Chapter 2: Visitors and Train
I sit in the plush room that is my visitors room. First my father comes in with Tiana, I assume mother and Tammy are with Isaac. My father walks to me with tears in his eyes, Tiana can't even look at me. I embrace my father and I'm afraid to let go, it might be the last time.
"I can't kill him," I say. My father nods, he has no words for this situation and wwe just sit in silence until we are signaled that the time is up, I kiss Tiana and give my dad one last hug, and then they are gone. Next is mom with Tammy. Mom just breaks down into sobs and I take Tammy onto my lap and whisper soothing things to both of them. I don't have to say it, mother knows I can't kill Isaac. I can't help but find my parents somewhat selfish. They have the nerve to be distressed when I'm the one going to my death! I suppose it makes sense though, they may lose two of their children. I hug Tammy and my mother and they are ushered out of the room. My next visitor is my best friend Atara. We hug and then she places a small peice of rope with a wooden carved leave on it. It's a bracelet. My token. I whisper my thanks and then she says something I was not expecting.
"You have to kill him Izz, if you don't, he'll kill you."
I'm shocked at her proposal that I would just kill Isaac. "I won't do it Atara, someone else will have to kill him, or kill me first."
She nods solemnly and walks away. And then it's time to go. I am ushered to the train station trying to keep my face sober of any expression. I dread the train ride, I don't want to face Isaac, but I know I must. And then I see him. He catches my eye and looks away. It's just for the cameras.
When we get on the train the first thing I do is run to him sobbing out loud. He hugs me and we cry together. I don't know how to say it so I burst out, "I can't kill you Isaac and I willl do everything I can to get you back to District 7, I'll die trying."
He looks at me in disbelief, "Isabel, I won't let you die, Mom and Dad need you."
"Oh gosh, don't go all sappy on me. Maybe we should just steer clear of eachother and maybe someone else will kill us so we don't have to do it." I say, I know it's horrible but its gonna have to happen. And he knows it. And that's all we have time to say before the mentors come in. They know we are related but they seem to have no pity. We tell them our plan to keep our distance and they seem to think it's a great plan.
"As long as you kill everyone else and one of you dies, the other can come home." says Johanna, Andrew just looks sick. He doesn't know what to do, its only his second year mentoring and he never dreamed this situation would happen. I know how he feels. We dine on some of the best food I've ever had and Johanna rants about how one of us must win and the other will die. She seems to favor Isaac, which I am perfectly OK with. If he wins he can come home and I will be happy in death. If I win, I will have no reason to live when I get back to the District without him. I will have to kill myself or live the remainder of my life in sorrow and agony. No, I won't let him die. I tell Andrew I want to speak to him privately and we go to a different compartment.
"I can't kill him Andrew, and I refuse to let him die. I can tell Johanna favors him and she will help him win. I am OK with that, I want him to come home to District 7. If he does, I will be happy in my death." I say. Andrew gives me a look and says,
"You've got to try, follow with the plan to keep your distance and maybe someone will kill you along the way. You have to try, because I know if he does die, he will want you to win. If you see his face in the sky, you can't lose your spirit you've got to win and avenge him." I don't know what to say, this enrages me, doesn't he realize that I want to die? I stalk out of the compartment and back to Johanna and Isaac. They are both laughing. Good they are really hitting it off, good Isaac, draw Johanna to like you more and I will stay away from you in the then someone will just kill me and you can win and come home to the district. I head off to bed and when I wake up, we are in the Capitol. Great, now we're one day closer to the end of my life.