Голодные игры

           Afterthreeapplicationsandwhatseemslikeabucketofpus,thewounddoeslookbetter.Nowthattheswellinghasgonedown,IcanseehowdeepCato’sswordcut.Rightdowntothebone.

           "Whatnext,Dr.Everdeen?"heasks.

           "MaybeI’llputsomeoftheburnointmentonit.Ithinkithelpswithinfectionanyway.Andwrapitup?"Isay.Idoandthewholethingseemsalotmoremanageable,coveredincleanwhitecotton.Although,againstthesterilebandage,thehemofhisundershortslooksfilthyandteemingwithcontagion.IpulloutRue’sbackpack."Here,coveryourselfwiththisandI’llwashyourshorts."

           "Oh,Idon’tcareifyouseeme,"saysPeeta.

           "You’rejustliketherestofmyfamily,"Isay."Icare,allright?"Iturnmybackandlookatthestreamuntiltheundershortssplashintothecurrent.Hemustbefeelingabitbetterifhecanthrow.

           "Youknow,you’rekindofsqueamishforsuchalethalperson,"saysPeetaasIbeattheshortscleanbetweentworocks."IwishI’dletyougiveHaymitchashowerafterall."

           Iwrinklemynoseatthememory."What’shesentyousofar?"

           "Notathing,"saysPeeta.Thenthere’sapauseasithitshim."Why,didyougetsomething?"

           "Burnmedicine,"Isayalmostsheepishly."Oh,andsomebread."

           "Ialwaysknewyouwerehisfavorite,"saysPeeta.

           "Please,hecan’tstandbeinginthesameroomwithme,"Isay.

           "Becauseyou’rejustalike,"muttersPeeta.Iignoreitthoughbecausethisreallyisn’tthetimeformetobeinsultingHaymitch,whichismyfirstimpulse.