Avox {#Wattys2017}

09

Lynx

It was morning again. It has gotten increasingly harder to drag myself out of bed in the mornings, there isn't much to live for when you can't talk and everyone you care about is either dead or far away.

Breakfast consists of gruel. Nowadays my stomach doesn't even growl at the sight of the tributes meal. I just feel sorry for them. The Capitol fattens them up like pigs before the slaughter, the thought of it makes me sick.

The girl sits at the table, head in her hands. I tap her lightly on the shoulder and she glances up in surprise. I cock my head at her with a frown. She seems to understand as she responds.

"Rough night." She laughs, rubbing her eyes, voice thick with sleep.

I just stand and nod, looking at her curiously, I know avoxes aren't allowed to talk to the tributes, not that that's physically possible.

"Olive." She whispers, catching me by surprise, her hazel eyes glinting in the artificial light. "I'm Olive."

I open my mouth to respond but close it quickly, realising that I can't respond. I must of been frowning because she looks at me and says.

"Hey, it's okay." She looks me in the eye. "Do you know sign language?"