Kane (2024)

Chapter 8: The Dive!

Declan lay in his bunk, staring up at the ceiling, guilt gnawing at him. The image of Elise dangling from the failed zipline played over and over in his mind. He had tied that rope. His distraction had nearly killed her, and it was eating him alive.

But there was something else too, something darker. The thought of the other group joining them-criminals, people capable of attempted murder-made Declan feel like he was losing his grip on power. He had always been the one in control, the one people listened to. But now? With this new group coming in, his authority could be challenged. And that terrified him as much as his guilt.

Outside the cabin, Mobsy sat on a rock, the morning mist curling around him as he lit up a joint. He took a long drag, staring into the distance. His mind wandered back to his mates-his real mates from back home. They were all on the streets now, selling, hustling, doing what they needed to survive. That was the life he knew, the life he understood.

The camp? This wasn't his world. But he couldn't shake the feeling that, here, things were shifting. With Kane, Declan, and now Alex in the mix, something was brewing. As he smoked, he thought about where his place would be in all of it.

Curtis was already up, checking out Alex's motorbike. His love for cars and bikes was something that had always grounded him. It was how he connected with people, how he found common ground.

"How long have you been riding?" Curtis asked, running his hand over the bike's sleek surface.

"Since I was twelve," Alex replied, leaning against the bike, a small smile on his face. "My dad taught me before he left."

Curtis nodded, the bond forming between them over shared stories of engines and rides. In a place like this, where trust was thin and alliances were shaky, it felt good to have something real to connect over.

In the girls' cabin, Elise sat on the edge of her bed, her hands shaking slightly as she stared at the floor. Molly sat beside her, her arm draped around Elise's shoulders, comforting her as best she could.

"I just... I can't stop thinking about it," Elise whispered. "I almost died."

"I know," Molly said softly. "But you didn't. And you've got us, alright? We're here."

They lapsed into quiet conversation, Molly trying to distract Elise with gossip about the boys. It was a shallow comfort, but it helped. For now.

Kane sat outside, his back against a tree, a map of the surrounding area spread out on his lap. His mind wasn't on the group or the camp; it was on Bristol. He had to get there, but now, looking at the map, he realised just how isolated they were. The nearest town was miles away, and there was no easy route out. The camp was in the middle of nowhere, and Kane had no plan for how to cover the distance alone.

He cursed under his breath, crumpling the map slightly. Getting out wouldn't be easy. He'd need help, and that complicated things.

Later that morning, the group gathered by the cabins. The camp leader stood before them, hands on hips, looking more serious than usual.

"Listen up, everyone. I've got an important update. We're going to be merging with another group. They've been here a bit longer, so they're already settled in. I don't expect there to be any issues, but... they do misbehave sometimes. Best not to provoke them, alright?"

Declan, standing beside Kane, whispered, "They consider attempted murder misbehaving, and I'm here because I got into fights at school."

Kane couldn't help but laugh at the joke, but the camp leader shot them a sharp look. "Keep it down," he said sternly. "Today we're going on a walk. You're going to love this one, so get ready."