the Cornucopia will have food； an abundance of water from the lake； torches or flashlights； and weapons theyˇre itching to use。 I can only hope Iˇve traveled far and fast enough to be out of range。
Before settling down； I take my wire and set two twitch…up snares in the brush。 I know itˇs risky to be setting traps； but food will go so fast out here。 And I canˇt set snares on the run。 Still； I walk another five minutes before making camp。
I pick my tree carefully。 A willow； not terribly tall but set in a clump of other willows； offering concealment in those long； flowing tresses。 I climb up； sticking to the stronger branches close to the trunk； and find a sturdy fork for my bed。 It takes some doing； but I arrange the sleeping bag in a relatively fortable manner。 I place my backpack in the foot of the bag； then slide in after it。 As a precaution； I remove my belt； loop it all the way around the branch and my sleeping bag； and refasten it at my waist。 Now if I roll over in my sleep； I wonˇt go crashing to the ground。 Iˇm small enough to tuck the top of the bag over my head； but I put on my hood as well。 As night falls； the air is cooling quickly。 Despite the risk I took in getting the backpack； I know now it was the right choice。 This sleeping bag； radiating back and preserving my body heat； will be invaluable。 Iˇm sure there are several other tributes whose biggest concern right now is how to stay warm whereas I may actually be able to get a few hours of sleep。 If only I wasnˇt so thirsty 。 。 。
Night has just e when I hear the anthem that proceeds the death recap。 Through the branches I can see the seal of the Capitol； which appears to be floating in the sky。 Iˇm actually viewing another screen； an enormous one thatˇs transported by of one of their disappearing hovercraft。 The anthem fades out and the sky goes dark for a moment。 At home； we would be watching full coverage of each and every killing； but thatˇs thought to give an unfair advantage to the living tributes。 For instance； if I got my hands on the bow and shot someone； my secret would be revealed to all。 No； here in the arena； all we see are the same photographs they showed when they televised our training scores。 Simple head shots。 But now instead of scores they post only district numbers。 I take a deep breath as the face of the eleven dead tributes begin and tick them off one by one on my fingers。
The first to appear is the girl from District 3。 That means that the Career Tributes from 1 and 2 have all survived。 No surprise there。 Then the boy from 4。 I didnˇt expect that one； usually all the Careers make it through the first day。 The boy from District 5 。 。 。 I guess the fox…faced girl made it。 Both tributes from 6 and 7。 The boy from 8。 Both from 9。 Yes； thereˇs the boy who I fought for the backpack。 Iˇve run through my fingers； only one more dead tribute to go。 Is it Peeta？ No； thereˇs the girl from District 10。 Thatˇs it。 The Capitol seal is back with a final musical flourish。 Then darkness and the sounds of the forest resume。
Iˇm relieved Peetaˇs alive。 I tell myself again that if I get killed； his winning will benefit my mother and Prim the most。 This is what I tell myself to explain the conflicting emotions that arise when I think of Peeta。 The gratitude that he gave me an edge by professing his love for me in the interview。 The anger at his superiority on the roof。 The dread that we may e face…to…face at any moment in this arena。
Eleven dead； but none from District 12。 I try to work out who is left。 Five Career Tributes。 Foxface。 Thresh and Rue。 Rue 。 。 。 so she made it through the first day after all。 I canˇt help feeling glad。 That makes ten of us。 The other three Iˇll figure out tomorrow。 Now when it is dark； and I have traveled far； and I am nestled high in this tree； now I must try and rest。
I havenˇt really slept in two days； and then thereˇs been the long dayˇs journey into the arena。 Slowly； I allow my muscles to relax。 My eyes to close。 The last thing I think is itˇs lucky I donˇt snore。 。 。 。
Snap！ The sound of a breaking branch wakes me。 How long have I been asleep？ Four hours？ Five？ The tip of my nose is icy cold。 Snap！ Snap！ Whatˇs going on？ This is not the sound of a branch under someoneˇs foot； but the sharp crack of one ing from a tree。 Snap！ Snap！ I judge it to be several hundred yards to my right。 Slowly； noiselessly； I turn myself in that direction。 For a few minutes； thereˇs nothing but blackness and some scuffling。 Then I see a spark and a small fire begins to bloom。 A pair of hands warms over flames； but I canˇt make out more than that。
I have to bite my lip not to scream every foul name I know at the fire starter。 What are they thinking？ A fire Iˇll just at nightfall would have been one thing。 Those who battled at the Cornucopia； with their superior strength and surplus of supplies； they couldnˇt possibly have been near enough to spot the flames then。 But now； when theyˇve probably been bing the woods for hours looking for victims。 You might as well be waving a flag and shouting； ¨e and get me！〃
And here I am a stoneˇs throw from the biggest idiot in the Games。 Strapped in a tree。 Not daring to flee since my general location has just been broadcast to any killer who cares。 I mean； I know itˇs cold out here and not everybody has a sleeping bag。 But then you grit your teeth and stick it out until dawn！
I lay smoldering in my bag for the next couple of hours really thinking that if I can get out of this tree； I wonˇt have the least problem taking out my new neighbor。 My instinct has been to flee； not fight。 But obviously this personˇs a hazard。 Stupid people are dangerous。 And this one probably doesnˇt have much in the way of weapons while Iˇve got this excellent knife。
The sky is still dark； but I can feel the first signs of dawn approaching。 Iˇm beginning to think we meaning the person whose death Iˇm now devising and me we might actually have gone unnoticed。 Then I hear it。 Several pairs of feet breaking into a run。 The fire starter must have dozed off。 Theyˇre on her before she can escape。 I know itˇs a girl now； I can tell by the pleading； the agonized scream that follows。 Then thereˇs laughter and congratulations from several voices。 Someone cries out； ¨Twelve down and eleven to go！〃 which gets a round of appreciative hoots。
So theyˇre fighting in a pack。 Iˇm not really surprised。 Often alliances are formed in the early stages of the Games。 The strong band together to hunt down the weak then； when the tension bees too great； begin to turn on one another。 I donˇt have to wonder too hard who has made this alliance。 Itˇll be the remaining Career Tributes from Districts 1； 2； and 4。 Two boys and three girls。 The ones who lunched together。
For a moment； I hear them checking the girl for supplies。 I can tell by their ments theyˇve found nothing good。 I wonder if the victim is Rue but quickly dismiss the thought。 Sheˇs much too bright to be building a fire like that。
¨Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking。〃 Iˇm almost certain thatˇs the brutish boy from District 2。 There are murmurs of assent and then； to my horror； I hear the pack heading toward me。 They do not know Iˇm here。 How could they？ And Iˇm well concealed in the clump of trees。 At least while the sun stays down。 Then my black sleeping bag will turn from camouflage to trouble。 If they just keep moving； they will pass me and be gone in a minute。
But the Careers stop in the clearing about ten yards from my tree。 They have flashlights； torches。 I can see an arm here； a boot there； through the breaks in the branches。 I turn to stone； not even daring to breathe。 Have they spotted me？ No； not yet。 I can tell from their words their minds are elsewhere。
¨Shouldnˇt we have heard a cannon by now？〃
¨Iˇd say yes。 Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately。〃
¨Unless she isnˇt dead。〃
¨Sheˇs dead。 I stuck her myself。〃
¨Then whereˇs the cannon？〃
¨Someone should go back。 Make sure the jobˇs done。〃
¨Yeah； we donˇt want to have to track her down twice。〃
¨I said sheˇs dead！〃
An argument breaks out until one tribute silences the others。 ¨Weˇre wasting time！