《the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)》饥饿游戏(英文版)-第85章

hed　a　first。　Keeping　not　only　one　but　two　tributes　alive。　What　if　he　hadnˇt　warned　me　in　time？　Would　I　have　acted　differently？　Flaunted　the　moment　with　the　berries　in　the　Capitolˇs　face？　No；　I　donˇt　think　so。　But　I　could　easily　have　been　a　lot　less　convincing　than　I　need　to　be　now。　Right　now。　Because　I　can　feel　the　plate　lifting　me　up　to　the　stage。
Blinding　lights。　The　deafening　roar　rattles　the　metal　under　my　feet。　Then　thereˇs　Peeta　just　a　few　yards　away。　He　looks　so　clean　and　healthy　and　beautiful；　I　can　hardly　recognize　him。　But　his　smile　is　the　same　whether　in　mud　or　in　the　Capitol　and　when　I　see　it；　I　take　about　three　steps　and　fling　myself　into　his　arms。　He　staggers　back；　almost　losing　his　balance；　and　thatˇs　when　I　realize　the　slim；　metal　contraption　in　his　hand　is　some　kind　of　cane。　He　rights　himself　and　we　just　cling　to　each　other　while　the　audience　goes　insane。　Heˇs　kissing　me　and　all　the　time　Iˇm　thinking；　Do　you　know？　Do　you　know　how　much　danger　weˇre　in？　After　about　ten　minutes　of　this；　Caesar　Flickerman　taps　on　his　shoulder　to　continue　the　show；　and　Peeta　just　pushes　him　aside　without　even　glancing　at　him。　The　audience　goes　berserk。　Whether　he　knows　or　not；　Peeta　is；　as　usual；　playing　the　crowd　exactly　right。
Finally；　Haymitch　interrupts　us　and　gives　us　a　good…natured　shove　toward　the　victorˇs　chair。　Usually；　this　is　a　single；　ornate　chair　from　which　the　winning　tribute　watches　a　film　of　the　highlights　of　the　Games；　but　since　there　are　two　of　us；　the　Gamemakers　have　provided　a　plush　red　velvet　couch。　A　small　one；　my　mother　would　call　it　a　love　seat；　I　think。　I　sit　so　close　to　Peeta　that　Iˇm　practically　on　his　lap；　but　one　look　from　Haymitch　tells　me　it　isnˇt　enough。　Kicking　off　my　sandals；　I　tuck　my　feet　to　the　side　and　lean　my　head　against　Peetaˇs　shoulder。　His　arm　goes　around　me　automatically；　and　I　feel　like　Iˇm　back　in　the　cave；　curled　up　against　him；　trying　to　keep　warm。　His　shirt　is　made　of　the　same　yellow　material　as　my　dress；　but　Portiaˇs　put　him　in　long　black　pants。　No　sandals；　either；　but　a　pair　of　sturdy　black　boots　he　keeps　solidly　planted　on　the　stage。　I　wish　Cinna　had　given　me　a　similar　outfit；　I　feel　so　vulnerable　in　this　flimsy　dress。　But　I　guess　that　was　the　point。
Caesar　Flickerman　makes　a　few　more　jokes；　and　then　itˇs　time　for　the　show。　This　will　last　exactly　three　hours　and　is　required　viewing　for　all　of　Panem。　As　the　lights　dim　and　the　seal　appears　on　the　screen；　I　realize　Iˇm　unprepared　for　this。　I　do　not　want　to　watch　my　twenty…two　fellow　tributes　die。　I　saw　enough　of　them　die　the　first　time。　My　heart　starts　pounding　and　I　have　a　strong　impulse　to　run。　How　have　the　other　victors　faced　this　alone？　During　the　highlights；　they　periodically　show　the　winnerˇs　reaction　up　on　a　box　in　the　corner　of　the　screen。　I　think　back　to　earlier　years　。　。　。　some　are　triumphant；　pumping　their　fists　in　the　air；　beating　their　chests。　Most　just　seem　stunned。　All　I　know　is　that　the　only　thing　keeping　me　on　this　love　seat　is　Peeta　　his　arm　around　my　shoulder；　his　other　hand　claimed　by　both　of　mine。　Of　course；　the　previous　victors　didnˇt　have　the　Capitol　looking　for　a　way　to　destroy　them。
Condensing　several　weeks　into　three　hours　is　quite　a　feat；　especially　when　you　consider　how　many　cameras　were　going　at　once。　Whoever　puts　together　the　highlights　has　to　choose　what　sort　of　story　to　tell。　This　year；　for　the　first　time；　they　tell　a　love　story。　I　know　Peeta　and　I　won；　but　a　disproportionate　amount　of　time　is　spent　on　us；　right　from　the　beginning。　Iˇm　glad　though；　because　it　supports　the　whole　crazy…in…love　thing　thatˇs　my　defense　for　defying　the　Capitol；　plus　it　means　we　wonˇt　have　as　much　time　to　linger　over　the　deaths。
The　first　half　hour　or　so　focuses　on　the　pre…arena　events；　the　reaping；　the　chariot　ride　through　the　Capitol；　our　training　scores；　and　our　interviews。　Thereˇs　this　sort　of　upbeat　soundtrack　playing　under　it　that　makes　it　twice　as　awful　because；　of　course；　almost　everyone　on…screen　is　dead。
Once　weˇre　in　the　arena；　thereˇs　detailed　coverage　of　the　bloodbath　and　then　the　filmmakers　basically　alternate　between　shots　of　tributes　dying　and　shots　of　us。　Mostly　Peeta　really；　thereˇs　no　question　heˇs　carrying　this　romance　thing　on　his　shoulders。　Now　I　see　what　the　audience　saw；　how　he　misled　the　Careers　about　me；　stayed　awake　the　entire　night　under　the　tracker　jacker　tree；　fought　Cato　to　let　me　escape　and　even　while　he　lay　in　that　mud　bank；　whispered　my　name　in　his　sleep。　I　seem　heartless　in　parison　　dodging　fireballs；　dropping　nests；　and　blowing　up　supplies　　until　I　go　hunting　for　Rue。　They　play　her　death　in　full；　the　spearing；　my　failed　rescue　attempt；　my　arrow　through　the　boy　from　District　1ˇs　throat；　Rue　drawing　her　last　breath　in　my　arms。　And　the　song。　I　get　to　sing　every　note　of　the　song。　Something　inside　me　shuts　down　and　Iˇm　too　numb　to　feel　anything。　Itˇs　like　watching　plete　strangers　in　another　Hunger　Games。　But　I　do　notice　they　omit　the　part　where　I　covered　her　in　flowers。
Right。　Because　even　that　smacks　of　rebellion。
Things　pick　up　for　me　once　theyˇve　announced　two　tributes　from　the　same　district　can　live　and　I　shout　out　Peetaˇs　name　and　then　clap　my　hands　over　my　mouth。　If　Iˇve　seemed　indifferent　to　him　earlier；　I　make　up　for　it　now；　by　finding　him；　nursing　him　back　to　health；　going　to　the　feast　for　the　medicine；　and　being　very　free　with　my　kisses。　Objectively；　I　can　see　the　mutts　and　Catoˇs　death　are　as　gruesome　as　ever；　but　again；　I　feel　it　happens　to　people　I　have　never　met。
And　then　es　the　moment　with　the　berries。　I　can　hear　the　audience　hushing　one　another；　not　wanting　to　miss　anything。　A　wave　of　gratitude　to　the　filmmakers　sweeps　over　me　when　they　end　not　with　the　announcement　of　our　victory；　but　with　me　pounding　on　the　glass　door　of　the　hovercraft；　screaming　Peetaˇs　name　as　they　try　to　revive　him。
In　terms　of　survival；　itˇs　my　best　moment　all　night。
The　anthemˇs　playing　yet　again　and　we　rise　as　President　Snow　himself　takes　the　stage　followed　by　a　little　girl　carrying　a　cushion　that　holds　the　crown。　Thereˇs　just　one　crown；　though；　and　you　can　hear　the　crowdˇs　confusion　　whose　head　will　he　place　it　on？　　until　President　Snow　gives　it