Twenty Four

Day 3- Branch of Lies

A/N ~(•o•)~ 

That one very haunting memory is like some sort of gum in my brain. I scratch my head, a lot. The feel of something constantly occupying my mind is very unappealing. I need to focus, the drive in my still existing. My next fate. We’re all gathered around that weird stone again, moss gathers on it sometimes. I shift my eyes away and stare at some of the boys. They run around like idiots, playing a game of tag- or whatever. The counselor walks to the stone, and sits on it. He keeps his eyes trained on me, so I smile lightly in his direction. 

“Today, we’ll be working on snares and traps. I want all of you to follow me, and whatever you do...do not leave my side.” His voice is grim, and full of a cautious tension. His eyes would flicker back and forth, like some madman. I glance around and watch people passing ropes down. Ropes, I can think of a million good uses for such rope. Snares are not one. 

As a group, we walk over to a bunch of trees. Well- it is a forest. These trees are strong and have branches so high I think you’d have to climb for at least ten minutes. I see some of the boys scrambling up already, and some girls even start climbing. Of course, the counselor demands for them to stop and come back down. He stares at me for a moment, I pretend not to notice and pick my nose. He looks away. We move over to a new bunch of trees, and they’re much shorter this time. He gets out his rope, and begins to teach. 

I get slightly disgusted at the very fact that we’re learning ground snares. Looks like he refuses to take any risks. People are begging the man to let them climb. Monkeys. He shakes his head furiously and makes us tie more knots. I roll my eyes, and try to fix the damned snare. My trap is terrible, I hate ground stuff. I untie the entire thing and make a rope noose. Clearly, he doesn’t find that funny. 

“What are you trying to do this time, Alice?” Excuse me? This time? Who does he think he’s accusing. 

“Making a trap for animals smart enough to enter it.” I say the words quite loudly, and wink at him. Everyone mumbles at the sight of this. He looks awfully angry now. But he walks away. I am content. 

I see Sheri looking quite fidgety, her hands going in all sorts of places in her uniform. I walk over to her and quietly ask what’s wrong. The instructor’s very particular about talking, ever since Adeline. 

“What’s wrong. You look like a dog with fleas.” I spit acid out at her, I don’t really like her. 

“I want to climb. Gah, this is boring and I can’t stand still.” Well thank you Captain Obvious! Well at least I have a little window of opportunity. I grab my rope and demonstrate how to make a net. The net is to be hung over a high tree branch, and one rope has to be left out such that it can be released to pull the net down. She nods along as I show her how it’s done. 

“Now. One thing to make sure is that your net has weights. This way, it’d fall faster on your prey. And pick a branch that isn’t too big, or else the rope gets caught.” She nods her head once again in childish amusement. I smile along. Sheri does a net of her own, and I applaud her very quietly. The counselor leaves for the loo, I think. I take the rope from Sheri’s hands and tie more rope to it to make it especially heavy. Each intersection has a bundle of rope tied onto it. I throw it back in her hands and instruct for her to go to the branch, three metres above the ground. She’s fast, I’d give you that. A lot of them are starting to gather around the tree. 

Most boys, some of them are just occupied with their friends. I see Kenny, Lee Young, Elmer. I roll my eyes and leave. I continue my- failing- attempts at tying ground snares. I’m at least two meters away from that tree, and I enjoy the show. The boys are staring at her butt, and betting when she’ll fall. I look at her go, her boobs pressed against the tree bark. No wonder people are staring. I roll my eyes, and smile. She reached the branch.