Голодные игры
Chapter 9
Mypalmsaresweatinglikecrazy,butthejeweleddressisn’tabsorbentandtheyskidrightofifItrytodrythem.11.
Rue,whoisdressedinagossamergowncompletewithwings,fluttersherwaytoCaesar.Ahushfallsoverthecrowdatthesightofthismagicalwispofatribute.Caesar’sverysweetwithher,complimentinghersevenintraining,anexcellentscoreforonesosmall.Whenheasksherwhathergreateststrengthinthearenawillbe,shedoesn’thesitate."I’mveryhardtocatch,"shesaysinatremulousvoice."Andiftheycan’tcatchme,theycan’tkillme.Sodon’tcountmeout."
"Iwouldn’tinamillionyears,"saysCaesarencouragingly.
TheboytributefromDistrict11,Thresh,hasthesamedarkskinasRue,buttheresemblancestopsthere.He’soneofthegiants,probablysixandahalffeettallandbuiltlikeanox,butInoticedherejectedtheinvitationsfromtheCareerTributestojointheircrowd.Insteadhe’sbeenverysolitary,speakingtonoone,showinglittleinterestintraining.Evenso,hescoredatenandit’snothardtoimagineheimpressedtheGamemakers.HeignoresCaesar’sattemptsatbanterandanswerswithayesornoorjustremainssilent.
IfonlyIwashissize,Icouldgetawaywithsullenandhostileanditwouldbejustfine!Ibethalfthesponsorsareatleastconsideringhim.IfIhadanymoney,I’dbetonhimmyself.
Andthenthey’recallingKatnissEverdeen,andIfeelmyself,asifinadream,standingandmakingmywaycenterstage.
