Tattooed Heart

Season 02 - Chapter 03 (08)

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Time Jump~

Shawn Mullen's POV~

"Day 52
August 14, 2018

I finally woke up feeling well enough to say... good morning!

Despite my ankle doing better, though, I'm going to ask Victor if he can take me to the infirmary to see Nurse Hewitt again, just in case. The pain isn't all gone anyway. Besides, I've been going this long popping in to see her a couple of times a day. I might as well keep up the streak.

After we're done there, I *think* we're going to meet Mark and the older campers at the archery range. We'll be there for a bit, and then we're going to the general store to pick up a few things... and then we're going camping! In tents! Not cabins! Again! The last times we did this were fun!

Got to go now! Breakfast with the Rockbrooks is next on my schedule!

—Shawn Mullen"

The archery range was a spacious area not too far from the cabins, three of its sides bordered by trees and other plants. Padded targets with yellow bullseyes were equally lined horizontally a suitable distance from the standing points, most occupied by a sixteen- or a seventeen-year-old.

After leaving the infirmary with me and making our way to where we were expected to be, Victor wandered to his father, who was supervising the dozen or so armed adolescents. I, however, was hailed by Kaine. He had seen me show up on my crutches and smiled before waving me over.

I squinted at the inanimate prey by the opposite tree line. "How are you doing?" I questioned.

Kaine motioned toward the few holes in his distant target. "Pretty good," he answered. "I, uh... I wanted to talk to you about Syndey, though. I don't know if you want to get Victor for this or..."

I glanced at Sydney several yards away and failed to notice anything wrong with her, the string of her bow pulled steadily until she let its arrow cut through the air. "What's going on with her?"

"Well, while you and Victor were gone, I asked her if she could help me practice my aim since her dad was busy. She agreed and even seemed happy to do so, but while she was, she seemed off."

As soon as Kaine emitted the latest word of his most recent statement, I recalled the time barely over a week ago when Victor mentioned practically the same thing to me in the brick bathhouse.

"I don't think it's anything too serious unless she's just good at hiding it, but that's why I wondered if you wanted to get Victor before I told you. I don't know if he knows anything."

I squeezed Kaine's shoulder. "Um," I spoke, "I'll have a talk with him and find out. You go ahead and keep honing your skills here, all right? Thank you, though! I appreciate you telling me this."

Kaine nodded and continued nocking his subsequent arrow, and I hobbled into the background of the archery range, then jerked my head when Victor saw me to tell him we needed to discuss.

My boyfriend stared at his balding parent, a cute scowl on his face. "Now if you'll excuse me, Father, there is someone more deserving of my presence, and I shall not keep him waiting."

Like his daughter, Markus often retorted swiftly. "I didn't want your presence in the first place."

Still glaring, Victor began coming my way, his Rockbrook Camp hat's visor and the towering trees in the vicinity keeping his dark blue eyes safe from the hot sun. "You freaking... clown."