Голодные игры
Chapter 7
"Butyouwon’t!You’llbelivingupinsometreeeatingrawsquirrelsandpickingoffpeoplewitharrows.Youknowwhatmymothersaidtomewhenshecametosaygood-bye,asiftocheermeup,shesaysmaybeDistrictTwelvewillfinallyhaveawinner.ThenIrealized,shedidn’tmeanme,shemeantyou!"burstsoutPeeta.
"Oh,shemeantyou,"Isaywithawaveofdismissal.
"Shesaid,’She’sasurvivor,thatone.’Sheis,"saysPeeta.
Thatpullsmeupshort.Didhismotherreallysaythataboutme?Didsheratemeoverherson?IseethepaininPeeta’seyesandknowheisn’tlying.
SuddenlyI’mbehindthebakeryandIcanfeelthechilloftherainrunningdownmyback,thehollownessinmybelly.IsoundelevenyearsoldwhenIspeak."Butonlybecausesomeonehelpedme."
Peeta’seyesflickerdowntotherollinmyhands,andIknowheremembersthatday,too.Buthejustshrugs."Peoplewillhelpyouinthearena.They’llbetrippingovereachothertosponsoryou."
"Nomorethanyou,"Isay.
PeetarollshiseyesatHaymitch."Shehasnoidea.Theeffectshecanhave."Herunshisfingernailalongthewoodgraininthetable,refusingtolookatme.
Whatonearthdoeshemean?Peoplehelpme?Whenweweredyingofstarvation,noonehelpedme!NooneexceptPeeta.OnceIhadsomethingtobarterwith,thingschanged.I’matoughtrader.OramI?WhateffectdoIhave?ThatI’mweakandneedy?IshesuggestingthatIgotgooddealsbecausepeoplepitiedme?Itrytothinkifthisistrue.
