Silenced: the story of an avox

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My feet hit the ground hard going as fast as they can possibly go crunching leaf after leaf and branch after branch. I can hear my heart racing as loud as the tap of a microphone on reaping day. I can hear myself breathing hard like a child about to go into an arena to fight to the death. This is exactly what me and my boyfriend, Maxen, are trying to avoid. I look over and see him running right by my side barely out of breath and clearly able to run about ten times faster than the pace we are going now. He had to work in the coal mines to support his family, so he is strong and in shape. I feel like a burden slowing him down like this, but he doesn't show it. He just runs right by my side every step of the way.

We're running through the fields of District 12 hoping to escape to District 13, and underground district planning to rebel against the Capitol. We hope to find them and join their district. We've heard rumors of it and how they have food and shelter. Anything has to be better than the conditions in District 12.

My breath becomes heavier as exhaustion takes over my body.

"Let's rest a while." Maxen suggests taking note of how tired I am becoming.

I sit against a huge oak tree while Maxen falls backwards into the tall grass. He looks practically hidden because it is so tall. I consider lying down beside him to hide myself from anyone looking for us, but then I remember that nobody would. Both of our fathers died in the mine explosion a few years ago. My mother died from a stroke leaving me with my abusive uncle. Maxen's mother abandoned him and his brother who was later chosen to enter into The Hunger Games leaving him to fend for himself. Normally a child without anybody to watch after them would be sent to a house for orphans in District 12. Thankfully he never had to go there because he would hunt game in the woods we're in now. He would sell it illegally to our peacekeepers and earn money. In District 12, the laws are bent a lot more often. Our peacekeepers are kinder than most. The only reason he lives by himself without anybody caring is because of them and the fact that nobody else in the district really cares. We all keep to ourselves and nobody in the Seam ever has anything to spare because we never really have anything for ourselves. We are all alone. He is mine and I am his.

I slump down against the tree's smooth bark and close my eyes. As soon as I find peace I hear something that makes my heart stop. The sound of a gunfire. I turn to the side and see a tall peacekeeper in a white uniform. He is pointing the gun straight at his target, me. I don't dare to look down at Maxen because I know he can't see him due to the grass. It is a shield for him as long as he doesn't sit up.

"Don't move. He can't see you." I say through clenched teeth.

"I know a way you can escape. Sprint as fat as you can to the fence and turn left to the woods. There, you will be less visible. There's a hollowed out log for you to hide in. I'll find you when he's gone." he says so fast and quietly it's barely audible.

He knows the woods so I fully trust his knowledge but I can tell he sees I have no confidence. I know I will not make it.

"Pretend to trip next to me." he commands.

I'm not sure why he wants me to, but I listen anyways. I stand up and stumble to the ground next to him. He's takes my face in his hands and presses his lips to mine. My lips move in perfect sync with his. He releases his hands from my face and removes his lips from mine. My body craves for more as it always does.

"I love you Atala. I will find you" he says with a strong determination in his voice.

"I love you too. I will forever." I reply.

I lightly kiss him one last time, for it may be our last.