Голодные игры

           Haymitch’sdirectivetoimmediatelyfindwaterwasnotarbitrary.Iwon’tlastlongwithoutit.Forafewdays,I’llbeabletofunctionwithunpleasantsymptomsofdehydration,butafterthatI’lldeteriorateintohelplessnessandbedeadinaweek,tops.Icarefullylayouttheprovisions.Onethinblacksleepingbagthatreflectsbodyheal.Apackofcrackers.Apackofdriedbeefstrips.Abottleofiodine.Aboxofwoodenmatches.Asmallcoilofwire.Apairofsunglasses.Andahalf-gallonplasticbottlewithacapforcarryingwaterthat’sbonedry.

           Nowater.Howhardwouldithavebeenforthemtofillupthebottle?Ibecomeawareofthedrynessinmythroatandmouth,thecracksinmylips.I’vebeenmovingalldaylong.It’sbeenhotandI’vesweatalot.Idothisathome,buttherearealwaysstreamstodrinkfrom,orsnowtomeltifitshouldcometoit.

           AsIrefillmypackIhaveanawfulthought.Thelake.TheoneIsawwhileIwaswaitingforthegongtosound.Whatifthat’stheonlywatersourceinthearena?Thatwaythey’llguaranteedrawingusintofight.Thelakeisafullday’sjourneyfromwhereIsitnow,amuchharderjourneywithnothingtodrink.Andthen,evenifIreachit,it’ssuretobeheavilyguardedbysomeoftheCareerTributes.I’mabouttopanicwhenIremembertherabbitIstartledearliertoday.Ithastodrink,too.Ijusthavetofindoutwhere.

           TwilightisclosinginandIamillatease.Thetreesaretoothintooffermuchconcealment.