Hunger Games 1

Chapter 12 Suspicion (2)
Peeta and I walk down the corridor back to our room.When we got to the door of my room, Peeta was leaning against the door frame, half blocking the door with his body, obviously trying to make me listen carefully to him. "So, Delly Cartwright. Imagine, how do we meet someone who looks like her here?"

He said that because he wanted me to explain the matter, and I was thinking about how to say this in my heart.He deliberately used words to cover up for me just now, and we both knew this in our hearts, so I owe him again.About that girl, if I tell him the truth, we'll be even.Anyway, who can say it?

It doesn't bother me if he parrots elsewhere, because I'm only telling what I've seen with my own eyes; besides, he lied about Delly Cartwright as well.

I also want to tell people about that girl, and it can help me figure it out.

Gail was the first person I wanted to tell, but it's unlikely I'll ever see him again.I wonder if telling Peeta might give him an advantage over me, but I don't know what.Maybe telling him the confidential things will make him feel that I really treat him as a friend.

Also, the thought of the girl's tongue being cut out terrifies me.Her appearance reminded me what I came here for, not to show off the gorgeous clothes, nor to taste the delicious food, but to face the bloody death, to face the people who cheered for the person who killed me audience.

To tell him or not to tell?My brain was a little sluggish because of the alcohol.I stared at the empty hallway as if the answer lay there.

Peeta senses my hesitation. "Have you ever been on the roof?" he asked, and I shook my head. "Sina took me to see it, and I could almost see the whole city, but the wind was a bit strong."

I mentally interpreted his words as "no one will hear us talking".In this kind of place, there is indeed a feeling of being monitored.

"Shall we go up?" I said.

"Sure, let's go," Peeta said.I followed him up the steps leading to the roof.There is a vaulted room at the top with a door leading to the outside.I went out and the air outside was cool and windy.I was stunned by the sight in front of me.The Capitol seems to have countless fireflies shining at night.The power supply in the [-]th district is sporadic, usually only for a few hours, and most nights are lit with candles. The only time when the power is not interrupted is when the Hunger Games is broadcast or there are important TV news.But there's no power out here, ever.

Peeta and I walked to the railing on the side of the building, and I looked straight down from the roof.There is a lot of traffic on the street, and the whine of cars, people shouting, and strange metal knocking can be heard.In District [-], all we can think about right now is go to bed.

"I asked Cinna why he brought us here, didn't they worry about some 'tribute' jumping off here?" Peeta said.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"You can't dance," Peeta said.He stretched out his hand and stretched out towards the empty front.Then he heard the sound of "呵呵", and the others were also bounced back. "There's an electric grid here that bounces people off the roof."

"Always worried about our safety," I said.Even though Cinna brought Peeta up to the roof, I'm still worried about whether we're allowed to be here at this point.It's getting late and we're all alone.I've seen training center "tributes" come to the roof on TV before.But that doesn't mean we don't have monitors at the moment. "Do you think they're spying on us now?"

"Perhaps," he admitted, "come and see the garden."

At the other end of the roof, there is a garden with flower beds and potted trees.Hundreds of wind chimes hang from the branches, and it is here that the sound I just heard came from.In this garden, on this windy night, the voices of two people who did not want to be overheard could easily be drowned out.Peeta looked at me expectantly.

I pretend to admire a flower. "One day we were hunting in the woods, hiding there, waiting for the game to pass by," I said softly.

"You and your dad?" He also asked softly.

"No, with my friend Gail. All of a sudden all the birds stopped singing except for one, which made a warning chirp. That's when she appeared. I must be the same girl. She was with a boy .Their clothes are torn, probably because they haven’t slept, and their eyes are black. They are running like they are running for their lives.” I said.

I was silent for a while, thinking about the situation of these two people running for their lives in the woods. They were obviously not from District [-].Seeing them all of a sudden, we stood dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.Then we wondered if we should help them escape, maybe hide them if we were quick.Yes, Gale and I were stunned, but we're hunters, we know what it's like when prey is cornered, and when we saw these two, we knew they were in trouble.But then we just watched and didn't move.

"The helicopter came down from the sky," I continued to Peeta. "I mean, there was nothing in the sky, and then the plane appeared. It was silent, but they saw it. It cast a net over the girl, and then Pulled her up, very fast, like an elevator. They threw a spear with a rope at the boy, and he was pulled up. But I'm sure he was dead. We also heard that There was a cry from the girl, calling the boy's name, I think. Then the helicopter disappeared, disappeared into the air. The birds started chirping again, as if nothing happened."

"Did they see you?" Peeta asked.

"I don't know, we're hiding under a rock," I replied.

Actually I know.The moment the birds stopped abruptly and the helicopter appeared, the girl saw us. She stared at us intently, showing her eyes for help, but neither Gail nor I responded.

"You're shaking," Peeta said.

The wind and the story have taken all the heat from me and made me shudder.The girl's terrible cry, was that her last cry?
Peeta takes off his jacket, ready to drape it over my shoulders.I took a step back, hesitated, then decided to accept his offer to put my jacket on.Friends naturally do that, don't they?

"Are they from here?" he asked, buttoning my collar button.

I nodded, the boy and the girl, they looked like Capitols.

"Where do you think they're going?" he asked.

"I don't know that," I said.News from the [-]th district is always blocked.We are surrounded by wilderness, not counting the wilderness of the thirteenth district that was wiped out by gas bombs.Scenes from the thirteenth arrondissement are occasionally shown on television to remind us.

"Or why did you leave here?" I said.

Haymitch called that Avax a traitor.Why did you rebel?Could only be rebels from the Capitol.But they have everything here, and there is no reason to rebel!
"I gotta get out of here," Peeta said suddenly.He looked around nervously, the sound was louder than the sound of the wind chimes."I'd go home if they let me, but I have to admit the food is first class," he laughs.

He was playing the cover again, and if anyone heard what was said by the timid "tribute", he would not think that anyone was skeptical of the Capitol's rule.

"It's cold, we'd better go in," he said.The dome is warm and bright inside.He asked in his usual tone: "Your friend Gail, is that the one who took your sister away at the Harvest Festival ceremony?"

"Yes, you know him?" I asked.

"Not really, I keep hearing the girls talk about him. I thought he was your cousin or something. You hit it off," he said.

"Well, we're not related," I said.

Peeta nodded, feeling incomprehensible, "Did he come to say goodbye to you?"

"Coming," I said, watching his reaction carefully, "your dad is coming too, and he brought me cookies."

Peeta raises an eyebrow, as if he's hearing it all the time.But seeing him lying so naturally, I didn't take it too seriously.

"Really? Yes, he has a good impression of you and your sister. I think he would rather have a girl than a boy."

I might have been the talk of them, at the dinner table, by the oven, or just when I was passing Peeta's, and I just woke up thinking they were talking about me when his mom wasn't there .

"They've known each other since your mom was little," Peeta said.

I was taken aback by what he said, and it might well be true.I wondered what to say, it would be rude if I said that Mom only praised their bread and never mentioned the baker.So I said, "Ah, yes, she grew up in the city."

By this time we were at my door and I returned the jacket to him. "See you tomorrow morning, then."

"See you tomorrow," he said, and walked back down the corridor.

When I opened the door, the red-haired girl was packing up my tights and boots, which I had left on the floor before I showered.I want to say sorry to her for causing trouble so quickly.But it suddenly occurred to me that I shouldn't talk to her unless it was an order.

"Oh, sorry," I said, "I should give it back to Cinna, sorry, can you give him these clothes?"

She avoided my sight, nodded slightly, and walked towards the door.

I really want to say sorry to her about the meal.But I know my apology is much more than that.I'm ashamed that I didn't help her in the woods.I watched the Capitol kill the boy and wound her without lifting a finger.

It's like watching The Hunger Games.

I kicked off my shoes and got under the covers without taking off my clothes.I'm still shaking.This girl may have forgotten me, but I know she probably hasn't.For a person who once pinned your last hope, you will never forget it.I covered my face with the sheet, as if that would erase the memory of the dumb red-haired girl.But I felt that she was staring at me with her eyes, her eyes penetrated the walls, doors, windows and bedding.

I wonder if she is happy to see me die?
(End of this chapter)