Kane (2024)

Chapter 6: The Camp!

Kane woke up early the next morning, the weight of his rucksack sitting on the floor beside his bed. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the events of the past few days sink in. It was all set. The plan was in motion. But first, he had to get through this trip—play the role, make them believe he had changed. He got out of bed, grabbed his clothes, and went downstairs to the smell of breakfast.

Jane was at the stove, frying eggs, while Mark sat at the table, sipping his tea. The tension from the night before had dissipated, replaced with an odd sense of calm. Kane sat down at the table, smiling as Jane put a plate in front of him.

"All ready?" Mark asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Kane replied, digging into his breakfast. "Packed and everything."

Jane gave him a small smile, clearly relieved. "It’s going to be a good experience for you, Kane. A fresh start."

Kane nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. He wasn’t thinking about the residential program or the "fresh start" they were talking about. He was thinking about Bristol, about the moment he could finally escape and see his grandmother again.

At exactly 10 a.m., the doorbell rang. Kane grabbed his bag and made his way to the front door. Standing there were two middle-aged women, one with short brown hair and the other with a friendly smile.

"Hi there," the brown-haired woman said cheerily. "We’re here to pick up Kane. You must be Mark and Jane."

"That’s right," Mark said, stepping forward to shake their hands. "This is Kane."

Kane gave a polite nod, flashing them his best "I’m-really-trying" smile. The two women introduced themselves as Sarah and Emma. They exchanged a few pleasantries with Mark and Jane, talking briefly about the program, the journey, and how it was all going to work.

"We’ll be dropping him off at the camp, and after the program is over, we’ll be the ones to collect him again," Emma explained, her smile warm. "It’s a great setup. He’ll love it."

Kane acted the part, looking excited. "I’m really looking forward to it," he said, the lie slipping easily from his lips. "I think this could be exactly what I need."

Jane gave him a proud smile, while Mark patted him on the shoulder. "That’s the spirit, son."

Once the goodbyes were said, Kane climbed into the backseat of the car, his rucksack beside him. The engine rumbled to life, and soon, they were off. The city slowly faded behind them as the car sped along the motorway. For the first half-hour, there was silence. Kane stared out of the window, watching as the grey buildings gave way to open fields and countryside.

He could feel Sarah and Emma glancing at him in the rearview mirror, and eventually, they tried to break the silence.

"So, Kane," Sarah said, her voice light, "what are you looking forward to the most about the program?"

Kane paused for a moment, weighing his options. If he played his cards right, these women could be useful. If they thought he was a nice, well-mannered boy, they’d be more inclined to help him if he needed it. He needed them on his side.

"I think... just getting a chance to reset, you know?" Kane said, his voice measured. "I’ve made some mistakes, but I really want to turn things around. And I’m looking forward to the outdoors. I’ve never really been out of the city much."

Emma nodded, smiling in the passenger seat. "That’s great, Kane. The Peak District is beautiful. You’ll love it. Have you ever done anything like this before? Camping, hiking?"

"Not really," Kane admitted. "But I’m ready to try. It’s all part of the experience, right?"

They chatted a little more, mostly about the activities at the camp, the other kids who would be there, and the kind of work they’d be doing. Kane kept his responses friendly, but inside, his mind was already working out how he could manipulate the situation. If they liked him, they’d be more lenient. They might even help him out when the time came.