L O C K E D- Finnick Odair

THIRTEEN

《'°•~Chapter Thirteen~•°'》

THE MAN BEFORE me is older by a few years. He's not too odd looking. Compared to other people in the Capitol, he's basically normal. The only things about him that stand out are the green tips of his hair and his bright pink eyebrows.

"Is this your first time?" He asks me quietly as he runs his hand over the upper part of my leg. We can still hear the chatter and the music from the party even with the door closed.

"I was supposed to start a while ago, but I didn't want to," I say to him. "It wasn't until Snow killed my brothers and father that I agreed." I tell him this in hopes he'll pity me and won't make me do what I'm about to.

"I'm so sorry," he says, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. "I lost my father, too."

"When?" I ask, trying to take up time.

"I was twelve. Snow killed him as well," he explains to me. I wasn't really surprised, but what actually surprised me was that I felt pity for him.

"So you understand why I don't want to do this?" I say in hopes he'll let me leave.

"Of course I understand." He shifts his position, leaning back so his weight is supported by his arms. "But understanding doesn't make me a nice guy. So you do this for me, or I'll tell Snow. Your choice, sweetheart."

"Please."

"I'll pay twice as much," he offers.

"I don't want your money." I stare into his eyes.

"If you do this for me," he says. "I'll tell you a little secret about President Snow."

I agree. Once we're finished and the man redresses himself, he pulls out a wad of cash. As I take it from him, I say, "And the other payment."

"How could I forget." He sits back down. "Snow has workers, Avoxes.  Whatever you think you know about them, you're wrong. They're not people who commit crimes or try to run away. They're the people who know the Capitol's secrets but can't be trusted anymore. Snow cuts out their tongues so they can't talk, and he forces them to work for him."

I look at the man for a moment. "That's it?"

"I said I'd tell you a secret."

"What do I care about Avoxes?" I ask flatly.

"Doesn't matter to me whether you care about them or not," he ties his shoes and clips on his expensive watch. "That's the only secret you're getting."

And then he leaves the room.

My punishment for my outburst consisted of a slap to the face, which had caused a bruise to show under my eye, as well as not being able to leave my room for the entirety of seventy-two hours. I had sipped on water from the bathroom sink, but by the time it had been a day and half, my stomach began to ache from hunger. I had gone longer before, like in the months following my mother's death when my father couldn't afford to put food on the table.

The seventy-two hours end, and an Avox girl enters with a tray of cheese, crackers, and some kind of fancy meat. I thank her, and she nods, exiting the room. As I begin to eat the food before me, the television turns on.

There's Peeta sitting with Caeser again. He looks much worse than the last time I saw him. I know they had been hurting him or doing something bad to him, for I could hear the screams haunt my ears every night.