第28部分(第2/7 頁)

t　work。　But　if　you　hear　the　mockingjays　singing　it；　youˇll　know　Iˇm　okay；　only　I　canˇt　get　back　right　away。〃

¨Are　there　many　mockingjays　here？〃　I　ask。

¨Havenˇt　you　seen　them？　Theyˇve　got　nests　everywhere；〃　she　says。　I　have　to　admit　I　havenˇt　noticed。

¨Okay；　then。　If　all　goes　according　to　plan；　Iˇll　see　you　for　dinner；〃　I　say。

Unexpectedly；　Rue　throws　her　arms　around　me。　I　only　hesitate　a　moment　before　I　hug　her　back。

¨You　be　careful；〃　she　says　to　me。

¨You；　too；〃　I　say。　I　turn　and　head　back　to　the　stream；　feeling　somehow　worried。　About　Rue　being　killed；　about　Rue　not　being　killed　and　the　two　of　us　being　left　for　last；　about　leaving　Rue　alone；　about　leaving　Prim　alone　back　home。　No；　Prim　has　my　mother　and　Gale　and　a　baker　who　has　promised　she　wonˇt　go　hungry。　Rue　has　only　me。

Once　I　reach　the　stream；　I　have　only　to　follow　it　downhill　to　the　place　I　initially　picked　it　up　after　the　tracker　jacker　attack。　I　have　to　be　cautious　as　I　move　along　the　water　though；　be211　cause　I　find　my　thoughts　preoccupied　ost　of　which　concern　Peeta。　The　cannon　that　fired　early　this　morning；　did　that　signify　his　death？　If　so；　how　did　he　die？　At　the　hand　of　a　Career？　And　was　that　in　revenge　for　letting　me　live？　I　struggle　again　to　remember　that　moment　over　Glimmerˇs　body；　when　he　burst　through　the　trees。　But　just　the　fact　that　he　was　sparkling　leads　me　to　doubt　everything　that　happened。

I　must　have　been　moving　very　slowly　yesterday　because　I　reach　the　shallow　stretch　where　I　took　my　bath　in　just　a　few　hours。　I　stop　to　replenish　my　water　and　add　a　layer　of　mud　to　my　backpack。　It　seems　bent　on　reverting　to　orange　no　matter　how　many　times　I　cover　it。

My　proximity　to　the　Careersˇ　camp　sharpens　my　senses；　and　the　closer　I　get　to　them；　the