《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第81章

ion　of　the　rule　book　has　disclosed　that　only　one　winner　may　be　allowed；〃　he　says。　¨Good　luck　and　may　the　odds　be　ever　in　your　favor。〃
Thereˇs　a　small　burst　of　static　and　then　nothing　more。　I　stare　at　Peeta　in　disbelief　as　the　truth　sinks　in。　They　never　intended　to　let　us　both　live。　This　has　all　been　devised　by　the　Gamemakers　to　guarantee　the　most　dramatic　showdown　in　history。　And　like　a　fool；　I　bought　into　it。
¨If　you　think　about　it；　itˇs　not　that　surprising；〃　he　says　softly。　I　watch　as　he　painfully　makes　it　to　his　feet。　Then　heˇs　moving　toward　me；　as　if　in　slow　motion；　his　hand　is　pulling　the　knife　from　his　belt　
Before　I　am　even　aware　of　my　actions；　my　bow　is　loaded　with　the　arrow　pointed　straight　at　his　heart。　Peeta　raises　his　eyebrows　and　I　see　the　knife　has　already　left　his　hand　on　its　way　to　the　lake　where　it　splashes　in　the　water。　I　drop　my　weapons　and　take　a　step　back；　my　face　burning　in　what　can　only　be　shame。
¨No；〃　he　says。　¨Do　it。〃　Peeta　limps　toward　me　and　thrusts　the　weapons　back　in　my　hands。
¨I　canˇt；　I　say。　¨I　wonˇt。〃
¨Do　it。　Before　they　send　those　mutts　back　or　something。　I　donˇt　want　to　die　like　Cato；〃　he　says。
¨Then　you　shoot　me；〃　I　say　furiously；　shoving　the　weapons　back　at　him。　¨You　shoot　me　and　go　home　and　live　with　it！〃　And　as　I　say　it；　I　know　death　right　here；　right　now　would　be　the　easier　of　the　two。
¨You　know　I　canˇt；〃　Peeta　says；　discarding　the　weapons。　¨Fine；　Iˇll　go　first　anyway。〃　He　leans　down　and　rips　the　bandage　off　his　leg；　eliminating　the　final　barrier　between　his　blood　and　the　earth。
¨No；　you　canˇt　kill　yourself；〃　I　say。　Iˇm　on　my　knees；　desperately　plastering　the　bandage　back　onto　his　wound。
¨Katniss；〃　he　says。　¨Itˇs　what　I　want。〃
¨Youˇre　not　leaving　me　here　alone；〃　I　say。　Because　if　he　dies；　Iˇll　never　go　home；　not　really。　Iˇll　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　in　this　arena　trying　to　think　my　way　out。
¨Listen；〃　he　says　pulling　me　to　my　feet。　¨We　both　know　they　have　to　have　a　victor。　It　can　only　be　one　of　us。　Please；　take　it。　For　me。〃　And　he　goes　on　about　how　he　loves　me；　what　life　would　be　without　me　but　Iˇve　stopped　listening　because　his　previous　words　are　trapped　in　my　head；　thrashing　desperately　around。
We　both　know　they　have　to　have　a　victor。
Yes；　they　have　to　have　a　victor。　Without　a　victor；　the　whole　thing　would　blow　up　in　the　Gamemakersˇ　faces。　Theyˇd　have　failed　the　Capitol。　Might　possibly　even　be　executed；　slowly　and　painfully　while　the　cameras　broadcast　it　to　every　screen　in　the　country。
If　Peeta　and　I　were　both　to　die；　or　they　thought　we　were　。　。　。
My　fingers　fumble　with　the　pouch　on　my　belt；　freeing　it。　Peeta　sees　it　and　his　hand　clamps　on　my　wrist。　¨No；　I　wonˇt　let　you。〃
¨Trust　me；〃　I　whisper。　He　holds　my　gaze　for　a　long　moment　then　lets　me　go。　I　loosen　the　top　of　the　pouch　and　pour　a　few　spoonfuls　of　berries　into　his　palm。　Then　I　fill　my　own。　¨On　the　count　of　three？〃
Peeta　leans　down　and　kisses　me　once；　very　gently。　¨The　count　of　three；〃　he　says。
We　stand；　our　backs　pressed　together；　our　empty　hands　locked　tight。
¨Hold　them　out。　I　want　everyone　to　see；〃　he　says。
I　spread　out　my　fingers；　and　the　dark　berries　glisten　in　the　sun。　I　give　Peetaˇs　hand　one　last　squeeze　as　a　signal；　as　a　goodbye；　and　we　begin　counting。　¨One。〃　Maybe　Iˇm　wrong。　¨Two。〃　Maybe　they　donˇt　care　if　we　both　die。　¨Three！〃　Itˇs　too　late　to　change　my　mind。　I　lift　my　hand　to　my　mouth；　taking　one　last　look　at　the　world。　The　berries　have　just　passed　my　lips　when　the　trumpets　begin　to　blare。
The　frantic　voice　of　Claudius　Templesmith　shouts　above　them。　¨Stop！　Stop！　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　am　pleased　to　present　the　victors　of　the　Seventy…fourth　Hunger　Games；　Katniss　Everdeen　and　Peeta　Mellark！　I　give　you　　the　tributes　of　District　Twelve！〃
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I　spew　the　berries　from　my　mouth；　wiping　my　tongue　with　the　end　of　my　shirt　to　make　sure　no　juice　remains。　Peeta　pulls　me　to　the　lake　where　we　both　flush　our　mouths　with　water　and　then　collapse　into　each　otherˇs　arms。
¨You　didnˇt　swallow　any？〃　I　ask　him。
He　shakes　his　head。　¨You？〃
¨Guess　Iˇd　be　dead　by　now　if　I　did；〃　I　say。　I　can　see　his　lips　moving　in　reply；　but　I　canˇt　hear　him　over　the　roar　of　the　crowd　in　the　Capitol　that　theyˇre　playing　live　over　the　speakers。　
The　hovercraft　materializes　overhead　and　two　ladders　drop；　only　thereˇs　no　way　Iˇm　letting　go　of　Peeta。　I　keep　one　arm　around　him　as　I　help　him　up；　and　we　each　place　a　foot　on　the　first　rung　of　the　ladder。　The　electric　current　freezes　us　in　place；　and　this　time　Iˇm　glad　because　Iˇm　not　really　sure　Peeta　can　hang　on　for　the　whole　ride。　And　since　my　eyes　were　looking　down；　I　can　see　that　while　our　muscles　are　immobile；　nothing　is　preventing　the　blood　from　draining　out　of　Peetaˇs　leg。　Sure　enough；　the　minute　the　door　closes　behind　us　and　the　current　stops；　he　slumps　to　the　floor　unconscious。
My　fingers　are　still　gripping　the　back　of　his　jacket　so　tightly　that　when　they　take　him　away　it　tears　leaving　me　with　a　fistful　of　black　fabric。　Doctors　in　sterile　white；　masked　and　gloved；　already　prepped　to　operate；　go　into　action。　Peetaˇs　so　pale　and　still　on　a　silver　table；　tubes　and　wires　springing　out　of　him　every　which　way；　and　for　a　moment　I　forget　weˇre　out　of　the　Games　and　I　see　the　doctors　as　just　one　more　threat；　one　more　pack　of　mutts　designed　to　kill　him。　Petrified；　I　lunge　for　him；　but　Iˇm　caught　and　thrust　back　into　another　room；　and　a　glass　door　seals　between　us。　I　pound　on　the　glass；　screaming　my　head　off。　Everyone　ignores　me　except　for　some　Capitol　attendant　who　appears　behind　me　and　offers　me　a　beverage。
I　slump　down　on　the　floor；　my　face　against　the　door；　staring　unprehendingly　at　the　crystal　glass　in　my　hand。　Icy　cold；　filled　with　orange　juice；　a　straw　with　a　frilly　white　collar。　How　wrong　it　looks　in　my　bloody；　filthy　hand　with　its　dirt…caked　nails　and　scars。　My　mouth　waters　at　the　smell；　but　I　place　it　carefully　on　the　floor；　not　trusting　anything　so　clean　and　pretty。
Through　the　glass；　I　see　the　doctors　working　feverishly　on　Peeta；　their　brows　creased　in　concentration。　I　see　the　floping　through　the　tubes；　watch　a　wall　of　dials　and　lights　that　mean　nothing　to　me。　Iˇm　not　sure；　but　I　think　h