Голодные игры

           TheHeadPeacekeeperlovedwildturkey.Themayorhadapassionforstrawberries.

           Inlatesummer,IwaswashingupinapondwhenInoticedtheplantsgrowingaroundme.Tallwithleaveslikearrowheads.Blossomswiththreewhitepetals.Ikneltdowninthewater,myfingersdiggingintothesoftmud,andIpulleduphandfulsoftheroots.Small,bluishtubersthatdon’tlooklikemuchbutboiledorbakedareasgoodasanypotato."Katniss,"Isaidaloud.It’stheplantIwasnamedfor.AndIheardmyfather’svoicejoking,"Aslongasyoucanfindyourself,you’llneverstarve."Ispenthoursstirringupthepondbedwithmytoesandastick,gatheringthetubersthatfloatedtothetop.Thatnight,wefeastedonfishandkatnissrootsuntilwewereall,forthefirsttimeinmonths,full.

           Slowly,mymotherreturnedtous.ShebegantocleanandcookandpreservesomeofthefoodIbroughtinforwinter.Peopletradedusorpaidmoneyforhermedicalremedies.Oneday,Iheardhersinging.

           Primwasthrilledtohaveherback,butIkeptwatching,waitingforhertodisappearonusagain.Ididn’ttrusther.Andsomesmallgnarledplaceinsidemehatedherforherweakness,forherneglect,forthemonthsshehadputusthrough.Primforgaveher,butIhadtakenastepbackfrommymother,putupawalltoprotectmyselffromneedingher,andnothingwaseverthesamebetweenusagain.

           NowIwasgoingtodiewithoutthateverbeingsetright.IthoughtofhowIhadyelledathertodayintheJusticeBuilding.IhadtoldherIlovedher,too,though.