Голодные игры
Chapter 7
"RememberwhatHaymitchsaidaboutbeingsuretothrowtheweights."Thewordscomeoutofmymouthwithoutpermission.
"Thanks.Iwill,"hesays."You.shootstraight."
Inod.Idon’tknowwhyIsaidanythingatall.AlthoughifI’mgoingtolose,I’dratherPeetawinthantheothers.Betterforourdistrict,formymotherandPrim.
Afteraboutfifteenminutes,theycallmyname.Ismoothmyhair,setmyshouldersback,andwalkintothegymnasium.Instantly,IknowI’mintrouble.They’vebeenheretoolong,theGamemakers.Satthroughtwenty-threeotherdemonstrations.Hadtoomuchtowine,mostofthem.Wantmorethananythingtogohome.
There’snothingIcandobutcontinuewiththeplan.Iwalktothearcherystation.Oh,theweapons!I’vebeenitchingtogetmyhandsonthemfordays!BowsmadeofwoodandplasticandmetalandmaterialsIcan’tevenname.Arrowswithfeatherscutinflawlessuniformlines.Ichooseabow,stringit,andslingthematchingquiverofarrowsovermyshoulder.There’sashootingrange,butit’smuchtoolimited.Standardbull’s-eyesandhumansilhouettes.Iwalktothecenterofthegymnasiumandpickmyfirsttarget.Thedummyusedforknifepractice.EvenasIpullbackonthebowIknowsomethingiswrong.Thestring’stighterthantheoneIuseathome.Thearrow’smorerigid.ImissthedummybyacoupleofinchesandlosewhatlittleattentionIhadbeencommanding.Foramoment,I’mhumiliated,thenIheadbacktothebull’s-eye.IshootagainandagainuntilIgetthefeelofthesenewweapons
