“So, what did you find out?” Quill leans forward, curiously.“Nothing,” I shake my head. “My dad wasn’t killed. It was a suicide.”I feel numb saying it because a part of me still can’t believe it, refuses to believe it.“Oh, Taylor,” Beth gives me a sympathetic look and when she hugs me, I don’t reject it. “I know it’s hard.”She’s right but there’s nothing I can do about it.“That’s tough,” Quill sinks back into his seat. “Sorry.”“It’s okay.”“So, now what?”“I don’t know,” I shrug. “Classes begin tomorrow. It’s going to be a new normal for us.”“We have our level up tests as well,” Beth points out. “Those who clear will become Level Twos.”“It’s not a hard test,” Quill points out. “Just physical tests. And the tests are in three months. So, we have time. Hard to believe we don’t have summer vacations though.”I watch them talk between themselves and when they get up to head out, I decide to go on a walk by myself. I watch them leave before heading towards the waterfall.
Sneaking out isn’t supposed to be this hard.I hide behind the empty barrel, waiting for the night guard to move away from the barracks. Or it never used to be this hard.Ever since the incident from two weeks ago, when two counsellors tried to murder me and my friends, the security around this camp has increased significantly. I hold my breath as the night guard stops and lifts his hand to scratch his underarm. The odor reaches me all the way to where I’m hiding, and it takes everything inside of me not to throw up. I clasp my nose closed, gagging silently. I know if I make a sound, his sharp ears will pick it up.One of the perks of being supernaturally inclined, as I have recently discovered.Patience isn’t my strong suit, and I would rather be tucked in my bed, in the new barracks, but this is the only chance I have to meet Jesse. I check my watch and worry fills me. I’m already fifteen minutes late.Finally, the guard moves away, sniffing, his hand scratching his butt.I
I go still at Jesse’s revelation.Ex-girlfriend?Rachel ignores me as she takes a step forward, her pretty face all smiles. “So, how have you been?”I drop his hand which has been curled around mine since the moment she interrupted us. I don’t miss the flicker of annoyance in his face at that. Before I can say anything, however, he grabs my hand again, this time holding tight. “Good,” Jesse’s voice is terse. “What are you doing back here? I thought you left the school.”Rachel shrugs, flipping her long hair over her shoulder in a move that should not be as attractive as she makes it. “I’m back. As an assistant counselor.”Assistant counselor?That’s when I notice the t-shirt she’s wearing. It’s similar to the ones all the counselors at this camp wear.Jesse gives her a wary look. “Why, though? You hated this place.”Rachel’s smile is slow and meaningful. “Well, not all of it. You look good, Jesse.”I’m not an idiot. The way her eyes run over Jesse makes me bristle. “What
“So, she’s Jesse’s ex-girlfriend?” Beth sounds a little troubled as she glances at me. “How did he react when he saw her?”My backpack is hauled over my shoulder as I try to make my way across the rocky terrain. This is one of the things I hate about the Level One island. It’s so rocky. It feels like the entire island was built upon rock and stone. The only clear area is where some of the physical classes are held and where the main buildings are.“Well, not too pleased,” I reply. “Not too upset either. He seemed shocked.”“Shocked?” Beth echoes, a frown on her face. “Well, that’s not good.” She shoots me a quick glance. “Or is it? I’ve never really dated before so I don’t know.”“Neither have I,” I respond, grimly. “But it’s not a good thing, in my book. She wanted to catch up with him and he didn’t exactly seem disinclined.”Beth makes a face. “Now that does sound bad.”“What does?”Quill’s voice is out of breath as he suddenly appears out of nowhere from behind us.I give
“My name is Rachel Adkins,” Rachel begins, her long red hair tied up in a high ponytail. She’s wearing the counselor t-shirt which, along with her jeans, is clinging to her frame, enough so that most of the boys are practically drooling.It makes sense because she’s around our age while the other counselors are much older.“I’m an Assistant Counselor and like some of you, I’ve just recently rejoined Mistfall Wilderness Camp! Since we’re all so close in age, you can call me Rachel.” Her voice is cheerful and sweet, and I can see some of the students begin to relax as she continues, “I’ll be taking the endurance classes. I would like to know a little bit about-“Immediately, Abigail’s hand shoots up and Rachel’s gaze rests on her. “Yes?”Abigail puffs up her chest, inflated with some strange self-confidence. “My name is Abigail Warner.”Rachel blinks, “Ah, okay.”When Abigail doesn’t get the response she so clearly desired – whatever it may have been – she continues, “I thought we
“She’s rather mean,” Beth declares as I stand outside her shower stall with her change of clothes. Unfortunately, she was one of the few students who got completely covered in the mud. Abigail, Anderson, and a couple of others had the same experience. I opted to come with Beth to help her shower and get changed quickly.“Why was she getting so personal with you, Taylor?” comes another voice from the stall over.I recognize Kathleen Turner’s voice. I don’t know what exactly she is but I’ve not really interacted with her. She’s an oddball, preferring to hang out by herself. So, it comes as a little bit of a shock to have her try and initiate a conversation with me.“Ah,” I mutter, “maybe because she’s crazy? I don’t even know her.”From under the sound of the rushing water, I hear her laugh. “She has it out for you. You know she seemed to know I was part of your team because when she came up to me, she was like ‘you’re a traitor now.’ Do you think she had the paper marked or someth
Classes aren’t getting easier on any of us but with the increased security, the students from the other islands don’t really hang around much after their meals. Back when I was a Level One, I would see different students hanging out in between classes and it was hard not to run into random people on the Level One island. But now, after the mess closes for cleaning, the students are sent back to their respective islands. That is one of the reasons why I had to sneak out just to meet Jesse in the first place.But ever since my run in with him two days ago, I haven’t seen him and I have deliberately been going late to the mess so that I don’t run into him. Jesse is the first guy I’ve been interested in, or at least allowed myself to be interested in. He makes me smile and he seems to understand me. Or at least I thought he did. But the fact is that he not only didn’t deny spending the whole night out with Rachel, but the first thing in his head when I told him what Rachel said to me
Before I can say anything, Rachel quickly switches to a beaming smile, “Nothing. I was just advising Taylor to focus on her physical activities rather than the extracurricular.”“And what extracurriculars would those be?” Dr. Brown smiles but for some reason her eyes are cold.Rachel doesn’t seem to notice that, and she laughs, lightly, “You know how teenage girls are.”“Yes, I do,” Dr. Brown murmurs, her eyes lasered in on Rachel. “Considering you were one till last year.”Rachel’s smile hardens.“Aren’t you getting late for class, Taylor?” Dr. Brown looks my way. “You should get going.”I nod and, grabbing my bag, I run past her, whispering, “Thank you.”I catch the discreet nod.I hurry along to the classes, my niggling thought that Rachel is out to get me now a full-blown theory. We’ve had two interactions so far and both times she has gone out of her way to target me.Fortunately, I just have that one class with her today, so I put all thoughts of Rachel away for now and