第5部分(第4/7 頁)

ht　be　true。　Iˇve　seen　her　bring　back　people　suffering　from　immobilizing　sadness　since。　Perhaps　it　is　a　sickness；　but　itˇs　one　we　canˇt　afford。

¨Then　take　it。　And　take　care　of　her！〃　I　say。

¨Iˇll　be　all　right；　Katniss；〃　says　Prim；　clasping　my　face　in　her　hands。　¨But　you　have　to　take　care；　too。　Youˇre　so　fast　and　brave。　Maybe　you　can　win。〃

I　canˇt　win。　Prim　must　know　that　in　her　heart。　The　petition　will　be　far　beyond　my　abilities。　Kids　from　wealthier　districts；　where　winning　is　a　huge　honor；　whoˇve　been　trained　their　whole　lives　for　this。　Boys　who　are　two　to　three　times　my　size。　Girls　who　know　twenty　different　ways　to　kill　you　with　a　knife。　Oh；　thereˇll　be　people　like　me；　too。　People　to　weed　out　before　the　real　fun　begins。

¨Maybe；〃　I　say；　because　I　can　hardly　tell　my　mother　to　carry　on　if　Iˇve　already　given　up　myself。　Besides；　it　isnˇt　in　my　nature　to　go　down　without　a　fight；　even　when　things　seem　insurmountable。　¨Then　weˇd　be　rich　as　Haymitch。〃

¨I　donˇt　care　if　weˇre　rich。　I　just　want　you　to　e　home。　You　will　try；　wonˇt　you？　Really；　really　try？〃　asks　Prim。

¨Really；　really　try。　I　swear　it；〃　I　say。　And　I　know；　because　of　Prim；　Iˇll　have　to。

And　then　the　Peacekeeper　is　at　the　door；　signaling　our　time　is　up；　and　weˇre　all　hugging　one　another　so　hard　it　hurts　and　all　Iˇm　saying　is　¨I　love　you。　I　love　you　both。〃　And　theyˇre　saying　it　back　and　then　the　Peacekeeper　orders　them　out　and　the　door　closes。　I　bury　my　head　in　one　of　the　velvet　pillows　as　if　this　can　block　the　whole　thing　out。

Someone　else　enters　the　room；　and　when　I　look　up；　Iˇm　surprised　to　see　itˇs　the　baker；　Peeta　Mellarkˇs　father。　I　canˇt　believe　heˇs　e　to　visit　me。　After　all；　Iˇll　be　trying　to　kill　his　son　soon。　But　we　do　know　each　other　a　bit；　and　he　knows　Pri