Голодные игры
Chapter 7
ItryandanimatemyfaceasIrecalltheevent,atruestory,inwhichI’dfoolishlychallengedablackbearovertherightstoabeehive.Peetalaughsandasksquestionsrightoncue.He’smuchbetteratthisthanIam.
Onthesecondday,whilewe’retakingashotatspearthrowing,hewhisperstome."Ithinkwehaveashadow."
Ithrowmyspear,whichI’mnottoobadatactually,ifIdon’thavetothrowtoofar,andseethelittlegirlfromDistrict11standingbackabit,watchingus.She’sthetwelve-year-old,theonewhoremindedmesoofPriminstature.Upcloseshelooksaboutten.Shehasbright,dark,eyesandsatinybrownskinandstandstilteduponhertoeswithherarmsslightlyextendedtohersides,asifreadytotakewingattheslightestsound.It’simpossiblenottothinkofabird.
IpickupanotherspearwhilePeetathrows."Ithinkhername’sRue,"hesayssoftly.
Ibitemylip.RueisasmallyellowflowerthatgrowsintheMeadow.Rue.Primrose.Neitherofthemcouldtipthescaleatseventypoundssoakingwet.
"Whatcanwedoaboutit?"Iaskhim,moreharshlythanIintended.
"Nothingtodo,"hesaysback."Justmakingconversation."
NowthatIknowshe’sthere,it’shardtoignorethechild.Sheslipsupandjoinsusatdifferentstations.Likeme,she’scleverwithplants,climbsswiftly,andhasgoodaim.Shecanhitthetargeteverytimewithaslingshot.
