Голодные игры

           ThestrongfattycheesetastesjustlikethekindPrimmakes,theapplesaresweetandcrunchy."Mm."

           "Wemakeagoatcheeseandappletartatthebakery,"hesays.

           "Betthat’sexpensive,"Isay.

           "Tooexpensiveformyfamilytoeat.Unlessit’sgoneverystale.Ofcourse,practicallyeverythingweeatisstale,"saysPeeta,pullingthesleepingbaguparoundhim.Inlessthanaminute,he’ssnoring.

           Huh.Ialwaysassumedtheshopkeepersliveasoftlife.

           Andit’strue,Peetahasalwayshadenoughtoeat.Butthere’ssomethingkindofdepressingaboutlivingyourlifeonstalebread,thehard,dryloavesthatnooneelsewanted.Onethingaboutus,sinceIbringourfoodhomeonadailybasis,mostofitissofreshyouhavetomakesureitisn’tgoingtomakearunforit.

           Somewhereduringmyshift,therainstopsnotgraduallybutallatonce.Thedownpourendsandthere’sonlytheresidualdrippingsofwaterfrombranches,therushofthenowoverflowingstreambelowus.Afull,beautifulmoonemerges,andevenwithouttheglassesIcanseeoutside.Ican’tdecideifthemoonisrealormerelyaprojectionoftheGamemakers.IknowitwasfullshortlybeforeIlefthome.GaleandIwatcheditriseaswehuntedintothelatehours.

           HowlonghaveIbeengone?I’mguessingit’sbeenabouttwoweeksinthearena,andtherewasthatweekofpreparationintheCapitol.Maybethemoonhascompleteditscycle.Forsomereason,Ibadlywantittobemymoon,thesameoneIseefromthewoodsaroundDistrict12.