Голодные игры

           Weextinguishourfireandheadupstreamuntilit’salmostnightfall.

           "Wheredoyousleep?"Iaskher."Inthetrees?"Shenods."Injustyourjacket?"

           Rueholdsupherextrapairofsocks."Ihavetheseformyhands."

           Ithinkofhowcoldthenightshavebeen."Youcansharemysleepingbagifyouwant.We’llbotheasilyfit."Herfacelightsup.Icantellthisismorethanshedaredhopefor.

           Wepickaforkhighinatreeandsettleinforthenightjustastheanthembeginstoplay.Therewerenodeathstoday.

           "Rue,Ionlywokeuptoday.HowmanynightsdidImiss?"Theanthemshouldblockoutourwords,butstillIwhisper.Ieventaketheprecautionofcoveringmylipswithmyhand.Idon’twanttheaudiencetoknowwhatI’mplanningtotellheraboutPeeta.Takingacuefromme,shedoesthesame.

           "Two,"shesays."ThegirlsfromDistrictsOneandFouraredead.There’stenofusleft."

           "Somethingstrangehappened.Atleast,Ithinkitdid.Itmighthavebeenthetrackerjackervenommakingmeimaginethings,"Isay."Youknowtheboyfrommydistrict?Peeta?Ithinkhesavedmylife.ButhewaswiththeCareers."

           "He’snotwiththemnow,"shesays."I’vespiedontheirbasecampbythelake.Theymadeitbackbeforetheycollapsedfromthestingers.Buthe’snotthere.Maybehedidsaveyouandhadtorun."

           Idon’tanswer.If,infact,Peetadidsaveme,I’minhisdebtagain.Andthiscan’tbepaidback."Ifhedid,itwasallprobablyjustpartofhisact.Youknow,tomakepeoplethinkhe’sinlovewithme."

           "Oh,"saysRuethoughtfully