《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第68章

st；　too　unable　to　process　what　has　happened。　Has　Peeta　somehow　e　to　my　rescue？　Have　the　Gamemakers　sent　in　some　wild　animal　to　add　to　the　fun？　Has　a　hovercraft　inexplicably　plucked　her　into　the　air？
But　when　I　push　myself　up　on　my　numb　arms；　I　see　itˇs　none　of　the　above。　Clove　is　dangling　a　foot　off　the　ground；　imprisoned　in　Threshˇs　arms。　I　let　out　a　gasp；　seeing　him　like　that；　towering　over　me；　holding　Clove　like　a　rag　doll。　I　remember　him　as　big；　but　he　seems　more　massive；　more　powerful　than　I　even　recall。　If　anything；　he　seems　to　have　gained　weight　in　the　arena。　He　flips　Clove　around　and　flings　her　onto　the　ground。
When　he　shouts；　I　jump；　never　having　heard　him　speak　above　a　mutter。　¨Whatˇd　you　do　to　that　little　girl？　You　kill　her？〃
Clove　is　scrambling　backward　on　all　fours；　like　a　frantic　insect；　too　shocked　to　even　call　for　Cato。　¨No！　No；　it　wasnˇt　me！〃
¨You　said　her　name。　I　heard　you。　You　kill　her？〃　Another　thought　brings　a　fresh　wave　of　rage　to　his　features。　¨You　cut　her　up　like　you　were　going　to　cut　up　this　girl　here？〃
¨No！　No；　I　〃　Clove　sees　the　stone；　about　the　size　of　a　small　loaf　of　bread　in　Threshˇs　hand　and　loses　it。　¨Cato！〃　she　screeches。　¨Cato！〃
¨Clove！〃　I　hear　Catoˇs　answer；　but　heˇs　too　far　away；　I　can　tell　that　much；　to　do　her　any　good。　What　was　he　doing？　Trying　to　get　Foxface　or　Peeta？　Or　had　he　been　lying　in　wait　for　Thresh　and　just　badly　misjudged　his　location？
Thresh　brings　the　rock　down　hard　against　Cloveˇs　temple。　Itˇs　not　bleeding；　but　I　can　see　the　dent　in　her　skull　and　I　know　that　sheˇs　a　goner。　Thereˇs　still　life　in　her　now　though；　in　the　rapid　rise　and　fall　of　her　chest；　the　low　moan　escaping　her　lips。
When　Thresh　whirls　around　on　me；　the　rock　raised；　I　know　itˇs　no　good　to　run。　And　my　bow　is　empty；　the　last　loaded　arrow　having　gone　in　Cloveˇs　direction。　Iˇm　trapped　in　the　glare　of　his　strange　golden　brown　eyes。　¨Whatˇd　she　mean？　About　Rue　being　your　ally？〃
¨I　　I　　we　teamed　up。　Blew　up　the　supplies。　I　tried　to　save　her；　I　did。　But　he　got　there　first。　District　One；〃　I　say。　Maybe　if　he　knows　I　helped　Rue；　he　wonˇt　choose　some　slow；　sadistic　end　for　me。
¨And　you　killed　him？〃　he　demands。
¨Yes。　I　killed　him。　And　buried　her　in　flowers；〃　I　say。　¨And　I　sang　her　to　sleep。〃
Tears　spring　in　my　eyes。　The　tension；　the　fight　goes　out　of　me　at　the　memory。　And　Iˇm　overwhelmed　by　Rue；　and　the　pain　in　my　head；　and　my　fear　of　Thresh；　and　the　moaning　of　the　dying　girl　a　few　feet　away。
¨To　sleep？〃　Thresh　says　gruffly。
¨To　death。　I　sang　until　she　died；〃　I　say。　¨Your　district。　。　。　they　sent　me　bread。〃　My　hand　reaches　up　but　not　for　an　arrow　that　I　know　Iˇll　never　reach。　Just　to　wipe　my　nose。　¨Do　it　fast；　okay；　Thresh？〃
Conflicting　emotions　cross　Threshˇs　face。　He　lowers　the　rock　and　points　at　me；　almost　accusingly。　¨Just　this　one　time；　I　let　you　go。　For　the　little　girl。　You　and　me；　weˇre　even　then。　No　more　owed。　You　understand？〃
I　nod　because　I　do　understand。　About　owing。　About　hating　it。　I　understand　that　if　Thresh　wins；　heˇll　have　to　go　back　and　face　a　district　that　has　already　broken　all　the　rules　to　thank　me；　and　he　is　breaking　the　rules　to　thank　me；　too。　And　I　understand　that；　for　the　moment；　Thresh　is　not　going　to　smash　in　my　skull。
¨Clove！〃　Catoˇs　voice　is　much　nearer　now。　I　can　tell　by　the　pain　in　it　that　he　sees　her　on　the　ground。
¨You　better　run　now；　Fire　Girl；〃　says　Thresh。
I　donˇt　need　to　be　told　twice。　I　flip　over　and　my　feet　dip　into　the　hard…packed　earth　as　I　run　away　from　Thresh　and　Clove　and　the　sound　of　Catoˇs　voice。　Only　when　I　reach　the　woods　do　I　turn　back　for　an　instant。　Thresh　and　both　large　backpacks　are　vanishing　over　the　edge　of　the　plain　into　the　area　Iˇve　never　seen。　Cato　kneels　beside　Clove；　spear　in　hand；　begging　her　to　stay　with　him。　In　a　moment；　he　will　realize　itˇs　futile；　she　canˇt　be　saved。　I　crash　into　the　trees；　repeatedly　swiping　away　the　blood　thatˇs　pouring　into　my　eye；　fleeing　like　the　wild；　wounded　creature　I　am。　After　a　few　minutes；　I　hear　the　cannon　and　I　know　that　Clove　has　died；　that　Cato　will　be　on　one　of　our　trails。　Either　Threshˇs　or　mine。　Iˇm　seized　with　terror；　weak　from　my　head　wound；　shaking。　I　load　an　arrow；　but　Cato　can　throw　that　spear　almost　as　far　as　I　can　shoot。
Only　one　thing　calms　me　down。　Thresh　has　Catoˇs　backpack　containing　the　thing　he　needs　desperately。　If　I　had　to　bet；　Cato　headed　out　after　Thresh；　not　me。　Still　I　donˇt　slow　down　when　I　reach　the　water。　I　plunge　right　in；　boots　still　on；　and　flounder　downstream。　I　pull　off　Rueˇs　socks　that　Iˇve　been　using　for　gloves　and　press　them　into　my　forehead；　trying　to　staunch　the　flow　of　blood；　but　theyˇre　soaked　in　minutes。
Somehow　I　make　it　back　to　the　cave。　I　squeeze　through　the　rocks。　In　the　dappled　light；　I　pull　the　little　orange　backpack　from　my　arm；　cut　open　the　clasp；　and　dump　the　contents　on　the　ground。　One　slim　box　containing　one　hypodermic　needle。　Without　hesitating；　I　jam　the　needle　into　Peetaˇs　arm　and
slowly　press　down　on　the　plunger。
My　hands　go　to　my　head　and　then　drop　to　my　lap；　slick　with　blood。
The　last　thing　I　remember　is　an　exquisitely　beautiful　greenand…　silver　moth　landing　on　the　curve　of　my　wrist。
22
The　sound　of　rain　drumming　on　the　roof　of　our　house　gently　pulls　me　toward　consciousness。　I　fight　to　return　to　sleep　though；　wrapped　in　a　warm　cocoon　of　blankets；　safe　at　home。　Iˇm　vaguely　aware　that　my　head　aches。　Possibly　I　have　the　flu　and　this　is　why　Iˇm　allowed　to　stay　in　bed；　even　though　I　can　tell　Iˇve　been　asleep　a　long　time。　My　motherˇs　hand　strokes　my　cheek　and　I　donˇt　push　it　away　as　I　would　in　wakefulness；　never　wanting　her　to　know　how　much　I　crave　that　gentle　touch。　How　much　I　miss　her　even　though　I　still　donˇt　trust　her。　Then　thereˇs　a　voice；　the　wrong　voice；　not　my　motherˇs；　and　Iˇm　scared。
¨Katniss；〃　it　says。　¨Katniss；　can　you　hear　me？〃
My　eyes　open　and　the　sense　of　security　vanishes。　Iˇm　not　home；　not　with　my　mother。　Iˇm　in　a　dim；　chilly　cave；　my　bare　feet　freezing　despite　the　cover；　the　air　tainted　with　the　unmistakable　smell　of　blood。　The　haggard；　pale　face　of　a　boy　slides　into　view；　and　after　an　initial　jolt　of　alarm；　I　feel　better。　¨Peeta。〃
¨He