Голодные игры

           Sothecenterswereshutdownandthebirdswereabandonedtodieoffinthewild.

           Onlytheydidn’tdieoff.Instead,thejabberjaysmatedwithfemalemockingbirdscreatingawholenewspeciesthatcouldreplicatebothbirdwhistlesandhumanmelodies.Theyhadlosttheabilitytoenunciatewordsbutcouldstillmimicarangeofhumanvocalsounds,fromachild’shigh-pitchedwarbletoaman’sdeeptones.Andtheycouldre-createsongs.Notjustafewnotes,butwholesongswithmultipleverses,ifyouhadthepatiencetosingthemandiftheylikedyourvoice.

           Myfatherwasparticularlyfondofmockingjays.Whenwewenthunting,hewouldwhistleorsingcomplicatedsongstothemand,afterapolitepause,they’dalwayssingback.Noteveryoneistreatedwithsuchrespect.Butwhenevermyfathersang,allthebirdsintheareawouldfallsilentandlisten.Hisvoicewasthatbeautiful,highandclearandsofilledwithlifeitmadeyouwanttolaughandcryatthesametime.Icouldneverbringmyselftocontinuethepracticeafterhewasgone.Still,there’ssomethingcomfortingaboutthelittlebird.It’slikehavingapieceofmyfatherwithme,protectingme.Ifastenthepinontomyshirt,andwiththedarkgreenfabricasabackground,Icanalmostimaginethemockingjayflyingthroughthetrees.

           EffieTrinketcomestocollectmeforsupper.Ifollowherthroughthenarrow,rockingcorridorintoadiningroomwithpolishedpaneledwalls.There’satablewhereallthedishesarehighlybreakable.