Голодные игры

           PeetaMellarksitswaitingforus,thechairnexttohimempty.

           "Where’sHaymitch?"asksEffieTrinketbrightly.

           "LasttimeIsawhim,hesaidhewasgoingtotakeanap,"saysPeeta.

           "Well,it’sbeenanexhaustingday,"saysEffieTrinket.Ithinkshe’srelievedbyHaymitch’sabsence,andwhocanblameher?

           Thesuppercomesincourses.Athickcarrotsoup,greensalad,lambchopsandmashedpotatoes,cheeseandfruit,achocolatecake.Throughoutthemeal,EffieTrinketkeepsremindingustosavespacebecausethere’smoretocome.ButI’mstuffingmyselfbecauseI’veneverhadfoodlikethis,sogoodandsomuch,andbecauseprobablythebestthingIcandobetweennowandtheGamesisputonafewpounds.

           "Atleast,youtwohavedecentmanners,"saysEffieaswe’refinishingthemaincourse."Thepairlastyearateeverythingwiththeirhandslikeacoupleofsavages.Itcompletelyupsetmydigestion."

           ThepairlastyearweretwokidsfromtheSeamwho’dnever,notonedayoftheirlives,hadenoughtoeat.Andwhentheydidhavefood,tablemannersweresurelythelastthingontheirminds.Peeta’sabaker’sson.MymothertaughtPrimandItoeatproperly,soyes,Icanhandleaforkandknife.ButIhateEffieTrinket’scommentsomuchImakeapointofeatingtherestofmymealwithmyfingers.ThenIwipemyhandsonthetablecloth.Thismakesherpurseherlipstightlytogether.

           Nowthatthemeal’sover,I’mfightingtokeepthefooddown.IcanseePeeta’slookingalittlegreen,too.