第34部分(第2/7 页)

nnaturally　hot　his　lips　are　from　the　fever。　I　break　away　and　pull　the　edge　of　the　sleeping　bag　up　around　him。　¨Youˇre　not　going　to　die。　I　forbid　it。　All　right？〃

¨All　right；〃　he　whispers。

I　step　out　in　the　cool　evening　air　just　as　the　parachute　floats　down　from　the　sky。　My　fingers　quickly　undo　the　tie；　hoping　for　some　real　medicine　to　treat　Peetaˇs　leg。　Instead　I　find　a　pot　of　hot　broth。

Haymitch　couldnˇt　be　sending　me　a　clearer　message。　One　kiss　equals　one　pot　of　broth。　I　can　almost　hear　his　snarl。　¨Youˇre　supposed　to　be　in　love；　sweetheart。　The　boyˇs　dying。　Give　me　something　I　can　work　with！〃

And　heˇs　right。　If　I　want　to　keep　Peeta　alive；　Iˇve　got　to　give　the　audience　something　more　to　care　about。　Star…crossed　lovers　desperate　to　get　home　together。　Two　hearts　beating　as　one。　Romance。

Never　having　been　in　love；　this　is　going　to　be　a　real　trick。　I　think　of　my　parents。　The　way　my　father　never　failed　to　bring　her　gifts　from　the　woods。　The　way　my　motherˇs　face　would　light　up　at　the　sound　of　his　boots　at　the　door。　The　way　she　almost　stopped　living　when　he　died。

¨Peeta！〃　I　say；　trying　for　the　special　tone　that　my　mother　used　only　with　my　father。　Heˇs　dozed　off　again；　but　I　kiss　him　awake；　which　seems　to　startle　him。　Then　he　smiles　as　if　heˇd　be　happy　to　lie　there　gazing　at　me　forever。　Heˇs　great　at　this　stuff。

I　hold　up　the　pot。　¨Peeta；　look　what　Haymitch　has　sent　you。〃

20

Getting　the　broth　into　Peeta　takes　an　hour　of　coaxing；　begging；　threatening；　and　yes；　kissing；　but　finally；　sip　by　sip；　he　empties　the　pot。　I　let　him　drift　off　to　sleep　then　and　attend　to　my　own　needs；　wolfing　down　a　supper　of　groosling　and　roots　while　I　watch　the　daily　report　in　the　sky。　No　new　casualties。　Still；　Peeta　and　I　have　given　the　audi