Isabella (Treech)

Part 4 - First Blood

Before going to the zoo, Isabella ran home. Quickly, she made some more sandwiches. They will have to do, she thought to herself, I don't have time to make anything else right now. Instead of changing back into her dress, Isabella decided that the academy uniform was going to have to do. Then, she was out the door.

-

When she arrived at the zoo, it was much more crowded than earlier. Clearly the interviews with Lucky had gotten people interested. Isabella scanned along the edges of the cage, a few mentors were already there, Coriolanus included. Arachne and Sejanus were also there.

Isabella looked into the cage, searching for her tribute. She eventually found him and Lamina sitting on a rock close to the back of the cage.

"Treech!" she yelled. The boy just looked at her at first, not moving.

"Treech!" she yelled again. This time, he slowly walked towards her.

"I brought you more food, Lamina too." Isabella gave him a smile in an attempt to carry on the energy from earlier. To her disappointment, it seemed to be only an act earlier and he was back to his old self. She offered the sandwich to him through the cage.

Treech gently took the sandwich, walked over to Lamina, and handed it to her. Then he walked back towards Isabella and took a sandwich for himself. He still had not spoken a word, and the two sat in silence for much time.

Eventually, Isabella attempted to break the silence, "Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Not really, not that that would be any concern to you," he finally spoke.

"Why do you say that?" she asked. 

"Look, I know this is only a school project to you, but this," he struggled to find the words, "this is my life on the line here."

"You are right about that, but I do genuinely want to help you. I wouldn't have gotten into the truck with you if I didn't care for your wellbeing. In fact, me and that blonde boy got in quite the trouble with our Dean over that. You don't have to like me, but please believe that I want you to survive. You are a person, and I promise to do my best to take care of you." Isabella was practically begging him.

"I guess I understand, although I'm not sure that I trust you," he replied.

"I promise I will do everything I can to prove to you that I'm not just in it for a stupid prize." She was happy to see a very small smile on his face.

"Promise," he said. Then the two both fell silent again.

This time, Treech was the one to break the silence, "What about you, and your life here in the Capitol. Surely you like it here?"

The question took Isabella off guard. She really didn't know how to respond to the boy knowing deep down that his life was and always would be worse than hers.

"Well.." she began, before pausing to think of what to say, "I actually don't like it here very much. I only have an older brother named Travis, but he's away right now. My parents have always favored him because he had his dreams figured out, and I don't yet." She realized how ridiculous she sounded hearing herself complain about her life in the Capitol, while the boy in front of her was basically just given a death sentence. 

The boy looked at her for a while. "I'm sure you'll find something that interests you . In the districts, our lives are basically picked out for us. But here, you have freedom to do whatever you want. I love my home, but sometimes I wonder if I'm meant for something else."

Isabella could tell that the boy was upset at the topic, and tried to offer some humor.

"Well the whole lumberjack persona is following you even here. Maybe its a sign that its what your meant to do... Lumberjack." Surprisingly, he actually took her attempt at a joke with good humor.