INKed: Book 1

I was dressed in a plain grey t-shirt and a giant red zip-up hoodie my father swears is his (I will not confirm nor deny this accusation), a pair of black tights, and my comfiest pair of sneakers. My black backpack with its elaborate patchwork of pins and patches sewn into it was hanging from one shoulder as I waited outside my front door for my mother to appear. My parents were sending me to a camp a couple of hours away from my hometown. Why? To get me to interact with my peers more. Or at least that’s what my father told me when I had so kindly asked (demanded) to know why. This was not my ideal summer vacation, at all. I wanted to sit and relax every day after the shit year I had at school. I wanted to eat ice cream and water ice. Walk to the park or the lake. Maybe sit and read the new book in my favorite series. Going to ‘Camp’ was not on my approved list of summer activities.

“Faye, don’t look so sad,” my mother chirped, appearing in all of her early morning glory. God, I hate mornings.

“I’m just tired, Ma,” I stare into my mother’s eyes. My mom was beautiful, at least that’s what my father and I thought. Gia Montgomery was a beautiful blue-eyed, brunette, perfectly petite and very kind. I didn’t think my mom had a bad bone in her body. Although, I did get my height from her and thus I was always shorter than my peers growing up. That was my mom’s fault.

My mom’s face contorts into an expression that I don’t understand before straightening out into a soft smile, “Come on,” she lets out an exaggerated breath through her nose and walks to the black Toyota parked in the driveway, “don’t wanna be late now, do we?” I groan lowly before following her to the car.

“Is there any way-”

“You’ll be fine, sweety.”

I slouch into my seat so far back that my butt almost fell off, and my knees bumped against the dashboard at every subtle sway of the car. I was not looking forward to having to spend my summer with screaming children and moody teenagers. I was moody enough for myself. I watch as the houses turn to greenery and cars speed down the road beside us. What camp would be like this year? It’s not like I’ve never been to camp before. I have, but it just became less and less common over the years as I grew up. As I watch the world blur past me I start to twirl the silver charm bracelet around my wrist. Turning it to the left, then the right. Then tugging on it repeated until a small sound snapped me out of my tree gazing.

“Faye, I… your father and I love you. You know that right?”

Closing my eyes, I nod my head slightly. I knew how much my parents loved me. I loved them too, even if I don’t show it very often. I can hear my mother’s seat squeak a bit and I open my eye’s just enough to see her. My mother keeps stealing glances at me as her index fingers tap at the steering wheel. My hands start to fidget with my bracelet again.

“I think,” I let out a quiet sigh, shaking my head, “Yeah Ma, I know.”

____________________

This is stupid. All of it. The chaotic mess of luggage piled in different areas surrounding the campgrounds. Clearly designated by each cabin considering the color-coordinated signs in each area. But, that wasn’t what I was really anxious about. It wasn’t the luggage but the people that came attached to said luggage. There were kids of all ages either running around being wrangled in by what I can only assume to be their parents, guardians, or camp counselors. While others were standing in various places (under trees, and next to wooden picnic tables weathered by nature) either talking with their peers or saying goodbye to their loved ones. Then there were a select few like that random guy taking a nap underneath one of the picnic tables, who very clearly seemed to be avoiding the hustle and bustle of the rest of the camp. Yeah, I wanted to go home, like right now.

“Mom, please.”

“Get out of the car, Faye.”

“We don’t even have to tell Dad-”

“Faye, we talked about this-”

“-we can just drive away right now and-”

“-you need to be more sociable with-”

“-a CRUISE, yes that’s it lets-”

“-what’s the worst that can happen, Faye?”

I groan once more, feeling like tears would start flooding my eyes at any moment. My mother was stubbornly staring me down with ‘the look’. That mom look where her nose scrunches up and her lips become downturned in what could be disappointment, or anger, or maybe a little bit of both. That look always zips my mouth shut faster than anything ever could.

“Look it’s only what,” my mom wrings her hands together, “it’s only a week okay? And then you’ll be home again.” I take notice of the way her hands rub at each other and reached out my own hand hesitantly. She instantly grabs them and holds on tightly to both of them close to her chest. The car is silent for another minute before we hop out of the car. I grab my backpack and duffel bag out of the trunk and head toward the entrance to the campgrounds. Can it even be called an entrance? The entrance is just a giant wooden archway with the words ‘CAMP RASCAL’ spelled out in big chunky letters. I could see at least 4 different tables beyond the archway with lines of campers and their guardians waiting. Each table seems to be going in alphabetical order so I scan the signs and find ‘M’ at the third table. I hope this is going by last names and not first.

“Did you pack your meds?”

“What meds?”

My mom squints her eyes at me and ‘the look’ is right back on her face. I raise the back of my hand in front of my mouth and let loose a quiet giggle as I nod my head.

“You’re a little-”

“Rascal?”

“Har, Har, you are very funny missy,” my mother rolls my eyes before holding out her right-hand palming facing the sky. “Your meds need to be checked in, so hand ’em over.” I giggle once more reaching into the front pocket of my backpack and taking out a giant ziplock bag with my name written in black Sharpie on it. A blue and red inhaler sits close together with a small white bottle with a green lid and a slightly bigger orange bottle with a white lid. As I start to hand over the bag something collides with my side, throwing off my balance. I drop the bag and shift my feet so I don’t topple over. Fuck, that was close.

“I am so sorry about that,” when I turn towards the voice I have to take a moment to take in the fact that this person that nearly toppled me over was tiny. Like, little kid tiny. His shaggy brown hair was a mop of strands spread across his forehead and hiding his ears away from view. And his eyes, the ones staring straight up through his eyelashes sheepishly, were a light brown color. While staring at him I don’t notice as he bends down to pick up my medicine bag from the ground. I do, however, notice when she places it back into my hands gently.

“Uh, you’re..um”

“Are you okay?” The boy’s shy smile turns slightly confused, and maybe a bit concerned, as I continue to try to stammer out a complete sentence. It can’t be that hard….. can it?

“She’s fine dear,” my mom comes to my rescue, “she’s just a little, uh… shy.” she flashes him her brightest smile. Shiny teeth and all.

“I’m still very sorry about, uh,” the boy waves his hands in the direction of my medicine, “I should get back to my sister though it was nice to meeting you-”

“FAYE,” that was too loud. I clear my throat and try again, “My name is Faye, sorry bout that.”

“Well I guess I’ll see you around then.” the boy turns to run off before halting and twisting back to face us, “My name’s Leo by the way. Bye.” Then he was off like a shot, nothing but a blur of brown before disappearing into the camp. That was the strangest interaction I have ever had. Slapping my hand over my face I close my eyes as my face becomes hot.

“That didn’t go so bad.” What even is my life anymore?

Getting checked in took no time at all once we made it to the table where two counselors sat. Large smiles stretched across both of their faces as they introduced themselves as Quinton and Amanda. Once I gave them my name and my medicine bag, they handed me a red folder, bandana, and a water bottle with both the camp name and my name printed on them. They tell me to put my stuff in the red pile and that a camp-wide meeting will be held in the large wooden building behind the tables in 20 minutes. With that, my mother pulls me over to the luggage pile with the red sign in front of it and I set my duffel bag in an open space on top of a bright pink suitcase. My backpack stays firmly placed on my back. I do not plan to take it off anytime soon. My bracelet jingles as I bring both of my hands up to the straps of my backpack. What was I supposed to say to my mother now? After our awkward car ride here, and even more awkward chat in said car, was I just supposed to say “Welp, time for you to go now, Ma. Buh bye.” Yeah, no, I am definitely not saying that to my mother’s face anytime soon.

I’m broken out of my musings when the warm, plush body of my mother is pressing into my side. Her plump little arms wound around my shoulders and pulls my head into her neck. With a content sigh, I melt into the hug and wrap my own arms around her waist, for what seemed like the last time. I’m going to miss her so much.

“This week will go by so quickly. You’ll see.” I want to tell her that it won’t. That, this week is going to drag on so long that I’m going to be begging to go home by the time the second day comes along. That for every second that goes by that I am not home I’m going to wish that I was. Cuddled on the couch with my parents watching a shitty movie my father picked out. Fending off my dog from my snacks then immediately cave in and give her a chip or two when her big doe eyes turn on me. This week will be the longest week of my life.

After some tears were shed and the parking lot becomes steadily quieter, my mom finally decides to leave. I don’t know how to feel about that. I want to cry but I’m also happy that she had finally left after getting so many stares from the other kids. Bringing my bracelet up to my chest I hold it there as I scanned the campgrounds. Maybe this week won’t be so bad. I could just be paranoid. I stood in front of the stairs leading into the building that should be holding the meeting soon. The building itself was huge, bigger than the others scattered around the camp. The other buildings, I assume, are the cabins everyone will be sleeping in. I’m very impressed by how large this camp is. I’ve never been to a camp with two-story cabins or a genuine archery field. Yanking on my bracelet I move my attention to the giant lake settled slightly behind and to the right of the main building. It seemed so crystal clear even from this far away as the sunlight glinted off the surface. I don’t like swimming but this lake is so pretty I might just reconsider it.

“You do realize you’ve been staring at nothing for like 3 straight minutes, right?” the deep voice makes me whip around to where the voice came from. It was the boy from earlier, the one who was sleeping underneath the picnic table. I have to bend my head to look into his eyes as I Squint at him. He looks slightly older than me but I can’t really tell from just a glance. His hair is a light brown color cropped close to his head with an undercut while the front hairs fall loosely into his eyes. Eye’s that remind me of the lake, but darker.

“Uh, yeah.” Was I coming off as weird?

“Really,” his eyes widen slightly, “then you know that the meeting started right?” My own eyes widen as I take in the empty campgrounds and the slight sound of a loud voice inside the main building. Oh, crap I’m late.

“Crap,” I mumble before sprinting up the stairs and trying to subtly open the door. I hope no one notices me. I very pointedly ignored the snorting laughs going on behind me as the door closes shut behind me. I slouched my way into the nearest bench that I was lucky enough to find at a relatively empty table close to the door.

“A little mama bird told me…,” a man, who looks to be in his forties, stands on a wide staircase on the opposite side of the room. It looks more like a staircase leading up to a platform with two more staircases off to each side. The man’s dramatic pause makes all of the younger kids hang onto the edges of their seats. While the camp counselors, at least the ones I could see, are playing into whatever performance this man is doing, “…that it’s someone’s birthday today.”

A loud squeal from the right of the room, closest to the bathrooms, pierced my ears as a young girl with strawberry pigtails jumped out of her seat. She starts hopping around and waving her little arms like crazy, “Me, me, me. It’s my birthday. It’s me.”

My lips stretch into a tiny smile. That girl is just too adorable not to. I can hear as the older kids around the room either coo at the sight or laugh behind their hands.

“The little mother bird also told me,” the man on the stairs taps his chin and squints his eyes, “that there may or may not be cupcakes after dinner.”

That draws every kid into a fit of excited squeals of joy, giggles and some kids hooting and hollering. Okay, maybe it isn’t too bad that Im stuck in the woods right now. I can feel the excitement around the room increase and in turn, my own body vibrates with energy too. Maybe, my parents were right. Maybe, coming here will help me come out of the shell I’ve buried myself in this year. Maybe, I can finally be myself again, if I can even remember who that is. My mother was right, it’s only one week. I’ll be fine.

The man introduces himself as the camp director Jimmy, before going over some rules and regulations for Camp Rascal. Everyone is then told to split into their color groups to get to know each other before dinner. Finding my group was made easy by the red sign held high in the air by a boy wearing a red t-shirt with Camp Rascal printed on it. Standing next to him was a girl wearing a similar shirt tucked into a pair of light waId high-waisted shorts. Both were smiling as wide as their mouths could go. How can they smile so wide…. doesn’t it hurt?

“Heyo, my little campers,” the boy spreads his arms out wide gesturing to the group of almost adults, “I’m Brody, You can call me Bro-day.”

The girl next to him rolls her eyes and crosses her arms across her chest, “It wasn’t funny last year, and it’s still not funny this year,” my eyes move away from Brody and back to the campers standing in a semi-circle in front of me, “I’m sorry for him. He’s….. Well he’s,” she points a finger to her head and draws small circles with it for a second, “yeah, anyways I’m Olivia.”

Brody scrunches his nose at her, “You know, that was kinda mean.”

“Brody you do this every year-”

“No, no Olivia you just can’t appreciate my greatness-”

“We are the Red Cabin camp counselors and I have some rules to go over with you all.”

“You can’t just ignore me-,” That’s exactly what Olivia does as she continues to give a brief summary of all the rules we, as the oldest campers here, need to follow. As Olivia talks, I take in the Red Cabin campers around me. I knew from check-in that my cabin was made up of primarily 17 and 18-year-olds. My eyes pass over a familiar boy before darting back to him. He’s taller than I originally thought. The boy from outside was standing front and center and standing next to him is a girl with long brown hair flowing down her shoulders. The brown of her hair looks familiar but I can’t quite place why.

“Why don’t we go around and say our names and a fun fact?” I must have been so focused on my observations because the last thing I remember hearing about was keeping the bathrooms in the cabin clean. I must really be out of it if I’m losing time like this. Did I take my meds today?

“The name’s Milo and,” the boy from earlier, Milo, looks at everyone in the group stopping on me, his eyes sparkle and his smirk drips with mischief, “and I like staring at lakes for fun.” my face immediately feels as if it was on fire as I avert my eyes to my sneakers, my very old, very beat-up sneakers. Wow, my sneakers need to be cleaned soon.

“I’m Amora, Call me Mora. My birthday is in 2 days,” the girl with the familiar brown hair states holding up two fingers and wiggling them, “I’ll finally be 17.” Wait, I should probably ask about my medicine. I know it was taken to the nurse earlier but I might need to take an allergy pill before bed tonight. I could already feel the urge to rub at my eyes and the stupid feeling of snot rolling down my nose.

“Uh, you with the hoodie,” my attention is snapped back to my camp counselors and I notice the whole group staring straight at me, “it’s your turn.” I know Olivia means no harm but to my stupid brain, it feels like she was out to get me. I can’t handle all 26 pairs of eyes focused on me. My shoulders hunch up and hide my ears as I take a shaky breath in. My eyes turn back to my sneakers as my hand reaches to tug on my bracelet once more. This might leave a bruise around my wrist later but right now I can’t seem to think about how my wrist and fingers tingle in pain.

“My name,” I can’t stop the waver in my voice nor the pounding of my heart in my ears, “Faye, um call me Faye.” I have to bite my tongue to stop the flow of ramblings from escaping. Anxious Faye tends to talk a lot especially if I was nervous enough.

The sound of a clap and a clearing of a throat bring everyone’s attention back to their counselors. Which lets me breathe a little easier. Tapping my index finger on my wrist I think about eating dinner and then curling up in bed with my bunny. I freeze at that thought, I don’t remember packing Bunny away in my bag and I sure hope my mom quadruple-checked my bags last night like she always does.

“- wait for us and we’ll take you to the cabin,” Olivia claps her hands once more before waving them in the direction of the newly formed lines of children waiting to get their food, “Go on shoo, eat.” I certainly don’t need to be told twice as I speed walk all the way to the end of the line. When I get my food I scan the cafeteria and find that most of the tables are full and loud. So, with a heavy heart, I take my sandwich, chips, and water bottle right out of the building hoping no one follows me. I sit down at the picnic table closest to the lake and pull my legs onto the bench next to me. The sun is lower than before, and I can see the moon waiting patiently for its turn in the sky. Smiling at the darkening sky I eat my dinner in peace.

_______________

Walking out of the bathroom freshly showered and clothed is the best feeling in the world. I’m still wearing both my zip-up hoodie and charm bracelet though. I feel safer with them on. Making my way around the bunk beds, and the girls occupying said bunk beds, I find my way back to the bed with my duffel bag on it. I stuff my dirty clothes into the front space of the duffel bag before closing it up and sliding it under the bed. Afterward, I open my backpack, which sits next to my pillow, and spot the familiar greyish-brown fur of Bunny. My hand reaches to pull her out when a voice behind me has me snatching my hand away at the last second.

“Faye, right?” Amora sits on the bottom bunk next to me with her right leg crossed over her left and her hands planted firmly on the bed. I nod my head as I zip my backpack back up and move it to the ground.

“You’re Amora,” I’m proud that I didn’t stutter as I move to sit crisscross on my own bed facing Amora. I keep my head down, staring at my bracelet as my fingers dance along the cold silver chain. I trace the little book charm attached to it, “right?”

Amora giggles and her eyes crinkle at the sides, “Yup, you got it rig- Oh, hey your eyes.” Amora leans forward uncrossing her legs to balance on the edge of the bed. Amora stares me in my eyes, squinting and scrunching her nose in thought.

“My eyes,” I look away from Amora’s stare. Sweat is already starting to run down my neck again making me feel sticky and gross. I can’t stop my heart from racing again and it feels like I may become short of breath any minute now. She’s staring too intensely at me, does she hate my eyes or something? Did I do something that upset her?

“Yeah, you got….their not the same,” Amora sucks her teeth and tilts her head a little to the left, “you have that uh, thing right? What’s it called again?”

“Heterochromia.”

“Hetero- who now?’

“Het- tero- chrom- ia,” honestly I forget sometimes that my eyes are two different colors. It’s been this way since the day I was born and I grew up with the same people up until now. So, the questions and comments haven’t happened since I was a baby. Nobody in my hometown really brings much attention to it anymore. And I sure as hell would rather attention not be brought upon me at all.

“Well, that’s cool-”

“Lights out girls!” Olivia sounds chipper even now as she flips the light switch and the room is bathed in darkness. Only lightened by the moonlight streaming in through the open windows and billowing through the fog. I see Amora give me a wide grin and I return it with a smaller one as we both settle down for the night. Once my head hits the pillow a sudden fatigue overcomes my whole body. My eyelids droop down as I listen to the sounds of the quiet breathing around me and the subtle sounds of nature outside the open windows. My eyes are closed when a sudden burst of light disrupts me from my sleep and a sudden shout wakes me fully.

“FIRE,” bolting up in my bed, I swing around to look out of the window next to my bed. My eyes widen. There across the camp, the blue cabin is set ablaze with wild orangy red flames licking at anything it touches and then engulfing it. The flames are destroying everything and it’s a wonder how the blue cabin is still standing. I spot kids from the cabins surrounding it running as far away from the flames as possible while the counselors grab buckets and run to the lake. I can’t spot any of the kids or counselors from the blue cabin and I have a sinking feeling in my gut that I try to ignore. I hope everything is okay.

“ Fuck, Leo,” it’s a shout, Amora’s shout, that brings my eyes away from the angry fire raging outside and towards the disheveled girl beside me. I don’t know when I stood fully from my bed or moved closer to Amora, but I don’t have time to dwell on that thought because Amora is sprinting out of the cabin in the next second. I notice that most of the cabin is empty at this point as I frantically look around. What am I supposed to do now? I would be no help with putting the fire out. Nor would I be of any help calming down the other campers. No, I just need to keep calm and find the nearest counselor or adult. They’ll know what to do in this emergency. I nod my head and take a deep breath. Grabbing my backpack from the floor I jog out of the cabin as fast as I can. Being outside is even worse than what I was seeing in the cabin and for a split second I think maybe I should just head back inside when a small body collides with my legs. When I look down all I sees is strawberry hair and realize it’s the birthday girl from earlier. What was her name again? Milly maybe.

“Hey, kiddo are you-” Kneeling on the ground I grab at Milly’s shoulders. Pushing her to kneel upright so I can see her face. A scream bubbled up my throat at the sight of the little girl in my arms. There was blood everywhere, or what seemed to be blood. Whatever it was, was running out of the girl’s ears, nose, and eyes. Violet streaks of liquid continuously roll down until it drips from the girl’s chin onto the dirt beneath us.

“Help,” Milly lets out a wet-sounding cough and out of her mouth more of the violet liquid comes splattering on the ground. My hands tighten around the girl’s shoulders as I choke on the words I want to say. I want to help, want to comfort Milly but what the fuck is even happening? “I-” Milly’s eyes dim as her body slumps forward only being held up by my hands. Her head flops forward hiding the dimness of her eyes from view. The sounds all around me stop as I clutch the body in front of me, shaking it slightly. She’s not…. dead. Is she? No, she couldn’t be. We were just celebrating her birthday earlier, she was just alive. Maybe, she was tired. It’s been a long day maybe she was just so tired she fell asleep.

“Milly,” whispered words fall on deaf ears and I can’t help the tears that break free, “Mil- hey what’s wrong?” I stare at the girl waiting, hoping, for some form of movement or sound but nothing. The body in my arms is silent… cold…. dead. Milly is dead. What am I supposed to do? Why is this happening? How is this happening? This isn’t normal, this isn’t…. what is this?

A stinging on my cheek causes me to let out the loud sob I’ve been holding in as my eyes focus on the face filling my vision, Milo’s face, “Faye, you gotta get up.”

“Milly-”

“I,” Milo glances down at the tiny form I have clutched in my arms and closes his eyes for a split second. When he opens them again his hands grab ahold of my arms pulling me to my feet as he stares directly into my eyes, “Milly is gone but you… you’re not. So, you have to move, now!” I can see the clench of his jaw as his hands squeeze at my arms almost painful yet gentle in a way. Once on my feet, Milo grips my hand in his and practically drags me along with him as fast as possible toward the building farthest away from both the entrance of the camp and the fire that still rages on. It almost felt as though the flames themselves were alive. I hadn’t noticed before but the blue cabin wasn’t the only cabin being destroyed. The green cabin now stood as a pile of rubble next to the burning embers of the blue cabin. The yellow cabin was still standing but it was shaking like an earthquake was hitting it and only it. The orange cabin was also still standing but seemed to be melting from the inside. I could see other people, campers climbing out of the windows from both floors. The red cabin was the only cabin untouched besides the building Milo seemed hellbent on dragging me to. Even the main building wasn’t left untouched. There were cracks forming in the structure as the glass blew inwards and the ground around it started to cave in. The ground split open where the building stood and with one good shake, it was gone. The main building was just a pile of ashes in the wind as if there was nothing there, to begin with. There were bodies everywhere. Whether they were alive or dead I couldn’t see. I didn’t want to see. Tears blur my vision and hide the horrifying scene unfolding in front of me.

Once both of us are inside the building Milo slams and locks the door before leaning his forehead heavily on it. I could hear his heavy breathing, or maybe that was me. I hadn’t even noticed my breaths becoming short and ragged as sobs tried, and failed, to force their way up my throat. I can’t breathe.

“I…. I can’t-” I notice Milo in my blurry vision turn sharply around to stare at me. I can feel my face rapidly redden as my lungs burn for oxygen. I can’t breathe….I can’t breathe, why can’t I breathe? I’m going to die. I’m going to suffocate. Help me… please- I can’t breathe. My body starts to tip over and I would have fallen onto the hard tiled floor if not for the arms that encircle my body. The edges of my vision darken.

“Fuck, okay. It’s okay, breathe Faye,” Milo sits me against the bed next to the door and leans my body against the wall, “Faye, ya gotta breathe.” I feel myself shake my head as my hands wave toward my throat. The gasping and sobs grow louder and I watch as Milo’s face crumples.

“S-she has asthma,” although the voice sounds oddly familiar and young I can’t quite place where I have heard it before nor could I really pay much attention to the conversation that happens around me. I’m dying, what do I do? I can’t seem to hold onto that thought very long before a blurry form I’m pretty sure is Milo fills my vision once more. I hear the sounds of plastic rustling before a harder plastic is pressed to my lips. I recognize the shape of my inhaler and immediately move my slightly shaking hand to the top of it. I press down and as soon as I hear the familiar woosh of the medicine leaving I breathe in as deep as I can manage. I hold it in for a few seconds then breathe out. Once more I take another puff of the medicine before I can feel my breathing start to slow back down. I’m still panting heavily as if I ran a marathon but at least I don’t feel as though I am dying anymore. I open my eyes ( I don’t remember closing them) and my vision comes back to me slowly. My eyes finally focused on Milo’s crouched form in front of me. His cold hands wrapped around the wrist of the hand not clutching my inhaler, rubbing soothing circles along it.

I let out a steady breath, “Thank you.”

Milo lets out a breath of his own bowing his head low, hiding his face from view. When his head lifts back up a small smile is present on his face, “You have Leo and Amora to thank, really.”

Looking behind Milo I can spot two forms huddled together in the corner. Amora is standing with her right arm holding a small boy (a small familiar boy) to her side. It was the boy who had bumped into me earlier. Now I understood why Amora’s hair seemed familiar. It’s because it’s the same shade of brown as the boys.

“Thank you guys too,” Milo releases my wrist and hands me the plastic bag with the rest of my medicine stuffed inside of it. As my eyes move away from the siblings and down to my hands I spot violet. My hands were stained in the violet blood, or whatever it was, that was pouring out of Milly. My breath hitches in my throat once more as another sob threatens to release itself, “What…how… I don’t.”

“We don’t know,” the siblings move closer to the bed I lay in. Leo’s tiny frame shakes from head to toe and it only intensifies as he and Amora get closer. Milo drops fully to the floor and leans his head back onto the wall behind him closing his eyes. I feel the weight of my backpack on my back, (I forgot I had grabbed it back when I was in the cabin) and I stuff my medicine into its front pocket. Clutching my bag close to my chest I draw my knees up with it and hide my face behind them. Even though I have stopped sobbing the tears continue to fall down my face as the images of Milly, fire, and rubble flash behind my eyelids. My hand search for that cold metal wrapped around my wrist and once I do I tug as hard as I can. Maybe this isn’t real. I’m home with my family asleep on the couch after another impromptu family movie night. I’m curled up on the couch with my dog at my feet and my parents on the other couches cracking jokes at each other’s movie preferences. I am not here… at a camp miles away from home where people are dying and I’m stuck trapped in the nurse’s cabin with strangers and no way out.

“What are we supposed to do now?” I can hear the choked sobs from Leo, the ragged breath from Milo, and the small sniffles from Amora. Yet, above all else, I could hear the silence from outside. Why was it so quiet all of a sudden? Lifting my head from my bag I glance at the nearest window. Though I can’t see much but darkness. Only moonlight shines in the sky now. No more orangy red flames. No more screams of terror. No more crackling wood. No more anything.

“Why,” all eyes turn to me, “is it so quiet?” Everyone turns towards the door as if just now noticing the suffocating silence. Why was it so quiet? They couldn’t all be- no that’s nonsense.

“Shit, you don’t think,” Milo sits up straighter and doesn’t take his eyes off the door, “they can’t all be…Ya know.” Milo waves his hand as he bites at his bottom lip and goes to stand from the floor. I notice that Leo has gone awfully quiet and still, and before I can ask if he’s okay Leo goes limp in Amora’s hold. Amora loses her grip on Leo as he falls to the ground and she lets out a cry dropping to her knees next to him. I go to try and stand up, maybe help in some way but I am hit with a wave of dizziness. Trying to move once more ends in failure as well as my body gives up on me and slumps to the side. My eyes start to droop as I try to hang onto my consciousness a little bit longer but it feels like I’m fighting a losing battle.

“Faye, oh fuck Faye don’t-” I can’t hang on much longer and the darkness fills my vision as I fall into a deep sleep.