第24部分(第3/7 页)

ve　her　head；　as　if　this　was　the　sole　purpose　of　retrieving　it；　when　actually　I　mean　to　use　it　if　I　ever　get　the　chance。　I　could　kill　them；　everyone　of　them；　if　those　silver　weapons　were　in　my　hands。

The　Careers　regroup　on　the　ground　and　I　can　hear　them　growling　conspiratorially　among　themselves；　furious　I　have　made　them　look　foolish。　But　twilight　has　arrived　and　their　window　of　attack　on　me　is　closing。　Finally；　I　hear　Peeta　say　harshly；　¨Oh；　let　her　stay　up　there。　Itˇs　not　like　sheˇs　going　anywhere。　Weˇll　deal　with　her　in　the　morning。〃

Well；　heˇs　right　about　one　thing。　Iˇm　going　nowhere。　All　the　relief　from　the　pool　water　has　gone；　leaving　me　to　feel　the　full　potency　of　my　burns。　I　scoot　down　to　a　fork　in　the　tree　and　clumsily　prepare　for　bed。　Put　on　my　jacket。　Lay　out　my　sleeping　bed。　Belt　myself　in　and　try　to　keep　from　moaning。　The　heat　of　the　bagˇs　too　much　for　my　leg。　I　cut　a　slash　in　the　fabric　and　hang　my　calf　out　in　the　open　air。　I　drizzle　water　on　the　wound；　my　hands。

All　my　bravado　is　gone。　Iˇm　weak　from　pain　and　hunger　but　canˇt　bring　myself　to　eat。　Even　if　I　can　last　the　night；　what　will　the　morning　bring？　I　stare　into　the　foliage　trying　to　will　myself　to　rest；　but　the　burns　forbid　it。　Birds　are　settling　down　for　the　night；　singing　lullabies　to　their　young。　Night　creatures　emerge。　An　owl　hoots。　The　faint　scent　of　a　skunk　cuts　through　the　smoke。　The　eyes　of　some　animal　peer　at　me　from　the　neighboring　tree　�　a　possum　maybe　�　catching　the　firelight　from　the　Careersˇ　torches。　Suddenly；　Iˇm　up　on　one　elbow。　Those　are　no　possumˇs　eyes；　I　know　their　glassy　reflection　too　well。　In　fact；　those　are　not　animal　eyes　at　all。　In　the　last　dim　rays　of　light；　I　make　her　out；　watching　me　silently　from　between　the　branches。　Rue。

How　long　has　she　been