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And Once We Reach The City, My Stylist Will Dictate My Look For The Opening Ceremonies Tonight Anyway. I Just Hope I Get One Who Doesn't Think Nudity Is The Last Word In Fashion.

-Suzanne Collins

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And Once We Reach

Suzanne Collins

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And Once We Reach The City, My Stylist Will Dictate My Look For The Opening Ceremonies Tonight Anyway. I Just Hope I Get One Who Doesn't Think Nudity Is The Last Word In Fashion.

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Opening Ceremony

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Got It," I Say. "did You Tell Peeta This?" "don't Have To," Says Haymitch. "he's Already There.

What Do I Mean When I Say I Love Gale? I Don't Know. I Did Kiss Him Last Night, In A Moment When My Emotions Were Running So High. But I'm Sure He Doesn't Remember It. Does He? I Hope Not. If He Does, Everything Will Just Get More Complicated And I Really Can't Think About Kissing When I've Got A Rebellion To Incite.

I Realize Only One Person Will Be Damaged Beyond Repair If Peeta Dies. Me.

For There To Be Betrayal, There Would Have To Have Been Trust First.

We Hand The Meat Over To Greasy Sae In The Kitchen. She Likes District 13 Well Enough, Even Though She Thinks The Cooks Are Somewhat Lacking In Imagination. But A Woman Who Came Up With A Palatable Wild Dog And Rhubarb Stew Is Bound To Feel As If Her Hands Are Tied Here.

I Thought He Wanted It, Anyway," I Say. "not Like This," Haymitch Says. "he Wanted It To Be Real.

Really, The Combination Of The Scabs And The Ointment Looks Hideous. I Can't Help Enjoying His Distress. "poor Finnick. Is This The First Time In Your Life You Haven't Looked Pretty?" I Say. "it Must Be. The Sensation's Completely New. How Have You Managed It All These Years?" He Asks. "just Avoid Mirrors. You'll Forget About It," I Say. "not If I Keep Looking At You," He Says.

Because I Can't Handle The Nightmares. Not Without You.

I'm Relieved Peeta's Alive. I Tell Myself Again That If I Get Killed, His Winnings 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 Game An Edge By Professing His Love For Me In The Interview. The Anger At His Superiority On The Roof. The Dread That We May Come Face-to-face At Any Moment In This Arena.

But I Don't Know What To Him About The Aftermath Of Killing A Person. About How They Never Leave You.

If You Appeal To The Crowd, Either By Being Humorous Or Brutal Or Eccentric, You Gain Favor.

I Don't Like Self-righteous People," I Say. "what's To Like?" Says Haymitch, Who Begins Sucking The Dregs Out Of The Empty Bottles.

They'll Be Granted Immunity!" I Feel Myself Rising From My Chair, My Voice Full Of Resonant. "you Will Personally Pledge This In Front Of The Entire Population Of District Thirteen And The Remainder Of Twelve. Soon. Today. It Will Be Recorded For Future Generations. You Will Hold Yourself And Your Government Responsible For Their Safety, Or You'll Find Yourself Another Mockingjay!

Because When He Sings...even The Birds Stop To Listen.

I Killed You. And You. And You.

Want A Sugar Cube?- Finnick Odair,

Happy Hunger Games! And May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor.

I Miss Him So Badly It Hurts.

Because I Can Count On My Fingers The Number Of Sunsets I Have Left, And I Don't Want To Miss Any Of Them.

People Don't Need Wings To Survive" "mockingjays Do.

I Guess There Isn’t A Rule Book For What Might Be Unacceptable To Do To Another Human Being.

Right Before The Explosions Begin, I Find A Star.

Roses. Wolf Mutts. Tributes. Frosted Dolphins. Friends. Mockingjays. Stylists. Me. Everything Screams In My Dreams Tonight.

So, Here’s What You Do. You Win, You Go Home. She Can’t Turn You Down Then, Eh?” Says Caesar Encouragingly. “i Don’t Think It’s Going To Work Out. Winning…won’t Help In My Case,” Says Peeta. “why Ever Not?” Says Caesar, Mystified. Peeta Blushes Beet Red And Stammers Out. “because…because…she Came Here With Me.

It's Funny, Because Even Though They're Rattling On About The Games, It's All About Where They Were Or What They Were Doing Or How They Felt When A Specific Event Occurred. . . . Everything Is About Them, Not The Dying Boys And Girls In The Arena

Trapped For Days, Years, Centuries Maybe. Dead, But Not Allowed To Die. Alive, But As Good As Dead. So Alone That Anyone, Anything No Matter How Loathsome Would Be Welcome.

If My Holding Out Those Berries Was An Act Of Temporary Insanity, Then Those People Will Embrace Insanity Too.

Temporary Insanity

Oh, The Fun We Two Have Together.

You Know, You Could Live A Thousand Lifetimes And Not Deserve Him.

What Will Break Me Into A Million Pieces So That I Am Beyond Repair, Beyond Usefulness?

I Poke Around In The Pile, About To Settle On Some Cod Chowder, When Peeta Holds Out A Can To Me. “here.” I Take It, Not Knowing What To Expect. The Label Reads Lamb Stew.

Sometimes When Things Are Particularly Bad, My Brain Will Give Me A Happy Dream. [...] When I Fully Awaken, I'm Momentarily Comforted. I Try To Hold On To The Peaceful Feeling Of The Dream, But It Quickly Slips Away, Leaving Me Sadder Than Ever.

Go To Sleep," He Says Softly. His Hand Brushes The Lose Strands Of My Hair Off My Forehead. Unlike The Staged Kisses And Caresses So Far, This Gesture Seems Natural And Comforting. I Don't Want Him To Stop And He Doesn't. He's Still Stroking My Hair When I Fall Asleep.

Glimmer, I Hear Someone Call Her - Ugh, The Names The People In District 1 Give Their Children Are So Ridiculous.

The Most Exciting Thing Either Of Us Does Is Nap.

But There Was Only One Kiss That Made Me Feel Something Stir Deep Inside. Only One That Made Me Want More. But My Head Wound Started Bleeding And He Made Me Lie Down.

There's Always Hand-to-hand Combat. All You Need Is To Come Up With A Knife, And You'll At Least Stand A Chance. If I Get Jumped, I'm Dead!" I Can Hear My Voice Rising In Anger. "but You Won't! You'll Be Living Up In Some Tree Eating Raw Squirrels And Picking Off People With Arrows.

In Our World, I Rank Music Somewhere Between Hair Ribbons And Rainbows In Terms Of Usefulness.

And, My God, The Actors. The Cast, Led By The Extraordinary Jennifer Lawrence, Is Absolutely Wonderful Across The Board. It’s Such A Pleasure To See How They’ve Embodied The Characters And Brought Them To Life.

‎what Is To Prevent, Say, An Uprising?

I Start To Crack At Four Hundred To One.

Peeta Bakes. I Hunt. Haymitch Drinks Until The Liquor Runs Out.

You're Not Afraid I'll Kill You Tonight?" "like I Couldn't Take You.

Either You Came In Here A Swimmer Or You'd Better Be A Really Fast Learner

"katniss?" He Drops My Hand And I Take A Step, As If To Catch My Balance. "it Was All For The Games," Peeta Says. "how You Acted." "not All Of It," I Say, Tightly Holding Onto My Flowers. "then How Much? No, Forget That. I Guess The Real Question Is What's Going To Be Left When We Get Home?" He Says. "i Don't Know. The Closer We Get To District Twelve, The More Confused I Get," I Say. He Waits, For Further Explanation, But None's Forthcoming. "well, Let Me Know When You Work It Out," He Says, And The Pain In His Voice Is Palpable.

"katniss," Gale Says Softly. I Recognize That Voice. It's The Same One He Uses To Approach Wounded Animals Before He Delivers A Deathblow. I Instinctively Raise My Hand To Block His Words But He Catches It And Holds On Tightly. "don't," I Whisper. But Gale Is Not One To Keep Secrets From Me. "katniss, There Is No District Twelve."

"if I Could Grow Wings, I Could Fly. Only People Can't Grow Wings," He Say's. "real Or Not Real?" "real," I Say. "but People Don't Need Wings To Survive." "mockingjays Do."

Hey, Finnick, Come On In! We Figured Out How To Make You Pretty Again!

Still, I Hate Them. But, Of Course, I Hate Almost Everybody Now. Myself More Than Anyone.

Mockingjay Book

I'd Begun To Think That He'd Given Up On Me In The Weeks That Had Passed. Or That He No Longer Cared About Me. Hated Me Even. And The Idea Of Losing Him Forever, My Best Friend, The Only Person I'd Ever Trusted With My Secrets, Was So Painful I Couldn't Stand It.

I Don't Want To Cry. Everyone Will Make Note Of My Tears And I'll Be Marked As An Easy Target. A Weakling. I Will Give No One That Satisfaction.

The Hatred I Feel For Him, For The Phantom Girl, For Everything, Is So Real And Immediate It Chokes Me. Gale Is Mine. I Am His. Anything Else Is Unthinkable. Why Did It Take Him Being Whipped Within An Inch Of His Life To See It?

As Long As You Can Find Yourself, You’ll Never Starve.

Finding Yourself

So, What Do You Think They'll Do To Him?" I Ask. Prim Sounds About A Thousand Years Old When She Speaks. "whatever It Takes To Break You.

My Time In The Arena Made Me Realize How I Needed To Stop Punishing [my Mother] For Something She Couldn't Help, Specifically The Crushing Depression She Fell Into After My Father's Death. Because Sometimes Things Happen To People And They're Not Equipped To Deal With Them.

Fine, Than I Will Not Have To Blame You For Killing My Friends With Your Stupidity. -haymitch

District 12. Where You Can Starve To Death In Safety," I Mutter. Then I Glance Quickly Over My Shoulder. Even Here, In The Middle Of Nowhere, You Worry Someone Might Overhear You.

Middle Of Nowhere

Having An Eye For Beauty Isn't The Same Thing As A Weakness...except Possibly When It Comes To You.

I Don't Know How To Make People Like Me. Cinna, How Do You Make People Like You?

Hey, Look At This!" He Holds Up A Glistening, Perfect Pearl About The Size Of A Pea. "you Know, If You Put Enough Pressure On Coal It Turns To Pearls," He Says Earnestly To Finnick. "no, It Doesn't," Says Finnick Dismissively. But I Crack Up, Remembering That's How A Clueless Effie Trinket Presented Us To The People Of The Capitol Last Year, Before Anyone Knew Us. As Coal Pressured Into Pearls By Our Weighty Existence. Beauty That Arose Out Of Pain.

Remembering From Last Year How Haymitch's Gifts Are Often Timed To Send A Message, I Make A Note To Myself. Be Friends With Finnick. You'll Get Food.

Maybe I'll Be Like The Man In The Hanging Tree Still Waiting For An Answer.' Gale Who I Have Never Seen Cry Has Tears In His Eyes. To Keep Them From Spilling Over. I Reach Forward And Press My Lips Against His. We Taste Of Heat, Ashes And Misery.

The Anguish I Always Feel When She's In Pain Wells Up In My Chest And Threatens To Register On My Face.

In That One Slight Motion, I See The End Of Hope, Beginning Of Destruction Of Everything I Hold Dear In The World. I Can't Guess What Form My Punishment Will Take, How Wide The Net Will Be Cast, But When It Is Finished There Most Likely Be Nothing Left. So You Would Think That At This Moment, I Would Be In Utter Despair.

If I'm Going To Cry, Now Is The Time. By Morning, I'll Be Able To Wash All The Damage Done By The Tears From My Face. But No Tears Come. I'm Too Tired Or Too Numb To Cry. The Only Thing I Feel Is A Desire To Be Somewhere Else. So I Let The Train Rock Me Into Oblivion.

It's Impossible To Be The Mockingjay. Impossible To Complete Even This One Sentence. Because Now I Know That Everything I Say Will Be Directly Taken Out On Peeta. Result In His Torture. But Not His Death, No Nothing So Merciful As That. Snow Will Ensure That His Life Is Much Worse Than Death.

What About Gale?" "he's Not A Bad Kisser Either," I Say Shortly. "and It Was Okay With Both Of Us? You Kissing The Other?" He Asks. "no. It Wasn't Okay With Either Of You. But I Wasn't Asking Your Permission," I Tell Him. Peeta Laughs Again, Coldly, Dismissively. "well, You're A Piece Of Work, Aren't You?

I Begin To Fully Understand The Lengths To Which People Have Gone To Protect Me. What I Mean To The Rebels. My On Going Struggle Against The Capitol, Which Has So Often Felt Like A Solitary Journey, Has Not Been Undertaken Alone. I Have Had Thousands Upon Thousands Of People From The Districts At My Side. I Was Their Mockingjay Long Before I Accepted The Role.

They're Betting On How Long I'll Live!" I Burst Out. "they're Not My Friends!" "well, Try And Pretend!" Snaps Effie. Then She Composes Herself And Beams At Me. "see, Like This. I'm Smiling At You Even Though You're Aggravating Me.

My Name Is Katniss Everdeen. My Home Is District Twelve. Peeta Was Taken Prisoner. He Is Thought To Be Dead. Most Likely Is Dead. It Would Probably Be Best If He Were Dead... - Katniss Everdeens

I Volunteer!" I Gasp. "i Volunteer As Tribute!

The Evil Thing Is Inside, Not Out.

I Sit Back On My Bed Cross-legged And Find Myself Rubbing The Smooth Iridescent Surface Of The Pearl Back And Forth Against My Lips. For Some Reason, It’s Soothing. A Cool Kiss

There Are Much Worse Games To Play.

Just Don't Die For Me, You Won't Be Doing Me Any Favour !

Isn't It Strange That I Know You'd Risk Your Life To Save Mine, But I Don't Even Know What Your Favorite Color Is?

No. Now, Shut Up And Eat Your Pears.

I Know. I Was Hoping," I Say. "exactly. Because You're Desperate," Says Haymitch. I Don't Argue Because, Of Course, He's Right.

Exactly How Am I Supposed To Work In A Thank-you In There? Somehow It Just Won't Seem Sincere If I'm Trying To Slit His Throat.

It's A Long Shot, It's Suicide Maybe, But I Do The Only Thing I Can Think Of. I Lean In And Kiss Peeta Full On The Mouth. His Whole Body Starts Shuddering, But I Keep My Lips Pressed To His Until I Have To Come Up For Air. My Hands Slide Up His Wrists To Clasp His. "don't Let Him Take You From Me." Peeta's Panting Hard As He Fights The Nightmares Raging His Head. "no. I Don't Want To. . ." I Clench His Hands To The Point Of Pain. "stay With Me." His Pupils Contract To Pinpoints, Dilate Again Rapidly, And Then Return To Something Resembling Normalcy. "always," He Murmurs.

That Was The First Time I Ever Saw Him Smile. It Transformed Him From Someone Menacing To Someone You Wished You Knew.

Whenever I Write A Story, I Hope It Appeals To Both Boys And Girls.

If He Goes And Dies On Me Now, I Know I'll Go Completely Insane.

And Random Bits Of Happiness, Like Finnick And Annie's Newborn Boy.

Once I'm On My Feet I Realize Escape Might Not Be So Simple, Panic Begins To Set In. I Can't Stay Here. Flight Is Essential But I Can't Let My Fear Show. Winning Means Fame And Fortune, Losing Mean Certain Death, The Hunger Games Have Begun . . .

He Became My Confidante, Someone With Whom I Could Share Thoughts I Could Never Voice...in Exchange, He Trusted Me With His.

Now He's [cinna] Arranging Things Around My Living Room: Clothing, Fabrics, And Sketchbooks With Designs He's Drawn. I Pick One Up And Examine One Of The Dresses I Supposedly Created. You Know, I Think I Show A Lot Of Promise," I Say. Get Dressed, You Worthless Thing.

And Then, When He’s Been Underwater So Long I Feel Certain He’s Drowned, His Head Pops Up Right Next To Me And I Start. “don’t Do That,” I Say. “what? Come Up Or Stay Under?” He Says. “either. Neither. Whatever

You’re Not Leaving Me Here Alone,” I Say. Because If He Dies, I’ll Never Go Home, Not Really. I’ll Spend The Rest Of My Life In This Arena, Trying To Think My Way Out.

That Was The One Thing I Had Going For Me. Taking Care Of Your Family.

Birds Are Settling Down For The Night, Singing Lullabies To Their Young.

In One Horrible Moment The Last Piece Of The Prophecy Became Clear. So Bid Him Take Care, Bid Him Look Where He Leaps, As Life May Be Death And Death Life Again Reaps. He Had To Leap, And By His Death, The Others Would Live. That Was It. That Was What Sandwich Had Been Trying To Say All Along, And By Now He Believed In Sandwich. He Put On A Final Burst Of Speed, Just Like The Coach Taught Him In Track. He Gave Everything He Had. In The Last Few Steps Before The Canyon He Felt A Sharp Pain In The Back Of His Leg, And Then The Ground Gave Way Under His Feet. Gregor The Overlander Leaped.

Maybe I'll Be Like That Man In "the Hanging Tree'. Still Waiting For An Answer.

Maybe Everyone Is Just Trying To Protect Me By Lying To Me. I Don't Care. I'm Sick Of People Lying To Me For My Own Good.

He’s Dozed Off Again, But I Kiss Him Awake, Which Seems To Startle Him. Then He Smiles As If He’d Be Happy To Lie There Gazing At Me Forever.

Katniss, The Girl Who Was On Fire!

What Do You Think?" He Asks. "i Hate Them," I Say. I Can Almost Smell The Blood, The Dirt, The Unnatural Breath Of The Mutt. "all I Do Is Go Around Trying To Forget The Arena And You've Brought It Back To Life. How Do You Remember These Things So Exactly?" "i See Them Every Night," He Says.

I Go Back To My Room And Lie Under The Covers, Trying Not To Think Of Gale And Thinking Of Nothing Else.

Delly Lost Her Temper At Peeta Over How He Treated You. She Got Very Squeaky. It Was Like Someone Stabbing A Mouse With A Fork Repeatedly.

Peeta, You Were Supposed To Wake Me After A Couple Of Hours," I Say. "for What? Nothing's Going On Here," He Says. "besides, I Like Watching You Sleep. You Don't Scowl. Improves Your Looks A Lot." This, Of Course, Brings On A Scowl That Makes Him Grin.

One More Time? For The Audience?" He Says. His Voice Isn't Angry. It's Hollow, Which Is Worse. Already The Boy With The Bread Is Slipping Away From Me. I Take His Hand, Holding On Tightly, Preparing For The Cameras, And Dreading The Moment When I Will Finally Have To Let Go.

Well, I Knew That Goat Would Be A Little Gold Mine," I Say. Yes, Of Course I Was Referring To That, Not The Lasting Joy You Gave Your Sister You Love So Much You Took Her Place In The Reaping," Says Peeta Drily.

But There's Food If You Know How To Find It. My Father Knew And He Taught Me Some Before He Was Blown To Bits In A Mine Explosion. There Was Nothing Even To Bury. I Was Eleven Then. Five Years Later, I Still Wake Up Screaming For Him To Run.

They Don't Own Me. If I'm Gonna Die, I Wanna Still Be Me.

It's More Complicated Than That. I Know Them. They're Not Evil Or Cruel. They're Not Even Smart. Hurting Them, It's Like Hurting Children.

My Name Is Katniss Everdeen. I Am Seventeen Years Old. My Home Is District 12. I Was In The Hunger Games. I Escaped. The Capitol Hates Me.

If You Hit Bottom, There's A Whole Lot Of People Here To Help You Up

Since Mags Seems To Have No Ill Effects From The Nuts, Peeta Collects Bunches Of Them And Fries Them By Bouncing Them Off The Force Field.

I Have Been Keeping Track Of The Boy With The Bread.

Because I'm Selfish. I'm A Coward. I'm The Kind Of Girl Who, When She Might Actually Be Of Use, Would Run To Stay Alive And Leave Those Who Couldn't Follow To Suffer And Die.

Peeta Looks Me Right In The Eye And Gives My Hand What I Think Is Meant To Be A Reassuring Squeeze. Maybe It's Just A Nervous Spasm.

I'll Tell Them How I Survive It. I'll Tell Them That On Bad Mornings, It Feels Impossible To Take Pleasure In Anything Because I'm Afraid It Could Be Taken Away. That's When I Make A List In My Head Of Every Act Of Goodness I've Seen Someone Do. It's Like A Game. Repetitive. Even A Little Tedious After More Than Twenty Years. But There Are Much Worse Games To Play.

The Walls Of This Elevator Are Made Of Crystal So That You Can Watch The People On The Ground Floor Shrink To Ants As You Shoot Up Into The Air. It's Exhilarating And I'm Tempted To Ask Effie Trinket If We Can Ride It Again, But Somehow That Seems Childish.

And Then He Gives Me A Smile That Just Seems So Genuinely Sweet With Just The Right Touch Of Shyness That Unexpected Warmth Rushes Through Me.

What Must It Be Like, I Wonder, To Live In A World Where Food Appears At The Press Of A Button? How Would I Spend The Hours I Now Commit To Combing The Woods For Sustenance If It Were So Easy To Come By? What Do They Do All Day, These People In The Capitol, Besides Decorating Their Bodies And Waiting Around For A New Shipment Of Tributes To Rill In And Die For Their Entertainment?

Time And Tragedy Have Forced Her To Grow Too Quickly, At Least For My Taste, Into A Young Woman Who Stitches Bleeding Wounds And Knows Our Mother Can Hear Only So Much.

I Stand There, Feeling Broken And Small, Thousands Of Eyes Trained On Me.

Then, In My Most Careful Handwriting, Come All The Details It Would Be A Crime To Forget. Lady Licking Prim's Cheek. My Father's Laugh. Peeta's Father With The Cookies. The Colour Of Finnick's Eyes. What Cinna Could Do With A Length Of Silk. Boggs Reprogramming The Holo. Rue Poised On Her Toes, Arms Slightly Extended, Like A Bird About To Take Flight. On And On. We Seal The Pages With Salt Water And Promises To Live Well To Make Their Death Count.

Allow Me To Translate, Twitchtip Said, Not Even Bothering To Move. "she Said If You Don't Stop Your Incessant Babble, That Big Rat Sitting In The Boat Next To You Will Rip Your Head Off.

Yes, Frosting. The Final Defense Of The Dying.

But In My Head I Can Hear Haymitch's Smug, If Slightly Exasperated, Words: "yes, That's What I'm Looking For, Sweetheart.

I Have Not Wept Since The Death Of My Parents," Said Luxa Quietly. "but I Am Thought To Be Unnatural In This Respect.

Just One More Thing. I Kill Snow.

What Was That You Were Saying Just Before The Food Arrived? Something About Me... No Competition... Best Thing That Ever Happened To You.

But Gale Is Not One To Keep Secrets From Me. "katniss, There Is No District Twelve."

The Cat That Prim Got Hates Me, I Think Partly Because I Tried To Drown It.

Eyes On The Forest, Not On The Trees.

The Bird, The Pin, The Song, The Berries, The Watch, The Cracker, The Dress That Burst Into Flames. I Am The Mockingjay. The One That Survived Despite The Capitol's Plans. The Symbol Of The Rebellion.

You Could Do A Lot Worse.

Obviously This Person's A Hazard. Stupid People Are Dangerous.

I Can't Argue That Finnick Isn't One Of The Most Stunning, Sensuous People On The Planet. But I Can Honestly Say He's Never Been Attractive To Me. Maybe He's Too Pretty, Or Maybe He's Too Easy To Get, Or Maybe It's Really That He'd Just Be Too Easy To Lose.

In District 12, Looking Old Is Something Of An Achievement Since So Many People Die Early. You See An Elderly Person, You Want To Congratulate Them On Their Longevity, Ask The Secret Of Survival. A Plump Person Is Envied Because They Aren't Scraping By Like The Majority Of Us. But Here Is Different. Wrinkles Aren't Desirable. A Round Belly Isn't A Sign Of Success.

They Can Fatten Me Up. They Can Give Me A Full Body Polish, Dress Me Up, And Make Me Beautiful Again. They Can Design Dream Weapons That Come To Life In My Hands, But They Will Never Again Brainwash Me Into The Necessity Of Using Them. I No Longer Feel Allegiance To These Monsters Called Human Beings, Despite Being One Myself.

You Know, I Think This Is The First Time We've Ever Done Anything Normal Together.

I Wish They Were All Dead And We Were, Too. It Would Be Best." Well, There's No Good Response To That. I Can Hardly Dispute It Since I Was Walking Around With A Syringe To Kill Peeta When I Found Them. Do I Really Want Him Dead? What I Want...what I Want Is To Have Him Back.

That Should Have Been My Strategy! By The Time I’ve Worked Through The Emotions Of Surprise, Admiration, Anger, Jealousy, And Frustration, I’m Watching That Reddish Mane Of Hair Disappear Into The Trees Well Out Of Shooting Range.

Instead, I Watch Myself Get Shot On Television.

If I'm Going To Die, I Want To Still Be Me

Peeta And I Had Adjoining Cells In The Capitol. We're Very Familiar With Each Other's Screams.

I Can Almost Hear Haymitch Groaning As I Team Up With This Wispy Child. But I Want Her. Because She's A Survivor, And I Trust Her, And Why Not Admit It? She Reminds Me Of Prim.

How Are You Managing? And Don't Say You're Fine." It's True. Whatever The Opposite Of Fine Is, That's What I Am.

Sometimes Things Happen To People And They're Not Equipped To Deal With Them.

I'm Running On Hate. When The Energy From That Ebbs I'll Be Worthless.

Anyone? On Snow's Visit Before The Victory Tour, He Challenged Me To Erase Any Doubts Of My Love For Peeta. "convince Me," Snow Said. It Seems, Under That Hot Pink Sky With Peeta's Life In Limbo, I Finally Did. And In Doing So, I Gave Him The Weapon He Needed To Break Me.

If There's A More Helpless Feeling Than Trying To Reach Someone You Love Who's Trapped Underground, I Don't Know It.

Someone You Love

I Knew You'd Kiss Me." "how?" I Say. Because I Didn't Know Myself. "because I Am In Pain," He Say's. "that's The Only Way I Get Your Attention.

And To Us, We're More Married Than Any Piece Of Paper Or Big Party Could Make Us.

I Carefully Lay Out The Provisions. One Thin Black Sleeping Bag That Reflects Body Heat. A Pack Of Crackers. A Pack Of Dried Beef Strips. A Bottle Of Iodine. A Box Of Wooden Matches. A Small Coil Of Wire. A Pair Of Sunglasses. And A Half-gallon Plastic Bottle With A Cap For Carrying Water That's Bone Dry. No Water. How Hard Would It Have Been For Them To Fill Up The Bottle?

Katniss Everdeen, The Girl Who Was On Fire, You Have Provided A Spark That, Left Unattended, May Grow To An Inferno That Destroys Panem," He Says.

Fine. I'll Train. But I'm Going To The Stinking Capitol If I Have To Kill A Crew And Fly There Myself." Says Johanna. "probably Best Not To Bring That Up In Training," I Say. "but It's Nice To Know I'll Have A Ride.

I Want To Do Something, Right Here, Right Now, To Shame Them, To Make Them Accountable, To Show The Capitol That Whatever They Do Or Force Us To Do There Is A Part Of Every Tribute They Can't Own. That Rue Was More Than A Piece In Their Games. And So Am I.

Here's Some Advice. Stay Alive.

Hunger Games Book

Ripred Sighed. 'i Suppose So. You And I Seem To End Up Doing Everything. Shall We Say Four Members For Each Delegation?' 'why Not?' Luxa Said. 'four Can Be As Stupid As Ten. No Need To Crowd The Room.' Ripred Laughed. 'you Know, I Think You An I Are Going To Get On Famously.

They Erase My Face With A Layer Of Pale Makeup And Draw My Features Back Out.

If You Die And I Live There's No Life For Me Back In District 12. You're My Whole Life. I Would Never Be Happy Again.

What Is The Worst Pain? To Me, It's Always The Pain That Is Present.

The More You Can Distract Yourself, The Better.

Winning The Games Will Make You Famous, Losing Will Mean Death.

The Numbness Of His Loss Had Passed, And The Pain Would Hit Me Out Of Nowhere, Doubling Me Over, Racking My Body With Sobs. Where Are You? I Would Cry Out In My Mind. Where Have You Gone? Of Course, There Was Never Any Answer.

So, In A Way, My Name Being Drawn In The Reaping Was A Real Piece Of Luck," Says Peeta.

Katniss: I Guess All Those Hours Decorating Cakes Paid Off. Peeta: Yes, Frosting. The Final Defence Of The Dying. (252)

‎i'm Not Going Anywhere. I'm Going To Stay Right Here And Cause All Kinds Of Trouble.

That It's No Good Loving Me Because I'm Never Going To Get Married Anyway And He'd Just End Up Hating Me Later Instead Of Sooner.

An Ability To Look Into The Confusing Mess Of Life And See Things For What They Are.

Taking The Kids From Our Districts, Forcing Them To Kill One Another While We Watch – This Is The Capitol’s Way Of Reminding Us How Totally We Are At Their Mercy.

But The Words Are Easy And Soothing, Promising Tomorrow Will Be More Hopeful Than This Awful Piece O Time We Call Today.

He Could Have Had His Choice Of Any Woman In The District. And He Chose Solitude. Not Solitude – That Sounds Too Peaceful. More Like Solitary Confinement.

"clove!" Cato's Voice Is Much Nearer Now. I Can Tell By The Pain In It That He Sees Her On The Ground. "you Better Run Now, Fire Girl," Says Thresh. I Don't Need To Be Told Twice. I Flip Over And My Feet Dig Into The Hard-packed Earth As I Run Away From Thresh And Clove And The Sound Of Cato's Voice. Only When I Reach The Woods Do I Turn Back For An Instant. Thresh And Both Large Backpacks Are Vanishing Over The Edge Of The Plain Into The Area I've Never Seen. Cato Kneels Beside Clove, Spear In Hand, Begging Her To Stay With Him. In A Moment, He Will Realize It's Futile; She Can't Be Saved.

There Were Two Avoxes With Me In Prison. Darius And Lavinia, But The Guards Mostly Called Them The Redheads. They'd Been Our Servants In The Training Center, So They Arrested Them, Too. I Watched Them Being Tortured To Death. She Was Lucky. They Used Too Much Voltage And Her Heart Stopped Right Off. It Took Days To Finish Him Off. Beating, Cutting Off Parts. They Kept Asking Him Questions, But He Couldn't Speak, He Just Made These Horrible Animals Sounds. They Didn't Want Information, You Know? They Wanted Me To See It.

Positioned On My Dresser, That White-as-snow Rose Is A Personal Message To Me. It Speaks Of Unfinished Business. It Whispers, I Can Find You. I Can Reach You. Perhaps I Am Watching You Now.

Unfinished Business

You Love Me. Real Or Not Real?" I Tell Him, "real.

The Eleventh Plague Hits Disturbingly Close To Home An Excellent, Taut Debut Novel.

They Can't Hurt Me. I'm Not Like The Rest Of You. There's No One Left I Love.

I Always Channel My Emotions Into My Work. That Way, I Don't Hurt Anyone But Myself.

If The Careers Want Me, Let Them Find Me.

And Suddenly, It's As If There's No One In The World But These Two, Crashing Through Space To Reach Each Other. They Collide, Enfold, Lose Their Balance, And Slam Against A Wall, Where They Stay. Clinging Into One Being. Indivisible.

Never," Said Gregor. "i'll Never Get Rid Of You, No Matter How Hard I Try." It Was No Longer An Effort To Say The Words. "i Love You." "i Love You, Too," Said Luxa. After That There Was Nothing Left To Say.

By The Way, I Know About The Kiss." Then The Door Clicks Shut Behind Him.

There's No Point In Comforting Words, In Telling Her She'll Be All Right. She's No Fool. Her Hand Reaches Out And I Clutch It Like A Lifeline. As If It's Me Who's Dying Instead Of Rue.

Greeting To The Final Contestants Of The Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The Earlier Revision Has Been Revoked. Closer Examination Of The Rule Book Has Disclosed That Only One Winner May Be Allowed," He Says. "good Luck And May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor.

Panem Et Circenses" Translates Into 'bread And Circuses.' The Writer Was Saying That In Return For Full Bellies And Entertainment, His People Had Given Up Their Political Responsibilities And Therefore Their Power.

For The Last Year His Grandma Had Been Slipping In And Out Of Reality. One Minute She Was As Clear As A Bell And The Next She Was Calling Him Simon. Who Was Simon? He Had No Idea.

You Know, You're Kind Of Squeamish For Such A Lethal Person

I Raise My Left Arm And Twist My Neck Down To Rip Off The Pill On My Sleeve. Instead My Teeth Sink Into Flesh. I Yank My Head Back In Confusion To Find Myself Looking Into Peeta’s Eyes, Only Now They Hold My Gaze. Blood Runs From The Teeth Marks On The Hand He Clamped Over My Nightlock. “let Me Go!” I Snarl At Him, Trying To Wrest My Arm From His Grasp. “i Can’t,” He Says.

He Tilts His Forehead Down To Rest Against Mine And Pulls Me Closer. His Skin, His Whole Being Radiates Heat From Being So Near The Fire, And I Close My Eyes, Soaking In His Warmth. I Breathe In The Smell Of Snow-dampened Leather And Smoke And Apples, The Smell Of All Those Wintry Days We Shared Before The Games. I Don't Try To Move Away. Why Should I Anyway? His Voice Drops To A Whisper. "i Love You." That's Why.

They're Betting On How Long I'll Live!' I Burst Out. 'they're Not My Friends!

As I Descend The Stairs, I Can’t Help Brushing My Fingers Along The Unblemished White Marble Walls. So Cold And Beautiful. Even In The Capitol, There’s Nothing To Match The Magnificence Of This Old Building. But There Is No Give To The Surface - Only My Flesh Yields, My Warmth Taken. Stone Conquers People Every Time.

I'm Not Good At Talking About Myself.

The Star-crossed Lovers

Star Crossed Lovers

Do It. Before They Send Those Mutts Back Or Something. I Don't Want To Die Like Cato," He Says. “then You Shoot Me," I Say Furiously, Shoving The Weapons Back At Him. "you Shoot Me And Go Home And Live With It!" And As I Say It, I Know Death Right Here, Right Now Would Be The Easier Of The Two.

Peeta, How Come I Never Know When You're Having A Nightmare?” I Say. “i Don't Know. I Don't Think I Cry Out Or Thrash Around Or Anything. I Just Come To, Paralyzed With Terror,” He Says. “you Should Wake Me,” I Say, Thinking About How I Can Interrupt His Sleep Two Or Three Times On A Bad Night. About How Long It Can Take To Calm Me Down. “it's Not Necessary. My Nightmares Are Usually About Losing You,” He Says. “i'm Okay Once I Realize You're Here.

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," Says Peeta. "on The Other Hand, Haymitch... Well, If I Were You, I'd Avoid Haymitch Completely. He Hates You.

Lucky Thing Were Allies, Right? -finnick Odair

Remember That Even In War There Is A Time For Restraint. A Time To Hold Back Your Sword.

Yeah, We Wouldn't Want To Lose Our Little Mockingjay When She's Finally Begun To Sing.

Maybe . . . Because For The First Time . . . There Was A Chance I Could Keep Him,” I Say. “so Now That You've Got Me, What Are You Going To Do With Me?” “put You Somewhere You Can't Get Hurt.” And When He Kisses Me, People In The Room Actually Sigh.

I Am Not Pretty. I Am Not Beautiful. I Am As Radiant As The Sun.

Oh, And I Suppose The Apples Ate The Cheese.

I Never See These Things Coming. They Happen Too Fast. One Second You're Proposing An Escape Plan And The Next...

I Noticed Just About Every Girl, But None Of Them Made A Lasting Impression But You.

Lasting Impressions

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Camille Claudel

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