Голодные игры

           DisappearintothewoodslikeIdidthatdaytheybroughttheburnvictimtoourhouse.GoandhuntwhilemymotherandPrimattendtowhatIhaveneithertheskillnorthecouragetoface.Butthere’snooneherebutme.Itrytocapturethecalmdemeanormymotherassumeswhenhandlingparticularlybadcases.

           "Prettyawful,huh?"saysPeeta.He’swatchingmeclosely.

           "So-so."Ishruglikeit’snobigdeal."Youshouldseesomeofthepeopletheybringmymotherfromthemines."IrefrainfromsayinghowIusuallyclearoutofthehousewhenevershe’streatinganythingworsethanacold.Cometothinkofit,Idon’tevenmuchliketobearoundcoughing."Firstthingistocleanitwell."

           I’veleftonPeeta’sundershortsbecausethey’renotinbadshapeandIdon’twanttopullthemovertheswollenthighand,allright,maybetheideaofhimbeingnakedmakesmeuncomfortable.That’sanotherthingaboutmymotherandPrim.Nakednesshasnoeffectonthem,givesthemnocauseforembarrassment.Ironically,atthispointintheGames,mylittlesisterwouldbeoffarmoreusetoPeetathanIam.IscootmysquareofplasticunderhimsoIcanwashdowntherestofhim.WitheachbottleIpouroverhim,theworsethewoundlooks.Therestofhislowerbodyhasfaredprettywell,justonetrackerjackerstingandafewsmallburnsthatItreatquickly.Butthegashonhisleg.whatonearthcanIdoforthat?

           "Whydon’twegiveitsomeairandthen."Itrailoff.

           "Andthenyou’llpatchitup?"saysPeeta.