Голодные игры
Chapter 16
Idon’tseeanyothertributes,butIdonoticesomeofthethingsRuehasmentioned.Patchesofthesweetberries.Abushwiththeleavesthathealedmystings.ClustersoftrackerjackernestsinthevicinityofthetreeIwastrappedin.Andhereandthere,theblack-and-whiteflashofamockingjaywinginthebrancheshighovermyhead.
WhenIreachthetreewiththeabandonednestatthefoot,Ipauseamoment,togathermycourage.Ruehasgivenspecificinstructionsonhowtoreachthebestspyingplacenearthelakefromthispoint.Remember,Itellmyself.You’rethehunternow,notthem.Igetafirmergrasponmybowandgoon.ImakeittothecopseRuehastoldmeaboutandagainhavetoadmirehercleverness.It’srightattheedgeofthewood,butthebushyfoliageissothickdownlowIcaneasilyobservetheCareercampwithoutbeingspotted.BetweenusliestheflatexpansewheretheGamesbegan.
Therearefourtributes.TheboyfromDistrict1,CatoandthegirlfromDistrict2,andascrawny,ashen-skinnedboywhomustbefromDistrict3.HemadealmostnoimpressiononmeatallduringourtimeintheCapitol.Icanrememberalmostnothingabouthim,nothiscostume,nothistrainingscore,nothisinterview.Evennow,ashesitstherefiddlingwithsomekindofplasticbox,he’seasilyignoredinthepresenceofhislargeanddomineeringcompanions.Buthemustbeofsomevalueortheywouldn’thavebotheredtolethimlive.
