the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)-第29章

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¨Yeah；　we　donˇt　want　to　have　to　track　her　down　twice。〃
¨I　said　sheˇs　dead！〃
An　argument　breaks　out　until　one　tribute　silences　the　others。　¨Weˇre　wasting　time！　Iˇll　go　finish　her　and　letˇs　move　on！〃
I　almost　fall　out　of　the　tree。　The　voice　belongs　to　Peeta。

12
Thank　goodness；　I　had　the　foresight　to　belt　myself　in。　Iˇve　rolled　sideways　off　the　fork　and　Iˇm　facing　the　ground；　held　in　place　by　the　belt；　one　hand；　and　my　feet　straddling　the　pack　inside　my　sleeping　bag；　braced　against　the　trunk。　There　must　have　been　some　rustling　when　I　tipped　sideways；　but　the　Careers　have　been　too　caught　up　in　their　own　argument　to　catch　it。
¨Go　on；　then；　Lover　Boy；〃　says　the　boy　from　District　2。　¨See　for　yourself。〃
I　just　get　a　glimpse　of　Peeta；　lit　by　a　torch；　heading　back　to　the　girl　by　the　fire。　His　face　is　swollen　with　bruises；　thereˇs　a　bloody　bandage　on　one　arm；　and　from　the　sound　of　his　gait　heˇs　limping　somewhat。　I　remember　him　shaking　him　his　head；　telling　me　not　to　go　into　the　fight　for　the　supplies；　when　all　along；　all　along　heˇd　planned　to　throw　himself　into　the　thick　of　things。　Just　the　opposite　of　what　Haymitch　had　mid　him　to　do。　
Okay；　I　can　stomach　that。　Seeing　all　those　supplies　was　tempting。　But　this　。　。　。　this　other　thing。　This　teaming　up　with　the　Career　wolf　pack　to　hunt　down　the　rest　of　us。　No　one　from　District　12　would　think　of　doing　such　a　thing！　Career　tributes　are　overly　vicious；　arrogant；　better　fed；　but　only　because　theyˇre　the　Capitolˇs　lapdogs。
Universally；　solidly　hated　by　all　but　those　from　their　own　districts。　I　can　imagine　the　things　theyˇre　saying　about　him　back　home　now。　And　Peeta　had　the　gall　to　talk　to　me　about　disgrace？
Obviously；　the　noble　boy　on　the　rooftop　was　playing　just　one　more　game　with　me。　But　this　will　be　his　last。　I　will　eagerly　watch　the　night　skies　for　signs　of　his　death；　if　I　donˇt　kill　him　first　myself。
The　Career　tributes　are　silent　until　he　gets　out　of　ear　shot；　then　use　hushed　voices。
¨Why　donˇt　we　just　kill　him　now　and　get　it　over　with？〃
¨Let　him　tag　along。　Whatˇs　the　harm？　And　heˇs　handy　with　that　knife。〃
Is　he？　Thatˇs　news。　What　a　lot　of　interesting　things　Iˇm　learning　about　my　friend　Peeta　today。
¨Besides；　heˇs　our　best　chance　of　finding　her。〃
It　takes　me　a　moment　to　register　that　the　¨her〃　theyˇre　referring　to　is　me。
¨Why？　You　think　she　bought　into　that　sappy　romance　stuff？〃
¨She　might　have。　Seemed　pretty　simpleminded　to　me。　Every　time　I　think　about　her　spinning　around　in　that　dress；　I　want　to　puke。〃
¨Wish　we　knew　how　she　got　that　eleven。〃
¨Bet　you　Lover　Boy　knows。〃
The　sound　of　Peeta　returning　silences　them。
¨Was　she　dead？〃　asks　the　boy　from　District　2。
¨No。　But　she　is　now；〃　says　Peeta。　Just　then；　the　cannon　fires。　¨Ready　to　move　on？〃
The　Career　pack　sets　off　at　a　run　just　as　dawn　begins　to　break；　and　birdsong　fills　the　air。　I　remain　in　my　awkward　position；　muscles　trembling　with　exertion　for　a　while　longer；　then　hoist　myself　back　onto　my　branch。　I　need　to　get　down；　to　get　going；　but　for　a　moment　I　lie　there；　digesting　what　Iˇve　heard。　Not　only　is　Peeta　with　the　Careers；　heˇs　helping　them　find　me。　The　simpleminded　girl　who　has　to　be　taken　seriously　because　of　her　eleven。　Because　she　can　use　a　bow　and　arrow。　Which　Peeta　knows　better　than　anyone。
But　he　hasnˇt　told　them　yet。　Is　he　saving　that　information　because　he　knows　itˇs　all　that　keeps　him　alive？　Is　he　still　pretending　to　love　me　for　the　audience？　What　is　going　on　in　his　head？
Suddenly；　the　birds　fall　silent。　Then　one　gives　a　highpitched　warning　call。　A　single　note。　Just　like　the　one　Gale　and　I　heard　when　the　redheaded　Avox　girl　was　caught。　High　above　the　dying　campfire　a　hovercraft　materializes。　A　set　of　huge　metal　teeth　drops　down。　Slowly；　gently；　the　dead　tribute　girl　is　lifted　into　the　hovercraft。　Then　it　vanishes。　The　birds　resume　their　song。
¨Move；〃　I　whisper　to　myself。　I　wriggle　out　of　my　sleeping　bag；　roll　it　up；　and　place　it　in　the　pack。　I　take　a　deep　breath。　While　Iˇve　been　concealed　by　darkness　and　the　sleeping　bag　and　the　willow　branches；　it　has　probably　been　difficult　for　the　cameras　to　get　a　good　shot　of　me。　I　know　they　must　be　tracking　me　now　though。　The　minute　I　hit　the　ground；　Iˇm　guaranteed　a　close…up。
The　audience　will　have　been　beside　themselves；　knowing　I　was　in　the　tree；　that　I　overheard　the　Careers　talking；　that　I　discovered　Peeta　was　with　them。　Until　I　work　out　exactly　how　I　want　to　play　that；　Iˇd　better　at　least　act　on　top　of　things。　Not　perplexed。　Certainly　not　confused　or　frightened。
No；　I　need　to　look　one　step　ahead　of　the　game。
So　as　I　slide　out　of　the　foliage　and　into　the　dawn　light；　I　pause　a　second；　giving　the　cameras　time　to　lock　on　me。　Then　I　cock　my　head　slightly　to　the　side　and　give　a　knowing　smile。　There！　Let　them　figure　out　what　that　means！
Iˇm　about　to　take　off　when　I　think　of　my　snares。　Maybe　itˇs　imprudent　to　check　them　with　the　others　so　close。　But　have　to。　Too　many　years　of　hunting；　I　guess。　And　the　lure　of　possible　meat。　Iˇm　rewarded　with　one　fine　rabbit。　In　no　time；　Iˇve　cleaned　and　gutted　the　animal；　leaving　the　head；　feet；　tail；　skin；　and　innards；　under　a　pile　of　leaves。　Iˇm　wishing　for　a　fire　　eating　raw　rabbit　can　give　you　rabbit　fever；　a　lesson　I　learned　the　hard　way　　when　I　think　of　the　dead　tribute。　I　hurry　back　to　her　camp。　Sure　enough；　the　coals　of　her　dying　fire　are　still　hot。　I　cut　up　the　rabbit；　fashion　a　spit　out　of　branches；　and　set　it　over　the　coals。
Iˇm　glad　for　the　cameras　now。　I　want　sponsors　to　see　I　can　hunt；　that　Iˇm　a　good　bet　because　I　wonˇt　be　lured　into　traps　as　easily　as　the　others　will　by　hunger。　While　the　rabbit　cooks；　I　grind　up　part　of　a　charred　branch　and　set　about　camouflaging　my　orange　pack。　The　black　tones　it　down；　but　I　feel　a　layer　of　mud　would　definitely　help。　Of　course；　to　have　mud；　Iˇd　need　water　。　。　。
I　pull　on　my　gear；　grab　my　spit；　kick　some　dirt　over　the　coals；　and　take　off　in　the　opposite　direction　the　Careers　went。　I　eat　half　the　rabbit　as　I　go；　then　wrap　up　the　leftovers　in　my　plastic　for　later。　The　meat　stops　the　grumbling　in　my　stomach　but　does　little　to　quench　my　thirst。　Water　is　my　top　priority　now。
As　I　hike　along；　I　feel　certain　Iˇm　still　holding　the　screen　in　the　Capitol；　so　Iˇm　careful　to　continue　to　hide　my　emotions。　But　what　a　good　time　Claudius　Templesmith　must　be　having　with　his　guest　mentators；　dissecting　Peetaˇs　behavior；　my　reaction。　What　to　make　of　it　all？　Has　Peeta　revealed　his　true　colors？　How　does　this　affect　the　betting　odds？　Will　we　lose　sponsors？　Do　we　even　have　sponsors？　Yes；　I　feel　certain　we　do；　or　at　least　did。
Certainly　Peeta　has　thrown　a　wrench　into　our　star…crossed　lover　dynamic。　Or　has　he？　Maybe；　since　he　hasnˇt　spoken　much　about　me；　we　can　still　get　some　mileage　out　of　it。　Maybe　people　will　think　itˇs　something　we　plotted　together　if　I　seem　like　it　amuses　me　now。
The　sun　rises　in　the　sky　and　even　through　the　canopy　it　seems　overly　bright。　I　coat　my　lips　in　some　grease　from　the　rabbit　and　try　to　keep　from　panting；　but　itˇs　no　use。　Itˇs　only　been　a　day　and　Iˇm　dehydrating　fast。　I　try　and　think　of　everything　I　know　about　finding　water。　It　runs　downhill；　so；　in　fact；　continuing　down　into　this　valley　isnˇt　a　bad　thing。　If　I　could　just　locate　a　game　trail　or　spot　a　particularly　green　patch　of　vegetation；　these　might　help　me　along；　but　nothing　seems　to　change。　Thereˇs　just　the　slight　gradual　slope；　the　birds；　the　sameness　to　the　trees。
As　the　day　wears　on；　I　know　Iˇm　headed　for　trouble。　What　little　urine　Iˇve　been　able　to　pass　is　a　dark　brown；　my　head　is　aching；　and　thereˇs　a　dry　patch　on　my　tongue　that　refuses　to　moisten。　The　sun　hurts　my　eyes　so　I　dig　out　my　sunglasses；　but　when　I　put　them　on　they　do　something　funny　to　my　vision；　so　I　just　stuff　them　back　in　my　pack。
Itˇs　late　afternoon　when　I　think　Iˇve　found　help。　I　spot　a　cluster　of　berry　bushes　and　hurry　to　strip　the　fruit；　to　suck　the　sweet　juices　from　the　skins。　But　just　as　Iˇm　holding　them　to　my　lips；　I　get　a　hard　look　at　them。　What　I　thought　were　blueberries　have　a　slightly　different　shape；　and　when　I　break　one　open　the　insides　are　bloodred。　I　donˇt　recognize　these　berries；　perhaps　they　are　edible；　but　Iˇm　guessing　this　is　some　evil　tric