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¨We could do it； you know。〃
¨What？〃
¨Leave the district。 Run off。 Live in the woods。 You and I； we
could make it。〃
And suddenly； Iˇm not thinking of Gale but of Peeta and 。 。 。 Peeta！ He saved my life！ I think。 Because by the time we met up； I couldnˇt tell what was real and what the tracker jacker venom had caused me to imagine。 But if he did； and my instincts tell me he did； what for？ Is he simply working the Lover Boy angle he initiated at the interview？ Or was he actually trying to protect me？ And if he was； what was he doing with those Careers in the first place？ None of it makes sense。
I wonder what Gale made of the incident for a moment and then I push the whole thing out of my mind because for some reason Gale and Peeta do not coexist well together in my thoughts。
So I focus on the one really good thing thatˇs happened since I landed in the arena。 I have a bow and arrows！ A full dozen arrows if you count the one I retrieved in the tree。 They bear no trace of the noxious green slime that came from Glimmerˇs body which leads me to believe that might not have been wholly real but they have a fair amount of dried blood on them。 I can clean them later； but I do take a minute to shoot a few into a nearby tree。 They are more like the weapons in the Training Center than my ones at home； but who cares？ That I can work with。
The weapons give me an entirely new perspective on the Games。 I know I have tough opponents left to face。 But I am no longer merely prey that runs and hides or takes desperate measures。 If Cato broke through the trees right now； I wouldnˇt flee； Iˇd shoot。 I find Iˇm actually anticipating the moment with pleasure。
But first； I have to get some strength back in my body。 Iˇm very dehydrated again and my water supply is dangerously low。 The little padding I was able to put on by gorging myself during prep time in the Capitol is gone； plus several more pounds as well。 My hip bones and ribs are more prominent than I remember them being since those awful months after my fatherˇs death。 And then there are my wounds to contend with burns； cuts； and bruises from smashing into the trees； and three tracker jacker stings； which are as sore and swollen as ever。 I treat my burns with the ointment and try dabbing a bit on my stings as well； but it has no effect on them。 My mother knew a treatment for them； some type of leaf that could draw out the poison； but she seldom had cause to use it； and I donˇt even remember its name let alone its appearance。
Water first； I think。 You can hunt along the way now。 Itˇs easy to see the direction I came from by the path of destruction my crazed body made through the foliage。 So I walk off in the other direction； hoping my enemies still lie locked in the surreal world of tracker jacker venom。
I canˇt move too quickly； my joints reject any abrupt motions。 But I establish the slow hunterˇs tread I use when tracking game。 Within a few minutes； I spot a rabbit and make my first kill with the bow and arrow。 Itˇs not my usual clean shot through the eye； but Iˇll take it。 After about an hour； I find a stream； shallow but wide； and more than sufficient for my needs。 The sunˇs hot and severe； so while I wait for my water to purify I strip down to my underclothes and wade into the mild current。 Iˇm filthy from head to toe； I try splashing myself but eventually just lay down in the water for a few minutes； letting it wash off the soot and blood and skin that has started to peel off my burns。 After rinsing out my clothes and hanging them on bushes to dry； I sit on the bank in the sun for a bit； untangling my hair with my fingers。 My appetite returns and I eat a cracker and a strip of beef。 With a handful of moss； I polish the blood from my silver weapons。
Refreshed； I treat my burns again； braid back my hair； and dress in the damp clothes； knowing the sun will dry them soon enough。 Following the stream against its current seems the smartest course of action。 Iˇm traveling uphill now； which I prefer； with a source of fresh water not only for myself but possible game。 I easily take out a strange bird that must be some form of wild turkey。 Anyway； it looks plenty edible to me。 By late afternoon； I decide to build a small fire to cook the meat； betting that dusk will help conceal the smoke and I can quench the fire by nightfall。 I clean the game； taking extra care with the bird； but thereˇs nothing alarming about it。 Once the feathers are plucked； itˇs no bigger than a chicken； but itˇs plump and firm。 Iˇve just placed the first lot over the coals when I hear the twig snap。
In one motion； I turn to the sound； bringing the bow and arrow to my shoulder。 Thereˇs no one there。 No one I can see anyway。 Then I spot the tip of a childˇs boot just peeking out from behind the trunk of a tree。 My shoulders relax and I grin。 She can move through the woods like a shadow； you have to give her that。 How else could she have followed me？ The words e out of my mouth before I can stop them。
¨You know； theyˇre not the only ones who can form alliances；〃 I say。
For a moment； no response。 Then one of Rueˇs eyes edges round the trunk。 ¨You want me for an ally？〃
¨Why not？ You saved me with those tracker jackers。 Youˇre mart enough to still be alive。 And I canˇt seem to shake you nyway；〃 I say。 She blinks at me； trying to decide。 ¨You hungry？〃 can see her swallow hard； her eye flickering to the eat。 ¨e on then； Iˇve had two kills today。〃
Rue tentatively steps out into the open。 ¨I can fix your tings。〃
¨Can you？〃 I ask。 ¨How？〃
She digs in the pack she carries and pulls out a handful of eaves。 Iˇm almost certain theyˇre the ones my mother uses。 Whereˇd you find those？〃
¨Just around。 We all carry them when we work in the orchards。 hey left a lot of nests there；〃 says Rue。 ¨There are a lot ere； too。〃
¨Thatˇs right。 Youˇre District Eleven。 Agriculture；〃 I say。 Orchards； huh？ That must be how you can fly around the rees like youˇve got wings。〃 Rue smiles。 Iˇve landed on one of the few things sheˇll admit pride in。 ¨Well； e on； then。 Fix me up。〃
I plunk down by the fire and roll up my pant leg to reveal the sting on my knee。 To my surprise； Rue places the handful of leaves into her mouth and begins to chew them。 My mother would use other methods； but itˇs not like we have a lot of options。 After a minute or so； Rue presses a gloppy green wad of chewed leaves and spit on my knee。
¨Ohhh。〃 The sound es out of my mouth before I can stop it。 Itˇs as if the leaves are actually leaching the pain right out of the sting。
Rue gives a giggle。 ¨Lucky you had the sense to pull the stingers out or youˇd be a lot worse。〃
¨Do my neck！ Do my cheek！〃 I almost beg。
Rue stuffs another handful of leaves in her mouth； and soon Iˇm laughing because the relief is so sweet。 I notice a long burn on Rueˇs forearm。 ¨Iˇve got something for that。〃 I set aside my weapons and anoint her arm with the burn medicine。
¨You have good sponsors；〃 she says longingly。
¨Have you gotten anything yet？〃 I ask。 She shakes her head。 ¨You will； though。 Watch。 The closer we get to the end； the more people will realize how clever you are。〃 I turn the meat over。
¨You werenˇt joking； about wanting me for an ally？〃 she asks。
¨No； I meant it；〃 I say。 I can almost hear Haymitch groaning as I team up with this wispy child。 But I want her。 Because sheˇs a survivor； and I trust her； and why not admit it？ She reminds me of Prim。
¨Okay；〃 she says； and holds out her hand。 We shake。 ¨Itˇs a deal。〃
Of course； this kind of deal can only be temporary； but neither of us mentions that。
Rue contributes a big handful of some sort of starchy root to the meal。 Roasted over the fire； they have the sharp sweet taste of a parsnip。 She recognizes the bird； too； some wild thing they call a groosling in her district。 She says sometimes a flock will wander into the orchard and they get a decent lunch that day。 For a while； all conversation stops as we fill our stomachs。 The groosling has delicious meal thatˇs so fatty； the grease drips down your face when you bite into it。
¨Oh；〃 says Rue with a sigh。 ¨Iˇve never had a whole leg to myself before。〃
Iˇll bet she hasnˇt。 Iˇll bet meat hardly ever es her way。 ¨Take the other；〃 I say。
¨Really？〃 she asks。
¨Take whatever you want。 Now that Iˇve got a bow and arrows； I can get more。 Plus Iˇve got snares。 I can show you how to set them；〃 I say。 Rue still looks uncertainly at the leg。 ¨Oh； take it；〃 I say； putting the drumstick in her hands。 ¨It will only keep a few days anyway； and weˇve got the whole bird plus the rabbit。〃 Once sheˇs got hold of it； her appetite wins out and she takes a huge mouthful。
¨Iˇd have thought； in District Eleven； youˇd have a bit more to eat than us。 You know； since you grow the food；〃 I say。
Rueˇs eyes widen。 ¨Oh； no； weˇre not allowed to eat the crops。〃
¨They arrest you or something？〃 I ask。
¨They whip you and make everyone else watch；〃 says Rue。 ¨The mayorˇs very strict about it。〃
I can tell by her expression that itˇs not that unmon an occurrence。 A public whippingˇs a rare thing in District 12； although occasionally one occurs。 Technically； Gale and I could be whipped on a daily basis for poaching in the woods well； technically； we could get a whole lot worse except all the officials buy our meat。 Besides； our mayor； Madgeˇs father； doesnˇt seem to have much taste for such events。 Maybe being the least prestigious； poorest； most ridiculed district in the country has its advantages。 Such as； being largely ignored by the Capitol as long as we produce our coal quotas。
¨Do you get all the coal you want？〃 Rue asks。
¨No；〃 I answer。 ¨Just what we buy and whatever we track in on our boots。〃
¨They feed us a bit extra during harvest； so that people can keep going longer；〃 says Rue。
¨Donˇt you have to be in school？〃 I ask。
¨Not during harvest。 Everyone works then；〃 says Rue。
Itˇs interesting； hearing about her life。 We have so little munication with anyone outside our district。 In fact； I wonder if the Gamemakers are blocking out our conversation； because even though the information seems harmless； they donˇt want people in different districts to know about one another。
At Rueˇs suggestion； we lay out all our food to plan ahead。 Sheˇs seen most of mine； but I add the last couple of crackers and beef strips to the pile。 Sheˇs gathered quite a collection of roots； nuts； greens； and even some berries。
I roll an unfamiliar berry in my fingers。 ¨You sure this is safe？〃
¨Oh； yes； we have them back home。 Iˇve been eating them for days；〃 she says； popping a handful in her mouth。 I tentatively bite into one； and itˇs as good as our blackberries。 Taking Rue on as an ally seems a better choice all the time。 We divide up our food supplies； so in case weˇre separated； weˇll both be set for a few days。 Apart from the food； Rue has a small water skin； a homemade slingshot； and an extra pair of socks。 She also has a sharp shard of rock she uses as a knife。 ¨I know itˇs not much；〃 she says as if embarrassed； ¨but I had to get away from the Cornucopia fast。〃
¨You did just right；〃 I say。 When I spread out my gear； she gasps a little when she sees the sunglasses。
¨How did you get those？〃 she asks。
¨In my pack。 Theyˇve been useless so far。 They donˇt block the sun and they make it harder to see；〃 I say with a shrug。
¨These arenˇt for sun； theyˇre for darkness；〃 exclaims Rue。 ¨Sometimes； when we harvest through the night； theyˇll pass out a few pairs to those of us highest in the trees。 Where the torchlight doesnˇt reach。 One time； this boy Martin； he tried to keep his pair。 Hid it in his pants。 They killed him on the spot。〃
¨They killed a boy for taking these？〃 I say。
¨Yes； and everyone knew he was no danger。 Martin wasnˇt right in the head。 I mean； he still acted like a three…year…old。 He just wanted the glasses to play with；〃 says Rue。
Hearing this makes me feel like District 12 is some sort of safe haven。 Of course； people keel over from starvation all the time； but I canˇt imagine the Peacekeepers murdering a simpleminded child。 Thereˇs a little girl； one of Greasy Saeˇs grandkids； who wanders around the Hob。 Sheˇs not q