I groaned, slowly sitting up in bed while rubbing both my eyes. Hearing the others slowly get ready for the day as well.
"Come on kid!" Squid shook the new kid. He jumped up from the bed, wondering what was going on. I looked at him plainly.
"Time for work." I said sarcastically. He nodded and started to get ready like the rest of us. I tied my boots, grabbing my water bottle and walked up behind Zigzag, resting my head on his shoulder while we waited for the last few of us to get ready. I felt him shift, but didn't make an attempt to get me off of him. Soon the others were finished and slowly made my behind the others.
"Let's go, Let's go! Wakey wakey boys!" I grabbed my shovel and breakfast, following the others to the dig site. I threw the shovel over my shoulder, finishing the last of my tortilla, fixing the shovel so I could drape my arms over either side.
"Hey! Watch it, Red." I leaned my head back a bit at Armpit and gave a nervous smile.
"Sorry 'Pit." He hummed at me jokingly as we continued to the site. My eyes glanced to the side, seeing Caveman walking closely with Twitch. They were talking, about what though I'm not sure.
"Hey don't go making this one dig for you too."
"Let's hope this one can read." Caveman looked back at the others quickly, looking between everyone before going back to talking with Twitch. I closed my eyes, sighing at the other boys ruthlessness.
"You already got one boy to run away, you really gonna get another one too also?" I asked, not looking at any of them.
"We didn't make Zero leave."
"You guys certainly didn't help." I retorted, picking an area to dig. Squid and Zigzag dug closest near me this time, the others spread out nearby. It was silent for awhile. Twitch and Caveman talking quietly back and forth every so often. I stopped digging for a minute, looking up at the sky for a long moment while leaning on my shovel.
"What's up, Red?" I shrugged at the two in front of me.
"Just thinking."
" 'Bout what?"
"Everything I guess." I said, not really being able to pinpoint a thought.
"Wow, that was some real insight there, Red." I smirked sarcastically at them.
"I guess mainly, what the hell I'm supposed to do when I get home. If I go home... You guys once we all leave this place..." I thought out, looking back at the sky.
"What are ya gonna do when you get out? What you gonna do 'bout your sister and her friends?"
"Where would you even go if you don't go home?" I shrugged to both questions, looking at them.
"Not a clue. Guess I'll figure it later."
"Do you have any friends or other family you can stay with when you get out?"
"Nope. I'm pretty much on my own. What are you guys doing when y'all get out?" They both shrugged looking at each other.
"Guess I'll figure that out once it happens."
"Well I'm not allowed back at school, so guess I'll have to get a job."
"Do you guys think we'll ever see each other after camp?" I asked.
"You never know."
"I wouldn't mind meeting up after all this is over." I smiled at the two, not knowing if they actually meant it or not. We continued digging for a while, quiet after our conversation earlier. Soon enough the water truck came into view and we started to get out of our holes, forming a group off to the side.
"Come on, Twitch. Let's go." Squid calls to him as the boy falls tiredly to the side. Mr Sir makes his way out of the truck and to the back of the truck.
"Hey Twitch, get some water."
"I'm getting tired waiting. If you see me coming, I want you to jump out of that hole. Be first in line right away. I'm a little scratchy today, so you got to be sensitive with me." I drone Mr Sir out, noticing Caveman and Twitch talking quietly to each other. I tilt my head slightly, watching them make their way to the side of the water truck. My attention was drawn from the two for a minute seeing Squid push Magnet back.
"Hey man, I'm sick and tired of you cutting in line." He pushes him back a bit as I step in front of Magnet.
"Squid, knock it off." I sigh exasperatedly.
"What's wrong with you?"
"We all getting water."
"Don't be squabbling up in here. Both of us getting water." I ignored the rest, walking up behind Zigzag, looking back over to Caveman and Twitch.
"Yo, Red. What you looking at?" He asked quietly beside me. I look at him, looking back at the two beside the truck. Caveman leans into the open window, peering inside the truck. I smile seeing Caveman look back at Twitch, who smiles nodding his head, before slowly and quietly opening the door to the truck. He gets in, closely the door soundlessly behind him as Twitch looks back at us. Suddenly the truck comes to life, causing the others to suddenly stop the bickering and look at the truck in question.
"Come on, come on! Put it in gear!" Twitch instructs. Mr Sir yells out, running around the other side of the truck. Caveman takes off, kicking up dirt as Mr Sir runs to catch up. I could hear Caveman cheering some inside the truck. I smile as the others beside me cheer. Every boy around the digging site seems to be cheering, watching Mr Sir struggle to hold onto the side of the truck. He continues to struggle, more than likely Caveman trying to fight him off. Before finally, his grip gives out. Landing into a hole. I laugh out, almost as loud as I did when mom got hit in the head with the shovel. I yelled out, throwing a fist in the air.
"Go get him, Caveman!" Caveman puts a fist out the window as if cheering. The boys all around cheering for him to keep going. He continues speeding away, making it a good distance before finally crashing down into a hole.
"Yo, Caveman! You alright?!"
"Caveman!" Everyone around starts yelling, running to where the boy had just crashed the truck. From the smoke, Caveman shot up, struggling to stand before taking off on foot once more.
"You done it now! You done it now! Get! Back away from that truck!" We all gathered around the truck watching him run off. We started cheering for him to go, while also laughing at Mr Sir's expense.
"Keep going, don't stop!"
"Yeah! Keep going! There won't be no Yelnats the V!" I laughed, looking over at Twitch. I made my way over to him, causing him to look at me.
"What did Caveman tell you? He's going after Zero right?" I asked him, having a feeling he might know something since they had been speaking. As well as obviously planning this, since I doubt Caveman could have stolen the truck without help.
"He said he needed help with stealing the truck. He needed it to get, to go after Zero. He also said to make sure that I uh, that I keep my distance from you. That you were Zigzag's." It seemed like every boy from D-tent suddenly got quiet, the sounds of everyone else still cheering in the background. I stood there, completely flabbergasted.
"Ooo."
"Caveman's definitely dead."
"He ain't coming out this one alive."
"I'm... What?" I asked dumbfounded. He looked back at me confused and went to say something.
"Alright, enough! Everyone get a shovel!" Suddenly everyone rushed off to get a shovel, Mr Sir talking on the walkie. I went and got my shovel, some of the others giving me funny looks. I looked at them weirdly back, not knowing why they were looking at me like they were. What the hell did I miss? What does Stanley mean, I'm Zigzag's?! Zigzag won't even look at me now and now the other's are being weird. I looked back up, hearing the sound of cars driving up behind us. Soon a truck made its way behind the water truck, the Warden parking her car off to the side. She immediately got out barking orders. Sending one tent here, another there. A few camp helpers started telling some of us where to go, trying to get the truck out of the hole.
"Alright, fill in this section here and start digging over there in between." She tells one of the helpers, as he comes back over and instructs us what to do.
"Great now we gotta clean up his mess." I mumbled quietly, digging the section of dirt in front of me.
After a few hours, we finished getting the truck out of the hole. Our tent being able to go back to camp. I trudged back, walking behind Squid.
"Maybe he found Zero. Maybe they're both still alive." Magnet said hopeful.
"Maybe the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy are still alive too." X-Ray says sarcastically.
"Yeah, maybe my mom will stop drinking and my dad will come home." I looked over at Squid, not realizing his parents were kinda like mine. I pat him on the shoulder sincerely.
"Man, when Caveman stole that truck.." Twitch seemed to reminisce.
"That was awesome." Zigzag agreed boyishly.
"Yeah, man. Caveman did have style." Armpit admits, talking as if he were already dead.
"Well congrats! Y'all got two of them to run away." I said proudly, yet obviously sarcastic to the others. I threw the shovel over my shoulder walking ahead of them, eager to get back to camp.
"She is not happy."
"Man, at this rate she's gonna go after them."
"Thought about it!" I yelled back to them as they keep throwing comments back and forth. I ignored them, putting my shovel away once we finally got back to the camp. I left the others behind, going straight for my cot. I laid down, still in jumper and boots. Soon enough the others came in. Most going to their own cots, a few hanging on each other's. It was quiet for a while, like the others were debating on talking.
"Just think, they'll die together." I glared at X-Ray.
"Man! Why you gotta get her going for?"
"I should go make sure they're okay.." I mumbled to myself. Not gonna lie.. I'm actually really worried about them. Zeros been out there this whole time on his own.. and Stanley.. well he's Stanley!
"You can't go after them."
"What? Don't think I'd survive out there?"
"Them lizards are brutal Red."
"You guys are such pansies. The lizards, the lizards." I mocked.
"We have a right to be scared of them. One bite and you're dead, Red."
"... and?" It was quiet for a second. I looked at the others, seeming some of them giving me a sad look.
"Don't give me that look." I grumbled rolling my eyes.
"Than don't say stuff like that."
"We'd miss ya if you were gone, Red." I felt a pang as most of them made small comments.
"I guess I'd miss y'all too." I sighed, looking at the ceiling.
"Oh, you know you'd miss us!"
"You love us too much." I gave a sad smile, still looking at the ceiling. Exactly.. So what's gonna happen when we all get out? Well we even see each other again? Well any of us be friends after this? Would any of them even remember me a year later after this camp?
"..Would you guys even remember me a year from now?" I asked randomly.
"Of course we would."
"Kinda hard to forget bout you."
"I know I won't." I gave Twitch a look, not being able to help but playfully roll my eyes at him.
"Where is this coming from, Red?" I shrugged.
"I don't know.. I don't have friends back home. Just worried I'll loose my only friends once we get out I guess."
"Man, your depressing, Red." I gave a dry chuckle.
"We're too close to just forget about each other at this point, Red. We a pack now." I smiled at Squid.
"How long were you sentenced here for again, Red?"
"2 years." I asked quietly.
"So you'll get out around the same time as most of us. Most well get out before that, but we'll wait for you. Than once we get back out in the real world, we can all go out and have some real fun." I laughed.
"And what, terrorize the locals?" I joked looking over at the others as they laughed too.
"Man, that would be fun."
"I think I still have some fire crackers left at home." Zigzag jokes. I give him a look.
"Boy.. you can't be serious. That's what landed you here." He smirked at me.
"Yeah but it was worth it." I narrowed my eyes at him, once again feeling my face go red. I turned away from him and looked back at the ceiling. Why you getting all worked up, he probably just likes it here 'cause we don't have to go to school. Plus he's friends with the others. Your so reading way to much into this...
One could wish though right?