Голодные игры

           Ireachherjustassheisabouttomountthesteps.Withonesweepofmyarm,Ipushherbehindme.

           "Ivolunteer!"Igasp."Ivolunteerastribute!"

           There’ssomeconfusiononthestage.District12hasn’thadavolunteerindecadesandtheprotocolhasbecomerusty.Theruleisthatonceatribute’snamehasbeenpulledfromtheball,anothereligibleboy,ifaboy’snamehasbeenread,orgirl,ifagirl’snamehasbeenread,canstepforwardtotakehisorherplace.Insomedistricts,inwhichwinningthereapingissuchagreathonor,peopleareeagertorisktheirlives,thevolunteeringiscomplicated.ButinDistrict12,wherethewordtributeisprettymuchsynonymouswiththewordcorpse,volunteersareallbutextinct.

           "Lovely!"saysEffieTrinket."ButIbelievethere’sasmallmatterofintroducingthereapingwinnerandthenaskingforvolunteers,andifonedoescomeforththenwe,um."shetrailsoff,unsureherself.

           "Whatdoesitmatter?"saysthemayor.He’slookingatmewithapainedexpressiononhisface.Hedoesn’tknowmereally,butthere’safaintrecognitionthere.Iamthegirlwhobringsthestrawberries.Thegirlhisdaughtermighthavespokenofonoccasion.Thegirlwhofiveyearsagostoodhuddledwithhermotherandsister,ashepresentedher,theoldestchild,withamedalofvalor.Amedalforherfather,vaporizedinthemines.Doesherememberthat?"Whatdoesitmatter?"herepeatsgruffly."Lethercomeforward."

           Primisscreaminghystericallybehindme.She’swrappedherskinnyarmsaroundmelikeavice.