"Miss Claudia, please don't make the stiff come on our team!" Lauren groans as an older man roughly stuffs a life jacket in my hands. Following everyone else's movements, I slowly lift the plastic over my head with hesitation. I have always been absolutely terrified of water ever since the accident.
"Lauren. Don't be rude." Miss Claudia scolded her but the girls just giggled more. I turn away, avoiding seeing them laugh at me and breathe in my surroundings. On my left stands a large hut with the letters: 'Eaton Harbor' written on it. It is some sort of boat shop, filled with everything from Kayaks to scuba suits to souvenirs.
Behind it is the biggest light house I have ever seen, or maybe it's because I have never seen one up close before. And, of course, surrounding the decking we are planted on, are boats of all kind gliding on the rough water. It is a stormy day and the sea is raging. I gulp.
"She's so useless though." Her friend, Nita, says and they all explode into giggle fits again, just as the sky roared again making me jump a little in fright.
I put my head down, and use my hair to shield my face. I'm not going to cry. It made it worse. I knew from experience.
"Alright everyone!" Miss Claudia shouts and everyone gathers around. "This is a teamwork-building challenge. I have organised this because we have been having lots of... troubles lately in Oakland's and I hope this will help everyone realise that we must work as a team!"
By Oakland's, she means our Orphanage. Oakland's teenage orphanage. I have been there for eight years now and every year my life seems to get worse. I watch children go live with wonderful families and watch more come in, to torment me. That's how everyone keeps entertained.
And that's what she meant by troubles too. A few weeks ago she caught them in the act.
"But why are we in lifejackets?" Peter asks and all the girls giggle and whisper once again. They all fancy Peter. They wouldn't if they knew what a devil he was inside.
"I was getting there, Peter." Miss Claudia says smiling. She also has a soft spot for Peter. Which is why when she found him with his hands around my neck, trying to end my life, she just said that we needed to work on teamwork. And, here we are.
She looks at the older man and nods, indicating him to start.
"My name is Marcus and I own this centre. I'll be your safety instructor for today." The man speaks up, gesturing to the building behind him. "The aim of this challenge is to get to the buoy and back." He says, pointing to a dot floating in the distance. "But you'll all be in one of these."
He brings out a six-seated canoe.
No. No, no no no. I think to myself, I can't do this. It brings back too many memories. My heart rate increases as my anxiety grows.
"That's why you have lifejackets, Peter." Miss Claudia says and he smirks. Miss Claudia is a tall woman with long legs and beautiful dark hair. She is lovely, she really is, but sometimes I think she forgets how dangerous and depressing an orphanage can be.
Especially when it's run like this one is.
"This is a teamwork challenge. Meaning, you need every single person on your team involved. The first team back wins but all team members must be with you." Marcus recites like he has done this a thousand times, he probably has. "Okay, get into your teams."
I begrudgingly walk over to my team. My hands trembling faster every second. My heart thumps so fast I'm scared they'll hear it.
"Everyone remember!" Marcus shouted as people started getting into their boats. "Blow your whistles if anything, and I mean anything, goes wrong and we will come find you."
YOU ARE READING
Saviour
Fanfiction"You're my saviour." *** Tris Prior has lived in an orphanage since she was nine years old. No one knows what happened to her family because she wont talk to anyone about it. She watches happy children come and go as she spends all her days bullied...
