Maybe Crazy

Chapter 4 - Hidden

"What I did?" I asked, after a momentary pause reflecting on why Lila had kicked Mackenzie. "I, uh, have these bad dreams that make we wake up screaming each night and I swear I see the shadows moving." 

They were all silent, deliberating their thoughts in their own heads. 

Rudy was the first to break the silence. "Kenzie's right. You are different from most of us." 

"Most of us?" scoffed Kenzie. "Try all of us!" 

"Kenzie!" hissed Mercedes. 

Mackenzie flinched, and looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry. I tend to say random things most of the time." 

"That's okay. I'm kind of expecting it while being here." I smiled, and put some food into my mouth. 

"I suppose Lila has told you why she is in here?" inquired Mercedes. 

I nodded, silently wondering where this was going. 

"And you told us how you got in, so it only seems fair that we tell you how we got in, right you guys?" Mercedes looked at the others. 

Mackenzie, Lyle, and Rudy agreed at the same time. 

Mackenzie smiled at me while Mercedes explained how they 'got in' to Brisk Falls. "I'm what they call a pyromaniac and Kenzie is a masochist. We were out late one night and we got jumped by a couple of gang members. I, of course, had my, um, lighter with me. The first guy pulled a knife on Kenzie so I torched his hand. Kenzie grabbed the knife and, well, you don't need all of the details... Some people found us later and it turned out that they are from here. Kenzie and I have been here for almost two years now." 

I closed my gaping mouth silently and shook my head, trying to erase images floating in front of my eyes. I'm glad Mercedes didn't go into detail. 

Rudy spoke next. "I'm like Mercedes, a pyro. I had a place down by the river that I set on fire and a couple of other places too. It turns out that if you light more than ten houses on fire in one night you can be classified as a pyromaniac." 

"Ohh." A small gasp escaped past my lips. 

Lyle looked up from his plate, and studied my face. He hadn't said a word yet and I was curious as to how he would sound. My curiosity was fed within a minute when his deep voice rumbled. "I have a multiple personality disorder." 

"Lyle doesn't like to talk much." Kenzie said when Lyle didn't explain any further, patting Lyle's arm comfortingly. 

"That's okay." I smiled. "I don't need to know everyone's life stories." 

Lyle nodded his head in a manner of thanking me and twitched the corner of his lips. 

When no one else said anything else, I went back to picking at the dull coloured pieces of 'food' that was scattered on my plate. Luckily it doesn't taste too bad... 

As soon as we were all done our dinner, Lila got up and addressed our table, grinning from ear to ear. "What shall we do with our free time tonight?" 

"There's a poker tourney going on in Del's room." Rudy suggested. 

"Or that soccer game on the big field! They are down a few players." Kenzie clapped her hands excitedly. 

Lila looked back and forth between us. "Which one will it be?" 

"Let Elizabeth choose!" said Mercedes. 

They all looked at me and I shuffled nervously on my feet. I smiled, then said "I can kick some butt at soccer!" 

Kenzie and Mercedes let out squeals of excitement at the same time. Kenzie grabbed my hand and we ran back to our rooms to get changed. 

I threw on a t-shirt and a pair of my good running shorts, then pulled back my hair into a high ponytail. Lila opened the door without knocking and got changed as well. 

I looked at her through the mirror. "What took you so long to get here?" 

Lila shrugged. "I took the scenic route." She laughed as if it was her own little joke. 

I smiled and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ears. I played with my hair until I heard a knocking at the door. Kenzie and Mercedes stood in the hall in matching outfits, but Mercedes' is blue while Mackenzie's is purple. "Ready?" They asked at the same time. 

"I am, but Lila isn't yet." 

Lila scooted around me and out the open door. "I'm ready." 

"That was fast!" I exclaimed. 

Lila shared a grin with Kenzie and Mercedes. "Speediness is one of my grand talents! Come on! We're gonna be late if we don't hurry!" She turned and led us down the hall, and outside to the big grass field behind the building.