第20部分(第1/7 頁)

Both　straps　on　my　shoulders　now；　I　make　for　the　trees。　Somehow　I　know　the　girl　will　not　pursue　me。　That　sheˇll　be　drawn　back　into　the　Cornucopia　before　all　the　good　stuff　is　gone。　A　grin　crosses　my　face。　Thanks　for　the　knife；　I　think。

At　the　edge　of　the　woods　I　turn　for　one　instant　to　survey　the　field。　About　a　dozen　or　so　tributes　are　hacking　away　at　one　another　at　the　horn。　Several　lie　dead　already　on　the　ground。　Those　who　have　taken　flight　are　disappearing　into　the　trees　or　into　the　void　opposite　me。　I　continue　running　until　the　woods　have　hidden　me　from　the　other　tributes　then　slow　into　a　steady　jog　that　I　think　I　can　maintain　for　a　while。　For　the　next　few　hours；　I　alternate　between　jogging　and　walking；　putting　as　much　distance　as　I　can　between　myself　and　my　petitors。　I　lost　my　bread　during　the　struggle　with　the　boy　from　District　9　but　managed　to　stuff　my　plastic　in　my　sleeve　so　as　I　walk　I　fold　it　neatly　and　tuck　it　into　a　pocket。　I　also　free　the　knife　�　itˇs　a　fine　one　with　a　long　sharp　blade；　serrated　near　the　handle；　which　will　make　it　handy　for　sawing　through　things　�　and　slide　it　into　my　belt。　I　donˇt　dare　stop　to　examine　the　contents　of　the　pack　yet。　I　just　keep　moving；　pausing　only　to　check　for　pursuers。

I　can　go　a　long　time。　I　know　that　from　my　days　in　the　woods。　But　I　will　need　water。　That　was　Haymitchˇs　second　instruction；　and　since　I　sort　of　botched　the　first；　I　keep　a　sharp　eye　out　for　any　sign　of　it。　No　luck。

The　woods　begin　to　evolve；　and　the　pines　are　intermixed　with　a　variety　of　trees；　some　I　recognize；　some　pletely　foreign　to　me。　At　one　point；　I　hear　a　noise　and　pull　my　knife；　thinking　I　may　have　to　defend　myself；　but　Iˇve　only　startled　a　rabbit。　¨Good　to　see　you；〃　I　whisper。　If　thereˇs　one　rabbit；　there　could　be　hundreds　ju