Голодные игры

           Icanatleastvisitthespotwhereshesetthethirdfireandseeifthereareanycluestoherwhereabouts.

           BeforeIgo,Iscatterafewmintleavesaroundouroldcampfire.Sincewegatheredthesesomedistanceaway,RuewillunderstandI’vebeenhere,whilethey’llmeannothingtotheCareers.

           Inlessthananhour,I’mattheplacewhereweagreedtohavethethirdfireandIknowsomethinghasgoneamiss.Thewoodhasbeenneatlyarranged,expertlyinterspersedwithtinder,butithasneverbeenlit.Ruesetupthefirebutnevermadeitbackhere.SomewherebetweenthesecondcolumnofsmokeIspiedbeforeIblewupthesuppliesandthispoint,sheranintotrouble.

           Ihavetoremindmyselfshe’sstillalive.Orisshe?Couldthecannonshotannouncingherdeathhavecomeintheweehoursofthemorningwhenevenmygoodearwastoobrokentopickitup?Willsheappearintheskytonight?No,Irefusetobelieveit.Therecouldbeahundredotherexplanations.Shecouldhavelostherway.Runintoapackofpredatorsoranothertribute,likeThresh,andhadtohide.Whateverhappened,I’malmostcertainshe’sstuckoutthere,somewherebetweenthesecondfireandtheunlitoneatmyfeet.Somethingiskeepingherupatree.

           IthinkI’llgohuntitdown.

           It’sarelieftobedoingsomethingaftersittingaroundallafternoon.Icreepsilentlythroughtheshadows,lettingthemconcealme.Butnothingseemssuspicious.There’snosignofanykindofstruggle,nodisruptionoftheneedlesontheground.I’vestoppedforjustamomentwhenIhearit