波波小说

第11部分（第1页）

mp　on　Peetaˇs　suggestion　gratefully。　¨Of　course；　thatˇs　who　I　was　thinking　of。　It　must　be　the　hair；〃　I　say。

¨Something　about　the　eyes；　too；〃　says　Peeta。

The　energy　at　the　table　relaxes。　¨Oh；　well。　If　thatˇs　all　it　is；〃　says　Cinna。　¨And　yes；　the　cake　has　spirits；　but　all　the　alcohol　has　burned　off。　I　ordered　it　specially　in　honor　of　your　fiery　debut。〃

We　eat　the　cake　and　move　into　a　sitting　room　to　watch　the　replay　of　the　opening　ceremonies　thatˇs　being　broadcast。　A　few　of　the　other　couples　make　a　nice　impression；　but　none　of　them　can　hold　a　candle　to　us。　Even　our　own　party　lets　out　an　¨Ahh！〃　as　they　show　us　ing　out　of　the　Remake　Center。

¨Whose　idea　was　the　hand　holding？〃　asks　Haymitch。

¨Cinnaˇs；〃　says　Portia。

¨Just　the　perfect　touch　of　rebellion；〃　says　Haymitch。　¨Very　nice。〃

Rebellion？　I　have　to　think　about　that　one　a　moment。　But　when　I　remember　the　other　couples；　standing　stiffly　apart；　never　touching　or　acknowledging　each　other；　as　if　their　fellow　tribute　did　not　exist；　as　if　the　Games　had　already　begun；　I　know　what　Haymitch　means。　Presenting　ourselves　not　as　adversaries　but　as　friends　has　distinguished　us　as　much　as　the　fiery　costumes。

¨Tomorrow　morning　is　the　first　training　session。　Meet　me　for　breakfast　and　Iˇll　tell　you　exactly　how　I　want　you　to　play　it；〃　says　Haymitch　to　Peeta　and　I。　¨Now　go　get　some　sleep　while　the　grown…ups　talk。〃

Peeta　and　I　walk　together　down　the　corridor　to　our　rooms。　When　we　get　to　my　door；　he　leans　against　the　frame；　not　blocking　my　entrance　exactly　but　insisting　I　pay　attention　to　him。　¨So；　Delly　Cartwright。　Imagine　finding　her　lookalike　here。〃

Heˇs　asking　for　an　explanation；　and　Iˇm　tempted　to　give　him　one。　We　both　know　he　covered　for　me。　So　here　I　am　in　his　debt　again。　If　I　tell　him　the　truth　about　the　girl；　somehow　that　might　even　things　up。　How　can　it　hurt　really？　Even　if　he　repeated　the　story；　it　couldnˇt　do　me　much　harm。　It　was　just　something　I　witnessed。　And　he　lied　as　much　as　I　did　about　Delly　Cartwright。

I　realize　I　do　want　to　talk　to　someone　about　the　girl。　Someone　who　might　be　able　to　help　me　figure　out　her　story。

Gale　would　be　my　first　choice；　but　itˇs　unlikely　Iˇll　ever　see　Gale　again。　I　try　to　think　if　telling　Peeta　could　give　him　any　possible　advantage　over　me；　but　I　donˇt　see　how。　Maybe　sharing　a　confidence　will　actually　make　him　believe　I　see　him　as　a　friend。

Besides；　the　idea　of　the　girl　with　her　maimed　tongue　frightens　me。　She　has　reminded　me　why　Iˇm　here。　Not　to　model　flashy　costumes　and　eat　delicacies。　But　to　die　a　bloody　death　while　the　crowds　urge　on　my　killer。

To　tell　or　not　to　tell？　My　brain　still　feels　slow　from　the　wine。　I　stare　down　the　empty　corridor　as　if　the　decision　lies　there。

Peeta　picks　up　on　my　hesitation。　¨Have　you　been　on　the　roof　yet？〃　I　shake　my　head。　¨Cinna　showed　me。　You　can　practically　see　the　whole　city。　The　windˇs　a　bit　loud；　though。〃

I　translate　this　into　¨No　one　will　overhear　us　talking〃　in　my　head。　You　do　have　the　sense　that　we　might　be　under　surveillance　here。　¨Can　we　just　go　up？〃

¨Sure；　e　on；〃　says　Peeta。　I　follow　him　to　a　flight　of　stairs　that　lead　to　the　roof。　Thereˇs　a　small　dome…shaped　room　with　a　door　to　the　outside。　As　we　step　into　the　cool；　windy　evening　air；　I　catch　my　breath　at　the　view。　The　Capitol　twinkles　like　a　vast　field　of　fireflies。　Electricity　in　District　12　es　and　goes；　usually　we　only　have　it　a　few　hours　a　day。　Often　the　evenings　are　spent　in　candlelight。　The　only　time　you　can　count　on　it　is　when　theyˇre　airing　the　Games　or　some　important　government　message　on　television　that　itˇs　mandatory　to　watch。　But　here　there　would　be　no　shortage。　Ever。

Peeta　and　I　walk　to　a　railing　at　the　edge　of　the　roof。　I　look　straight　down　the　side　of　the　building　to　the　street；　which　is　buzzing　with　people。　You　can　hear　their　cars；　an　occasional　shout；　and　a　strange　metallic　tinkling。　In　District　12；　weˇd　all　be　thinking　about　bed　right　now。

¨I　asked　Cinna　why　they　let　us　up　here。　Werenˇt　they　worried　that　some　of　the　tributes　might　decide　to　jump　right　over　the　side？〃　says　Peeta。

¨Whatˇd　he　say？〃　I　ask。

¨You　canˇt；〃　says　Peeta。　He　holds　out　his　hand　into　seemingly　empty　space。　Thereˇs　a　sharp　zap　and　he　jerks　it　back。　¨Some　kind　of　electric　field　throws　you　back　on　the　roof。〃

¨Always　worried　about　our　safety；〃　I　say。　Even　though　Cinna　has　shown　Peeta　the　roof；　I　wonder　if　weˇre　supposed　to　be　up　here　now；　so　late　and　alone。　Iˇve　never　seen　tributes　on　the　Training　Center　roof　before。　But　that　doesnˇt　mean　weˇre　not　being　taped。　¨Do　you　think　theyˇre　watching　us　now？〃

¨Maybe；〃　he　admits。　¨e　see　the　garden。〃　On　the　other　side　of　the　dome；　theyˇve　built　a　garden　with　flower　beds　and　potted　trees。　From　the　branches　hang　hundreds　of　wind　chimes；　which　account　for　the　tinkling　I　heard。　Here　in　the　garden；　on　this　windy　night；　itˇs　enough　to　drown　out　two　people　who　are　trying　not　to　be　heard。　Peeta　looks　at　me　expectantly。

I　pretend　to　examine　a　blossom。　¨We　were　hunting　in　the　woods　one　day。　Hidden；　waiting　for　game；〃　I　whisper。

¨You　and　your　father？〃　he　whispers　back。

¨No；　my　friend　Gale。　Suddenly　all　the　birds　stopped　singing　at　once。　Except　one。　As　if　it　were　giving　a　warning　call。　And　then　we　saw　her。　Iˇm　sure　it　was　the　same　girl。　A　boy　was　with　her。　Their　clothes　were　tattered。　They　had　dark　circles　under　their　eyes　from　no　sleep。　They　were　running　as　if　their　lives　depended　on　it；〃　I　say。

For　a　moment　Iˇm　silent；　as　I　remember　how　the　sight　of　this　strange　pair；　clearly　not　from　District　12；　fleeing　through　the　woods　immobilized　us。　Later；　we　wondered　if　we　could　have　helped　them　escape。　Perhaps　we　might　have。　Concealed　them。　If　weˇd　moved　quickly。　Gale　and　I　were　taken　by　surprise；　yes；　but　weˇre　both　hunters。　We　know　how　animals　look　at　bay。　We　knew　the　pair　was　in　trouble　as　soon　as　we　saw　them。　But　we　only　watched。

¨The　hovercraft　appeared　out　of　nowhere；〃　I　continue　to　Peeta。　¨I　mean；　one　moment　the　sky　was　empty　and　the　next　it　was　there。　It　didnˇt　make　a　sound；　but　they　saw　it。　A　　dropped　down　on　the　girl　and　carried　her　up；　fast；　so　fast　like　the　elevator。　They　shot　some　sort　of　spear　through　the　boy。　It　was　attached　to　a　cable　and　they　hauled　him　up　as　well。　But　Iˇm　certain　he　was　dead。　We　heard　the　girl　scream　once。　The　boyˇs　name；　I　think。　Then　it　was　gone；　the　hovercraft。　Vanished　into　thin　air。　And　the　birds　began　to　sing　again；　as　if　nothing　had　happened。〃

¨Did　they　see　you？〃　Peeta　asked。

¨I　donˇt　know。　We　were　under　a　shelf　of　rock；〃　I　reply。

But　I　do　know。　There　was　a　moment；　after　the　birdcall；　but　before　the　hovercraft；　where　the　girl　had　seen　us。　Sheˇd　locked　eyes　with　me　and　called　out　for　help。　But　neither　Gale　or　I　had　responded。

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