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in my bag before I plunge into sleep。
A bird perched just a few feet from me alerts me that a new day is dawning。 In the gray morning light； I examine my hands。 The medicine has transformed all the angry red patches to a soft baby…skin pink。 My leg still feels inflamed； but that burn was far deeper。 I apply another coat of medicine and quietly pack up my gear。 Whatever happens； Iˇm going to have to move and move fast。 I also make myself eat a cracker and a strip of beef and drink a few cups of water。
Almost nothing stayed in my stomach yesterday； and Iˇm already starting to feel the effects of hunger。
Below me； I can see the Career pack and Peeta asleep on the ground。 By her position； leaning up against the trunk of the tree； Iˇd guess Glimmer was supposed to be on guard； but fatigue overcame her。
My eyes squint as they try to perate the tree next to me； but I canˇt make out Rue。 Since she tipped me off； it only seems fair to warn her。 Besides； if Iˇm going to die today； itˇs Rue I want to win。 Even if it means a little extra food for my family； the idea of Peeta being crowned victor is unbearable。
I call Rueˇs name in a hushed whisper and the eyes appear； wide and alert； at once。 She points up to the nest again。 I hold up my knife and make a sawing motion。 She nods and disappears。 Thereˇs a rustling in a nearby tree。 Then the same noise again a bit farther off。 I realize sheˇs leaping from tree to tree。 Itˇs all I can do not to laugh out loud。 Is this what she showed the Gamemakers？ I imagine her flying around the training equipment never touching the floor。 She should have gotten at least a ten。
Rosy streaks are breaking through in the east。 I canˇt afford to wait any longer。 pared to the agony of last nightˇs climb； this one is a cinch。 At the tree limb that holds the nest； I position the knife in the groove and Iˇm about to draw the teeth across the wood when I see something moving。 There； on the nest。 The bright gold gleam of a tracker jacker lazily making its way across the papery gray surface。 No question； itˇs acting a little subdued； but the wasp is up and moving and that means the others will be out soon as well。 Sweat breaks out on the palms of my hands； beading up through the ointment； and I do my best to pat them dry on my shirt。 If I donˇt get through this branch in a matter of seconds； the entire swarm could emerge and attack me。
Thereˇs no sense in putting it off。 I take a deep breath； grip the knife handle and bear down as hard as I can。 Back； forth； back； forth！ The tracker jackers begin to buzz and I hear them ing out。 Back； forth； back； forth！ A stabbing pain shoots through my knee and I know one has found me and the others will be honing in。 Back； forth； back； forth。 And just as the knife cuts through； I shove the end of the branch as far away from me as I can。 It crashes down through the lower branches； snagging temporarily on a few but then twisting free until it smashes with a thud on the ground。 The nest bursts open like an egg； and a furious swarm of tracker jackers takes to the air。
I feel a second sting on the cheek； a third on my neck； and their venom almost immediately makes me woozy。 I cling to the tree with one arm while I rip the barbed stingers out of my flesh。 Fortunately； only these three tracker jackers had identified me before the nest went down。 The rest of the insects have targeted their enemies on the ground。
Itˇs mayhem。 The Careers have woken to a full…scale tracker jacker attack。 Peeta and a few others have the sense to drop everything and bolt。 I can hear cries of ¨To the lake！ To the lake！〃 and know they hope to evade the wasps by taking to the water。 It must be close if they think they can outdistance the furious insects。 Glimmer and another girl； the one from District 4； are not so lucky。 They receive multiple stings before theyˇre even out of my view。 Glimmer appears to go pletely mad； shrieking and trying to bat the wasps off with her bow； which is pointless。 She calls to the others for help but； of course； no one returns。 The girl from District 4 staggers out of sight； although I wouldnˇt bet on her making it to the lake。 I watch Glimmer fall； twitch hysterically around on the ground for a few minutes； and then go still。
The nest is nothing but an empty shell。 The wasps have vanished in pursuit of the others。 I donˇt think theyˇll return； but I donˇt want to risk it。 I scamper down the tree and hit the ground running in the opposite direction of the lake。 The poison from the stingers makes me wobbly； but I find my way back to my own little pool and submerge myself in the water； just in case any wasps are still on my trail。 After about five minutes； I drag myself onto the rocks。 People have not exaggerated the effects of the tracker jacker stings。 Actually； the one on my knee is closer to an orange than a plum in size。 A foulsmelling green liquid oozes from the places where I pulled out the stingers。
The swelling。 The pain。 The ooze。 Watching Glimmer twitching to death on the ground。 Itˇs a lot to handle before the sun has even cleared the horizon。 I donˇt want to think about what Glimmer must look like now。 Her body disfigured。 Her swollen fingers stiffening around the bow 。 。 。
The bow！ Somewhere in my befuddled mind one thought connects to another and Iˇm on my feet； teetering through the trees back to Glimmer。 The bow。 The arrows。 I must get them。 I havenˇt heard the cannons fire yet； so perhaps Glimmer is in some sort of a； her heart still struggling against the wasp venom。 But once it stops and the cannon signals her death； a hovercraft will move in and retrieve her body； taking the only bow and sheath of arrows Iˇve seen out of the Games for good。 And I refuse to let them slip through my fingers again！
I reach Glimmer just as the cannon fires。 The tracker jackers have vanished。 This girl； so breathtakingly beautiful in her golden dress the night of the interviews； is unrecognizable。 Her features eradicated； her limbs three times their normal size。 The stinger lumps have begun to explode； spewing putrid green liquid around her。 I have to break several of what used to be her fingers with a stone to free the bow。 The sheath of arrows is pinned under her back。 I try to roll over her body by pulling on one arm； but the flesh disintegrates in my hands and I fall back on the ground。
Is this real？ Or have the hallucinations begun？ I squeeze my eyes tight and try to breathe through my mouth； ordering myself not to bee sick。 Breakfast must stay down； it might be days before I can hunt again。 A second cannon fires and Iˇm guessing the girl from District 4 has just died。 I hear the birds fall silent and then one give the warning call； which means a hovercraft is about to appear。 Confused； I think itˇs for Glimmer； although this doesnˇt quite make sense because Iˇm still in the picture； still fighting for the arrows。 I lurch back onto my knees and the trees around me begin to spin in circles。 In the middle of the sky； I spot the hovercraft。 I throw myself over Glimmerˇs body as if to protect it but then I see the girl from District 4 being lifted into the air and vanishing。
¨Do this！〃 I mand myself。 Clenching my jaw； I dig my hands under Glimmerˇs body； get a hold on what must be her rib cage； and force her onto her stomach。 I canˇt help it； Iˇm hyperventilating now； the whole thing is so nightmarish and Iˇm losing my grasp on whatˇs real。 I tug on the silver sheath of arrows； but itˇs caught on something； her shoulder blade； something； and finally yank it free。 Iˇve just encircled the sheath with my arms when I hear the footsteps； several pairs； ing through the underbrush； and I realize the Careers have e back。 Theyˇve e back to kill me or get their weapons or both。
But itˇs too late to run。 I pull a slimy arrow from the sheath and try to position it on the bowstring but instead of one string I see three and the stench from the stings is so repulsive I canˇt do it。 I canˇt do it。 I canˇt do it。
Iˇm helpless as the first hunter crashes through the trees； spear lifted； poised to throw。 The shock on Peetaˇs face makes no sense to me。 I wait for the blow。 Instead his arm drops to his side。
¨What are you still doing here？〃 he hisses at me。 I stare unprehendingly as a trickle of water drips off a sting under his ear。 His whole body starts sparkling as if heˇs been dipped in dew。 ¨Are you mad？〃 Heˇs prodding me with the shaft of the spear now。 ¨Get up！ Get up！〃 I rise； but heˇs still pushing at me。 What？ What is going on？ He shoves me away from him hard。 ¨Run！〃 he screams。 ¨Run！〃
Behind him； Cato slashes his way through the brush。 Heˇs sparkling wet； too； and badly stung under one eye。 I catch the gleam of sunlight on his sword and do as Peeta says。 Holding tightly to my bow and arrows； banging into trees that appear out of nowhere； tripping and falling as I try to keep my balance。 Back past my pool and into unfamiliar woods。 The world begins to bend in alarming ways。 A butterfly balloons to the size of a house then shatters into a million stars。 Trees transform to blood and splash down over my boots。 Ants begin to crawl out of the blisters on my hands and I canˇt shake them free。 Theyˇre climbing up my arms； my neck。 Someoneˇs screaming； a long high pitched scream that never breaks for breath。 I have a vague idea it might be me。 I trip and fall into a small pit lined with tiny orange bubbles that hum like the tracker jacker nest。 Tucking my knees up to my chin； I wait for death。
Sick and disoriented； Iˇm able to form only one thought： Peeta Mellark just saved my life。
Then the ants bore into my eyes and I black out。
15
I enter a nightmare from which I wake repeatedly only to find a greater terror awaiting me。 All the things I dread most； all the things I dread for others manifest in such vivid detail I canˇt help but believe theyˇre real。 Each time I wake； I think； At last； this is over； but it isnˇt。 Itˇs only the beginning of a new chapter of torture。 How many ways do I watch Prim die？ Relive my fatherˇs last moments？ Feel my own body ripped apart？ This is the nature of the tracker jacker venom； so carefully created to target the place where fear lives in your brain。
When I finally do e to my senses； I lie still； waiting for the next onslaught of imagery。 But eventually I accept that the poison must have finally worked its way out of my system； leaving my body wracked and feeble。 Iˇm still lying on my side； locked in the fetal position。 I lift a hand to my eyes to find them sound； untouched by ants that never existed。 Simply stretching out my limbs requires an enormous effort。 So many parts of me hurt； it doesnˇt seem worthwhile taking inventory of them。 Very； very slowly I manage to sit up。 Iˇm in a shallow hole； not filled with the humming orange bubbles of my hallucination but with old； dead leaves。 My clothingˇs damp； but I donˇt know whether pond water； dew； rain； or sweat is the cause。 For a long time； all I can do is take tiny sips from my bottle and watch a beetle crawl up the side of a honeysuckle bush。
How long have I been out？ It was morning when I lost reason。 Now itˇs afternoon。 But the stiffness in my joints suggests more than a day has passed； even two possibly。 If so； Iˇll have no way of knowing which tributes survived that tracker jacker attack。 Not Glimmer or the girl from District 4。 But there was the boy from District 1； both tributes from District 2； and Peeta。 Did they die from the stings？ Certainly if they lived； their last days must have been as horrid as my own。 And what about Rue？ Sheˇs so small； it wouldnˇt take much venom to do her in。 But then again 。 。 。 the tracker jackers wouldˇve had to catch her； and she had a good head start。
A foul； rotten taste pervades my mouth； and the water has little effect on it。 I drag myself over to the honeysuckle bush and pluck a flower。 I gently pull the stamen through the blossom and set the drop of nectar on my tongue。 The sweetness spreads through my mouth； down my throat； warming my veins with memories of summer； and my home woods and Galeˇs presence beside me。 For some reason； our discussion from that last morning es back to me。
¨We could do it； you know。〃
¨What？〃
¨Leave the district。 Run off。 Live in the woods。 You and