Голодные игры

           "Thenlet’shopeCatokillshim,sowedon’thaveto,"saysPeetagrimly.

           Idon’twantCatotokillThreshatall.Idon’twantanyoneelsetodie.Butthisisabsolutelynotthekindofthingthatvictorsgoaroundsayinginthearena.Despitemybestefforts,Icanfeeltearsstartingtopoolinmyeyes.

           Peetalooksatmeinconcern."Whatisit?Areyouinalotofpain?"

           Igivehimanotheranswer,becauseitisequallytruebutcanbetakenasabriefmomentofweaknessinsteadofaterminalone."Iwanttogohome,Peeta,"Isayplaintively,likeasmallchild.

           "Youwill.Ipromise,"hesays,andbendsovertogivemeakiss.

           "Iwanttogohomenow,"Isay.

           "Tellyouwhat.Yougobacktosleepanddreamofhome.Andyou’llbethereforrealbeforeyouknowit,"liesays."Okay?"

           "Okay,"Iwhisper."Wakemeifyouneedmetokeepwatch."

           "I’mgoodandrested,thankstoyouandHaymitch.Besides,whoknowshowlongthiswilllast?"hesays.

           Whatdoeshemean?Thestorm?Thebriefrespiteiibringsus?TheGamesthemselves?Idon’tknow,butI’mionsadandtiredtoask.

           It’seveningwhenPeetawakesmeagain.Therainhasturnedtoadownpour,sendingstreamsofwaterthroughourceilingwhereearliertherehadbeenonlydrips.Peetahasplacedthebrothpotundertheworstoneandrepositionedtheplastictodeflectmostofitfromme.Ifeelabitbetter,abletositupwithoutgettingtoodizzy,andI’mabsolutelyfamished.SoisPeeta.It’sclearhe’sbeenwaitingformetowakeuptoeatandiseagertogetstarted.

           There’snotmuchleft.