《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第79章

¨What　is　it；　Katniss？〃　Peeta　shakes　my　shoulder。
¨Itˇs　them。　Itˇs　all　of　them。　The　others。　Rue　and　Foxface　and　。　。　。　all　of　the　other　tributes；〃　I　choke　out。
I　hear　Peetaˇs　gasp　of　recognition。　¨What　did　they　do　to　them？　You　donˇt　think　。　。　。　those　could　be　their　real　eyes？〃
Their　eyes　are　the　least　of　my　worries。　What　about　their　brains？　Have　they　been　given　any　of　the　real　tributes　memories？　Have　they　been　programmed　to　hate　our　faces　particularly　because　we　have　survived　and　they　were　so　callously　murdered？　And　the　ones　we　actually　killed　。　。　。　do　they　believe　theyˇre　avenging　their　own　deaths？
Before　I　can　get　this　out；　the　mutts　begin　a　new　assault　on　the　horn。　Theyˇve　split　into　two　groups　at　the　sides　of　the　horn　and　are　using　those　powerful　hindquarters　to　launch　themselves　at　us。　A　pair　of　teeth　ring　together　just　inches　from　my　hand　and　then　I　hear　Peeta　cry　out；　feel　the　yank　on　his　body；　the　heavy　weight　of　boy　and　mutt　pulling　me　over　the　side。　If　not　for　the　grip　on　my　arm；　heˇd　be　on　the　ground；　but　as　it　is；　it　takes　all　my　strength　to　keep　us　both　on　the　curved　back　of　the　horn。　And　more　tributes　are　ing。
¨Kill　it；　Peeta！　Kill　it！〃　Iˇm　shouting；　and　although　I　canˇt　quite　see　whatˇs　happening；　I　know　he　must　have　stabbed　the　thing　because　the　pull　lessens。　Iˇm　able　to　haul　him　back　onto　the　horn　where　we　drag　ourselves　toward　the　top　where　the　lesser　of　two　evils　awaits。
Cato　has　still　not　regained　his　feet；　but　his　breathing　is　slowing　and　I　know　soon　heˇll　be　recovered　enough　to　e　for　us；　to　hurl　us　over　the　side　to　our　deaths。　I　arm　my　bow；　but　the　arrow　ends　up　taking　out　a　mutt　that　can　only　be　Thresh。　Who　else　could　jump　so　high？　I　feel　a　momentˇs　relief　because　we　must　finally　be　up　above　the　mutt　line　and　Iˇm　just　turning　back　to　face　Cato　when　Peetaˇs　jerked　from　my　side。　Iˇm　sure　the　pack　has　got　him　until　his　blood　splatters　my　face。
Cato　stands　before　me；　almost　at　the　lip　of　the　horn；　holding　Peeta　in　some　kind　of　headlock；　cutting　off　his　air。　Peetaˇs　clawing　at　Catoˇs　arm；　but　weakly；　as　if　confused　over　whether　itˇs　more　important　to　breathe　or　try　and　stem　the　gush　of　blood　from　the　gaping　hole　a　mutt　left　in　his　calf。
I　aim　one　of　my　last　two　arrows　at　Catoˇs　head；　knowing　itˇll　have　no　effect　on　his　trunk　or　limbs；　which　I　can　now　see　are　clothed　in　a　skintight；　flesh…colored　mesh。　Some　high…grade　body　armor　from　the　Capitol。　Was　that　what　was　in　his　pack　at　the　feast？　Body　armor　to　defend　against　my　arrows？　Well；　they　neglected　to　send　a　face　guard。
Cato　just　laughs。　¨Shoot　me　and　he　goes　down　with　me。〃
Heˇs　right。　If　I　take　him　out　and　he　falls　to　the　mutts；　Peeta　is　sure　to　die　with　him。　Weˇve　reached　a　stalemate。　I　canˇt　shoot　Cato　without　killing　Peeta；　too。　He　canˇt　kill　Peeta　without　guaranteeing　an　arrow　in　his　brain。　We　stand　like　statues；　both　of　us　seeking　an　out。
My　muscles　are　strained　so　tightly；　they　feel　they　might　snap　at　any　moment。　My　teeth　clenched　to　the　breaking　point。　The　mutts　go　silent　and　the　only　thing　I　can　hear　is　the　blood　pounding　in　my　good　ear。
Peetaˇs　lips　are　turning　blue。　If　I　donˇt　do　something　quickly；　heˇll　die　of　asphyxiation　and　then　Iˇll　have　lost　him　and　Cato　will　probably　use　his　body　as　a　weapon　against　me。　In　fact；　Iˇm　sure　this　is　Catoˇs　plan　because　while　heˇs　stopped　laughing；　his　lips　are　set　in　a　triumphant　smile。
As　if　in　a　last…ditch　effort；　Peeta　raises　his　fingers；　dripping　with　blood　from　his　leg；　up　to　Catoˇs　arm。　Instead　of　trying　to　wrestle　his　way　free；　his　forefinger　veers　off　and　makes　a　deliberate　X　on　the　back　of　Catoˇs　hand。　Cato　realizes　what　it　means　exactly　one　second　after　I　do。　I　can　tell　by　the　way　the　smile　drops　from　his　lips。　But　itˇs　one　second　too　late　because；　by　that　time；　my　arrow　is　piercing　his　hand。　He　cries　out　and　reflexively　releases　Peeta　who　slams　back　against　him。　For　a　horrible　moment；　I　think　theyˇre　both　going　over。　I　dive　forward　just　catching　hold　of　Peeta　as　Cato　loses　his　footing　on　the　blood…slick　horn　and　plummets　to　the　ground。
We　hear　him　hit；　the　air　leaving　his　body　on　impact；　and　then　the　mutts　attack　him。　Peeta　and　I　hold　on　to　each　other；　waiting　for　the　cannon；　waiting　for　the　petition　to　finish；　waiting　to　be　released。　But　it　doesnˇt　happen。　Not　yet。　Because　this　is　the　climax　of　the　Hunger　Games；　and　the　audience　expects　a　show。
I　donˇt　watch；　but　I　can　hear　the　snarls；　the　growls；　the　howls　of　pain　from　both　human　and　beast　as　Cato　takes　on　the　mutt　pack。　I　canˇt　understand　how　he　can　be　surviving　until　I　remember　the　body　armor　protecting　him　from　ankle　to　neck　and　I　realize　what　a　long　night　this　could　be。　Cato　must　have　a　knife　or　sword　or　something；　too；　something　he　had　hidden　in　his　clothes；　because　on　occasion　thereˇs　the　death　scream　of　a　mutt　or　the　sound　of　metal　on　metal　as　the　blade　collides　with　the　golden　horn。　The　bat　moves　around　the　side　of　the　Cornucopia；　and　I　know　Cato　must　be　attempting　the　one　maneuver　that　could　save　his　life　　to　make　his　way　back　around　to　the　tail　of　the　horn　and　rejoin　us。　But　in　the　end；　despite　his　remarkable　strength　and　skill；　he　is　simply　overpowered。
I　donˇt　know　how　long　it　has　been；　maybe　an　hour　or　so；　when　Cato　hits　the　ground　and　we　hear　the　mutts　dragging　him；　dragging　him　back　into　the　Cornucopia。　Now　theyˇll　finish　him　off；　I　think。　But　thereˇs　still　no　cannon。
Night　falls　and　the　anthem　plays　and　thereˇs　no　picture　of　Cato　in　the　sky；　only　the　faint　moans　ing　through　the　metal　beneath　us。　The　icy　air　blowing　across　the　plain　reminds　me　that　the　Games　are　not　over　and　may　not　be　for　who　knows　how　long；　and　there　is　still　no　guarantee　of　victory。
I　turn　my　attention　to　Peeta　and　discover　his　leg　is　bleeding　as　badly　as　ever。　All　our　supplies；　our　packs；　remain　down　by　the　lake　where　we　abandoned　them　when　we　fled　from　the　mutts。　I　have　no　bandage；　nothing　to　staunch　the　flow　of　blood　from　his　calf。　Although　Iˇm　shaking　in　the　biting　wind；　I　rip　off　my　jacket；　remove　my　shirt；　and　zip　back　into　the　jacket　as　swiftly　as　possible。　That　brief　exposure　sets　my　teeth　chattering　beyond　control。
Peetaˇs　face　is　gray　in　the　pale　moonlight。　I　make　him　lie　down　befo