Chapter 18 Chapter 18 New Rules

The boy from District One died before he could get his spear out.I shot him in the throat with an arrow, and he fell to his knees with a plop, pulled the arrow out with the last of his strength, and then fell in a pool of blood.I hooked up the arrow again and kept moving left and right, while shouting at Lulu: "Is there anyone else? Is there anyone else?" Lulu called out several times before I really heard it.Lulu lay huddled on her side, the spear lodged right in her crooked body, and I pushed the boy's body away, drew the knife and cut the net.Just looking at the wound, I know that her injury is beyond my ability to heal, maybe no one else can.The point and shaft of the spear had sunk deep into her belly.I squatted in front of her, helplessly watching the weapon pierced into her body, helpless.At this moment, it was meaningless to tell her that it was okay, or to say some comforting words, and she knew it in her heart.She held out her hand, and I held it tightly, as if trying to grab her life.I feel like I am dying and not Lulu.

"You blew up all their supplies?" she said in a weak voice. "Not at all," I said. "You must win," she said. "I will, now I'm going to win for both of us." I promised her.I heard the gunfire and looked up.It must have been played for the boys in District One. "Don't go." Lulu grabbed my hand tightly. "No, I'll just stay here," I said, moving closer to her, placing her head in my lap, and gently brushing her thick black hair behind her ears. "Sing a song," she said, but I almost didn't understand. "Singing?" I thought, "Singing what?" I do know one or two songs, believe it or not, there used to be singing in my room before, and I helped my father compose the tune, and my father used his beautiful voice to drive me. , but since my father died I seldom sang it.Unless Prim sings a song when she's sick.Then I'll sing to Lulu this song she loved when she was a baby.

Sing, but my throat is tight, hoarse from smoke and weariness.But what if Prim asked me to sing?I mean, this was Lulu's last request after all, and I should at least try.I sang a plain lullaby, a ditty that lulls hungry and rowdy children to sleep.It seems to have come from a cold and distant world, wandering in our mountains long ago.The music teacher said that this song is in the style of a mountain village, and the lyrics are simple and simple, telling people that tomorrow will be better than the painful today. I coughed lightly, suppressed the sadness in my heart, and sang. In that distant pasture, there is a curved willow tree, and under the willow tree is a soft and green grass like a pillow; lie gently on the pasture, close your sleepy sleepy eyes; when you open your eyes , the sun will rise.Here is safe and warm, where the daisies protect your home, where your dreams are sweet, tomorrow will come true, here is my love for you.Lulu closed her eyes, her chest moved only slightly.Tears come flooding down my cheeks, but I'm going to finish the song.

That distant pasture, hidden in the deep mountains, where there are dense branches and leaves, and a ray of moonlight, forget your sorrows, stay away from your troubles, tomorrow dawn, you will be free from worries, here is safe and warm, and the daisies here are You protect the house, and the lyrics that follow are almost inaudible. Here is your sweet dream, tomorrow will come true, here is my love for you.It was quiet all around, and then, mockingjay imitated me and sang. For a while, I sat there quietly, watching my tears drip down Lulu's face.The cannon fired for Lulu's funeral.I leaned over and kissed her temple lightly.Slowly, as if afraid to wake her up, I put her head on the ground and let go of her hand.

They need me to leave right away so they can clean up the body.I don't need to stay here anymore.I turned the boy from District 1 on his body face down, took his bag, and pulled out the arrow that killed him.I cut Lulu's knapsack from her back, knowing she wanted me to take it too, leaving the spear untouched in her belly.The weapon on the body will be taken by helicopter, and I can't get a spear, so get it out of the arena as soon as possible. I couldn't help but look at Lulu again. She was curled up in the net like a young animal, making her even smaller.I couldn't bear to leave Lulu like this, she was hurt and looked so helpless.It wasn't enough to hate the boy in District 1 - even though he was vulnerable in death - I hated the Capitol and what it had done to us.

Gale's words echoed in my ears, his hatred of the Capitol was justified and could no longer be dismissed.Lulu's tragic death made me very angry, and I had to face up to the Capitol's brutality and injustice to us.But at this moment, even if I am slightly stronger than at home, I still feel that my strength is meager. I can't take revenge on the Capitol, can I? Then I remembered what Peeta said to me on the top of the building, "Have faith and somehow tell the Capitol that they don't own me, that I'm not a pawn in their game." The first time I Understand the true meaning of his words.

I'm going to take action, right here and now, to shame them, to hold them accountable for what they did, to show them that no matter what they force us to do, they can't really have us, that Lulu is not them A pawn in the game.Neither do I! Not far from the woods, a cluster of wild flowers bloomed, the flowers were purple, white, and yellow. I picked a large bunch and came to Lulu.I carefully placed flowers one by one on her body, covered the ugly wounds, wreathed her face, and wove colorful waves in her hair. They'll broadcast this.Or, they're broadcasting another scene now, and the audience will see her when the body is being transported, and they'll know I did it.I took a step back and took one last look at Lulu. She seemed to be lying on the grass and fell into a deep sleep.

"Goodbye, Lulu." I said softly.I put the three middle fingers of my left hand on my lips, and then stretched them in her direction.Then walk away in big strides, never looking back. The birds stopped chirping, the mockingjays sounded the alarm in the woods, and the helicopter was about to appear.I don't know how they know, they must have heard a sound that humans can't capture, I stopped and looked ahead, not behind, and the birds started singing again, I knew Lulu had been transported away. A mockingjay that looked like a nestling settled on a branch in front of me, singing Lulu's tune.My voice, the helicopter's voice, was too new for the bird to learn, but it learned Lulu's tune, the tune for Lulu's peace.

"It's all right," I murmured as I passed under the branch where the bird had fallen. "We don't need to worry about her anymore." All is well. I didn't know where to go, the fleeting feeling of home with Lulu was gone, and I dragged myself aimlessly on vacant footsteps until the sun went down.I have no fear, not even alertness anymore.My hatred for competitors, especially pro players, is not lessened by my hatred for the Capitol.They should at least pay for Lulu’s death. No one showed up, not many people left in total, and it was a big arena.Before long, they'll figure out another way to drive us together.Bloody enough for today, maybe I can sleep in peace.

I was about to take out my sleeping bag and settle down in a tree when a silver parachute floated down and landed in front of my eyes.This is a gift from a patron.But why now?Maybe Haymitch saw me upset and wanted to cheer me up, or maybe it was medicine for my ears? I opened the box to find a small loaf of bread, not the Capitol's snowy white fluffy bread, but a brown croissant made from rough rations and sprinkled with nuts.I thought back to the various breads Peeta had talked about in the training center.This is bread from District 11, and I hold it carefully in my hand.How much will it cost to get this piece of bread for the people in District 11 who are hungry?How many days will they go without food or drink before they can save money to buy this loaf of bread?It was for Lulu, yes, but the gift wasn't cancelled, and Haymitch was authorized to give it to me when she passed away.as thanks?Or, like me, they don't want to be in debt?Anyway, this is the first time, the first time a gift has been given to a player from the outer zone.

I lifted my face, walked into the last rays of the setting sun, and said, "Thank you to the people of District Eleven." I want them to know that I know where this bread came from, and that I fully appreciate the value in this bread. I climbed up the tree, high up, not for safety, but to try to get away from everything that happened today.My sleeping bag was neatly folded in Lulu's backpack.Tomorrow I'm clearing out these items and making new plans.But today, all I have to do is tie myself up and eat that loaf.The bread is good and tastes like home. Soon the image of the city emblem appeared in the sky, and the national anthem rang in my right ear.I saw District 1 boys and Lulu's profile picture.That's all for tonight, "there are six of us," I thought to myself, "only six." The bread was still in my hand, and I fell asleep. Sometimes, when everything sucks, I have sweet dreams instead, hunting in the woods with Dad, eating cake with Prim in the sun; tonight it was Lulu.She wore a garland of flowers, sat on a big leafy tree, and taught me how to talk to a mockingjay.She had no wounds, no blood, just a cheerful girl, giggling, and her voice was sweet and fresh, and she sang songs I'd never heard before, and kept singing all night long, and in vague dreams she finally Disappeared in the forest, but the lingering sound still lingers.When I woke up, I felt sweet in my heart, and wanted to keep the peace and sweetness in the dream, but it disappeared quickly, and I felt lonely and lost like never before. I felt heavy in my limbs, as if my veins had been filled with lead, and I had no desire to do even the simplest thing except to lie there and look straight up at the sky through the leaves.For hours, I remained motionless.But in the end, thinking of Prim's face anxiously waiting by the TV, he recovered from his bewildered state. I gave myself some simple instructions, such as: "Katniss, you sit up now; Katniss, you drink water now." I followed the order mechanically. "Katniss, now you have to pack your bags." Lulu's backpack contained my sleeping bag, a nearly empty sheepskin bag, a handful of dried fruit and roots, a bit of rabbit meat, her socks, and a slingshot.The boy in District 1 had several knives, two spear points, a flashlight, a small leather pouch, a first-aid kit, a full bottle of water, and a bag of dried fruit in his bag.Of all the options, I only chose a bag of dried fruit!In my opinion, this is utter arrogance.There's so much food at camp, so why bring food?You kill your opponents quickly and return to camp before you feel hungry.I wish the other pros didn't take food on their easy trips, only to come back with nothing. When it comes to food, I'm almost done with my own.I finished the bread and rabbit meat sent by District 11.The food comes out really fast.All I had left was a bit of Lulu's dried fruit and roots, and the boy's dried fruit and a piece of beef. "It's time to hunt, Katniss," I said to myself. I carefully put the things I need in my backpack.Climb under the tree and hide the boy's knife and spear point under a pile of rocks so no one else can use it.Yesterday's aimless walking had already made me lose my way, but I followed the general direction of the creek.When I saw Lulu's unlit third bonfire, I knew I was on the right track.Soon I saw a group of toucans perched on a tree in front of me, and the three toucans were still in a daze, and they were killed by arrows.I went back to Lulu's woodpile and lit the fire, ignoring the smoke. "Where are you, Cato?" I thought as I roasted the toucan and the roots. "I'm here waiting for you." Who knows where the pros are?Either they were too far away to make it here, or they knew that lighting the fire was a ruse to lure them... Could it be?Too scared of me?Of course they knew I had a bow and arrows, and Cato saw me draw them from under Glimmer.But are they paired again?Have they figured out that I blow up the supplies and then kill their accomplices?They likely thought it was Saresh who did it.Shouldn't he be more avenged for Lulu than I?The reason is that they are from the same district, not that he is interested in her. How about a fox face?Was she around when I blew up the supplies?No, when I saw her laughing in the ruins the next morning, she seemed to have been pleasantly surprised. I guess they wouldn't think it was Peeta's signal fire.Cato had already decided that he was almost dead.I suddenly felt like I wanted to tell Peeta about the flowers on Lulu's body, to tell him that I finally understood what he was saying on the roof.Maybe if he wins, he can see me on victory night when they play highlights from the game on the stage screen where we were interviewed.The winner is seated in a VIP box, surrounded by the contestant's support staff. But I promised Lulu that I had to win, for both of us.And that seemed more important than my promise to Prim. I do think I have a chance and I'm going to win.It's not because I have a bow and arrow in my hand, and I was smarter than a professional player a few times; but when I held Lulu's hand and my life passed by little by little, my state of mind changed. I was determined to avenge her and let people remember her forever. Live her life is gone, only by winning can this be done, and only by winning can people remember me forever. I looked beyond the birds into the distance, hoping someone would show up so I could use my bow, but no one came.Perhaps other players have been playing hard elsewhere.This is also very good.Since the first few bloody scenes, there should have been a lot of my features on TV, and I don't care anymore. Finally, I bag up the food, head back to the creek, and refill the water.Even though the sun has just gone down, I feel as tired as I did this morning.I climbed the tree and prepared to spend the night.I kept thinking about what happened yesterday, when the spear penetrated Lulu's body, and my arrow tore the boy's throat.I wondered why I kept thinking about that boy, and then it dawned on me that he was the first person I killed... On the Capitol, each player has a list of killed players, which, along with other reported data, serves as the basis for gamblers to place bets on.I figured, theoretically, that Grimmer and the girls in District 4 should be counted in my kills, since they were throwing wasp nests at them.But the boy from District 1 was the first one I was sure I could kill.Countless animals have perished at my hands, but man was the first.I seem to hear Gail say, "What difference does that make?" The actions of killing and hunting animals are very similar, drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, but the results are very different.I killed a boy and I don't even know his name.Somewhere far away, his family is crying for him, and his friends want me to pay in blood.Maybe he has a girlfriend and I'm sure he'll return it... But when I think of Lulu's frozen body, I resolutely drive him out of my mind.At least, for now. See the image of the sky and know that nothing big happened today, no death.I wonder when the next disaster will strike to drive us together.If it's tonight, I'd like to get some sleep first.I covered my ears to relieve the tension caused by the national anthem, and then I heard the sound of the loudspeaker, and I sat up alertly, watching what happened below. Most of the time, the only means of communication between the players in the arena and the outside world is the dreaded honking of horns at night, but sometimes announcements are made when the horns are finished.It is usually to inform everyone to go to the feast.When food is extremely scarce, the organizers of the competition will notify everyone to go to some well-known places such as the Horn of Zeus and invite the players to have a big meal as a means of stimulating them to continue fighting.But sometimes there is only one piece of stale bread for all the players to fight for.I won't go to eat, although this is also a good opportunity to eliminate the opponent. Claudius Templesmith's voice was in the air, congratulating the remaining six of us, but instead of inviting us to the dinner, he said something incomprehensible, saying that there were some rule changes in the game .RULE CHANGE! This is puzzling, because the competition itself has no rules at all, except that you must stand in the circle for no less than sixty seconds, and there is an unspoken rule not to eat people.The new rules state that if two players in the same division can be the last survivor, they can both be the winners.Claudius paused briefly, as if knowing we wouldn't understand right away, and repeated it again. I slowly understood the news that there could be two winners this year.If they were from the same district, both could live, and both of us could possibly live. Peeta's name came out of my mouth.