Divergent Survival Camp

Chapter 18

Tris.

The scent of pine needles fills my body as we wander down the narrow trail as the sun shakes above us. I look over my shoulder as I glance at everybody walking behind us, making small talk with one another and occasionally pushing each other. The small breeze has begun to send shivers down my bare arms.

A few days ago, Gale reminded Tobias and me about the small competition that was supposed to be started last week. I talk half of the kids and Tobias takes the other, and they compete in a series of games and activities to see which team has progressed the most after the two months that we've been here. I still cannot fathom that we've been at camp for this long and that there is only one month left.

I feel so guilty that we had to be reminded of this.

Both of us have been so occupied with other things that we let this slip from our minds. I remember this conversation with Gale coming up when I first started working here, about how we were going to have a friendly competition. But so many things had changed my mind about Tobias that the competition had disappeared completely.

After that night, that night which I gave up, I have been trying to as hard as I can to get my act together. Tobias and I have changed our relationship to be strictly work related, and that is supposedly going to help the both of us get back on track. It's hard for me to not feel the way I do around him, but it needs to be done.

We pass the activity square; where all the physical challenges are–the tire run, the ropes and all the other strenght trainers.

Finally I see the small set of swings hidden deep in the heart of the woods, the mosquitoes in a small gurgling pool around the firepit.

I feel irrational for not noticing that Tobias keeps looking over at me until now. I want to look back just as much. . . but I can't.

"Over here, guys," Tobias calls out while waving a hand towards the firepit, the giant logs mirroring either side of the ash covered firewood. There's a rule that fires can only be started during the night on occasion, which means that we haven't lit a fire in a while. I don't know about everybody else who is a counsellor that is in my new cabin but I miss seeing the orange flickers.

"What are we doing today?" Thomas asks while sitting down beside me, running a hand through his jet black hair. The kids have gotten into a habit of not listening to us and choosing not to wear the hats on their head like they're supposed to. But I'm not going to complain about that one because I too think those hats are the most stereotypical hats ever.

Tobias takes a seat on the other log across from us, sitting in between Connor and Dasuni. "Alright, we have a competition," He announces while leaning his elbows on his knees.

A small grin breaks out on Beatrice's face as the words run through her brain just as Caroline jolts her hand up at a lightning speed. "What competition?" She asks with bright eyes, the thick and heavy voice of hers not sharp as she enunciates her words.

For a mid second, I see Tobias lifts his eyes to mine, raising an eyebrow slowly. Taking it as he wants me to explain, I release a giant sigh of oppression while chewing on the inside of my cheek. "Okay, so there's an even number of people this year so three of you will be with me and the other three with Four. Basically, all the drills we've run this year, we're going to do them again. This time, as a race, to see which team has progressed the most over these three months."

Connor lets out an exaggerated laugh. "What's the prize?" He asks nonchalantly, an obnoxious attitude in his voice that always makes me want to scream out in agony.

Tobias bites down on his lip and I see the hint of a smile curling his lips. "I don't know, there hasn't been a prize announced yet. Maybe, the winning team gets the first smores we make on the last day of camp?" He suggests. Nice, thirteen-year-olds love food, right?