We all sat at the table, tension still in the air. The boys in the room were loud with chatter as the boys at my table talked quietly. I sat with my head resting my hand, other laid flat on the table. I can't believe them... Such-.. I can't even with them. With Zigzag. He fights with Stanley and makes him run away but I can't fight for myself? Not to mention if we have to be stuck in this damn room any longer! I'mma freak! I didn't realize how much I actually liked being out digging with the others. I stopped my thoughts as the door to the mess hall suddenly whipped open and mom rushed in all flustered. The hell got him all worked up?
"Alright, boys! Listen! I said listen up!" He yelled finally getting everyone's attention.
"Thank you. Now you boys, you guys will have to stay in here for just a little while longer but-" Everyone groaned out, causing him to put his hands up.
"But! You guys don't have to dig anymore holes! You just gotta stay here a little bit longer. And don't talk to anyone!" He explained. Everyone started murmuring about this.
"No more digging?"
"We don't have to dig no more?"
"Like ever?"
"Who aren't we allowed to talk to?"
"How much longer are we stuck in here?"
"Enough! No more digging! And no talking! If I hear any talking you'll be dealt with by the Warden! And she is not in a happy mood, got it?!" He suddenly yelled at everyone. Everyone got quiet, afraid to be up against the Warden.
"Good now stay put." He looked around, as if daring someone to talk or more. He nodded to himself before rushing back out of the mess hall. The talking picking up the second the door shuts behind them.
"Yo, what y'all think that's about?"
"It's gotta be them."
"Yeah, but alive or dead?"
"Man, you trying to get her goin'?"
"It's a real question" I ignored the bickering voices beside me and got up from my seat. I got up closer to the window to see if I could see anything. All I saw was the other tents, cabins and dirt road ahead.
"Yo, Red. You see anything?" I shook my head, still trying to look for any sign of life outside the mess hall.
"Damn." I sat back down, antsier than ever.
"Something's up, man."
"Why would they tell us not to talk to anyone? Talk to who?"
"Man, I don't know." The questions, thoughts and theories continued for a bit. Nobody knowing the answer before I heard the sound of cars out front. I rushed up from my seat and looked out, seeing a car drive past. It seemed to stop a bit before the mess hall, still slightly out of view.
"Anything yet, Red?" I looked back at them real quick.
"All I saw was a car." Pointing towards the direction it went it.
"Yo! Somebody go check it out."
"What and face the Warden? No thanks."
"Magnet, go check."
"No! Do I look loco to you?!"
"Babies." I mumbled at them.
"Fine. I'll go." Squid said, already halfway out the door. I turned back to him, watching him walk out the door. Not even a second later did he run back in.
"They're alive!" We all gave each other a look, before running full speed out the door. We ran out, seeing the two boys that had ran away on the porch of cabin. We ignored the official people that were behind them and ran at them, glad to see our friends were still alive.
"Caveman!"
"Hey, Zero!"
"What's up, Zero?"
"What's up? What's up, man?"
"I can't believe you guys made it!"
"I mean, we thought you was buzzard food." We rushed around them, everyone hugging and hand shaking the returned members of camp. My nose cringe at the smell of them as we got close.
"No. I'm not. I'm going home." Stanley said as the others calmed down from the excitement.
"Going home?"
"Man, you stink, dude. What you been eating, man?"
"You smell like onions." We laughed and joked a bit more, before I walked up to Zero throwing an arm around him. He looked up at me as I smiled at him.
"Glad you're okay kid." He smiled back at me.
"Thanks."
"Hey. Twitch, thanks again for helping me get the truck. That was so much fun." Caveman thanks laughing at the end. We laughed, recalling the event.
"Oh that reminds me. You're dead boy." Zigzag walked closer towards Caveman. Caveman grabbed me from beside him, and pushed me into Zigzag. He caught me, looking down real quick before looking back at Caveman.
"What?! I was just tryn' to help ya out man." The others laughed as I quickly stepped to the side.
"Wasn't cool, man."
"I thought it was pretty funny." Armpit mumbled nudging Squid beside him.
"I'm so lost." I mumbled to myself, staring at Caveman confused. He smiled at me and looked back at Zigzag.
"Just ask Zigzag." He seemed to taunt Zigzag. Is this about their fight or something? Is he tryin' to get back at Zigzag? I slowly looked up at Zigzag, him glancing down at me for a split second before back at Caveman. He went to say something, before he was cut off.
"Well uh, there seems to be no file of.. Hector Zeroni." Mom said, standing in front of us, obviously nervous.
"What?" The boys questioned.
"Is that so?" A new woman asked, looking at the Warden.
"What kind of camp are you running here?" A boy behind the Warden asked. Behind them, Mr Sir stood quietly, a clipboard held up to his face.
"A nice one. If the state would give us some money, then we'd have some decent filing." The Warden retorted.
"I am ordering an investigation of this facility." The guy shot back. Armpit took a step forward suddenly.
"Hey lady, you got a pen and paper I could borrow?"
"No. I don't. But it looks like he does. Yeah, you got a pen?" She replies quickly and semi-rudely, gesturing towards Mr Sir at the end. Mr Sir stepped forward hesitantly, taking the pen out from the clipboard.
"Yeah. Here. Here's a pencil." He said quietly, handing the pencil over.
"You got paper?" She asked sarcastically. His actions were weird, still trying to hide his face as he handed it over as well.
"Here." He grabbed the side of his jacket pulling it up to his face instead. The guy that was behind the new woman slowly pulled off his sunglasses, staring down Mr Sir.
"Here you go." The woman said, handing the stuff over to Armpit.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Hey, call my mom." Armpit said, writing what I assumed was her number.
"Tell her I said I was sorry. Tell her 'Theodore said he was sorry'." We patted Armpit on the shoulder at this. Feeling bad, about him and maybe as well as ourselves.
"I will, man." Caveman said, shaking hands before pulling in for a bro hug. I smiled at the pair.
"Thanks man."
"I will. I definitely will."
"Marion Sevillo." The guy behind the woman suddenly said, walking towards Mr Sir.
"Oh, crap.."
"It's been a long time since el Paso, Marion." The guy suddenly chucked Mr- Marion against the wall and started to pat him down. The boys and I laughing and making our background noise as we so famously do. We quietly questioned each other, not knowing what was happening.
"You're in violation of your parole, carrying this weapon." The guy took the gun from Marion, putting it on his person.
"I had no knowledge of that." The Warden defends, almost too quickly.
"Oh yeah, just like you didn't know Pendanski wasn't no doctor neither." He retorted at her. We all laughed out again, looking at mom mockingly. X-Ray pulled mom back a little repeating 'what?' All of us clearly finding this incredibly amusing.
"Sit down, Marion. You're under arrest.. again." He said, getting Marion down on the bench.
"Marion? Tell ya, I didn't know that was a man's name." Zigzag mocked loudly. We all laughed, harder this time. I nudged Zigzag a bit, finding the taunt funnier than hell.
"It ain't."
"Ooooh." We all looked around at each other. Laughing once more.
"Okay.. This facility is now under our jurisdiction." The Warden looked back at the guy behind her question a questioned look.
"Put these three bozos right over there, let them see the other side of the criminal justice system." He ordered this time, pulling the Warden and mom over towards Marion. We all cheered, happy to see the three finally getting what they deserve. We laughed and cheered loudly, hugging each other and clapping hands. I side hugged Zigzag out of excitement, patting Squid on the pat amongst the frenzy.
"Come on, Hector. You're coming with us. Let's go." Zero suddenly stepped forward, Caveman ruffling the top of his head.
"Come on, boss." They started walking forward a bit, us slowly following behind them. Before they could even take another step there was a huge clap and then a roar of thunder.
"What's that?" We all walked closer the side of the porch, examining the sky closer. We made our way off the porch, looking up at the now forming clouds. It's gonna rain.. I thought with hope. The clouds continued to form, before it started to pour. Everyone held up their hands, as if not believing it. We walked out closer, feeling more of the rain. As if to make sure it were real.
We all smiled, rushing out in to the rain as we finally realized it was actually raining. It never rains out here, yet today, of all days it had started to pour. I smiled up at the skies, as the boys around me cheered and danced in the rain. Everyone suddenly alive and so full of energy. I looked back down, seeing the boys wrestle and hug each other out of excitement. I laughed, wrapping an arm around Magnet seeing Squid jumping onto Armpit's back. X-Ray and Twitch hugged. Everyone going around in one big circle, cheering with each other. I smiled hugging Caveman this time, this time Zero on Squid's back, spinning around in circles. Zigzag doing a weird dance around the others, others jumping. I let go of Caveman, him going for another. I was quickly scooped up in someone's arms and throw up. I screamed out, not expecting the sudden action. They caught me quickly, spinning me in a circle. I looked seeing that it was Zigzag and smiled at him. He quickly leaned down, kissing me.
"I don't want ya fightin', 'cause I don't want to see ya get hurt, Red. I don't want no other guy to even think about layin' a finger on ya either." He stated firmly. I looked at him, recalling our fight from earlier. I smiled at him brighter this time, before leaning up to him kiss him back. This time it was a deeper and longer kiss. The others around us seemed to cheer louder this time. We pulled back smiling at each other before looking around, noticing that the guys were cheering for us.
"See I told you she was Zigzag's." Caveman joked nudging Twitch. Twitch smiled at Caveman looking back at us.
"Bout time they realized they both wanted the damn water." I felt my face get red at their continuing comments. Bringing up old comments and hiden code messages.
"Man Red, now I really do see why they named ya Red." Twitch joked. I shoved him back some playfully, as I was pulled back a bit and an arm wrapped around me. I smiled up at Zigzag once more.
"Hector! Stanley! Come on!" The woman from earlier yelled out at the two. All of us knowing what time it was now. We gathered around them, X-Ray getting in Caveman's face.
"You be careful out there in the real world, a'ight?"
"Alright, boss."
"Everyone's not as friendly as us. Hold on for me." Stanley patted his face, the two of them hugging after.
"We'll miss you, man." X-Ray shoved Caveman back towards the car after their hug. Us around the car, watching as they got in.
"Alright guys, Be good. Keep your head up!"
"We'll miss you!"
"Take care, Caveman!" We yelled our goodbyes, the Warden coming up behind Caveman. We couldn't hear due to the noise, but ended with her looking sad after he left her there. They got in the car, rolling down his window and held a arm up.
"D-tent!" We pointed to him, cheering.
"I'll see you!"
"See you again!"
"D-tent!" I smiled at them, waving a hand. I laughed, jumping on Zigzag's back. I watched Twitch try and run after the car, Squid holding him back.
"D-tent!" We cheered more, louder than ever. Smiling brighter than ever. Zigzag ran around some more as did the others as I held on, cheering along with the rest of them.
"Hey mom! You remember what I like you do for fun?" I yelled tauntingly at mom as he shook his head to himself, not liking the situation he found himself in.
"I like watching people like you get what they deserve!" I reminded, the others laughing more as Marion and the Warden looked down in defeat as well.