Голодные игры
Chapter 1
Wehavetojokeaboutit becausethealternativeistobescaredoutofyourwits. Besides,theCapitolaccentissoaffected,almostanythingsoundsfunnyinit.
IwatchasGalepullsouthisknifeandslicesthebread. Hecouldbemybrother. Straightblackhair,oliveskin,weevenhavethesamegrayeyes. Butwe’renotrelated,atleastnotclosely. Mostofthefamilieswhoworktheminesresembleoneanotherthisway.
That’swhymymotherandPrim,withtheirlighthairandblueeyes,alwayslookoutofplace. Theyare. Mymother’sparentswerepartofthesmallmerchantclassthatcaterstoofficials,Peacekeepers,andtheoccasionalSeamcustomer.TheyrananapothecaryshopinthenicerpartofDistrict12. Sincealmostnoonecanafforddoctors,apothecariesareourhealers. Myfathergottoknowmymotherbecauseonhishuntshewouldsometimescollectmedicinalherbsandsellthemtohershoptobebrewedintoremedies. ShemusthavereallylovedhimtoleaveherhomefortheSeam. ItrytorememberthatwhenallIcanseeisthewomanwhosatby,blank andunreachable,whileherchildrenturnedtoskinandbones. Itrytoforgiveherformyfather’ssake. Buttobehonest,I’mnottheforgivingtype.
Galespreadsthebreadsliceswiththesoftgoatcheese,carefullyplacingabasilleafoneach whileIstripthebushesoftheirberries. Wesettlebackinanookintherocks.
