Голодные игры

           ThattheCareerTributeswhosurvivethebloodbathwilldivideupmostoftheselife-sustainingspoils.Somethingcatchesmyeye.There,restingonamoundofblanketrolls,isasilversheathofarrowsandabow,alreadystrung,justwaitingtobeengaged.That’smine,Ithink.It’smeantforme.

           I’mfast.Icansprintfasterthananyofthegirlsinourschoolalthoughacouplecanbeatmeindistanceraces.Butthisforty-yardlength,thisiswhatIambuiltfor.IknowIcangetit,IknowIcanreachitfirst,butthenthequestionishowquicklycanIgetoutofthere?BythetimeI’vescrambledupthepacksandgrabbedtheweapons,otherswillhavereachedthehorn,andoneortwoImightbeabletopickoff,butsaythere’sadozen,atthatcloserange,theycouldtakemedownwiththespearsandtheclubs.Ortheirownpowerfulfists.

           Still,Iwon’tbetheonlytarget.I’mbettingmanyoftheothertributeswouldpassupasmallergirl,evenonewhoscoredanelevenintraining,totakeouttheirmorefierceadversaries.

           Haymitchhasneverseenmerun.Maybeifhehadhe’dtellmetogoforit.Gettheweapon.Sincethat’stheveryweaponthatmightbemysalvation.AndIonlyseeonebowinthatwholepile.IknowtheminutemustbealmostupandwillhavetodecidewhatmystrategywillbeandIfindmyselfpositioningmyfeettorun,notawayintothestirroundingforestsbuttowardthepile,towardthebow.