the hunger games-飢餓遊戲(英文版)

第43部分 (第6/7頁)

　canˇt　shoot　Cato　without　killing　Peeta；　too。　He　canˇt　kill　Peeta　without　guaranteeing　an　arrow　in　his　brain。　We　stand　like　statues；　both　of　us　seeking　an　out。

My　muscles　are　strained　so　tightly；　they　feel　they　might　snap　at　any　moment。　My　teeth　clenched　to　the　breaking　point。　The　mutts　go　silent　and　the　only　thing　I　can　hear　is　the　blood　pounding　in　my　good　ear。

Peetaˇs　lips　are　turning　blue。　If　I　donˇt　do　something　quickly；　heˇll　die　of　asphyxiation　and　then　Iˇll　have　lost　him　and　Cato　will　probably　use　his　body　as　a　weapon　against　me。　In　fact；　Iˇm　sure　this　is　Catoˇs　plan　because　while　heˇs　stopped　laughing；　his　lips　are　set　in　a　triumphant　smile。

As　if　in　a　last…ditch　effort；　Peeta　raises　his　fingers；　dripping　with　blood　from　his　leg；　up　to　Catoˇs　arm。　Instead　of　trying　to　wrestle　his　way　free；　his　forefinger　veers　off　and　makes　a　deliberate　X　on　the　back　of　Catoˇs　hand。　Cato　realizes　what　it　means　exactly　one　second　after　I　do。　I　can　tell　by　the　way　the　smile　drops　from　his　lips。　But　itˇs　one　second　too　late　because；　by　that　time；　my　arrow　is　piercing　his　hand。　He　cries　out　and　reflexively　releases　Peeta　who　slams　back　against　him。　For　a　horrible　moment；　I　think　theyˇre　both　going　over。　I　dive　forward　just　catching　hold　of　Peeta　as　Cato　loses　his　footing　on　the　blood…slick　horn　and　plummets　to　the　ground。

We　hear　him　hit；　the　air　leaving　his　body　on　impact；　and　then　the　mutts　attack　him。　Peeta　and　I　hold　on　to　each　other；　waiting　for　the　cannon；　waiting　for　the　petition　to　finish；　waiting　to　be　released。　But　it　doesnˇt　happen。　Not　yet。　Because　this　is　the　climax　of　the　Hunger　Games；　and　the　audience　expects　a　show。

I　donˇt　watch；　but　I　can　hear　the　snarls；　the　growls；　the　howls　of　pain　from　both　human　and　beast　as　Cato　takes　on　th