第1部分(第2/7 頁)

　had　to　let　him　stay。　It　turned　out　okay。　My　mother　got　rid　of　the　vermin　and　heˇs　a　born　mouser。　Even　catches　the　occasional　rat。　Sometimes；　when　I　clean　a　kill；　I　feed　Buttercup　the　entrails。　He　has　stopped　hissing　at　me。

Entrails。　No　hissing。　This　is　the　closest　we　will　ever　e　to　love。

I　swing　my　legs　off　the　bed　and　slide　into　my　hunting　boots。　Supple　leather　that　has　molded　to　my　feet。　I　pull　on　trousers；　a　shirt；　tuck　my　long　dark　braid　up　into　a　cap；　and　grab　my　forage

bag。　On　the　table；　under　a　wooden　bowl　to　protect　it　from　hungry　rats　and　cats　alike；　sits　a　perfect　little　goat　cheese　wrapped　in　basil　leaves。　Primˇs　gift　to　me　on　reaping　day。　I　put　the　cheese　carefully　in　my　pocket　as　I　slip　outside。

Our　part　of　District　12；　nicknamed　the　Seam；　is　usually　crawling　with　coal　miners　heading　out　to　the　morning　shift　at　this　hour。　Men　and　women　with　hunched　shoulders；　swollen　knuckles；　many　who　have　long　since　stopped　trying　to　scrub　the　coal　dust　out　of　their　broken　nails；　the　lines　of　their　sunken　faces。　But　today　the　black　cinder　streets　are　empty。　Shutters　on　the　squat　gray　houses　are　closed。　The　reaping　isnˇt　until

two。　May　as　well　sleep　in。　If　you　can。

Our　house　is　almost　at　the　edge　of　the　Seam。　I　only　have　to　pass　a　few　gates　to　reach　the　scruffy　field　called　the　Meadow。　Separating　the　Meadow　from　the　woods；　in　fact　enclosing　all　of　District　12；　is　a　high　chain…link　fence　topped　with　barbedwire　loops。　In　theory；　itˇs　supposed　to　be　electrified　twentyfour　hours　a　day　as　a　deterrent　to　the　predators　that　live　in　the　woods　�　packs　of　wild　dogs；　lone　cougars；　bears　�　that　used　to　threaten　our　streets。　But　since　weˇre　lucky　to　get　two　or　three　hours　of　electricity　in　the　evenings；　itˇs　usually　safe　to　touch。　Even　so；　I　a