthemomentwhenIwillfinally
havetoletgo.
357|Page
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ENDOFBOOKONE
345/345

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