uˇll be a girl from the Victorˇs Village；〃 he says。
Thatˇs right。 If we win； weˇll each get a house in the part of town reserved for Hunger Gamesˇ victors。 Long ago； when the Games began； the Capitol had built a dozen fine houses in each district。 Of course； in ours only one is occupied。 Most of the others have never been lived in at all。
A disturbing thought hits me。 ¨But then； our only neighbor will be Haymitch！〃
¨Ah； thatˇll be nice；〃 says Peeta； tightening his arms around me。 ¨You and me and Haymitch。 Very cozy。 Picnics； birthdays； long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Gamesˇ tales。〃
¨I told you； he hates me！〃 I say； but I canˇt help laughing at the image of Haymitch being my new pal。
¨Only sometimes。 When heˇs sober； Iˇve never heard him say one negative thing about you；〃 says Peeta。
¨Heˇs never sober！〃 I protest。
¨Thatˇs right。 Who am I thinking of？ Oh； I know。 Itˇs Cinna who likes you。 But thatˇs mainly because you didnˇt try to run when he set you on fire；〃 says Peeta。 ¨On the other hand； Haymitch 。 。 。 well； if I were you； Iˇd avoid Haymitch pletely。 He hates you。〃
¨I thought you said I was his favorite；〃 I say。
¨He hates me more；〃 says Peeta。 ¨I donˇt think people in general are his sort of thing。〃
I know the audience will enjoy our having fun at Haymitchˇs expense。 He has been around so long； heˇs practically an old friend to some of them。 And after his head…dive off the stage at the reaping； everybody knows him。 By this time； theyˇll have dragged him out of the control room for interviews about us。 No telling what sort of lies heˇs made up。 Heˇs at something of a disadvantage because most mentors have a partner； another victor to help them whereas Haymitch has to be ready to go into action at any moment。 Kind of like me when I was alone in the arena。 I wonder how heˇs holding up； with the drinking； the attention； and the stress of trying to keep us alive。
Itˇs funny。 Haymitch and I donˇt get along well in person； but maybe Peeta is right about us being alike because he seems able to municate with me by the timing of his gifts。 Like how I knew I must be close to water when he withheld it and how I knew the sleep syrup just wasnˇt something to ease Peetaˇs pain and how I know now that I have to play up the romance。 He hasnˇt made much effort to connect with Peeta really。 Perhaps he thinks a bowl of broth would just be a bowl
of broth to Peeta； whereas Iˇll see the strings attached to it。
A thought hits me； and Iˇm amazed the questionˇs taken so long to surface。 Maybe itˇs because Iˇve only recently begun to view Haymitch with a degree of curiosity。 ¨How do you think he did it？〃
¨Who？ Did what？〃 Peeta asks。
¨Haymitch。 How do you think he won the Games？〃 I say。
Peeta considers this quite a while before he answers。 Haymitch is sturdily built； but no physical wonder like Cato or Thresh。 Heˇs not particularly handsome。 Not in the way that causes sponsors to rain gifts on you。 And heˇs so surly； itˇs hard to imagine anyone teaming up with him。 Thereˇs only one way Haymitch could have won； and Peeta says it just as Iˇm reaching this conclusion myself。
¨He outsmarted the others；〃 says Peeta。
I nod； then let the conversation drop。 But secretly Iˇm wondering if Haymitch sobered up long enough to help Peeta and me because he thought we just might have the wits to survive。 Maybe he wasnˇt always a drunk。 Maybe； in the beginning； he tried to help the tributes。 But then it got unbearable。 It must be hell to mentor two kids and then watch them die。 Year after year after year。 I realize that if I get out of here； that will bee my job。 To mentor the girl from District 12。 The idea is so repellent； I thrust it from my mind。
About half an hour has passed before I decide I have to eat again。 Peetaˇs too hungry himself to put up an argument。 While Iˇm dishing up two more small servings of lamb stew and rice； we hear the anthem begin to play。 Peeta presses his eyes against a crack in the rocks to watch the sky。
¨There wonˇt be anything to see tonight；〃 I say； far more interested in the stew than the sky。 ¨Nothingˇs happened or we wouldˇve heard a cannon。〃
¨Katniss；〃 Peeta says quietly。
¨What？ Should we split another roll； too？〃 I ask。
¨Katniss；〃 he repeats； but I find myself wanting to ignore him。
¨Iˇm going to split one。 But Iˇll save the cheese for tomorrow；〃 I say。 I see Peeta staring at me。 ¨What？〃
¨Thresh is dead；〃 says Peeta。
¨He canˇt be；〃 I say。
¨They must have fired the cannon during the thunder and we missed it；〃 says Peeta。
¨Are you sure？ I mean； itˇs pouring buckets out there。 I donˇt know how you can see anything；〃 I say。 I push him away from the rocks and squint out into the dark； rainy sky。 For about ten seconds； I catch a distorted glimpse of Threshˇs picture and then heˇs gone。 Just like that。
I slump down against the rocks； momentarily forgetting about the task at hand。 Thresh dead。 I should be happy； right？ One less tribute to face。 And a powerful one； too。 But Iˇm not happy。 All I can think about is Thresh letting me go； letting me run because of Rue； who died with that spear in her stomach。 。 。 。
¨You all right？〃 asks Peeta。
I give a nonmittal shrug and cup my elbows in my hands； hugging them close to my body。 I have to bury the real pain because whoˇs going to bet on a tribute who keeps sniveling over the deaths of her opponents。 Rue was one thing。 We were allies。 She was so young。 But no one will understand my sorrow at Threshˇs murder。 The word pulls me up short。 Murder！ Thankfully； I didnˇt say it aloud。 Thatˇs not going to win me any points in the arena。 What I do say is； ¨Itˇs just 。 。 。 if we didnˇt win 。 。 。 I wanted Thresh to。 Because he let me go。 And because of Rue。〃
¨Yeah； I know；〃 says Peeta。 ¨But this means weˇre one step closer to District Twelve。〃 He nudges a plate of foot into my hands。 ¨Eat。 Itˇs still warm。〃
I take a bite of the stew to show I donˇt really care； but itˇs like glue in my mouth and takes a lot of effort to swallow。 ¨It also means Cato will be back hunting us。〃
¨And heˇs got supplies again；〃 says Peeta。
¨Heˇll be wounded； I bet；〃 I say。
¨What makes you say that？〃 Peeta asks。
¨Because Thresh would have never gone down without a fight。 Heˇs so strong； I mean； he was。 And they were in his territory；〃 I say。
¨Good；〃 says Peeta。 ¨The more wounded Cato is the better。 I wonder how Foxface is making out。〃
¨Oh； sheˇs fine；〃 I say peevishly。 Iˇm still angry she thought of hiding in the Cornucopia and I didnˇt。 ¨Probably be easier to catch Cato than her。〃
¨Maybe theyˇll catch each other and we can just go home；〃 says Peeta。 ¨But we better be extra careful about the watches。 I dozed off a few times。〃
¨Me； too；〃 I admit。 ¨But not tonight。〃
We finish our food in silence and then Peeta offers to take the first watch。 I burrow down in the sleeping bag next to him； pulling my hood up over my face to hide it from the cameras。 I just need a few moments of privacy where I can let any emotion cross my face without being seen。 Under the hood； I silently say good…bye to Thresh and thank him for my