博炮作文网

第14部分（第2页）

¨Without　being　dismissed？〃　gasps　Effie。

¨I　dismissed　myself；〃　I　said。　I　remember　how　I　promised　Prim　that　I　really　would　try　to　win　and　I　feel　like　a　ton　of　coal　has　dropped　on　me。

¨Well；　thatˇs　that；〃　says　Haymitch。　Then　he　butters　a　roll。

¨Do　you　think　theyˇll　arrest　me？〃　I　ask。　¨Doubt　it。　Be　a　pain　to　replace　you　at　this　stage；〃　says　Haymitch。

¨What　about　my　family？〃　I　say。　¨Will　they　punish　them？〃

¨Donˇt　think　so。　Wouldnˇt　make　much　sense。　See　theyˇd　have　to　reveal　what　happened　in　the　Training　Center　for　it　to　have　any　worthwhile　effect　on　the　population。　People　would　need　to　know　what　you　did。　But　they　canˇt　since　itˇs　secret；　so　itˇd　be　a　waste　of　effort；〃　says　Haymitch。　¨More　likely　theyˇll　make　your　life　hell　in　the　arena。〃

¨Well；　theyˇve　already　promised　to　do　that　to　us　any　way；〃　says　Peeta。

¨Very　true；〃　says　Haymitch。　And　I　realize　the　impossible　has　happened。　They　have　actually　cheered　me　up。　Haymitch　picks　up　a　pork　chop　with　his　fingers；　which　makes　Effie　frown；　and　dunks　it　in　his　wine。　He　rips　off　a　hunk　of　meat　and　starts　to　chuckle。　¨What　were　their　faces　like？〃

I　can　feel　the　edges　of　my　mouth　tilting　up。　¨Shocked。　Terrified。　Uh；　ridiculous；　some　of　them。〃　An　image　pops　into　my　mind。　¨One　man　tripped　backward　into　a　bowl　of　punch。〃

Haymitch　guffaws　and　we　all　start　laughing　except　Effie；　although　even　she　is　suppressing　a　smile。　¨Well；　it　serves　them　right。　Itˇs　their　job　to　pay　attention　to　you。　And　just　because　you　e　from　District　Twelve　is　no　excuse　to　ignore　you。〃　Then　her　eyes　dart　around　as　if　sheˇs　said　something　totally　outrageous。　¨Iˇm　sorry；　but　thatˇs　what　I　think；〃　she　says　to　no　one　in　particular。

¨Iˇll　get　a　very　bad　score；〃　I　say。

¨Scores　only　matter　if　theyˇre　very　good；　no　one　pays　much　attention　to　the　bad　or　mediocre　ones。　For　all　they　know；　you　could　be　hiding　your　talents　to　get　a　low　score　on　purpose。　People　use　that　strategy；〃　said　Portia。

¨I　hope　thatˇs　how　people　interpret　the　four　Iˇll　probably　get；〃　says　Peeta。　¨If　that。　Really；　is　anything　less　impressive　than　watching　a　person　pick　up　a　heavy　ball　and　throw　it　a　couple　of　yards。　One　almost　landed　on　my　foot。〃

I　grin　at　him　and　realize　that　Iˇm　starving。　I　cut　off　a　piece　of　pork；　dunk　it　in　mashed　potatoes；　and　start　eating。　Itˇs　okay。　My　family　is　safe。　And　if　they　are　safe；　no　real　harm　has　been　done。

After　dinner；　we　go　to　sitting　room　to　watch　the　scores　announced　on　television。　First　they　show　a　photo　of　the　tribute；　then　flash　their　score　below　it。　The　Career　Tributes　naturally　get　in　the　eight…to…ten　range。　Most　of　the　other　players　average　a　five。　Surprisingly；　little　Rue　es　up　with　a　seven。　I　donˇt　know　what　she　showed　the　judges；　but　sheˇs　so　tiny　it　must　have　been　impressive。

District　12　es　up　last；　as　usual。　Peeta　pulls　an　eight　so　at　least　a　couple　of　the　Gamemakers　must　have　been　watching　him。　I　dig　my　fingernails　into　my　palms　as　my　face　es　up；　expecting　the　worst。　Then　theyˇre　flashing　the　number　eleven　on　the　screen。

Eleven！

Effie　Trinket　lets　out　a　squeal；　and　everybody　is　slapping　me　on　the　back　and　cheering　and　congratulating　me。　But　it　doesnˇt　seem　real。

¨There　must　be　a　mistake。　How　。　。　。　how　could　that　happen？〃　I　ask　Haymitch。

¨Guess　they　liked　your　temper；〃　he　says。　¨Theyˇve　got　a　show　to　put　on。　They　need　some　players　with　some　heat。〃

¨Katniss；　the　girl　who　was　on　fire；〃　says　Cinna　and　gives　me　a　hug。　¨Oh；　wait　until　you　see　your　interview　dress。〃　¨More　flames？〃　I　ask。　¨Of　a　sort；〃　he　says　mischievously。

Peeta　and　I　congratulate　each　other；　another　awkward　moment。　Weˇve　both　done　well；　but　what　does　that　mean　for　the　other？　I　escape　to　my　room　as　quickly　as　possible　and　burrow　down　under　the　covers。　The　stress　of　the　day；　particularly　the　crying；　has　worn　me　out。　I　drift　off；　reprieved；　relieved；　and　with　the　number　eleven　still　flashing　behind　my　eyelids。

At　dawn；　I　lie　in　bed　for　a　while；　watching　the　sun　e　up　on　a　beautiful　morning。　Itˇs　Sunday。　A　day　off　at　home。　I　wonder　if　Gale　is　in　the　woods　yet。　Usually　we　devote　all　of　Sunday　to　stocking　up　for　the　week。　Rising　early；　hunting　and　gathering；　then　trading　at　the　Hob。　I　think　of　Gale　without　me。　Both　of　us　can　hunt　alone；　but　weˇre　better　as　a　pair。　Particularly　if　weˇre　trying　for　bigger　game。　But　also　in　the　littler　things；　having　a　partner　lightened　the　load；　could　even　make　the　arduous　task　of　filling　my　familyˇs　table　enjoyable。

I　had　been　struggling　along　on　my　own　for　about　six　months　when　I　first　ran　into　Gale　in　the　woods。　It　was　a　Sunday　in　October；　the　air　cool　and　pungent　with　dying　things。　Iˇd　spent　the　morning　peting　with　the　squirrels　for　nuts　and　the