Голодные игры
Chapter 13
Iheartheircoughs,theirraspyvoicescallingtooneanother.
Still,theyareclosingin,justlikeapackofwilddogs,andsoIdowhatIhavedonemywholelifeinsuchcircumstances.Ipickahightreeandbegintoclimb.Ifrunninghurt,climbingisagonizingbecauseitrequiresnotonlyexertionbutdirectcontactofmyhandsonthetreebark.I’mfast,though,andbythetimethey’vereachedthebaseofmytrunk,I’mtwentyfeetup.Foramoment,westopandsurveyoneanother.Ihopetheycan’thearthepoundingofmyheart.
Thiscouldbeit,Ithink.WhatchancedoIhaveagainstthem?Allsixarethere,thefiveCareersandPeeta,andmyonlyconsolationisthey’reprettybeat-up,too.Evenso,lookattheirweapons.Lookattheirfaces,grinningandsnarlingatme,asurekillabovethem.Itseemsprettyhopeless.Butthensomethingelseregisters.They’rebiggerandstrongerthanIam,nodoubt,butthey’realsoheavier.There’sareasonit’smeandnotGalewhoventuresuptopluckthehighestfruit,orrobthemostremotebirdnests.ImustweighatleastfiftyorsixtypoundslessthanthesmallestCareer.
NowIsmile."How’severythingwithyou?"Icalldowncheerfully.
Thistakesthemaback,butIknowthecrowdwillloveit.
"Wellenough,"saystheboyfromDistrict2."Yourself?"
"It’sbeenabitwarmformytaste,"Isay.IcanalmosthearthelaughterfromtheCapitol."Theair’sbetteruphere.Whydon’tyoucomeonup?"
"ThinkIwill,"saysthesameboy.
