Dig It Up *A 'Holes' Fanfiction*

Another Gone and Confusion

Chapter 25

  Twitch had finally shut up. It was only when he was digging. He started really fast then as the day lingered longer and longer he moved slower and began to complain more and more. First he went on about his hands. Then he went on about the sun. Then he went on about the dirt in his eyes. Now he was blabbing about how thirsty he was. He was lucky that the water truck was in the distance. By the time Twitch had practically fainted the faded truck pulled to a stop.

“Com’on Twitch let’s go.” I said. He gave me a dazed look then tried to clamber out of his hole. I couldn’t be bothered to help him out so I walked over to my spot in line. Staley helped Twitch out and walked with him to where the line was. Though instead of stopping Stanley walked over behind the truck to where the driver’s seat was. Twitch scrambled his way to the front of the line only to be shoved to the back. He had to earn his place in line. As Mr. Sir grumbled and filled X-Ray’s canteen I saw Stanley hop into the drivers seat. The engine turned on. Mr. Sir flipped round to see black smoke puffing outta the exhaust pipe.

“What the?” He stammered. Stanley was fumbling with the throttles.

“Put it in gear! Put it in gear!” Twitch squealed. That’s just what Stanley did. The truck lurched forwards and sped off, throwing dust in our faces. Mr. Sir sprinted after it swearing dirtily. Stanley shouted as he flew past the holes making all the other tents look up from what they were doing and cheer him on. My group cheered after the truck and Mr. Sir attached to it. He was hooked onto the drivers open window, his feet dragging behind him. Stanley drove right past a hole and Mr. Sir stumbled and fell right in. Stanley shouted some more and swerved around holes. I don’t think he was looking because he drove right into one. Figures. The water canteen spilled over the top and filled up the hole but only for a few seconds before it all disappeared into the ground. The cheering died down and we ran over to the truck. Dust and dirt was everywhere.

“My truck!” said Mr. Sir. I swear he turned a shade of purple then red and sprinted to the crash site.

“I bet Stanley’s dead.” I muttered. But the door of the truck flung open and a spluttering Stanley scurried out. He pulled himself out of the wreck and sprinted for the distance, in the same direction Zero went.

“That is one crazy kid…” Armpit mumbled. But we all whooped anyways. By the time Mr. Sir reached his beloved truck it seemed to cough and die. In a fit of rage Mr. Sir shouted after Stanley.

“Keep running boy! There ain’t gonna be no Stanley Yelnats the fifth!” he hollered. He then turned to us and screeched for us to go back to digging. We practically bounced back laughing. The Warden showed up a moment later with a notepad, map and Mr. P with the other councilors. I overheard their discussion as I walked past.

“I’m not gonna see what’s not there.” Mr. Pendanski lowered his binoculars and squinted at the horizon. 

“Alright fill in this section here, and start digging over there in between.” The Warden pointed at the map.

“What you gonna do bout Caveman.” Mr. Sir said quietly. “He ain’t like Zero, he’s got family…”

“In two weeks we’ll report he’s run away. Call any dogs, helicopters, the whole nine yards.”

“But then…there’ll be nothin left to find…”

“That’s exactly right.” The Warden smiled an evil grin. Suddenly, Mr. Sir turned around and saw me.

“Keep moving Barlow!” he hollered.

“Yes Mr. Sir.” I squeaked. Shuffling back to the group. I could just make out what The Warden said as I turned my back.

“She could be useful, that Barlow girl…” I must have returned with a puzzled look on my face because Squid came up to me and wrapped his arms round my waist.

"He'll be fine, Ember, don't worry." My boyfriend said to me.

“You seriously think I’m worried about Stanley?” I laughed. “Nah, I was just thinking…”

“Of what?”

“Alright boys and you two girls!” An unfamiliar voice chortled. It was one of the other tent councilors. “The Warden has said that you can all rest early today! But she said that you have to get up at four tomorrow morning.” We all groaned. As we walked back I had a spontaneous idea.

"Guys, wanna play a game?" I asked the group as we stumbled into the tent, excited all of a sudden. That made Squid forget about what he wanted to ask me.

"Um, that depends what it's gunna be. It can't be, like, I don't know, Simon Says or something." Squid huffed.

"Don't worry, it's not. It's called sabotage the idiot… or Revenge." The boys had smirks on their faces. I'm pretty sure they knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Fun, fun, fun!" Charlie said, over hearing. She had gotten out her Pride and Prejudice book and started to read. It was her favorite book and I swear it was the only book she read during the time I’ve known her. "But, who would we be sabotaging?"

"Charlie, my dear friend, who do you thinks?"

"Oh, I got it. Guys, we're playing a game called sabotage." Charlie told them, and everyone laughed. She wasn’t paying attention. It was going to be one hell of a plan, one in which we had to be extremely careful.