Голодные игры

           Onthewayhome,weswingbytheHob,theblackmarketthatoperatesinanabandonedwarehousethatonceheldcoal. Whentheycameupwithamoreefficientsystemthattransportedthecoaldirectlyfromtheminestothetrains,theHobgraduallytookoverthespace. Mostbusinessesareclosedbythistimeonreapingday,buttheblackmarket’sstillfairlybusy. Weeasilytradesixofthefishforgoodbread,theothertwoforsalt. GreasySae,thebonyoldwomanwhosellsbowlsofhotsoupfromalargekettle,takeshalfthegreensoffourhandsinexchangeforacoupleofchunksofparaffin. Wemightdoatadbetterelsewhere,butwemakeanefforttokeepongoodtermswithGreasySae. She’stheonlyonewhocanconsistentlybecountedontobuywilddog. Wedon’thuntthemonpurpose,butifyou’reattackedandyoutakeoutadogortwo,well,meatismeat. "Onceit’sinthesoup,I’llcallitbeef,"GreasySaesayswithawink. NooneintheSeamwouldturnuptheirnoseatagoodlegofwilddog,butthePeacekeeperswhocometotheHobcanaffordtobealittlechoosier. 

           Whenwefinishourbusinessatthemarket,wegotothebackdoorofthemayor’shousetosellhalfthestrawberries,knowinghehasaparticularfondnessforthemandcanaffordourprice. Themayor’sdaughter,Madge,opensthedoor. She’sinmyyearatschool. Beingthemayor’sdaughter,you’dexpecthertobeasnob,butshe’sallright. Shejustkeepstoherself.Likeme. Sinceneitherofusreallyhasagroupoffriends,weseemtoenduptogetheralotatschool.