Delinquent Camp

Chapter Twenty-Five

            “Danny, he’s dead.”

~~~

            “It’s my fault. It’s my entire fault,” I whisper. “I’m the one to blame.”

            “Gemma?”

            I ignore the voice and continue hugging my knees. I gently rock back and forth, trying to keep myself occupied on that rather than shaking. My bunk bed squeaks quietly with each backward movement, but stops entirely when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

            “Go away,” I tell him quietly, not having to look up to know it’s Rhyson. “If you hang around me any longer, you’ll be dead too.”

            “Don’t talk like that.” Rhyson’s voice is stern as he sits on my bed beside me. I feel his eyes on me, looking over my tear-stained face, but I refuse to even glance his way. Looking at him will just make me feel like things are real, rather than the dream-like state I’m living in now. I think it’s called shock.

            “I just need to be alone.”

            After the police were called and came to boat over to the island, all the Safe Haven kids lined up to watch them come back to shore. They yelled for us to go back to our cabins or the mess hall, but no one budged. Michelle didn’t even speak but stood away from the group, completely shocked.

            When they realized a bunch of kids who should be in jail refused to leave, they finally sighed and started to remove something from the boat. Four police officer’s dressed in rain gear, carried a black bag down the dock towards us, cutting through the fog.  As they passed us, no one spoke, but instead stared wordlessly at the plastic containing Danny’s body.

            Or what was left of it.

            When everyone returned to their cabins, Melody tried to comfort me, despite being upset herself. But I just pushed her away and screamed until she left me by myself. I don’t know where she is now, but it’s the last thing on my mind.

            “You’ve been by yourself long enough, Gemma.” Rhyson sounds like my father after I locked myself in my room for a week after Mellissa’s death. “But I didn’t come to sit around and argue with you.”

            I finally meet his eyes, but I can barely see him. His face just grows blurrier as I try to blink the tears away.

            “Then why did you come?”

            Rhyson sighs, moving his eyes towards the cabin floorboards. He reaches over and takes my hands in his, even when I try to pull them back. Holding them tightly, he meets my gaze again.

            “This is our chance.”