[color=f49ac2]“What’s not to get Cas?”[/color] Iris whispered looking down at the ground shaking her head, [color=f49ac2]“Everything outside of the Capital is dying! Everyone has been left to fend for themselves here. There was never any development for us, no financial aid. No food, no water system. We are lucky that we even have few businesses that can provide food.”[/color] She could feel her body tremble, her voice sounded broken as she tried to explain to him that it wasn’t what he thought it was outside of the Capital. [color=f49ac2]“I can guarantee you there has been no one outside of the Capital who has been able to make it past border security.”[/color] 

Placing her head in her hands as she couldn’t look at him, she didn’t want him to see the hurt in her eyes or the tears that were threatening to spill. [color=f49ac2]“This area doesn’t have any grocery stores, no pharmacies. It has one butcher, one bakery and one blacksmith who doubles as a carpenter trying to keep this area running. They barely make ends meet because the others can’t find work. The other areas may not be as bad, but they have the same. The same few businesses with the exception of an odd grocery store. It’s all riddled with death… with crime…”[/color] Feeling herself choke at her own words her hands curled into fists, blades of grass being pulled within her fingers as she tried to calm herself. 

[color=f49ac2]“We haven’t had a working hospital in years, there is one on our outskirts, but it has become a cemetery housing the dead. Hiding the bodies because there is nowhere else to put them.”[/color] Her heart felt heavy as she spoke her words, explaining just how different life was outside of the Capital. A part of her wondered if he would just tell her it was all lies, she was making up, but it wasn’t. There was no deception in her voice, no fight. It sounded like she was broken and tired of it all. 

[color=f49ac2]“It doesn’t matter… you will see it all with your eyes as we make our way back. Hopefully by then you would have healed so border security recognises you. Or they’ll shoot you were you stand.”[/color] Pushing herself off of the grass she turned her back on him to head back into town, thinking on what the best route was to take because she had to keep them hidden from her father. 

[color=f49ac2]“Cas… when you get back home… I.”[/color] Shaking her head stopping herself from talking she sighed, [color=f49ac2]“It doesn’t matter. Let’s start walking.”[/color] Pulling the hood on her own hoodie she shoved her hands in her pockets to move back into town. She was going to ask him to take a look when he got back home, to see what the Capital was truly doing to the lower districts, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask it. It didn’t feel right, not right now. For now, she had to focus on pushing them forward closer to their destination, she kept her pace slow knowing he was in pain. She didn’t want him pushing himself more than what was needed right now.