DOOMSDAY || TREECH

The atmosphere within the small rattling truck is tense, glares are thrown about, mostly towards the colorful pair standing towards the back of the cage. Children have sulked towards the walls and some have their chests puffed out in an effort to appear menacing. Others sit with their heads lowered. Laurel decides that it's truly an animalistic act, forcing them to sit across from each other, wondering which of your peers you might have to murder, or which one might do so to you. Wondering when it's coming, how much blood you might have to see.

After a relatively short drive, the light pouring in from the small window dims and a beeping echoes around them. The truck jolts to a stop causing a few to teeter on their feet, and then a mechanic screeching begins. Many, including Laurel, jump to their feet looking around for the source of the sound, the floor begins to tilt and the doors are thrown open. Before anyone can move a flurry of limbs claw at each other in an effort to stay within the van, unsure of what awaits them outside. A steep drop follows, sending them down a good 20 feet, landing with screams and groans on the hard ground.

Treech scrambles to stand quickly eyeing his surroundings, it's a small cage that reeks like the garden after his mother has thrown the remanence of his father's fishing trips out as fertilizer. Staggering a few feet, he finds a seat on a rock. Well, it's not really a rock, it's hollow, and flakes of paint peel off onto his trousers. What is this place?

After a struggle to untangle himself from the children, the boy dressed in red also stands, making no effort to avoid stomping on Laurel's forearm. She groans rising as well and her eyes are immediately drawn to the crowds of children pointing at her through bars.

'Look it's Coriolanus Snow!' one exclaims, his attention focused on the boy standing lamely in the center of the cell.

Angered once again, the other tributes stand and circle him. A flash of panic passes over Coriolanus' face before his tribute moves through them and leads the boy towards a ridiculously dressed man standing with a microphone.

With the overbearing attention being directed toward the children they begin to retreat deeper into the enclosure. Laurel finds herself gravitating back towards Treech.

"Where are we?" he questions, brushing dust from his previously white button-down.

Laurel surveys the area once more, "I'm not sure..."

A moment of peace overtakes them, and deep, terminal exhaustion seems to hit. What are they meant to do now? Sit? Chat? Rest? Laurel drags a deep breath in through her nose, the air was by no means fresh but a relieving change from the thick staleness inside the train.

"It fuckin' stinks in here," Treech exclaims, drawing a small chuckle from the girl in front of him.

"Yeah, it does."

***

Coriolanus is removed from the cage shortly after they arrive, and the tributes have little to do but settle into their temporary home.

Treech and Laurel resume their positions beside each other, silently staring back at the growing crowd of disinterested mothers and nosey children. They were allowed a few hours of peace before another boy dressed in unsightly red approached the bars. He's weighed down by an obscenely large duffle bag waving what looks like sandwiches between himself and the tributes.

"Please. Y'all need to eat!" he exclaims with desperation.

Laurel mulls the idea of taking one from him for a minute. What's the harm in taking one? If it was poisoned it would probably be a swifter death than she could expect when the time for the games finally came. Turning to Treech she nods towards the desperate boy with a raised eyebrow.

He too looks up at the disturbance and analyses him for a moment before returning her look with a solid shake of his head.

"What's the worst that could happen?" she probes standing with a groan, "Don't act your stomach isn't growling loud enough for my Ma back home to hear."

"What if he's done something to them?"

Laurel responds with a scoff before turning, "Not like I planned on making it home when I came here. Might as well have a full stomach."

She approaches the boy surely and takes a sandwich out of his hand silently. He responds with a meek smile.

"Thank you, nobody else will take one."

"It's just because I'm starving," Laurel smiles back patting her stomach, "forgot my breakfast."

The boy flinches before reaching back into his bag, "Here take some more."

The sight of the inside of his bag almost makes Laurel faint. Its zipper was straining under its fullness, piled with sandwiches.

"Can I have some plums?" she asks pointing at the large purple fruit tucked in the back.

"Of course, of course." He beams holding the bag out for her to pick from, "What's your name?"

"Laurel." The girl replies, not realizing her mistake until it's too late.

"I'm Sejanus." He's digging through his pocket, producing a piece of paper. Laurel wasn't a good reader but she instantly noticed Calla's name on the sheet. It was a list of tributes. fuck. "I uh... I don't see your name..."

"Oh, I um... I meant Calla. Sorry." Panic overtakes Laurel, eyes darting between Sejanus' face and the sheet of paper he's holding. When he looks up at her, his eyes are filled with a sadness she wishes she could forget.

"Is Laurel a friend of yours?" He asks knowingly.

"Yeah." She breathes, "She's my sister."

He nods, leaning in through the bars, "I won't tell anyone." It's whisper so quiet Laurel thought it might have been the wind, "I'm sorry you have to be here, I'm sorry you had to make that decision."

She nods back before turning quickly on her heel, arms full of food, and walking back to Treech.