Голодные игры

           Hashebeenabletopickthisupfromjustthatscragglyoldappletreeinhisbackyard?Somehowthewholething-hisskill,thoseinaccessiblecakes,thepraiseofthecamouflageexpert-annoysme.

           "It’slovely.Ifonlyyoucouldfrostsomeonetodeath,"Isay.

           "Don’tbesosuperior.Youcannevertellwhatyou’llfindinthearena.Sayit’sactuallyagiganticcake-"beginsPeeta.

           "Saywemoveon,"Ibreakin.

           SothenextthreedayspasswithPeetaandIgoingquietlyfromstationtostation.Wedopickupsomevaluableskills,fromstartingfires,toknifethrowing,tomakingshelter.DespiteHaymitch’sordertoappearmediocre,Peetaexcelsinhand-to-handcombat,andIsweeptheedibleplantstestwithoutblinkinganeye.Westeerclearofarcheryandweightliftingthough,wantingtosavethoseforourprivatesessions.

           TheGamemakersappearedearlyonthefirstday.Twentyorsomenandwomendressedindeeppurplerobes.Theysitintheelevatedstandsthatsurroundthegymnasium,sometimeswanderingabouttowatchus,jottingdownnotes,othertimeseatingattheendlessbanquetthathasbeensetforthem,ignoringthelotofus.ButtheydoseemtobekeepingtheireyeontheDistrict12tributes.SeveraltimesI’velookeduptofindonefixatedonme.Theyconsultwiththetrainersduringourmealsaswell.Weseethemallgatheredtogetherwhenwecomeback.

           Breakfastanddinnerareservedonourfloor,butatlunchthetwenty-fourofuseatinadiningroomoffthegymnasium.Foodisarrangedoncartsaroundtheroomandyouserveyourself.