Isabella (Treech)

Part 5 - The Correct Choice

The next morning was uneventful. Isabella was informed first thing that morning that Arachne's funeral was scheduled after home room. Then, each mentor would have an interview with their tribute to help the Capitol get more information on each individual. After that, the mentor tribute pairs would be given a short time to tour the arena and work on strategy's. 

Admittedly, Isabella could care less about Arachne's funeral. Although the girl was always in Isabellas life, the two never had any connection. In fact, as they both got older, the two girls started disagreeing about everything. The biggest being the fact that Arachne hated the districts and Isabella for the most part, saw them as equal to the Capitol. 

Instead of her usual red uniform, Isabella pulled on another black dress. Although this one was much more casual than her reaping outfit. It was shorter with long sleeves and some lace. This time, she no longer had her broach to wear with the matching earrings, so instead opted for some small gold hoops.

-

When she arrived at the Academy, it was overwhelmingly crowded. Almost as much as it was the day of the reaping. Except this time, everybody was wearing black. Some people were crying, but for the most part, people looked like they didn't want to be there. It was true, that many students thought of Arachne as stuck up, even for a Capitol girl. 

The students were instructed to line up alphabetically by their class outside the Academy, and wait for the funeral to start. The surrounding buildings were fashioned with banners and the walkways were lined with roses. This is much too extravagant for Arachne was what Isabella wanted to say out load, but she stayed quiet.

The clock struck 9, and the crowd went silent. The ceremony started with Coriolanus singing the anthem. After a not so great performance from Coriolanus, Lysistrata whispered to Isabella, "I'm so glad it's not me up there singing." Isabella couldn't help but to agree.

After the singing, the president took the stage and began to speak. He spoke words that meant nothing to Isabella. He went on about how her death was equal to that of a fallen soldiers.

"Yeah right." She said to Lysistrata. "Taunting a tribute and dying due to your own stupidity is equal to a soldiers death in the battlefield." 

"Honestly, I don't see why this was even required, it's not like anyone here cares." That was one of the things that Isabella loved about Lysistrata; that they both had an equal hatred for Arachne.

As the funeral continued, Isabella found herself start to zone out. It wasn't until she looked down and saw the most sickening thing she could have. 

There was a long flatbed truck with crane attached to it. On that crane was the badly shot up body of Brandy. The site alone made Isabella sick to her stomach. But when she saw the remaining tributes chained to the floor of that very truck bed, she couldn't take it much longer. The idea of seeing Treech and the others in that state being paraded around like some animals made her actually want to throw up.

"I can't do this!" she exclaimed as she stood up. "I need to step out for a second." It seemed like a few other empathetic students had the same idea as her. They all decided to wait inside of the Academy for the ceremony to be over, surely nobody will notice if a few students are gone for the ending of the ceremony. 

-

After the funeral finally came to an end, the remaining mentors were taken into a large circular room where the interviews were to take place. Beforehand, they were given some time to change out of their funeral clothes, and back into their red uniforms.

Each tribute was sat at a small table. On their wrists were chains, strapping them to the table. Isabella was instructed over to her table. Treech was already there.