Голодные игры

           Nosandals,either,butapairofsturdyblackbootshekeepssolidlyplantedonthestage.IwishCinnahadgivenmeasimilaroutfit,Ifeelsovulnerableinthisflimsydress.ButIguessthatwasthepoint.

           CaesarFlickermanmakesafewmorejokes,andthenit’stimefortheshow.ThiswilllastexactlythreehoursandisrequiredviewingforallofPanem.Asthelightsdimandthesealappearsonthescreen,IrealizeI’munpreparedforthis.Idonotwanttowatchmytwenty-twofellowtributesdie.Isawenoughofthemdiethefirsttime.MyheartstartspoundingandIhaveastrongimpulsetorun.Howhavetheothervictorsfacedthisalone?Duringthehighlights,theyperiodicallyshowthewinner’sreactionuponaboxinthecornerofthescreen.Ithinkbacktoearlieryears.somearetriumphant,pumpingtheirfistsintheair,beatingtheirchests.Mostjustseemstunned.AllIknowisthattheonlythingkeepingmeonthisloveseatisPeeta-hisarmaroundmyshoulder,hisotherhandclaimedbybothofmine.Ofcourse,thepreviousvictorsdidn’thavetheCapitollookingforawaytodestroythem.

           Condensingseveralweeksintothreehoursisquiteafeat,especiallywhenyouconsiderhowmanycamerasweregoingatonce.Whoeverputstogetherthehighlightshastochoosewhatsortofstorytotell.Thisyear,forthefirsttime,theytellalovestory.IknowPeetaandIwon,butadisproportionateamountoftimeisspentonus,rightfromthebeginning.