To Change (Camp Camp fanfiction)

Chapter One

The jail cell was cold, hard and unpleasant. Many sleepless nights were had here. It was never quiet here, nor peaceful. There was always some prisoner screaming about how their punishment was unfair as they threw their body at the door, demanding to be set free. Daniel sighed into his hard, flat and bloodstained pillow.

"Danny, are you still awake?" A deep voice says from the top bunk.

"Yes, Mr. Campbell." Daniel replies.

'Danny'. That was what Mr. Campbell has been calling him. It was strange, like he meant for it to be a fatherly pet name. Daniel...kind of felt comfort in it. He never had a good bond with his parents but that was for the best. He was not fit for his parents' love back when he was a young boy, he was a sinner.

"Something on your mind?" Cameron spoke again.

Daniel flipped onto his back and stared up at the unstable top bunk.

"Nothing, really." He said with a fake smile.

"Just...hoping that we get out of here soon! I have a life to get back to, you know!" He chuckles, wondering how long it would be until he finally broke down and was unable to keep up this 'pure' act.

He couldn't be negative. Following in the footsteps of Zeemuug means you must stay positive at all times. You must never, ever show ANY sign of negative emotion. He had to stay pure, or he would meet a fate worse than death. The wrath of Zeemuug was a horrible fate.

"Oh, Danny! So full of hope. We'll never get out of here alive!" Mr. Campbell laughed.

"Convicted felon. 27 accounts of murder by poison! You're a murderer, Daniel!" Campbell continues on.

Daniel shuts his eyes tight, clutching his chest. Flashbacks were unwelcome, yet they always seeped into his mind when he least wanted to remember them. The screaming. The begging. The times he had to force children to ingest the poison.

You monster!

Daniel's conscience screamed at him.

It was for the greater good.

Another side of his conscience spoke simply.

You saved them. You saved them all.

Daniel held back his tears.

Don't. You. Dare.

His thoughts clawed at his brain and pulled back his negative emotions in an icy cold grip. Daniel forced his smile back into his teeth. He laughs.

"Haha, you got me there!"

Mr. Campbell lowers his arm to the side of the bed, patting Daniel's shoulder without really seeing it.

"Don't worry! We'll both get out of here." He sounds comforting.

"And we'll get that damned camp to pay."

Two weeks later

Sirens were blaring, prison guards were shouting and Mr. Campbell, Jen and Daniel were making a run for the newly made hole in the brick wall. Fellow prisoners, already in cells, were cheering for them. Just then, when they were closest to their exit, Daniel tripped and fell face first into the dirt. He felt the guards lead towards him, ready to grab. He helplessly looked up to see Jen and Mr Campbell still running. Suddenly, Jen peered over her shoulder.

"DANIEL!" she shouts in distress.

Mr. Campbell looks in surprise and runs back to Daniel.

"HANDS OFF OF MY SON!"

Daniel watches in awe as Mr. Campbell pushes the guards away and grabs him by the arm, running away again.
They had run for what felt like hours until they lost the chasers. Breathless, Mr. Campbell pulls Jen and Daniel into a nearby bush. They all sat down, panting. Jen hugged Daniel close.

"We're free! Oh, Daniel, we're free!" She cries out in joy.

Daniel hugs back tightly. Suddenly, two strong arms went around the two. All three of them shared a warm hug, filled with happiness and relief.

"It's like...we're a family." Daniel says, quietly. Mr. Campbell smiles.

"Because we are."

Right now, there were no worries. Now, there was only comfort. Daniel could go against his religion and worry later. Now, he was enjoying having a family.