Camp Pinecrest

SEVEN

Over the next week at Pinecrest when Isla returned, things were quiet. The environment tense, and not tense as in the annual game of Capture the Flag tense, but in a different way. The buddy system was more enforced now than ever. Even counsellors had begun to follow it at night. Nature walks into the woods had been banned, overnights too. No one quite knew what to believe. The police had been notified that nothing had been found. All the staff who had been on the bivouac had already been interviewed. Campers had also endured long questioning. Had they seen anything strange? Has anyone been acting strange? But no one had any answers.

"She is missing because of you!" Amanda exclaimed, breakfast was in full swing now, and Isla had excused herself to go to the danger room, it's where all the staff kept their own food. Amanda had snuck in behind her and cornered her. All Isla wanted a bowl of froot-loops. That was it. Amanda's stare pierced right through her. If looks could kill, Isla would've been dead, and her bowl of froot-loops would be lying in a milky puddle on the ground.

"Amanda," Isla began, her tone was calm. Anxiety seemed to seep into her words, strangling them as panic began to set in.

A week had passed since they began the search for the 'Pinecrest five'. That's what the staff had nicknamed the missing. It had been a long look of hushed words and rumours that seemed to pass through each staff member. It was like a game of phone- with every telling something changed in the story. It became warped and twisted. Amanda had kept her space since she had accused Isla during the walk back from the search. But she was always there, staring at her with tearful eyes of hatred.

"Save the excuse. We all know it was your fault." She hissed, her words seething. Anger seemed to radiate off of her as she breezed past Isla and exited the danger room. Isla stood there for a minute in shock.

She knew it was her fault. For the past week she had blamed herself. A soft breath was exhaled as fingers gripped the plastic bowl, knuckles paling. Humming under her breath, she pulled open the danger room door, exposing herself to the dining hall. Whilst the staff were trying to make camp still feel normal, the dining hall was sat in a frigid silence. They had heard everything. It wasn't hard. The Danger room wasn't completely sealed off from the dining hall. There was a gap where the wall should've continued. Isla wished that it had continued.

Flipflop clad feet shuffled on the linoleum flooring as her head was held down, eyes stared at the floor. No matter how often they mopped, the dirt seemed to be embedded into the floor.

"You look just as guilty as you should feel." Amanda sneered from her seat, a nasty look ruining her pretty face. Some staff members nodded in agreement. "You deserve this shame. This guilt." She continued. Isla came to a stop in front of the kitchen door. Amanda sat parallel.

"Amanda-." Bennett stood up from his seat. His eyes trained on Amanda.

An unpleasant laugh left Amanda's lips. It was more like a snort. "Oh, and the prince charming of Pinecrest is coming to save the sweet little Pinecrest Princess!" She spat; her words were vicious as venom clung to each syllable. "How sweet. Strange though. Last summer, you had nothing nice to say about her. But this summer? You're just a couple of besties!"

A bitter taste filled Isla's mouth as she stood there, her feet seemed to be glued to the ground.

"What?" Amanda started; lips pouted as she tried to feign innocence. "Did I hit a nerve? Good." Her tone was sugary sweet. Too sweet. It made Isla want to puke. She knew Amanda was purposefully trying to start a fight. The disapproving looks of senior staff stung as she tried not to look towards their table.

"Amanda, stop." Isla's voice was quiet compared to Amanda's confident tone. It was almost meek, small. From the corner of her eye, she could see Marina beginning to stand up, a look of fury painted onto her face.