《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第70章

¨I　wish　there　was　some　sort　of　bread　bush　out　there；〃　says　Peeta。
¨The　bread　they　sent　me　from　District　Eleven　was　still　warm；〃　I　say　with　a　sigh。　¨Here；　chew　these。〃　I　hand　him　a　couple　of　mint　leaves　and　pop　a　few　in　my　own　mouth。
Itˇs　hard　to　even　see　the　projection　in　the　sky；　but　itˇs　clear　enough　to　know　there　were　no　more　deaths　today。　So　Cato　and　Thresh　havenˇt　had　it　out　yet。
¨Where　did　Thresh　go？　I　mean；　whatˇs　on　the　far　side　of　the　circle？〃　I　ask　Peeta。
¨A　field。　As　far　as　you　can　see　itˇs　full　of　grasses　as　high　as　my　shoulders。　I　donˇt　know；　maybe　some　of　them　are　grain。　There　are　patches　of　different　colors。　But　there　are　no　paths；〃　says　Peeta。
¨I　bet　some　of　them　are　grain。　I　bet　Thresh　knows　which　ones；　too；〃　I　say。　¨Did　you　go　in　there？〃
¨No。　Nobody　really　wanted　to　track　Thresh　down　in　that　grass。　It　has　a　sinister　feeling　to　it。　Every　time　I　look　at　that　field；　all　I　can　think　of　are　hidden　things。　Snakes；　and　rabid　animals；　and　quicksand；〃　Peeta　says。　¨There　could　be　anything　in　there。〃
I　donˇt　say　so　but　Peetaˇs　words　remind　me　of　the　warnings　they　give　us　about　not　going　beyond　the　fence　in　District　12。　I　canˇt　help；　for　a　moment；　paring　him　with　Gale；　who　would　see　that　field　as　a　potential　source　of　food　as　well　as　a　threat。　Thresh　certainly　did。　Itˇs　not　that　Peetaˇs　soft　exactly；　and　heˇs　proved　heˇs　not　a　coward。　But　there　are　things　you　donˇt　question　too　much；　I　guess；　when　your　home　always　smells　like　baking　bread；　whereas　Gale　questions　everything。　What　would　Peeta　think　of　the　irreverent　banter　that　passes　between　us　as　we　break　the　law　each　day？　Would　it　shock　him？　The　things　we　say　about　Panem？　Galeˇs　tirades　against　the　Capitol？
¨Maybe　there　is　a　bread　bush　in　that　field；〃　I　say。　¨Maybe　thatˇs　why　Thresh　looks　better　fed　now　than　when　we　started　the　Games。〃
¨Either　that　or　heˇs　got　very　generous　sponsors；〃　says　Peeta。　¨I　wonder　what　weˇd　have　to　do　to　get　Haymitch　to　send　us　some　bread。〃
I　raise　my　eyebrows　before　I　remember　he　doesnˇt　know　about　the　message　Haymitch　sent　us　a　couple　of　nights　ago。　One　kiss　equals　one　pot　of　broth。　Itˇs　not　the　sort　of　thing　I　can　blurt　out；　either。　To　say　my　thoughts　aloud　would　be　tipping　off　the　audience　that　the　romance　has　been　fabricated　to　play　on　their　sympathies　and　that　would　result　in　no　food　at　all。　Somehow；　believably；　Iˇve　got　to　get　things　back　on　track。　Something　simple　to　start　with。　I　reach　out　and　take　his　hand。
¨Well；　he　probably　used　up　a　lot　of　resources　helping　me　knock　you　out；〃　I　say　mischievously。
¨Yeah；　about　that；〃　says　Peeta；　entwining　his　fingers　in　mine。　¨Donˇt　try　something　like　that　again。〃
¨Or　what？〃　I　ask。
¨Or　。　。　。　or　。　。　。〃　He　canˇt　think　of　anything　good。　¨Just　give　me　a　minute。〃
¨Whatˇs　the　problem？〃　I　say　with　a　grin。
¨The　problem　is　weˇre　both　still　alive。　Which　only　reinforces　the　idea　in　your　mind　that　you　did　the　right　thing；〃　says　Peeta。
¨I　did　do　the　right　thing；〃　I　say。
¨No！　Just　donˇt；　Katniss！〃　His　grip　tightens；　hurting　my　hand；　and　thereˇs　real　anger　in　his　voice。　¨Donˇt　die　for　me。　You　wonˇt　be　doing　me　any　favors。　All　right？〃
Iˇm　startled　by　his　intensity　but　recognize　an　excellent　opportunity　for　getting　food；　so　I　try　to　keep　up。　¨Maybe　I　did　it　for　myself；　Peeta；　did　you　ever　think　of　that？　Maybe　you　arenˇt　the　only　one　who　。　。　。　who　worries　about　。　。　。　what　it　would　be　like　if。　。　。〃
I　fumble。　Iˇm　not　as　smooth　with　words　as　Peeta。　And　while　I　was　talking；　the　idea　of　actually　losing　Peeta　hit　me　again　and　I　realized　how　much　I　donˇt　want　him　to　die。　And　itˇs　not　about　the　sponsors。　And　itˇs　not　about　what　will　happen　back　home。　And　itˇs　not　just　that　I　donˇt　want　to　be　alone。　Itˇs　him。　I　do　not　want　to　lose　the　boy　with　the　bread。
¨If　what；　Katniss？〃　he　says　softly。
I　wish　I　could　pull　the　shutters　closed；　blocking　out　this　moment　from　the　prying　eyes　of　Panem。　Even　if　it　means　losing　food。　Whatever　Iˇm　feeling；　itˇs　no　oneˇs　business　but　mine。
¨Thatˇs　exactly　the　kind　of　topic　Haymitch　told　me　to　steer　clear　of；〃　I　say　evasively；　although　Haymitch　never　said　anything　of　the　kind。　In　fact；　heˇs　probably　cursing　me　out　right　now　for　dropping　the　ball　during　such　an　emotionally　charged　moment。　But　Peeta　somehow　catches　it。
¨Then　Iˇll　just　have　to　fill　in　the　blanks　myself；〃　he　says；　and　moves　in　to　me。
This　is　the　first　kiss　that　weˇre　both　fully　aware　of。　Neither　of　us　hobbled　by　sickness　or　pain　or　simply　unconscious。　Our　lips　neither　burning　with　fever　or　icy　cold。　This　is　the　first　kiss　where　I　actually　feel　stirring　inside　my　chest。　Warm　and　curious。　This　is　the　first　kiss　that　makes　me　want　another。
But　I　donˇt　get　it。　Well；　I　do　get　a　second　kiss；　but　itˇs　just　a　light　one　on　the　tip　of　my　nose　because　Peetaˇs　been　distracted。　¨I　think　your　wound　is　bleeding　again。　e　on；　lie　down；　itˇs　bedtime　anyway；〃　he　says。
My　socks　are　dry　enough　to　wear　now。　I　make　Peeta　put　his　jacket　back　on。　The　damp　cold　seems　to　cut　right　down　to　my　bones；　so　he　must　be　half　frozen。　I　insist　on　taking　the　first　watch；　too；　although　neither　of　us　think　itˇs　likely　anyone　will　e　in　this　weather。　But　he　wonˇt　agree　unless　Iˇm　in　the　bag；　too；　and　Iˇm　shivering　so　hard　that　itˇs　pointless　to　object。　In　stark　contrast　to　two　nights　ago；　when　I　felt　Peeta　was　a　million　miles　away；　Iˇm　struck　by　his　immediacy　now。　As　we　settle　in；　he　pulls　my　head　down　to　use　his　arm　as　a　pillow；　the　other　rests　protectively　over　me　even　when　he　goes　to　sleep。　No　one　has　held　me　like　this　in　such　a　long　time。　Since　my　father　died　and　I　stopped　trusting　my　mother；　no　one　elseˇs　arms　have　made　me　feel　this　safe。　
With　the　aid　of　the　glasses；　I　lie　watching　the　drips　of　water　splatter　on　the　cave　floor。　Rhythmic　and　lulling。　Several　times；　I　drift　off　briefly　and　then　snap　awake；　guilty　and　angry　with　myself。　After　three　or　four　hours；　I　canˇt　help　it；　I　have　to　rouse　Peeta　because　I　canˇt　keep　my　eyes　open。　He　doesnˇt　seem　to　mind。
¨Tomorrow；　when　itˇs　dry；　Iˇll　find　us　a　place　so　high　in　the　trees　we　can　both　sleep　in　peace；〃　I　promise　as　I　drift　off。
But　tomorrow　is　no　better　in　terms　of　weather