第34部分(第5/7 頁)

ut　on　the　cave　floor　and　lie　down；　one　hand　on　my　loaded　bow　in　case　I　have　to　shoot　at　a　momentˇs　notice。　Peeta　sits　beside　me；　leaning　against　the　wall；　his　bad　leg　stretched　out　before　him；　his　eyes　trained　on　the　world　outside。　¨Go　to　sleep；〃　he　says　softly。　His　hand　brushes　the　loose　strands　of　my　hair　off　my　forehead。　Unlike　the　staged　kisses　and　caresses　so　far；　this　gesture　seems　natural　and　forting。　I　donˇt　want　him　to　stop　and　he　doesnˇt。　Heˇs　still　stroking　my　hair　when　I　fall　asleep。

Too　long。　I　sleep　too　long。　I　know　from　the　moment　I　open　my　eyes　that　weˇre　into　the　afternoon。　Peetaˇs　right　beside　me；　his　position　unchanged。　I　sit　up；　feeling　somehow　defensive　but　better　rested　than　Iˇve　been　in　days。

¨Peeta；　you　were　supposed　to　wake　me　after　a　couple　of　hours；〃　I　say。

¨For　what？　Nothingˇs　going　on　here；〃　he　says。　¨Besides　I　like　watching　you　sleep。　You　donˇt　scowl。　Improves　your　looks　a　lot。〃

This；　of　course；　brings　on　a　scowl　that　makes　him　grin。　Thatˇs　when　I　notice　how　dry　his　lips　are。　I　test　his　cheek。　Hot　as　a　coal　stove。　He　claims　heˇs　been　drinking；　but　the　containers　still　feel　full　to　me。　I　give　him　more　fever　pills　and　stand　over　him　while　he　drinks　first　one；　then　a　second　quart　of　water。　Then　I　tend　to　his　minor　wounds；　the　burns；　the　stings；　which　are　showing　improvement。　I　steel　myself　and　unwrap　the　leg。

My　heart　drops　into　my　stomach。　Itˇs　worse；　much　worse。　Thereˇs　no　more　pus　in　evidence；　but　the　swelling　has　increased　and　the　tight　shiny　skin　is　inflamed。　Then　I　see　the　red　streaks　starting　to　crawl　up　his　leg。　Blood　poisoning。　Unchecked；　it　will　kill　him　for　sure。　My　chewed…up　leaves　and　ointment　wonˇt　make　a　dent　in　it。　Weˇll　need　strong　antiinfection　drugs　from　the　Capitol。　I　canˇt　imagine　the　cos