sting　it　as　tightly　as　I　dare。　Itˇs　risky　business　�　Peeta　may　end　up　losing　his　leg　�　but　when　I　weigh　this　against　him　losing　his　life；　what　alternative　do　I　have？　I　bandage　the　wound　in　the　rest　of　my　shirt　and　lay　down　with　him。

¨Donˇt　go　to　sleep；〃　I　tell　him。　Iˇm　not　sure　if　this　is　exactly　medical　protocol；　but　Iˇm　terrified　that　if　he　drifts　off　heˇll　never　wake　again。

¨Are　you　cold？〃　he　asks。　He　unzips　his　jacket　and　I　press　against　him　as　he　fastens　it　around　me。　Itˇs　a　bit　warmer；　sharing　our　body　heat　inside　my　double　layer　of　jackets；　but　the　night　is　young。　The　temperature　will　continue　to　drop。

Even　now　I　can　feel　the　Cornucopia；　which　burned　so　when　I　first　climbed　it；　slowly　turning　to　ice。

¨Cato　may　win　this　thing　yet；〃　I　whisper　to　Peeta。

¨Donˇt　you　believe　it；〃　he　says；　pulling　up　my　hood；　but　heˇs　shaking　harder　than　I　am。

The　next　hours　are　the　worst　in　my　life；　which　if　you　think　about　it；　is　saying　something。　The　cold　would　be　torture　enough；　but　the　real　nightmare　is　listening　to　Cato；　moaning；　begging；　and　finally　just　whimpering　as　the　mutts　work　away　at　him。　After　a　very　short　time；　I　donˇt　care　who　he　is　or　what　heˇs　done；　all　I　want　is　for　his　suffering　to　end。

¨Why　donˇt　they　just　kill　him？〃　I　ask　Peeta。

¨You　know　why；〃　he　says；　and　pulls　me　closer　to　him。

And　I　do。　No　viewer　could　turn　away　from　the　show　now。　From　the　Gamemakersˇ　point　of　view；　this　is　the　final　word　in　entertainmen