Голодные игры

           Andthen,becauseit’sEffieandshe’sapparentlyrequiredbylawtosaysomethingawful,sheadds"Iwouldn’tbeatallsurprisedifIfinallygetpromotedtoadecentdistrictnextyear!"

           Thenshekissesuseachonthecheekandhurriesout,overcomewitheithertheemotionalpartingorthepossibleimprovementofherfortunes.

           Haymitchcrosseshisarmsandlooksusbothover.

           "Anyfinalwordsofadvice?"asksPeeta.

           "Whenthegongsounds,getthehelloutofthere.You’reneitherofyouuptothebloodbathattheCornucopia.Justclearout,putasmuchdistanceasyoucanbetweenyourselvesandtheothers,andfindasourceofwater,"hesays."Gotit?"

           "Andafterthat?"Iask.

           "Stayalive,"saysHaymitch.It’sthesameadvicehegaveusonthetrain,buthe’snotdrunkandlaughingthistime.Andweonlynod.Whatelseistheretosay?

           WhenIheadtomyroom,PeetalingerstotalktoPortia.I’mglad.Whateverstrangewordsofpartingweexchangecanwaituntiltomorrow.Mycoversaredrawnback,butthereisnosignoftheredheadedAvoxgirl.IwishIknewhername.Ishouldhaveaskedit.Shecouldwriteitdownmaybe.Oractitout.Butperhapsthatwouldonlyresultinpunishmentforher.

           Itakeashowerandscrubthegoldpaint,themakeup,thescentofbeautyfrommybody.Allthatremainsofthedesign-team’seffortsaretheflamesonmynails.IdecidetokeepthemasreminderofwhoIamtotheaudience.Katniss,thegirlwhowasonfire.Perhapsitwillgivemesomethingtoholdontointhedaystocome.