The Raiders

Chapter Four - Camp

We arrived at the camp in the early hours of the morning. The prisoners were taken away to a holding area that they people staying here had set up while Nate and the others were out looking for hostages.

Scarlette, Grace and I were each taken to some tents that had room in them. My roommates name was Leila, I was told, but she was asleep when I arrived. A few hours later I woke. Looking around curiously, I saw a fresh set of clothes on the end of my sleeping bag which I happily changed into.

The tent was large and I walked over to one corner where a bucket and towel was. I used this to wash my hair and myself before looking around the tent. It was around five meters wide and there were two sleeping bags, the bucket, and clothes that were piled neatly in the corner. The clothes I was wearing were too big for me; I had on a baggy white shirt and jeans. Looking around I found sandals that looked my size near the end of my sleeping bag, which I put on and exited the tent.

 The sun hit me in the face and I covered my eyes with my hand before looking around the camp curiously. My tent was one of the ones nearest to the cliff face that was behind me. The camp was on a beach with its back to the cliff and the front to the water. There were about fifty tents that looked big enough to hold three people. There was a tarp set up in the middle and a fire underneath it. People were sitting around here eating lunch talking animatedly to each other. Behind me there were a few tents, the cliff and a large cage where the prisoners were kept. I waved to the one who kicked me and he hissed back.

I wasn’t entirely sure where to go and I stood at my tent for a few seconds when, to my relief, a familiar voice called out my name. I turned around and grinned at Scarlette.

“Good morning! Or is it afternoon…”

“Midday. You sleep like the dead; I’ve been up for hours. Grace’s still asleep though.”

“What have you been doing?”

“Went for a swim in the ocean, wouldn’t advice it, the waters freezing. I was just coming to wake you; we’re supposed to meet the people who run this place.”

“Shall we go wake up Grace, then?” I asked and she nodded pulling me towards a different tent.

“Grace, wake up.” Scarlette called shaking the tent. A few minutes later Grace emerged dressed in her new clothes.

“Where are we supposed to meet them?” Grace asked after Scarlette told her what we were doing.

“Not sure. Nate told me we had to meet them but he just said to go get you, not where we should go. I think we should just go back to where he was.”

“No, let’s get food first,” I said firmly. Grace and Scarlette nodded in agreement.

“Does anyone know where we can get food?” Grace said reasonably. I sighed when Scarlette said she didn’t.

“Maybe they will have food at the meeting.” Grace said optimistically. Scarlette steered us in the direction of where she left Nate to get us. He was standing there waiting for us and I smiled at him.

“Good Morning. How did you sleep?” He asked politely to a chorus of Mornings and good thanks.

“Do you have any food?” I asked, I was starving and wasn’t going to forget that easily.

“Sure.” He led us to a small tarp where lunch was set up. I grabbed a sandwich and started eating.

“The ‘leaders’ of the camp want to talk to you, it’s at a normal camp meeting so a few people are going to be there.”

“Do you know what they want to talk to us about?”

“I think they want to ask you about Samarqand and if you will go on the expedition the City Of Elders.”