Chapter 6: Let me take care of you
When I wake up, I'm confused. But I surely feel much better and much stronger. My head is still cloudy and it takes me some time to realize, what happened. To remember how Katniss made me sleep so she could go to the Cornucopia. The feast! I sit up so quickly that my head goes terribly dizzy and I have to close my eyes again to calm it down. I'm concerned about Katniss. When I open my eyes, I look for her immediately and to my horror I find her lying on the ground right next to me. A syringe lying in her hand and a horrifying puddle of blood around her head. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. I repeat in my head as I turn her on her back.
"Katniss?" I try it, but it's hopeless. She can't hear me. "Please don't be dead" I whisper while I press two of my fingers against the veins on her throat to find out if she's alive. To my relief I can feel her pulse. But it is not very strong. She's surely unconscious. She must have lost a lot of blood.
When I examine my leg, I find out, that it looks much better and it is already healing quickly. It is not even much painful, so I'm able to carry Katniss easily. I scoot her up and prompt her carefully against the wall. Her head is stained by her own blood, her hair and jacket too. I slowly walk to the stream with a cloth she used to get my fever down. I dive it in the stream and come back. I wipe all the blood of her face, revealing a huge gash on her forehead. For now it seems that the blood is not going out any more. Then I take her jacket off and wash it too. I have to think about a way how to wash her hair. Because it can't be wiped as easily as her face.
Finally I decide that I will put the plastic square on her so she would not get wet while I pour some water on her hair. I unbraid her hair so it would be easier to wash it. I get the pot we have after the broth and I fill it with water. Then I carefully pour it on her hair. It takes me about ten minutes to wash her hair. I lay her back on the ground and tuck her into the sleeping bag. I spread her wet hair around her head so she would not be lying on it while it is still wet.
I'm not sure what to do with her wound. It's quite long and I'm sure her mother would say it needs stitches. I look through the first aid kid, but there is no needle or string. Once my Dad has shown me, how to use adhesive bandage in a special way instead of stitches. It's called butterfly bandage. So I do it that way. With an adhesive bandage I try to "stitch" the gash. It seems good enough so then I put a piece of gauze on it and I wrap it up by normal bandage. It seems much better now. If only she would wake up. I find out, that her boots are wet, so I take them off together with her socks which are wet too. I guess that the only thing I can do now is wait.
Around noon, I get hungry so I eat a few pieces of that groosling which I was rejecting all the time. Whatever Katniss shot into me, it's helping me pretty quickly. My appetite is coming back and I realize it too late. I already ate three pieces of the groosling and there's not much left. Damn you, stupid Mellark! What will you eat when Katniss can't hunt for a few days now? I carefully put the rest of the food back and promise myself I will eat only small pieces of food.
I sit next to Katniss and watch the entrance. In the late afternoon, the sky gets cloudy and I'm afraid it's going to rain. In the evening, I sit Katniss up again and I prompt her against the cave wall. I remove her bandages and check her wound. It seems that it started bleeding a little. But even though I think it will be okay. Before I wrap it back, I decide I'll braid her hair since it is dry again. Her hair is quite a mess. I guess she didn't comb it much here in the arena, so I use my fingers instead of comb and brush her hair carefully. They are so beautiful, that I don't want to stop at all. I know that if she would be awake, she would not let me and that's why I smile a little and continue untangling them with my fingers. When they look brushed enough, I start to braid them. You ask how do I know how to braid hair? Well it's like braiding a bun in the bakery. The only difference is that instead of dough I do it with hair. I'm kind of sad, when it is done. I would like to braid it all day. I wrap up her wound and lay her back down into the sleeping bag.
When the night falls, a quiet rain starts falling down just in the moment, when the anthem plays and I look out of our cave to see who died at the feast. The only face which appeared on the sky is Clove. So she cut Katniss and then Katniss killed her? I wonder how she was able to do that. I guess I'll have to wait until she's awake.
I keep the watch through the night. Or at least I try because I doze off few times. The rain gets worse and some water starts to dip through several holes in the ceiling. I use the piece of plastic and wedge it into the rock above Katniss. It helps a little and it is not raining on her. But her boots and socks are still damp.
The dawn is coming and Katniss is still out. I'm starting to be afraid if she will wake up. But I can still hear her heart beat and I can feel her breathe so I hope she will be okay. I eat some dried plums and I examine my leg. It looks even better than before. The medicine had to be very strong to heal my leg so fast.
It is still raining outside. It seems that it is even worse than yesterday. Thunders start to arrive, announcing a storm. Great. I sit back beside Katniss and brush some loose hair from her eyes. I keep stroking her hair and I examine her face. She looks so calm, that I don't want to wake her up into this nightmare. I want to let her sleep until she is a victor. And right in that moment she moves slightly, releasing a groan from her mouth. I look at her and put my hand on her cheek.
"Katniss," I say in a quiet voice "Katniss, can you hear me?"
There they are. Her beautiful silver eyes flap open and she looks alarmed for a moment. Then she looks at me and her look is a little confused.
"Peeta?" she says quietly.
"Hey." I smile at her "Good to see your eyes again."
"How long have I been out?" she asks.
"Not sure. I woke up yesterday evening and you were lying next to me in a very scary pool of blood," I tell her "I think it's stopped finally, but I wouldn't sit up or anything." I advise her.
She slowly lifts her hand, looks at it and then she touches her bandaged forehead. I get a bottle of water and let her drink as much as she wants.
"You're better." she says as she stops drinking.
"Much better. Whatever you shot into my arm did the trick," I say and smile again. "By this morning, almost all the swelling in my leg was gone." I inform her.
„Did you eat?" she asks.
"I'm sorry to say I gobbled down three pieces of that groosling before I realized it might have to last a while. Don't worry, I'm back on a strict diet," I admit sadly.
"No, it's good. You need to eat. I'll go hunting soon," she says.
"Not too soon, all right?" I say concerned "You just let me take care of you for a while okay." I say softly and to my surprise she's not arguing about this. I feed her with bites of groosling and raisins and make her drink plenty of water. I try to rub some warmth back into her frozen feet and wrap them in my jacket before tucking the sleeping bag back up around her.
"Your boots and socks are still damp and the weather's not helping much," I tell her. "I wonder what brought on this storm. I mean, who's the target?" I really want to know what happened.
"Cato and Thresh," she says immediately "Foxface will be in her den somewhere and Clove... she cut me and then..." her voice trails off and she looks away from me.
"I know Clove's dead. I saw it in the sky last night," I say "Did you kill her?"
"No. Thresh broke her skull with a rock," she says flatly.
"Lucky he didn't catch you, too," I say. Lucky that she's so nimble.
"He did. But he let me go." she says almost barely audibly.
„What?" I look at her. How could he let her go? She seems that it is painful for her to tell me.
„He let me go because of Rue." she says and confuses me even more. I keep staring at her to encourage her to talk.
„ After the tracker-jackers, she healed me and helped me, so we teamed up." she starts. That's not a surprise.
„We've been together for two days when we decided to blow up careers food. We made a plan. She was setting fires to get their attention and I should have blown it up. I managed to do that with my bow, but because of that explosion, I lost hearing sense in my left ear. I saw how Cato killed the boy from district 3 and luckily I got out of there without being seen. We were supposed to meet up with Rue but she wasn't there. I thought she's just late so I waited until late afternoon. Then I went looking for her, I heard her mockingjay tune, so I went towards her thanks to the mockingjays. And then I heard her scream." she stops for a while and I see pain in her eyes. I remember hearing that scream. It was terrible.
„She was calling me. I run as fast as I could. She was trapped in a net and just in the moment I arrived that boy from 1 threw a spar at her. I could do nothing else then kill him. She was dying another few minutes." she says and her voice shakes. „She... she wanted me to sing for her so I did until she died." Oh my, this must have been terrible.
„I picked some flowers in there and I decorated her with it so her death won't be so terrible. I said goodbye to her and that was it. In the evening of that day, I got a parachute. It was a bread from district 11." she says and I can see how hard she fights with her emotions.
„Then yesterday, when Clove caught me, she was saying something about Rue. That they killed my little ally Rue and they're gonna kill me now. Trash heard her and broke her head with stone for Rue. Then he asked me what did she meant and I told him we were allies and that I tried to save her. And then he said 'Just this one time, I let you go. For Rue. You and me, we're even then. No more owed. You understand?' and so I run away." she finishes looking terribly sad.
„He let you go because he didn't want to owe you anything?" I ask in disbelief. It's not usual in Hunger Games.
"Yes. I don't expect you to understand it. You've always had enough. But if you'd lived in the Seam, I wouldn't have to explain," she says and it offends me a little.
"And don't try. Obviously I'm too dim to get it." I say
"It's like the bread. How I never seem to get over owing you for that," she says.
"The bread? What? From when we were kids?" I ask. Does she really remember that?
"I think we can let that go. I mean, you just brought me back from the dead." I add.
"But you didn't know me. We had never even spoken. Besides, it's the first gift that's always the hardest to pay back. I wouldn't even have been here to do it if you hadn't helped me then," she says "Why did you, anyway?" she asks confused a little.
"Why? You know why," I say. Does she not believe my love yet? She shakes her head slightly. "Haymitch said you would take a lot of convincing." I say. Yeah he was definitely right about this.
"Haymitch?" she asks. "What's he got to do with it?"
"Nothing," I say "So, Cato and Thresh, huh? I guess it's too much to hope that they'll simultaneously destroy each other?" I suggest. It would be good for us though. But she still seems upset.
"I think we would like Thresh. I think he'd be our friend back in District 12," she says quietly and sadly.
"Then let's hope Cato kills him, so we don't have to," I say grimly looking at her. But suddenly, I see tears coming to her eyes and then falling down her cheeks. I guess it's just too much for her. But I'm still worried about her. Katniss was always hiding her feelings, avoiding tears.
"What is it? Are you in a lot of pain?" I ask her carefully. She looks at me and I'm scared by that look. It is sad, desperate, painful and pleading.
"I want to go home, Peeta," she says plaintively, like a little child. Her tears and sadness is hurting my heart. I don't want to see her like this.
"You will. I promise," I lean towards her and kiss her softly.
"I want to go home now," she says, tears are streaming down her cheeks and she looks at me desperately. I can't let her cry like this.
"Tell you what. You go back to sleep and dream of home. And you'll be there for real before you know it," I say with a little smile. That's the best I can do for her here. "Okay?"
"Okay," she whispers weakly and turns to lie on her side. "Wake me if you need me to keep watch."
"I'm good and rested, thanks to you and Haymitch. Besides, who knows how long this will last?" I say, I sit beside her and keep stroking her hair softly as she keeps looking away from me. Hiding her tears of sadness. After all, she's not that cold or heartless as everyone says. I know it's quite the opposite, she has a big and loving heart.
I let her sleep until evening because she needs sleep. Even though I'm famished, I wait for her with the dinner. There's not much food left though. The rain is getting only worse and I'm afraid that our hunger will be only worse when we don't have a chance to get some food.
"Should we try and ration it?" I ask her
"No, let's just finish it. The groosling's getting old anyway, and the last thing we need is to get sick off spoilt food," she says and divides the food into two little piles. We try to enjoy the food, we try to eat it slowly, but it is not enough to keep us from hunger for long.
„Tomorrow's a hunting day." Katniss says excited.
"I won't be much help with that," I say. "I've never hunted before."
"I'll kill and you cook," She smiles at me encouragingly. "And you can always gather."
"I wish there was some sort of bread bush out there," I dream.
"The bread they sent me from District Eleven was still warm," she sights "Here, chew these." she gives me a few mint leaves. It's not really a food, but it helps a little.
"Where did Thresh go? I mean, what's on the far side of the circle?" she asks.
"A field. As far as you can see it's full of grasses as high as my shoulders. I don't know, maybe some of them are grain. There are patches of different colors. But there are no paths," I say. I remember I saw it the first day.
"I bet some of them are grain. I bet Thresh knows which ones, too," Katniss says "Did you go in there?" she looks at me.
"No. Nobody really wanted to track Thresh down in that grass. It has a sinister feeling to it. Every time I look at that field, all I can think of are hidden things. Snakes, and rabid animals, and quicksand," I admit. "There could be anything in there."
"Maybe there is a bread bush in that field," she says with a slight smile "Maybe that's why Thresh looks better fed now than when we started the Games."
"Either that or he's got very generous sponsors," I say "I wonder what we'd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread." Is he not watching us? Will he let us starve to death? Katniss scowls a little. I wonder why. But then her expression changes into mischievous.
"Well, he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out," she says and her eyes have playful sparkles.
"Yeah, about that," I say and entwine our fingers. "Don't try something like that again." I say.
"Or what?" she asks.
"Or . . . or . . ." I can't get the right words. Unusual for me, huh? "Just give me a minute."
"What's the problem?" she says with a grin.
"The problem is we're both still alive. Which only reinforces the idea in your mind that you did the right thing," I say and I really mean it.
"I did the right thing," she says little angrily.
"No! Just don't, Katniss!" I'm angry with her now. Doesn't she see how much danger she put herself in because of me? That she could lose her life? "Don't die for me. You won't be doing me any favors. All right?" I'm angry with this fierce girl. For a moment she seems startled.
"Maybe I did it for myself, Peeta, did you ever think of that?" she says impatiently. What does she mean? „Maybe you aren't the only one who... who worries about... what it would be like if..." I must admit she could use some lecture about good speaking and expressing feelings. I would happily volunteer for that. Anyway, does she mean that she would not like to lose me? Her eyes are suddenly scared by some image.
"If what, Katniss?" I ask softly. I need to know that. Is it possible that she cares about me? She looks at me for a while, nervous.
"That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of," she says evasively. I guess she doesn't want to tell me. Or maybe she doesn't want to look weak or vulnerable in front of cameras. I don't know, but I can feel that she's not so indifferent to me. I smile at her slightly to show that I understand her.
"Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself," I say, take up my courage and move in to kiss her. This kiss is somehow different. Until now, her kisses were usually short and not very passionate. But this one is completely different. Just a second before my lips touch hers, I see how she closes her eyes, ready to accept my kiss. Maybe also looking forward to it. I put my hand on her neck and pull her closer and our lips touch. And it is so beautiful and sweet. Her lips are soft, warm and sweet. This kiss lasts longer then the kisses before and by her expression I can see, that she doesn't want me to stop. I see it in her eyes. Passion and desire for another kiss. But I also realize that there is fresh blood on her bandage. So I just smile and give her a light kiss on her nose.
"I think your wound is bleeding again. Come on, lie down, it's bedtime anyway," I say and tuck her back to the sleeping bag. I get her socks back, because they are dry enough to wear.
„Thanks." she says „Put your jacket back on Peeta I don't need it anymore." she says. Even though I'm freezing, I protest, but she doesn't let me and I have to put it on.
„I'll get the first watch." she says stubbornly.
„Okay, but you will be in the sleeping bag with me." I bargain with her. Finally she agrees. By the way she shivers I guess that she doesn't mind to be in there with me. I pull her head and place it on my arm, then I put my other arm around her waist. Oh how beautiful this is. I would be happy to live all my life like this. She doesn't object at all. I hope a little that she likes it too. She puts on the glasses and watches the cave entrance. I doze off in a few minutes, because I'm really tired. After a few hours she shakes my body.
„Wake up Peeta." she says quietly. „I can't stay up any more, could you take the watch?" I'm still half asleep, but of course I will. I take the glasses and put them on. I can easily see outside, but there's nothing more than rain.
"Tomorrow, when it's dry, I'll find us a place so high in the trees we can both sleep in peace," she promises and she dozes off really quickly. She's so beautiful when she's asleep. The rain keeps going down and it is so rhythmic that it lulls me into sleep sometimes. Then I wake up in shock and look around scared that it is morning already.
But tomorrow is no better in terms of weather. The deluge continues as if the Gamemakers are intent on washing us all away. The thunder's so powerful it seems to shake the ground. I'm considering heading out anyway to scavenge for food, but Katniss persuades me, that in this storm it would be pointless. I know she's right of course, but the gnawing in our stomachs is becoming painful. Why can't Haymitch send us something to eat?!
The day drags on turning into evening and there's no break in the weather. Haymitch is our only hope, but nothing is forthcoming. We're starving, weak from injuries, trying not to reopen wounds. We're just sitting huddled together wrapped in the sleeping bag. I don't mind that. It's nice to have a reason to huddle together with Katniss. To hug her little body and share our heat. To hold her in my arms and kiss her into her hair. If we would not been in the hunger games arena, I would be quite happy. When the evening is coming, she's the one who starts our conversation, which is unusual.
"Peeta," she says lightly. "You said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?"
"Oh, let's see." I say with a smile. No reason to hide it any more. „I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair . . . it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up," I tell her. I remember that day clearly. Like it was yesterday.
"Your father? Why?" she asks surprised.
"He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner,'" I say.
"What? You're making that up!" she exclaims.
"No, true story," I smile again "And I said, 'A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could have had you?' And he said, 'Because when he sings . . . even the birds stop to listen.'"
"That's true. They do. I mean, they did," she says. She seems surprised now.
"So that day, in music assembly" I continue „the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent," I say dreamily.
"Oh, please," she laughs.
"No, it happened." I assure her „And right when your song ended, I knew — just like your mother — I was a goner," I say finally "Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you." I smile shyly.
"Without success," she adds quietly and looks at me shyly too.
"Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck," I joke and smile back at her. She seems stunned. Like she was not expecting me to come out with this story. Like she was thinking that I'm not honest with my love. Could she really think that? That I would do this only to get out of Hunger Games?
"You have a . . . remarkable memory," she says haltingly. And suddenly I can see, how vulnerable she is, when she doesn't wear her hunter mask. Or at least she seems vulnerable and more sensitive. I like that Katniss. I like to take care of her and keep her safe.
"I remember everything about you," I say softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Charmed by her beauty and by the intent look in her silver eyes. "You're the one who wasn't paying attention." I smile.
"I am now," she says shyly.
"Well, I don't have much competition here," I say. For a moment I think that she will stop speaking again. That she will avoid saying it again. But then she swallows and speaks clearly.
"You don't have much competition anywhere." And this time, it is her, who leans in. She kisses my lips softly and it is so amazingly beautiful that I don't want to stop. But immediately there's a clank outside and we both jump up. Katniss ready to shoot arrows and I ready to fight. When nothing else happens, I peer out through the rocks and then I cheer with joy. There's a parachute attached to a huge picnic basket. Haymitch has finally had mercy on us!
When I handle the basket to Katniss, she rips it open and immediately we're pleased by the beautiful smells which are coming out of it. The feast which is in there, could last for a week I guess. Fresh rolls, goat cheese, apples, and a tureen of that incredible lamb stew on wild rice, which Katniss likes so much.
"I guess Haymitch finally got tired of watching us starve." I say when I sit next to her
"I guess so," she answers. I can see the hunger in her eyes, but an alarm goes in my head as I remember the first night in the train and that feast.
"We better take it slow on that stew. Remember the first night on the train? The rich food made me sick and I wasn't even starving then." I remind her.
"You're right. And I could just inhale the whole thing!" she says looking regretful and longing.
Finally we each have a roll, half an apple, and a small serving of stew and rice. We both try to eat it slowly, enjoying every bite, but even though we still both feel hungry. When we finish eating I see how longingly she looks at the stew.
"I want more." she says pleadingly.
"Me, too. Tell you what. We wait an hour, if it stays down, then we get another serving," I suggest.
"Agreed," she says "It's going to be a long hour."
"Maybe not that long," I say and give her a mischievous smile "What was that you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me . . . no competition . . . best thing that ever happened to you . . ."
"I don't remember that last part," she says and I can see a blush coming to her face.
"Oh, that's right. That's what I was thinking," I smile. "Scoot over, I'm freezing." I say, she moves a little in the sleeping bag and I squeeze next to her. We lean back against the cave wall, I put my arms around her and pull her closer to me and she rests her head on my shoulder.
"So, since we were five, you never even noticed any other girls?" she asks me curiously.
"No, I noticed just about every girl, but none of them made a lasting impression but you," I smile widely.
"I'm sure that would thrill your parents, you liking a girl from the Seam," she says ironically. I know my dad would not mind. He actually liked Katniss as far as I know. But my mother, she would probably be going crazy.
"Hardly. But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a girl from the Seam, you'll be a girl from the Victor's Village," I say.
"But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!" she exclaims, giving me a scared look. Well she's right. Why don't we give our audience some fun?
"Ah, that will be nice," I say, tightening my hug "You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games' tales." I can almost imagine that funny scene.
"I told you, he hates me!" she says, but she laughs all the time. Her laugh is so beautiful. It's nice to hear something like that in the arena.
"Only sometimes. When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you," I comfort her.
"He's never sober!" she protests.
"That's right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you. But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire," I continue in our little comedy. "On the other hand, Haymitch . . . well, if I were you, I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you."
"I thought you said I was his favorite," she says.
"He hates me more," I smile "I don't think people in general are his sort of thing." I finish and have to laugh too. I can imagine Haymitch standing in front of the screen, shaking his head over our little conversation.
"How do you think he did it?" Katniss asks after a while.
"Who? Did what?" I ask.
"Haymitch. How do you think he won the Games?" she says. I think about it for a while and I see only one possible option.
"He outsmarted the others," I say.
After a while, we agree we're still hungry and we want to eat one more portion of food. So while Katniss prepares the servings, I look out of the cave, when the anthem plays. To see how are Cato and Trash doing.
"There won't be anything to see tonight," she says and just in that moment, there is Trash's face on the sky. So Cato did it. He managed to kill him. "Nothing's happened or we would've heard cannon." Katniss says which pulls me back to reality.
"Katniss," I say quietly.
"What? Should we split another roll, too?" she asks.
"Katniss," I repeat, but she still ignores me.
"I'm going to split one. But I'll save the cheese for tomorrow," she says while I stare at her. "What?" she asks.
"Thresh is dead," I say.
"He can't be," she says.
"They must have fired the cannon during the thunder and we missed it," I say.
"Are you sure? I mean, it's pouring buckets out there. I don't know how you can see anything," Then she pushes me away from the entrance and looks at the sky. I can see the shock on her face as she sees it. She slumps down against the rocks and seems shocked. She stares blankly ahead and doesn't say a thing. She looks sad. Almost scared. I can't blame her, he spared her life and she owns him that.
„You all right?" I ask softly. She just shrugs, cups her elbows in her hands and hugs them tight. She looks like crying, but she's trying to hide it in. She looks desperate and scared for a moment.
"It's just . . . if we didn't win . . . I wanted Thresh to. Because he let me go. And because of Rue." she says finally.
"Yeah, I know," I say "But this means we're one step closer to District Twelve." I hand her the food "Eat. It's still warm."
"It also means Cato will be back hunting us." she says.
"And he's got supplies again," I answer.
"He'll be wounded, I bet," she says.
"What makes you say that?" I ask.
"Because Thresh would have never gone down without a fight. He's so strong, I mean, he was. And they were in his territory," she answers flatly.
"Good," I say. "The more wounded Cato is the better. I wonder how Foxface is making out."
"Oh, she's fine," Katniss says peevishly. She seems like she's annoyed by her. "Probably be easier to catch Cato than her."
"Maybe they'll catch each other and we can just go home," I say. "But we better be extra careful about the watches. I dozed off a few times." I admit honestly.
"Me, too," she says. "But not tonight."
We finish the food and I take the first watch. Katniss burrows down into the sleeping bag and I settle next to her. She falls asleep quite quickly and I can hear her steady quiet breathing. I keep thinking about Cato, will he look for us in this weather? Will he find us quickly? Or will it be easier for us to find him? It's always better to have a moment of surprise on your side. But we're two and he's just one. Well we'll see tomorrow. After a few hours, I'm feeling hungry again. I can't resist it and eat half of the roll with goat cheese and apple. It's so good! Then I wake Katniss up and she immediately notices the food in my hand.
"Don't be mad," I say. "I had to eat again. Here's your half."
"Oh, good," she says, takes it and takes a huge bite. „Mmm" she hums contently.
"We make a goat cheese and apple tart at the bakery," I say. I miss baking.
"Bet that's expensive," she says.
"Too expensive for my family to eat. Unless it's gone very stale. Of course, practically everything we eat is stale," I say, pulling the sleeping bag up around me. In less than a minute I'm asleep.