Peeta
(Six) Better than Being Dead
I’m awakened by shouting.
“Get up!” someone cries.
“Quick, get him!” screams another.
Marvel tosses my spear to me, and I almost miss it out of grogginess. What’s going on? I think.
I see who they're after as Cato hurls one spear to the boy near the Cornucopia. Cato is on top of him, demanding an explanation, spear ready to kill. The boy is pleading, though I can't make out what either of them are saying.
"The bombs!" he says, "I can reactivate them, protect your supplies!"
"What bombs?" demands Cato, his eyes furious.
"The ones near the tribute plates!" The boy sounds like he’s about to faint.
Lilliana pokes around. Apparently, he has already dug up the bombs that destroy the tributes who step off their metal disks too early. "Are they activated yet?" she asks.
"No," he says, "but I can do it."
Cato pushes him up and leads him over to the pile of bombs that have already been dug up, holding a firm grip on his arm.
"Wait, Cato!" yells Clove. "How do we know he's not going to throw them at us?"
It's true. This boy could be dangerous if he really knows what he's doing. "Lover Boy, over here!" She makes me sit by him and threaten him with a spear as he shakily starts to rewire the bombs. I feel like their puppet, but I tell myself that it's better than being dead.
It's clear what Clove's idea was. I'm watching over his work, and I realize that I am obviously the most disposable of the group if a bomb accidentally goes off. The rest of them are circled around, evenly spaced, aiming their weapons toward us in case he has the nerve to throw a bomb.
The boy works fast, and his hands fumble every once in a while. He obviously knows what he's doing, but I’m sure this wasn't his original plan. He digs up the rest of the bombs, rewires them, and he asks for my help to bury them around our pile of supplies, carefully leaving a path to follow. The other five Careers are wielding weapons: spears, swords, and a mace. Glimmer has the bow and arrows, prepared to attack if anything goes wrong.
The work takes all afternoon, but finally he finishes and the Careers lower their weapons. We eat, the District 3 boy gets a share of the food, and Cato demands that we start immediately on the hunting. This time, the District 3 boy is left to guard the supplies. Well, at least he's put to good use.
“Get up!” someone cries.
“Quick, get him!” screams another.
Marvel tosses my spear to me, and I almost miss it out of grogginess. What’s going on? I think.
I see who they're after as Cato hurls one spear to the boy near the Cornucopia. Cato is on top of him, demanding an explanation, spear ready to kill. The boy is pleading, though I can't make out what either of them are saying.
"The bombs!" he says, "I can reactivate them, protect your supplies!"
"What bombs?" demands Cato, his eyes furious.
"The ones near the tribute plates!" The boy sounds like he’s about to faint.
Lilliana pokes around. Apparently, he has already dug up the bombs that destroy the tributes who step off their metal disks too early. "Are they activated yet?" she asks.
"No," he says, "but I can do it."
Cato pushes him up and leads him over to the pile of bombs that have already been dug up, holding a firm grip on his arm.
"Wait, Cato!" yells Clove. "How do we know he's not going to throw them at us?"
It's true. This boy could be dangerous if he really knows what he's doing. "Lover Boy, over here!" She makes me sit by him and threaten him with a spear as he shakily starts to rewire the bombs. I feel like their puppet, but I tell myself that it's better than being dead.
It's clear what Clove's idea was. I'm watching over his work, and I realize that I am obviously the most disposable of the group if a bomb accidentally goes off. The rest of them are circled around, evenly spaced, aiming their weapons toward us in case he has the nerve to throw a bomb.
The boy works fast, and his hands fumble every once in a while. He obviously knows what he's doing, but I’m sure this wasn't his original plan. He digs up the rest of the bombs, rewires them, and he asks for my help to bury them around our pile of supplies, carefully leaving a path to follow. The other five Careers are wielding weapons: spears, swords, and a mace. Glimmer has the bow and arrows, prepared to attack if anything goes wrong.
The work takes all afternoon, but finally he finishes and the Careers lower their weapons. We eat, the District 3 boy gets a share of the food, and Cato demands that we start immediately on the hunting. This time, the District 3 boy is left to guard the supplies. Well, at least he's put to good use.