the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)-第28部分

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　the　Cornucopia　will　have　food；　an　abundance　of　water　from　the　lake；　torches　or　flashlights；　and　weapons　theyˇre　itching　to　use。　I　can　only　hope　Iˇve　traveled　far　and　fast　enough　to　be　out　of　range。　
Before　settling　down；　I　take　my　wire　and　set　two　twitch…up　snares　in　the　brush。　I　know　itˇs　risky　to　be　setting　traps；　but　food　will　go　so　fast　out　here。　And　I　canˇt　set　snares　on　the　run。　Still；　I　walk　another　five　minutes　before　making　camp。
I　pick　my　tree　carefully。　A　willow；　not　terribly　tall　but　set　in　a　clump　of　other　willows；　offering　concealment　in　those　long；　flowing　tresses。　I　climb　up；　sticking　to　the　stronger　branches　close　to　the　trunk；　and　find　a　sturdy　fork　for　my　bed。　It　takes　some　doing；　but　I　arrange　the　sleeping　bag　in　a　relatively　fortable　manner。　I　place　my　backpack　in　the　foot　of　the　bag；　then　slide　in　after　it。　As　a　precaution；　I　remove　my　belt；　loop　it　all　the　way　around　the　branch　and　my　sleeping　bag；　and　refasten　it　at　my　waist。　Now　if　I　roll　over　in　my　sleep；　I　wonˇt　go　crashing　to　the　ground。　Iˇm　small　enough　to　tuck　the　top　of　the　bag　over　my　head；　but　I　put　on　my　hood　as　well。　As　night　falls；　the　air　is　cooling　quickly。　Despite　the　risk　I　took　in　getting　the　backpack；　I　know　now　it　was　the　right　choice。　This　sleeping　bag；　radiating　back　and　preserving　my　body　heat；　will　be　invaluable。　Iˇm　sure　there　are　several　other　tributes　whose　biggest　concern　right　now　is　how　to　stay　warm　whereas　I　may　actually　be　able　to　get　a　few　hours　of　sleep。　If　only　I　wasnˇt　so　thirsty　。　。　。
Night　has　just　e　when　I　hear　the　anthem　that　proceeds　the　death　recap。　Through　the　branches　I　can　see　the　seal　of　the　Capitol；　which　appears　to　be　floating　in　the　sky。　Iˇm　actually　viewing　another　screen；　an　enormous　one　thatˇs　transported　by　of　one　of　their　disappearing　hovercraft。　The　anthem　fades　out　and　the　sky　goes　dark　for　a　moment。　At　home；　we　would　be　watching　full　coverage　of　each　and　every　killing；　but　thatˇs　thought　to　give　an　unfair　advantage　to　the　living　tributes。　For　instance；　if　I　got　my　hands　on　the　bow　and　shot　someone；　my　secret　would　be　revealed　to　all。　No；　here　in　the　arena；　all　we　see　are　the　same　photographs　they　showed　when　they　televised　our　training　scores。　Simple　head　shots。　But　now　instead　of　scores　they　post　only　district　numbers。　I　take　a　deep　breath　as　the　face　of　the　eleven　dead　tributes　begin　and　tick　them　off　one　by　one　on　my　fingers。
The　first　to　appear　is　the　girl　from　District　3。　That　means　that　the　Career　Tributes　from　1　and　2　have　all　survived。　No　surprise　there。　Then　the　boy　from　4。　I　didnˇt　expect　that　one；　usually　all　the　Careers　make　it　through　the　first　day。　The　boy　from　District　5　。　。　。　I　guess　the　fox…faced　girl　made　it。　Both　tributes　from　6　and　7。　The　boy　from　8。　Both　from　9。　Yes；　thereˇs　the　boy　who　I　fought　for　the　backpack。　Iˇve　run　through　my　fingers；　only　one　more　dead　tribute　to　go。　Is　it　Peeta？　No；　thereˇs　the　girl　from　District　10。　Thatˇs　it。　The　Capitol　seal　is　back　with　a　final　musical　flourish。　Then　darkness　and　the　sounds　of　the　forest　resume。
Iˇm　relieved　Peetaˇs　alive。　I　tell　myself　again　that　if　I　get　killed；　his　winning　will　benefit　my　mother　and　Prim　the　most。　This　is　what　I　tell　myself　to　explain　the　conflicting　emotions　that　arise　when　I　think　of　Peeta。　The　gratitude　that　he　gave　me　an　edge　by　professing　his　love　for　me　in　the　interview。　The　anger　at　his　superiority　on　the　roof。　The　dread　that　we　may　e　face…to…face　at　any　moment　in　this　arena。
Eleven　dead；　but　none　from　District　12。　I　try　to　work　out　who　is　left。　Five　Career　Tributes。　Foxface。　Thresh　and　Rue。　Rue　。　。　。　so　she　made　it　through　the　first　day　after　all。　I　canˇt　help　feeling　glad。　That　makes　ten　of　us。　The　other　three　Iˇll　figure　out　tomorrow。　Now　when　it　is　dark；　and　I　have　traveled　far；　and　I　am　nestled　high　in　this　tree；　now　I　must　try　and　rest。
I　havenˇt　really　slept　in　two　days；　and　then　thereˇs　been　the　long　dayˇs　journey　into　the　arena。　Slowly；　I　allow　my　muscles　to　relax。　My　eyes　to　close。　The　last　thing　I　think　is　itˇs　lucky　I　donˇt　snore。　。　。　。
Snap！　The　sound　of　a　breaking　branch　wakes　me。　How　long　have　I　been　asleep？　Four　hours？　Five？　The　tip　of　my　nose　is　icy　cold。　Snap！　Snap！　Whatˇs　going　on？　This　is　not　the　sound　of　a　branch　under　someoneˇs　foot；　but　the　sharp　crack　of　one　ing　from　a　tree。　Snap！　Snap！　I　judge　it　to　be　several　hundred　yards　to　my　right。　Slowly；　noiselessly；　I　turn　myself　in　that　direction。　For　a　few　minutes；　thereˇs　nothing　but　blackness　and　some　scuffling。　Then　I　see　a　spark　and　a　small　fire　begins　to　bloom。　A　pair　of　hands　warms　over　flames；　but　I　canˇt　make　out　more　than　that。
I　have　to　bite　my　lip　not　to　scream　every　foul　name　I　know　at　the　fire　starter。　What　are　they　thinking？　A　fire　Iˇll　just　at　nightfall　would　have　been　one　thing。　Those　who　battled　at　the　Cornucopia；　with　their　superior　strength　and　surplus　of　supplies；　they　couldnˇt　possibly　have　been　near　enough　to　spot　the　flames　then。　But　now；　when　theyˇve　probably　been　bing　the　woods　for　hours　looking　for　victims。　You　might　as　well　be　waving　a　flag　and　shouting；　¨e　and　get　me！〃
And　here　I　am　a　stoneˇs　throw　from　the　biggest　idiot　in　the　Games。　Strapped　in　a　tree。　Not　daring　to　flee　since　my　general　location　has　just　been　broadcast　to　any　killer　who　cares。　I　mean；　I　know　itˇs　cold　out　here　and　not　everybody　has　a　sleeping　bag。　But　then　you　grit　your　teeth　and　stick　it　out　until　dawn！
I　lay　smoldering　in　my　bag　for　the　next　couple　of　hours　really　thinking　that　if　I　can　get　out　of　this　tree；　I　wonˇt　have　the　least　problem　taking　out　my　new　neighbor。　My　instinct　has　been　to　flee；　not　fight。　But　obviously　this　personˇs　a　hazard。　Stupid　people　are　dangerous。　And　this　one　probably　doesnˇt　have　much　in　the　way　of　weapons　while　Iˇve　got　this　excellent　knife。
The　sky　is　still　dark；　but　I　can　feel　the　first　signs　of　dawn　approaching。　Iˇm　beginning　to　think　we　　meaning　the　person　whose　death　Iˇm　now　devising　and　me　　we　might　actually　have　gone　unnoticed。　Then　I　hear　it。　Several　pairs　of　feet　breaking　into　a　run。　The　fire　starter　must　have　dozed　off。　Theyˇre　on　her　before　she　can　escape。　I　know　itˇs　a　girl　now；　I　can　tell　by　the　pleading；　the　agonized　scream　that　follows。　Then　thereˇs　laughter　and　congratulations　from　several　voices。　Someone　cries　out；　¨Twelve　down　and　eleven　to　go！〃　which　gets　a　round　of　appreciative　hoots。
So　theyˇre　fighting　in　a　pack。　Iˇm　not　really　surprised。　Often　alliances　are　formed　in　the　early　stages　of　the　Games。　The　strong　band　together　to　hunt　down　the　weak　then；　when　the　tension　bees　too　great；　begin　to　turn　on　one　another。　I　donˇt　have　to　wonder　too　hard　who　has　made　this　alliance。　Itˇll　be　the　remaining　Career　Tributes　from　Districts　1；　2；　and　4。　Two　boys　and　three　girls。　The　ones　who　lunched　together。
For　a　moment；　I　hear　them　checking　the　girl　for　supplies。　I　can　tell　by　their　ments　theyˇve　found　nothing　good。　I　wonder　if　the　victim　is　Rue　but　quickly　dismiss　the　thought。　Sheˇs　much　too　bright　to　be　building　a　fire　like　that。
¨Better　clear　out　so　they　can　get　the　body　before　it　starts　stinking。〃　Iˇm　almost　certain　thatˇs　the　brutish　boy　from　District　2。　There　are　murmurs　of　assent　and　then；　to　my　horror；　I　hear　the　pack　heading　toward　me。　They　do　not　know　Iˇm　here。　How　could　they？　And　Iˇm　well　concealed　in　the　clump　of　trees。　At　least　while　the　sun　stays　down。　Then　my　black　sleeping　bag　will　turn　from　camouflage　to　trouble。　If　they　just　keep　moving；　they　will　pass　me　and　be　gone　in　a　minute。　
But　the　Careers　stop　in　the　clearing　about　ten　yards　from　my　tree。　They　have　flashlights；　torches。　I　can　see　an　arm　here；　a　boot　there；　through　the　breaks　in　the　branches。　I　turn　to　stone；　not　even　daring　to　breathe。　Have　they　spotted　me？　No；　not　yet。　I　can　tell　from　their　words　their　minds　are　elsewhere。
¨Shouldnˇt　we　have　heard　a　cannon　by　now？〃
¨Iˇd　say　yes。　Nothing　to　prevent　them　from　going　in　immediately。〃
¨Unless　she　isnˇt　dead。〃
¨Sheˇs　dead。　I　stuck　her　myself。〃
¨Then　whereˇs　the　cannon？〃
¨Someone　should　go　back。　Make　sure　the　jobˇs　done。〃
¨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！