Голодные игры

           WhensuddenlyInoticePeeta,he’saboutfivetributestomyright,quiteafairdistance,stillIcantellhe’slookingatmeandIthinkhemightbeshakinghishead.Butthesun’sinmyeyes,andwhileI’mpuzzlingoveritthegongringsout.

           AndI’vemissedit!I’vemissedmychance!BecausethoseextracoupleofsecondsI’velostbynotbeingreadyareenoughtochangemymindaboutgoingin.Myfeetshuffleforamoment,confusedatthedirectionmybrainwantstotakeandthenIlungeforward,scoopupthesheetofplasticandaloafofbread.ThepickingsaresosmallandI’msoangrywithPeetafordistractingmethatIsprintintwentyyardstoretrieveabrightorangebackpackthatcouldholdanythingbecauseIcan’tstandleavingwithvirtuallynothing.

           Aboy,IthinkfromDistrict9,reachesthepackatthesametimeIdoandforabrieftimewegrappleforitandthenhecoughs,splatteringmyfacewithblood.Istaggerback,repulsedbythewarm,stickyspray.Thentheboyslipstotheground.That’swhenIseetheknifeinhisback.AlreadyothertributeshavereachedtheCornucopiaandarespreadingouttoattack.Yes,thegirlfromDistrict2,tenyardsaway,runningtowardme,onehandclutchingahalf-dozenknives.I’veseenherthrowintraining.Shenevermisses.AndI’mhernexttarget.

           AllthegeneralfearI’vebeenfeelingcondensesintoatimmediatefearofthisgirl,thispredatorwhomightkillmeinseconds.AdrenalineshootsthroughmeandIslingthepackoveroneshoulderandrunfull-speedforthewoods.