Голодные игры

           "Therecouldbeanythinginthere."

           Idon’tsaysobutPeeta’swordsremindmeofthewarningstheygiveusaboutnotgoingbeyondthefenceinDistrict12.Ican’thelp,foramoment,comparinghimwithGale,whowouldseethatfieldasapotentialsourceoffoodaswellasathreat.Threshcertainlydid.It’snotthatPeeta’ssoftexactly,andhe’sprovedhe’snotacoward.Buttherearethingsyoudon’tquestiontoomuch,Iguess,whenyourhomealwayssmellslikebakingbread,whereasGalequestionseverything.WhatwouldPeetathinkoftheirreverentbanterthatpassesbetweenusaswebreakthelaweachday?Woulditshockhim?ThethingswesayaboutPanem?Gale’stiradesagainsttheCapitol?

           "Maybethereisabreadbushinthatfield,"Isay."Maybethat’swhyThreshlooksbetterfednowthanwhenwestartedtheGames."

           "Eitherthatorhe’sgotverygeneroussponsors,"saysPeeta."Iwonderwhatwe’dhavetodotogetHaymitchtosendussomebread."

           IraisemyeyebrowsbeforeIrememberhedoesn’tknowaboutthemessageHaymitchsentusacoupleofnightsago.Onekissequalsonepotofbroth.It’snotthesortofthingIcanblurtout,either.Tosaymythoughtsaloudwouldbetippingofftheaudiencethattheromancehasbeenfabricatedtoplayontheirsympathiesandthatwouldresultinnofoodatall.Somehow,believably,I’vegottogetthingsbackontrack.Somethingsimpletostartwith.Ireachoutandtakehishand.

           "Well,heprobablyusedupalotofresourceshelpingmeknockyouout,"Isaymischievously.