第11部分(第4/7 頁)

as　with　her。　Their　clothes　were　tattered。　They　had　dark　circles　under　their　eyes　from　no　sleep。　They　were　running　as　if　their　lives　depended　on　it；〃　I　say。

For　a　moment　Iˇm　silent；　as　I　remember　how　the　sight　of　this　strange　pair；　clearly　not　from　District　12；　fleeing　through　the　woods　immobilized　us。　Later；　we　wondered　if　we　could　have　helped　them　escape。　Perhaps　we　might　have。　Concealed　them。　If　weˇd　moved　quickly。　Gale　and　I　were　taken　by　surprise；　yes；　but　weˇre　both　hunters。　We　know　how　animals　look　at　bay。　We　knew　the　pair　was　in　trouble　as　soon　as　we　saw　them。　But　we　only　watched。

¨The　hovercraft　appeared　out　of　nowhere；〃　I　continue　to　Peeta。　¨I　mean；　one　moment　the　sky　was　empty　and　the　next　it　was　there。　It　didnˇt　make　a　sound；　but　they　saw　it。　A dropped　down　on　the　girl　and　carried　her　up；　fast；　so　fast　like　the　elevator。　They　shot　some　sort　of　spear　through　the　boy。　It　was　attached　to　a　cable　and　they　hauled　him　up　as　well。　But　Iˇm　certain　he　was　dead。　We　heard　the　girl　scream　once。　The　boyˇs　name；　I　think。　Then　it　was　gone；　the　hovercraft。　Vanished　into　thin　air。　And　the　birds　began　to　sing　again；　as　if　nothing　had　happened。〃

¨Did　they　see　you？〃　Peeta　asked。

¨I　donˇt　know。　We　were　under　a　shelf　of　rock；〃　I　reply。

But　I　do　know。　There　was　a　moment；　after　the　birdcall；　but　before　the　hovercraft；　where　the　girl　had　seen　us。　Sheˇd　locked　eyes　with　me　and　called　out　for　help。　But　neither　Gale　or　I　had　responded。

¨Youˇre　shivering；〃　says　Peeta。

The　wind　and　the　story　have　blown　all　the　warmth　from　my　body。　The　girlˇs　scream。　Had　it　been　her　last？

Peeta　takes　off　his　jacket　and　wraps　it　around　my　shoulders。　I　start　to　take　a　step　back；　but　then　I　let　him；　deciding　for　a　moment　to　accept　both　his　jacket　and　hi