Голодные игры
Chapter 20
GaleandIwenttothemarketonthesquaresothatIcouldbuydressmaterials.AsIwasrunningmyfingersoveralengthofthickbluecottoncloth,somethingcaughtmyeye.There’sanoldmanwhokeepsasmallherdofgoatsontheothersideoftheSeam.Idon’tknowhisrealname,everyonejustcallshimtheGoatMan.Hisjointsareswollenandtwistedinpainfulangles,andhe’sgotahackingcoughthatproveshespentyearsinthemines.Buthe’slucky.Somewherealongthewayhesavedupenoughforthesegoatsandnowhassomethingtodoinhisoldagebesidesslowlystarvetodeath.He’sfilthyandimpatient,butthegoatsarecleanandtheirmilkisrichifyoucanaffordit.
Oneofthegoats,awhiteonewithblackpatches,waslyingdowninacart.Itwaseasytoseewhy.Something,probablyadog,hadmauledhershoulderandinfectionhadsetin.Itwasbad,theGoatManhadtoholdheruptomilkher.ButIthoughtIknewsomeonewhocouldfixit.
"Gale,"Iwhispered."IwantthatgoatforPrim."
OwninganannygoatcanchangeyourlifeinDistrict12.Theanimalscanliveoffalmostanything,theMeadow’saperfectfeedingplace,andtheycangivefourquartsofmilkaday.Todrink,tomakeintocheese,tosell.It’snotevenagainstthelaw.
"She’shurtprettybad,"saidGale."Webettertakeacloserlook."
Wewentoverandboughtacupofmilktoshare,thenstoodoverthegoatasifidlycurious.
"Letherbe,"saidtheman.
"Justlooking,"saidGale.
"Well,lookfast.Shegoestothebutchersoon.
