第47部分(第1/7 页)

als；　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　Capito