PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

XXII. Japan Is Attacking

"Eva!" Brooklynn yelled again at the top of her lungs.

"What?!" She yelled into the open air, making eye contact with Sammy, who furrowed her eyebrows and shrugged.

"Come here!" Bubblegum shouted.

"Dude, where are you?!" Eva yelled back, looking around wildly.

The other campers looked just as confused, everyone wondering where the pink haired girl was.

"I'm uh—- can you just walk over to the latrines? Please?"

"Ohhhhh-kay," she murmured, heading for the ladder.

"Uh—"

"You guys stay here," Eva instructed. "I'll see what's wrong."

Brooklynn kept yelling to her and Eva responded, hurrying for the latrines.

When she reached the latrines, she knocked on the little wood door, the shaky voice of Brooklynn responding.

Brooklynn pushed open the door, nervously looking around. "Are you alone?"

"Brooklynn, what's happening?"

She looked around again, almost investigating, and said in a low voice, "I started my period."

Eva sighed in relief. "That's it?"

She slapped the blonde's shoulder. "I wasn't expecting to start here, because I wasn't expecting to be left behind. I have no supplies, and based on the fact that you guys haven't complained about it yet, I'm betting you guys are due to start soon, too."

Eva nodded, lost in thought. "When is my next period?"

"See!" Brooklynn threw out her hands for emphasis. "We need supplies, like, yesterday. And I need a new pair of pants," she pouted.

"Okay, okay. I'll round up the girls— discreetly, and we'll all make a trip to Main Street."

"Okay, and I'll stay here, so neither of the boys can see anything."

Eva laid her hand on Brooklynn's shoulder. "This'll work out, B."

~~~

"Oh, I forgot periods existed!" Sammy whined, the four girls deep into the woods and on their way to Main Street.

Darius and Kenji were confused about the sudden need for a girls only adventure, especially when Eva refused to explain the need for the adventure— even for Sammy and Yaz— until they were already in the jungle.

"At least that explains why my tummy's been hurting all morning," she continued, pouting.

Yaz groaned. "Well, if Sammy and Brooklynn are on theirs, that gives you and I—" she gestured to Eva, "— About six hours before we sync up."

Everyone groaned.

"Y'all, I hate when Japan is attacking," Sammy continued, crossing her arms over her chest. Eva's eyebrows furrowed. "We should definitely walk faster. I don't want to start and not be prepared."

"Japan is attacking?" Yaz questioned.

"Oh, it's something my older sister Selena always says. You know, cause the Japanese flag is a red dot on a white rectangle?"

"Huh... that's actually pretty smart," Eva said. "I usually just call it shark week."

"I say my Aunt Flo is visiting," Brooklynn commented.

"I tell people I'm busy hanging with my bloody buddy," Yaz added.

Eva snorted, tilting her head back. "Ain't no way you actually say that, girl."