Голодные игры
Chapter 12
Thesun’sbeatingdown,evenmoresearingthanthefirsttwodays.Ifeellikeanoldpieceofleather,dryingandcrackingintheheat.everystepisaneffort,butIrefusetostop.Irefusetositdown.IfIsit,there’sagoodchanceIwon’tbeabletogetupagain,thatIwon’tevenremembermytask.
WhateasypreyIam!Anytribute,eventinyRue,couldtakemerightnow,merelyshovemeoverandkillmewithmyownknife,andI’dhavelittlestrengthtoresist.Butifanyoneisinmypartofthewoods,theyignoreme.Thetruthis,Ifeelamillionmilesfromanotherlivingsoul.
Notalonethough.No,they’vesurelygotacameratrackingmenow.Ithinkbacktotheyearsofwatchingtributesstarve,freeze,bleed,anddehydratetodeath.Unlessthere’sareallygoodfightgoingonsomewhere,I’mbeingfeatured.
MythoughtsturntoPrim.It’slikelyshewon’tbewatchingmelive,butthey’llshowupdatesattheschoolduringlunch.Forhersake,ItrytolookasleastdesperateasIcan.
Butbyafternoon,Iknowtheendiscoming.Mylegsareshakingandmyhearttooquick.Ikeepforgetting,exactlywhatI’mdoing.I’vestumbledrepeatedlyandmanagedtoregainmyfeet,butwhenthestickslidesoutfromunderme,Ifinallytumbletothegroundunabletogetup.Iletmyeyesclose.
IhavemisjudgedHaymitch.Hehasnointentionofhelpingmeatall.
Thisisallright,Ithink.Thisisnotsobadhere.Theairislesshot,signifyingevening’sapproach.There’saslight,sweetscentthatremindsmeoflilies.
