Голодные игры
Chapter 14
Istareuncomprehendinglyasatrickleofwaterdripsoffastingunderhisear.Hiswholebodystartssparklingasifhe’sbeendippedindew."Areyoumad?"He’sproddingmewiththeshaftofthespearnow."Getup!Getup!"Irise,buthe’sstillpushingatme.What?Whatisgoingon?Heshovesmeawayfromhimhard."Run!"hescreams."Run!"
Behindhim,Catoslasheshiswaythroughthebrush.He’ssparklingwet,too,andbadlystungunderoneeye.IcatchthegleamofsunlightonhisswordanddoasPeetasays.Holdingtightlytomybowandarrows,bangingintotreesthatappearoutofnowhere,trippingandfallingasItrytokeepmybalance.Backpastmypoolandintounfamiliarwoods.Theworldbeginstobendinalarmingways.Abutterflyballoonstothesizeofahousethenshattersintoamillionstars.Treestransformtobloodandsplashdownovermyboots.AntsbegintocrawloutoftheblistersonmyhandsandIcan’tshakethemfree.They’reclimbingupmyarms,myneck.Someone’sscreaming,alonghighpitchedscreamthatneverbreaksforbreath.Ihaveavagueideaitmightbeme.Itripandfallintoasmallpitlinedwithtinyorangebubblesthathumlikethetrackerjackernest.Tuckingmykneesuptomychin,Iwaitfordeath.
Sickanddisoriented,I’mabletoformonlyonethought:PeetaMellarkjustsavedmylife.
ThentheantsboreintomyeyesandIblackout.
