I stood there, stabbing the dirt begrudgingly. The others beside me stopped for a second looking over at me.
"Yo. Calm down, Red." I sighed out at Ziggy, stopping my assault on the earth for a minute before the Warden went for another insult.
"Four days. Four long days and this is all you jackasses got to show for it?" I growled under my breath going back to assaulting the earth.
"Red, seriously. You gotta calm down." He whispers leaning a bit closer so we don't draw the Wardens attention.
"This is so stupid!" I whispered back to him. He sighs and nods, going back to digging.
"I ain't on stupid pills." I turned at Mr Sir and mom as they stood off somewhere talking back and forth- more like seeming to bicker back and forth.
"What are you jawing about? If you can't get 'em to dig any faster, you can grab a shovel and join 'em." Mom put his hands out in defense as Mr Sir rushed away from him and starts barking out orders.
"Get to work! This ain't no kindergartners in the sandbox. I want to see some effort here or I'll put the hurt on ya. I ain't just whistling ' byebye Sue' neither." I rolled my eyes as we all lazily poked at the dirt.
"Man they got us working like dogs here."
"I'm so tired of this." I whined.
"Why are they even making us dig so much?"
We woke up early the next morning, and all trudged along doing our normal morning routine. However today we were formed into a line, everyone stood against their shovels, clearly wanting to go back to bed. I groaned. Mom stood off to the side, drinking from his mug as Mr Sir made his way around the side of the building.
"After the behavior exhibited these past several days, the Warden and I decided that your character building, be best served by the returning to the digging of individual holes. Over to you." He passed it over to mom, walking off.
"Alright! Let's go dig, boys! Let's go, let's go. Let's go, let's go." He said leading us all to the digging sight. I rolled my head at this and trudged behind the others. We slowly made our way to the dig site, dropping the other tents off along the way. I went to a random spot, Zigzag went to the spot in front of me, Magnet next to me on one side and Squid to the other.
I huffed out from the work and wiped my forehead, taking a water break as the water truck made its way to us.
"'Bout time man." I climbed out of the hole walking up to the now forming line. Soon enough Mr Sir got out of the truck and begun to fill our bottles.
"Water's the most precious commodity on the face of the planet. All life begins with water. " I rolled my head along with my eyes, noticing Magnet standing beside the truck. The hell is that kid planning? I squinted my eyes suspiciously but ignored it otherwise.
"So, think of it this way.. I'm giving you life. Say' thank you.'" He said handing the bottle back to Caveman.
"Thank you, Mr Sir."
"Next!" He took the bottle Zero. There was a roar of thunder behind us, causing us all to look back. I'd kill for some rain..
"Don't get your hopes up. Them storms never make it past the mountains."
"Maybe this time they will." Caveman mumbled hopefully. He finished the rest of our bottles before standing up straight, walking to the drivers side of the truck.
"I got a story for you girl scouts. Once upon a time, there was a magical place where it never rained. The end." He laughed at the end, like it was actually funny. I could almost laugh at how lame it was.
"I don't get it." Squid mumbled,
"Have a nice day." He said before getting in the truck.
"I never get anything he says." Squid said again as we walked back to our holes. I jumped down into my hole, taking a sip of my water watching as Mr Sir drove off.
"Lamest story ever."
"Hey guys." Magnet said reaching down to get something from his dirt pile.
"Anyone want some sunflower seeds?" He smiled holding up Mr Sir's bag of seeds. Little klepto. We laughed, and some of the boys 'whooing' at this.
"I can't help it man, my hands are like magnets."
"Good old Magnet."
"Sticky fingers." X-Ray took the sack from him taking some before passing the bag to Armpit. He took a handful as well before tossing them to Zigzag.
"Pass it over here man. Whoo."
"Hey Zig, come on, man. Hurry up" Squid called to him wanting some too.
"Mr Sir's coming back, he's coming back!" I watched as Zigzag took some, about to toss them to me when he looked past me. He quickly tossed them to Caveman instead, making me wonder why he didn't toss them to me.
"Catch it!" He yelled at him as they fell short falling and dumping out by his feet.
"Oh, Stanley, you butterfingers!" Zigzag yelled.
"He's coming back!" Magnet warned again.
"You better hide it." I turned back slightly, side glancing the rest of the way back at Caveman. Watching him scramble to cover the seeds, failing miserable to do so. I looked over at some of the others who were watching him eagerly before landing on Zigzag who was staring at me. He shook his head at me, probably sensing my pending move. I turned back towards Caveman, pathetically hiding the seeds, before turning and seeing Mr Sir still making his way back towards us.
"Damn it!" I hissed out jumping out of the hole, rushing towards Caveman. I dropped to the ground and started scooping a small hole off to the side, pushing the seeds into the dirt, trying to bury as much of it as possible.
"Yo! Red! Get outta there man."
"Red, get up!" I ignored their shouts, hearing the truck almost to us now. The other's forced themselves back to work as Caveman casually laid over as much of it as possible as I stood there awkwardly, trying to look busy. I rushed up taking a step back to my hole as Mr Sir walked from hole to hole examining.
"Well, well.." I stood still, not knowing how to play this off as he made his way to Caveman's hole.
"How did this get here?" He asked gesturing down to his hole.
"What?" He tried. I stood, back facing the others.
"How did that get there? Did it fall from the sky, huh?" He pointed to the seeds more. Caveman got up, sighing a no, pulling out the mostly covered seed bag. He looked over at Magnet for a minute, before looking back defeated.
"I stol-" He started before I stepped forward, almost between the too.
"I stole them from your truck while you were filling the waters." I said looking at him.
"Oh, is that so?" He asked looking between the two of us. I nodded and Caveman hesitantly shook his head no.
"No. I stole them." Caveman tries.
"He's scared I'll beat him up, because at first I told him to take the blame." I shrugged carelessly.
"I think maybe the Warden would like to see what y'all found. Let's go." He gestured the both of us too follow.
"Y'all have a nice day?" Mr Sir asked the others.
"Yes Mr Sir."
"Hey, what you doin' dawg?" X-Ray asked Caveman, probably since he was closest.
"Red.." Magnet stared at us sadly as we followed Mr Sir to the truck. I stood to the side, making Caveman get in first so he had to sit beside Mr Sir, before finally getting in myself. The whole ride was silent, just heavy breathing that came from Mr Sir. Caveman kept glancing at me, before looking back ahead again. We got out of the truck once it was parked in front of the Wardens, walking up the steps to cabin. Mr Sir knocked before fixing himself up. She soon came to the window, half a shirt, and a jacket half on.
"What?" She asked trying to fix the jacket.
"We found a little something in Caveman's hole." He said. She suddenly pulled back and opened the door, looking a bit excited.
"What is it? What'd you find? Come in, come in." She ushered us in, putting her jacket the rest of the way on now.
"You're letting the cold out." We walk into a nicely cool room, old newspaper clippings covering the walls.
"Tell her." Mr Sir instructs Caveman.
"While Mr Sir was filling our canteens..." Caveman started.
"I snuck into his truck." He slowly continues.
"I stole his sunflower seeds." I shot out. She looked between us for a moment. She looked almost disappointed.
"Yeah.. That's it." Mr Sir mumbled as she turned back to him before turning back to us.
"Caveman, would you, uh, bring me that little brass case in the bureau over there with my nail polish in it? Um, why don't you help him Red." She said as if contemplating something.
"Yeah sure." He slowly walked towards the area, me silently behind him.
"Them little diddles think I don't have eyes in the back of my head. But I don't miss much, as you well know." I walked towards Caveman, not entirely hearing the rest of their conversation. I eyed Caveman walking up to him as he looked around the area, seeing more fliers and newspaper clippings hanging on the walls. He glanced to me nervously and slowly reached for the box, almost scared that if he had actually grabbed it, he'd be in trouble. I nudged him to get him going, trying not to get distracted by the clippings on the walls myself.
"Come right over here." She reached out for the box with a small smile.
"Here you go." I stood next to him, slightly behind him.
"Thank you. See this, you two?" She asked holding up a bright pink nail polish up and shook it lightly.
"This is my special nail polish." I narrowed my eyes at her as she opened it. A bad feeling starting in the pit of my stomach.
"I make it myself. It's pretty don't you think Red?" She gave me a quick glance, continuing to mess with the nail polish. Me, not partically fond of the color, gave a hint of a shrug.
"You want to know my secret ingredient? Rattlesnake venom." She started painting her nails, looked between us again, as if seeing if we'd react.
"I just love what it does to the coloring. It's perfectly harmless..." Mr Sir got up cautiously from his seat. His eyes narrowed in anticipation as she slowly stroked Caveman's cheek with the wet nails she had just painted.
"When it's dry.. So! You think one of them stole your sunflower seeds. " She suddenly asked Mr Sir who stood beside her.
"No, I don't. I think they're covering for X-Ray or somebody. It was a five pound sack, and the whole thing was empty. He claims to have eaten it all." Caveman beside me held up the sack.
"But, but it was only half empty when I got it. And uh, there's alot in my hol-" He started as I quickly shook my head stepping forward.
"It's only gone 'cause I threw it at him once I saw Mr Sir coming back, it spilled in his hole." She looked at Mr Sir for a second before looking off ahead of her, as if in thought for a second. She slowly nodded to herself before she suddenly brought her hand up, clawing Mr Sir across the face maliciously. He screams out, scrambling backwards, crashing into everything that was behind him. He fell back against the chair, knocking it over as he crashed to the floor holding his cheek in pain. I tried not to react, eyes widening at the scene as Caveman jumped beside me. He started backing up slightly as she slowly turned to us. I stepped forward, stepping in front of Caveman, not sure if she had intentions of striking us next.
"All I give you in respect and affection!" Mr Sir cried on the floor. She walked closer towards us, Caveman pulling me backwards as he kept backing away from her the closer she got.
"I suggest you two go back to your holes now." She opened the door, Caveman stumbling to leave without actually being near her.
"Ohhh! Why'd you do that? Ohh!" I looked at Mr Sir on the floor, eyes glancing up as the Warden, Caveman suddenly dragged me out of the cabin. The door slams behind us. Caveman wasting no time from leaving the cabin, speed walking ahead of me. Well.. that just happened. Man that bitch is... She's crazy! No wonder she runs a camp full of criminals, she is one!
Caveman and I slowly walked back to the digging site. Silent most of the way there.
"You good, Caveman?" I asked quietly. He was silent for another second.
"Yeah.. I'm- I'm good." I turned to him, seeing him staring down at the ground distraughtly.
"Hey, your good okay?" I tried. He gave a small nod in return.
"I know. It was just.. surprising. Is all."
"You can say that again.. What are we supposed to tell the others?" I asked, crossing my arms behind my head casually. Bored.
"I ain't saying nothing. I don't even want to think about that." I gave a small smile, patting him on the back once real quick. The digging site slowly coming into view.
"Don't worry, you don't have to say anything. And if I say something to the other's I'll make sure not to mention how scared you were." I tried joking. He gave a small, almost sarcastic smile.
"Oh, come on, Stanley. Lighten up. We should just be lucky she didn't do it to us." This time, sticking my thumbs into the side of my wrapped up jumper, as if into pockets.
"I know. Why would she do that to anyone though?" I frowned at his question, looking down at the ground while shrugging slightly.
"I don't- I don't know, man. She's got some serious issues, that's for sure." He gave a short chuckle, nodding his head once more, as silence came over us once more. I walked beside Caveman quietly, the others now in view fully. They were still digging, not seeming to notice us before Zigzag looked up, throwing some dirt to the side.
"Hey look who showed up." I glanced at Caveman, his eyes trying to stick on the ground. I gave him a small smack on the shoulder, making my way to my hole.
"Man, we thought you guys were dead for sure."
"Hey, Caveman! Red! What'd you say?" I looked over at Magnet, looking back at Caveman for a split second.
"Nothing." Caveman replied quietly.
"What'd she do to you?" Caveman side glanced me.
"Nothing." The other's made small disagreement noises and murmurs.
"Yeah. She didn't do nothing." He replied quietly, getting back to his hole. I stopped in front of my hole, tilting my head for a second, ignoring the others who were trying to get my attention around me.
"What?" I heard Caveman laugh by his hole.
"What is this? Thank you guys!" I looked over, seeing him place a shovel in his fully dug hole. I looked down at mine again, which was also fully dug now.
"Don't look at us."
"Yeah, it was Zero. That boy likes to dig holes." I looked up, past the others to Zero. Seeing him looking between Caveman and I. I slowly made my way to him as Caveman did too.
"He'd dig a hole to China, man." I stopped in front of his hole, squatting down as Caveman sat on the edge of his hole.
"Thanks Zero." I said, squinting because of the sun. He shrugged slightly.
"Man, even I don't get a response?" I joked. He smirked slightly before shrugging and standing up again.
"I owe you one." I said, walking off to leave Caveman and Zero. I slowly made my way past the others before a hand shot out grabbing onto a part of my jumper. I stopped quickly looking down seeing Zigzag looking up to me.
"What?" He nodded his head, as if saying sit. I sat on the edge of his hole, seeing Magnet coming towards us as the others in the surrounding holes leaning in closer.
"What happened to ya?"He asked. I shrugged looking away from the others.
"Bitch is psycho." I mumbled squinting out at the vast dirt land.
"What she do?"
"Did she hurt ya?"
"No she didn't hurt us, she hurt Mr Sir though." I said looking back at them.
"Really? What she do?"
"Why'd she hurt him?"
"Man, I don't even know. She clawed him across the face." I explained exasperatedly.
"That's it? Man, that ain't nothin'." I gave a dry chuckle under my breath.
"Yeah, just wait til you see his face." I mumbled. The others questioned each other, shrugging.
"Hey, Red. I'm sorry I got you in trouble." I looked over at Magnet and smiled.
"I ain't worried about getting in trouble." He smiled before frowning again, giving me a side hug before returning to his hole. The others going back to work, but Zigzag still stood there looking at me
"What?" I asked tilting my head slightly.
"Why'd you take the blame like that?"
"'Cause I felt bad for Caveman." He glared down at the ground for a second, stabbing the dirt with his shovel.
"Were you trying to get him in trouble? Man, you guys are so mean to him." I sighed at the end, closing eyes.
"It was better then getting you in trouble." I opened my eyes looking back at him, raising a brow.
"What do you mean?" He seemed to be thinking for a minute as I leaned to the side in the direction he was looking at.
"I don't mean to eavesdrop here..." I casually leaned back slightly, looking back at Squid who leaned against the side of his hole to get closer to us.
"He's upset 'cause Zigzag here was gonna throw them to ya to begin with. But once he saw Mr Sir coming, he figure to let Caveman take the fall instead of ya." I looked at Squid for another second, before turning back at Zigzag who was staring at Squid. I don't even.. how do I respond to this? Why would he care if I got in trouble? I mean we're literally all here for getting in trouble.
"Wow, I think this is the first time Red is speechless."
"Man I'm surprised she ain't red." I tried ignoring them, still trying to find something to say.
"Why though?" I said, a loss for words. He rolled his head to the side as the others around me laughed to each other, as if in on some joke that I was unaware of.
"I don't know Red, just don't like seeing girls in trouble that's all." He said as if obvious. I narrowed my eyes at him, pulling my legs out of his hole to sit criss cross this time.
"I'm already in trouble! We're all in trouble, that's the whole reason why any of us are here to begin with." He shrugged going back to work. I looked back at the others, who had been watching, suddenly looking back down at their work as well.
"What the hell is up with all of y'all?" I asked looking around waiting for an answer. All of them avoided me, some smiling to themselves.
"You guys are so damn... ah! I can't even with you guys." I sighed and pushed myself back from Zigzag's hole before laying down on my back.
"Man, what you doin', Red? Your holes done, you can go back to camp." I put my arms behind my head staring up at the sun.
"Yeah, I'm just waitin' for you guys." I said closing my eyes, waiting for the others to finish.
"Why would you do that?" I smiled to myself before humming as if saying 'I don't know.'