迪文小说

第11部分（第2页）

¨Youˇre　shivering；〃　says　Peeta。

The　wind　and　the　story　have　blown　all　the　warmth　from　my　body。　The　girlˇs　scream。　Had　it　been　her　last？

Peeta　takes　off　his　jacket　and　wraps　it　around　my　shoulders。　I　start　to　take　a　step　back；　but　then　I　let　him；　deciding　for　a　moment　to　accept　both　his　jacket　and　his　kindness。　A　friend　would　do　that；　right？

¨They　were　from　here？〃　he　asks；　and　he　secures　a　button　at　my　neck。

I　nod。　Theyˇd　had　that　Capitol　look　about　them。　The　boy　and　the　girl。

¨Where　do　you　suppose　they　were　going？〃　he　asks。

¨I　donˇt　know　that；〃　I　say。　District　12　is　pretty　much　the　end　of　the　line。　Beyond　us；　thereˇs　only　wilderness。　If　you　donˇt　count　the　ruins　of　District　13　that　still　smolder　from　the　toxic　bombs。　They　show　it　on　television　occasionally；　just　to　remind　us。　¨Or　why　they　would　leave　here。〃　Haymitch　had　called　the　Avoxes　traitors。　Against　what？　It　could　only　be　the　Capitol。　But　they　had　everything　here。　No　cause　to　rebel。

¨Iˇd　leave　here；〃　Peeta　blurts　out。　Then　he　looks　around　nervously。　It　was　loud　enough　to　hear　above　the　chimes。　He　laughs。　¨Iˇd　go　home　now　if　they　let　me。　But　you　have　to　admit；　the　foodˇs　prime。〃

Heˇs　covered　again。　If　thatˇs　all　youˇd　heard　it　would　just　sound　like　the　words　of　a　scared　tribute；　not　someone　contemplating　the　unquestionable　goodness　of　the　Capitol。

¨Itˇs　getting　chilly。　We　better　go　in；〃　he　says。　Inside　the　dome；　itˇs　warm　and　bright。　His　tone　is　conversational。　¨Your　friend　Gale。　Heˇs　the　one　who　took　your　sister　away　at　the　reaping？〃

¨Yes。　Do　you　know　him？〃　I　ask。

¨Not　really。　I　hear　the　girls　talk　about　him　a　lot。　I　thought　he　was　your　cousin　or　something。　You　favor　each　other；〃　he　says。

¨No；　weˇre　not　related；〃　I　say。

Peeta　nods；　unreadable。　¨Did　he　e　to　say　good…bye　to　you？〃

¨Yes；〃　I　say；　observing　him　carefully。　¨So　did　your　father。　He　brought　me　cookies。〃

Peeta　raises　his　eyebrows　as　if　this　is　news。　But　after　watching　him　lie　so　smoothly；　I　donˇt　give　this　much　weight。　¨Really？　Well；　he　likes　you　and　your　sister。　I　think　he　wishes　he　had　a　daughter　instead　of　a　houseful　of　boys。〃

The　idea　that　I　might　ever　have　been　discussed；　around　the　dinner　table；　at　the　bakery　fire；　just　in　passing　in　Peetaˇs　house　gives　me　a　start。　It　must　have　been　when　the　mother　was　out　of　the　room。

¨He　knew　your　mother　when　they　were　kids；〃　says　Peeta。

Another　surprise。　But　probably　true。　¨Oh；　yes。　She　grew　up　in　town；〃　I　say。　It　seems　impolite　to　say　she　never　mentioned　the　baker　except　to　pliment　his　bread。

Weˇre　at　my　door。　I　give　back　his　jacket。　¨See　you　in　the　morning　then。〃

¨See　you；〃　he　says；　and　walks　off　down　the　hall。

When　I　open　my　door；　the　redheaded　girl　is　collecting　my　unitard　and　boots　from　where　I　left　them　on　the　floor　before　my　shower。　I　want　to　apologize　for　possibly　getting　her　in　trouble　earlier。　But　I　remember　Iˇm　not　supposed　to　speak　to　her　unless　Iˇm　giving　her　an　order。

¨Oh；　sorry；〃　I　say。　¨I　was　supposed　to　get　those　back　to　Cinna。　Iˇm　sorry。　Can　you　take　them　to　him？〃

She　avoids　my　eyes；　gives　a　small　nod；　and　heads　out　the　door。

Iˇd　set　out　to　tell　her　I　was　sorry　about　dinner。　But　I　know　that　my　apology　runs　much　deeper。　That　Iˇm　ashamed　I　never　tried　to　help　her　in　the　woods。　That　I　let　the　Capitol　kill　the　boy　and　mutilate　her　without　lifting　a　finger。

Just　like　I　was　watching　the　Games。

I　kick　off　my　shoes　and　climb　under　the　covers　in　my　clothes。　The　shivering　hasnˇt　stopped。　Perhaps　the　girl　doesnˇt　even　remember　me。　But　I　know　she　does。　You　donˇt　forget　the　face　of　the　person　who　was　your　last　hope。　I　pull　the　covers　up　over　my　head　as　if　this　will　protect　me　from　the　redheaded　girl　who　canˇt　speak。　But　I　can　feel　her　eyes　staring　at　me；　piercing　through　walls　and　doors　and　bedding。

I　wonder　if　sheˇll　enjoy　watching　me　die。

7

My　slumbers　are　filled　with　disturbing　dreams。　The　face　of　the　redheaded　girl　intertwines　with　gory　images　from　earlier　Hunger　Games；　with　my　mother　withdrawn　and　unreachable；　with　Prim　emaciated　and　terrified。　I　bolt　up　screaming　for　my　father　to　run　as　the　mine　explodes　into　a　million　deadly　bits　of　light。

Dawn　is　breaking　through　the　windows。　The　Capitol　has　a　misty；　haunted　air。　My　head　aches　and　I　must　have　bitten　into　the　side　of　my　cheek　in　the　night。　My　tongue　probes　the　ragged　flesh　and　I　taste　blood。

Slowly；　I　drag　myself　out　of　bed　and　into　the　shower。　I　arbitrarily　punch　buttons　on　the　control　board　and　end　up　hopping　from　foot　to　foot　as　alternating　jets　of　icy　cold　and　ste