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THE JOURNEY TO DISTRICT TOUR TOOK FOUR DAYS AND FIVE NIGHTS. They rationed the food they brought with them the best they could, though Koa struggled to understand and ate whenever he wanted.
They had to stop frequently, the woods full of tough terrain only added onto by the heavy luggage they brought with them.
In the end, their map brought them to Cari's childhood home's doorstep. The house had fallen into slight disrepair over the years, a few windows shattered by trespassers, curse words and "Seaburn was here" painted in large letters on one side.
Cari felt time stop when she looked at her old home. She had assumed she would never again lay eyes on it. Yet here it was, worse for wear but nearly the same as she remembered. Treech held back as she took the first steps up, running a hand over the wooden railing leading to the front door.
The smell of home comforted her, even now, nearly seven years later. The scent of her mother's vanilla perfume floated through the damp air, greeting Araucaria with the closest she would ever get to her mother's embrace.
It seemed that while some had ruined the outside of the house, barely anyone entered inside. Their old furniture sat exactly where they left it, covered in white sheets. Cari walked among their ghostly figures, searching for the sense of discontent she had always felt as a child. It never came.
"Come in," she called to Treech, who slowly entered the home, mindful of whatever memories she may be in. "It's not as nice as it used to be, but..."
Treech shook his head, lowering his arms to let Koa down. The young boy took his hand instead, sucking his thumb as he examined his new home. "Nothing that we can't fix." It was true. Cari had plenty of money from the Capitol, at least by District Four standards. "C'mon, let's get these sheets off."
One by one they revealed the furniture of her childhood, untouched since her mother's death. Once that was done they took turns using the bath. The water ran yellow for a few seconds before turning clear, allowing Cari to wash the grime from their journey off her.
She changed into her most District Four suitable clothing— blue jeans and a short sleeve checkered top.
"All yours, just be careful with the hot water, the midway point is hotter than you think."
Treech nodded, leaving her with Koa to clean himself, before the child himself got clean.
The three waited until it was lunch time to venture away from the cabin, braving the epicenter of life in District Four— The Northern Harbor. Here, vendors sold all sorts of goods: fish, jewelry, clothing, books, etc. On the other side of the market were smaller stores, selling hardware and anything else they could possibly need.
The three took a good look around, prioritizing clothing and food before repair. Treech and Cari could get jobs to make the money for that, but Koa's stomach rumbling begged to be silenced.
