第27部分(第1/7 页)

ecause　even　though　the　information　seems　harmless；　they　donˇt　want　people　in　different　districts　to　know　about　one　another。

At　Rueˇs　suggestion；　we　lay　out　all　our　food　to　plan　ahead。　Sheˇs　seen　most　of　mine；　but　I　add　the　last　couple　of　crackers　and　beef　strips　to　the　pile。　Sheˇs　gathered　quite　a　collection　of　roots；　nuts；　greens；　and　even　some　berries。

I　roll　an　unfamiliar　berry　in　my　fingers。　¨You　sure　this　is　safe？〃

¨Oh；　yes；　we　have　them　back　home。　Iˇve　been　eating　them　for　days；〃　she　says；　popping　a　handful　in　her　mouth。　I　tentatively　bite　into　one；　and　itˇs　as　good　as　our　blackberries。　Taking　Rue　on　as　an　ally　seems　a　better　choice　all　the　time。　We　divide　up　our　food　supplies；　so　in　case　weˇre　separated；　weˇll　both　be　set　for　a　few　days。　Apart　from　the　food；　Rue　has　a　small　water　skin；　a　homemade　slingshot；　and　an　extra　pair　of　socks。　She　also　has　a　sharp　shard　of　rock　she　uses　as　a　knife。　¨I　know　itˇs　not　much；〃　she　says　as　if　embarrassed；　¨but　I　had　to　get　away　from　the　Cornucopia　fast。〃

¨You　did　just　right；〃　I　say。　When　I　spread　out　my　gear；　she　gasps　a　little　when　she　sees　the　sunglasses。

¨How　did　you　get　those？〃　she　asks。

¨In　my　pack。　Theyˇve　been　useless　so　far。　They　donˇt　block　the　sun　and　they　make　it　harder　to　see；〃　I　say　with　a　shrug。

¨These　arenˇt　for　sun；　theyˇre　for　darkness；〃　exclaims　Rue。　¨Sometimes；　when　we　harvest　through　the　night；　theyˇll　pass　out　a　few　pairs　to　those　of　us　highest　in　the　trees。　Where　the　torchlight　doesnˇt　reach。　One　time；　this　boy　Martin；　he　tried　to　keep　his　pair。　Hid　it　in　his　pants。　They　killed　him　on　the　spot。〃

¨They　killed　a　boy　for　taking　these？〃　I　say。

¨Yes；　and　everyone　knew　he　was　no　danger。　Martin　wasnˇt　right　in　the　head。　I　mean；　he　still　acted　like