第21部分(第1/7 頁)

Snap！　The　sound　of　a　breaking　branch　wakes　me。　How　long　have　I　been　asleep？　Four　hours？　Five？　The　tip　of　my　nose　is　icy　cold。　Snap！　Snap！　Whatˇs　going　on？　This　is　not　the　sound　of　a　branch　under　someoneˇs　foot；　but　the　sharp　crack　of　one　ing　from　a　tree。　Snap！　Snap！　I　judge　it　to　be　several　hundred　yards　to　my　right。　Slowly；　noiselessly；　I　turn　myself　in　that　direction。　For　a　few　minutes；　thereˇs　nothing　but　blackness　and　some　scuffling。　Then　I　see　a　spark　and　a　small　fire　begins　to　bloom。　A　pair　of　hands　warms　over　flames；　but　I　canˇt　make　out　more　than　that。

I　have　to　bite　my　lip　not　to　scream　every　foul　name　I　know　at　the　fire　starter。　What　are　they　thinking？　A　fire　Iˇll　just　at　nightfall　would　have　been　one　thing。　Those　who　battled　at　the　Cornucopia；　with　their　superior　strength　and　surplus　of　supplies；　they　couldnˇt　possibly　have　been　near　enough　to　spot　the　flames　then。　But　now；　when　theyˇve　probably　been　bing　the　woods　for　hours　looking　for　victims。　You　might　as　well　be　waving　a　flag　and　shouting；　¨e　and　get　me！〃

And　here　I　am　a　stoneˇs　throw　from　the　biggest　idiot　in　the　Games。　Strapped　in　a　tree。　Not　daring　to　flee　since　my　general　location　has　just　been　broadcast　to　any　killer　who　cares。　I　mean；　I　know　itˇs　cold　out　here　and　not　everybody　has　a　sleeping　bag。　But　then　you　grit　your　teeth　and　stick　it　out　until　dawn！

I　lay　smoldering　in　my　bag　for　the　next　couple　of　hours　really　thinking　that　if　I　can　get　out　of　this　tree；　I　wonˇt　have　the　least　problem　taking　out　my　new　neighbor。　My　instinct　has　been　to　flee；　not　fight。　But　obviously　this　personˇs　a　hazard。　Stupid　people　are　dangerous。　And　this　one　probably　doesnˇt　have　much　in　the　way　of　weapons　while　Iˇve　got　this　excellent　knife。

The　sky　is　still　dark；　but　I　can　feel　the　first