Ruin and Revival

Chapter 7: What Really Matters

ARIKA

I wake to the sound of Calvin rustling as he packed away the stuff.

"Hello there sleepy head. You looked so adorable that I didn't want to wake you up just yet," I blush and stretch my limbs before getting up and helping him pack. We jog our last 7 miles, picking up the pace and making less frequent stops. A couple of hours later we finally spot a huge banner reading "Refugee Camp".

"Looks like we are finally here," a triumphant smile on Calvin's face. We walk over to the entrance booth.

"Hello, we would like a room for two," I say to the woman working at the stand. With a perpetual frown that seemed to reside on her otherwise pretty face, she directed us to the section of vacant tents left and told us to pick one. As we walk, we see many young couples just like us, faces lifted with hope as well as families everywhere the eye can see.

"Excuse me, if you don't mind telling me, how many people are in this camp, um mam?" I ask.

"There are approximately 3,000 so far but more are coming. By the way, you pick up your food at 6:00 sharp every night and 10:00 every morning. We don't serve lunch and curfew is 8am to 8pm. If you break curfew, there will be consequences. Good day," and with that she began talking to the family behind us.

"Did she just vomit a ton of information or is that just what I thought?" Calvin mutters.

"That's all you," I wink. " I wonder why the curfew is so tight though," We head over to our tent and drop our things off. We find some fresh clothes. A tan, cotton shirt with black leggings.

"Yes! New clothes!" I jump up with a victory shout. We head outside and using paper towels and the sink that probably lets out two drops of water every pump, we wipe off as much grime from the past week's ordeal as we can. After changing into my new clothes, I feel much better.

"So this is what a bed feels like. So much softer than what I remember," I wait for a response but Calvin is already fast asleep on the other side of the bed. I lie down next to him, inches away from his face. It is so tranquil, all the stress from the past week gone. I think about all the countless times he has saved me from jeopardy, appreciation filling me, warm as the sun on a winter day. He murmurs something in his sleep and I giggle, for he is too cute. I pull the blanket up over us before falling into a deep sleep.

I open my eyes to see Calvin's drooling face, a small stain right under his mouth. It was around 5am when we arrived her so it was past noon when I woke up. Calvin was in the exact same position he was hours ago. I take the corner of the blanket and wipe away the drool before I get off, the bed, letting him sleep. I step outside of the tent, determined to find my family.

"Hey, you're a new face!" a voice says behind me excitedly. I turn around to see a gorgeous blond girl with curly hair and sky blue eyes. She is really pretty, I think to myself. Her smile was so genuine and warm that I knew I liked her already. We are wearing the same clothes and we had the faces of those who have seen too much death and pain.

"Yeah, just got here this morning actually. What about you?"

"Well, been here for a couple of days. Not the most jolly place but I have seen far worse,"

"Tell me about it," I laugh half-heartedly, "So did you come here by yourself,"

"Nah, if I had come by myself, I would probably be dead already. I came here with my boyfriend, Jake and I am Brianna by the way. What's your name?"

"I am Arika. Mind showing me around camp?" I like this girl and I thought making a new friend wouldn't hurt. I have been stuck with a boy for the past week so I need another girl to bond with. She showed me where to get the food and where the bathroom was, which I already knew but felt guilty telling her. I learned that she had come from Sacramento and was in her sophomore year as well. I met her boyfriend Jake, who had dark skin and piercing green eyes. They had started dating in freshman year and are my couple goals. They asked if I had come with anyone and I told them that my boyfriend was asleep. However, are Calvin and I in a relationship yet? I must ask him when I get back.

I learn that the camp is divided into 4 parts. Section 1 was for elders, Section 2 for teens like us, Section 3 was for the sick and injured (also where government volunteers resided), and finally, the Section I wanted to go to, the family section. Brianna dropped me off there and I searched as many faces as I could.

"Excuse me, do you know if the Yang family is here," I asked a woman with two children, each holding a hand. She shook her head and scurried away. I asked countless of people but there seemed to be no sign. In despair, I began walking back toward the camp.

"It's okay. You never know when they might show up tomorrow. Anything is possible these days. Don't lose hope. It's all we got," Brianna gives me an encouraging smile which I return as best as I can.