The Hijinks War

46. Death to Robot-Kellen

"Ok, who stinks like fish?" Vivienne said as soon as she climbed into the cave that she, Katia, and Ashley shared.

"No. Nope." Vivienne glared at Kellen as we all looked at him, pointing him out of the cave. "Get out of here. Take a bath or something. I can't. Just, no."

"Yeah, where exactly? It's March if you didn't notice."

"Not my problem!" She singsonged, waving him off. "Go see Braylon. I wasn't the one rolling around in raw fish now, was I?"

As Kellen descended the ladder while scowling at me snickering, Katia eyed me and asked, "Why is it so funny?"

"Nic slapped him with a raw fish." Hadley shuddered as she clarified for Leon, Katia and Ashley's amusement.

After having helped prepare it, we had left before dinner at our camp, and now sat in the Dell among the other leaders. Robert, Brian and Katy had been left in charge of the Nest for the night, being fully prepared to deal with any kind of situation that might arise. Our scouts had been alerted and if anything happened, we would know within 10 minutes.

When our dinners of lake fish and re-hydrated mashed potatoes arrived, so did Kellen, clean and in someone else's clothes. "So, if your nose can take my smell now, Vivi, can we get started?"

As we ate, we discussed how to manage everyone else, while we waited for either Jess's group or Eddie to get us help.

Five days had passed since we'd escaped, and we had no idea how long we'd need to wait for aid. It could be tomorrow, and all our worrying would be for nothing. Or, it could be days. Maybe Eddie couldn't find a way to Tannen's connection and we would have to wait till Jess and Emma made it through the forest to town. They hadn't been gone a day yet, and we had no idea how long Emma's proposed route would take. With supplies slowly depleting, that was the scarier of the two.

By Vivienne's calculations we'd be out of most edible things by the middle of next week; including the rabbits we'd brought with us. Unless we cut portion sizes down. Even then, could we wait till Spring Break rolled around and our families wondered where we were?

Cabin fever and clipped tempers were setting in for those at the Nest as it was much more in the open, and we had to remain quiet and out of sight. Vivienne suggested sending those whose job did not allow them to leave camp, to the Dell on alternating days and nights to allow them to burn some frustration. Ashley asked us to mix up all room assignments, so they weren't stuck with the same people. I wondered how I hadn't thought of it myself, and then remembered it had come up and been brushed aside.

"We should switch us for a day." I suggested. I set down my empty plate and faced all the questioning looks. "People have gotten used to their leaders. We should switch it up. Let Katia or Vivi tell the Toga crew to cool it on the night time arguments and activities, right Kels?"

Kellen laughed when I nudged him. "Sure! I'm done breaking up those arguments."

"The Toga crew?" Leon questioned.

"Oh!" Vivienne's eyes widened as she gasped. "The Hellhounds that ran around in togas when Nicole stole all their clothes."

"What was today's argument, Kellen? Snoring? Sheet hogging? Butt touching? Did Michelle look at you too long again, Kels? Are you trying to low-key steal her away from Sam again?"

"Who knows?" He snapped at me. "I stopped listening and walked out. Why the glitter would I want to steal that airhead from him? I'd much sooner steal him, at least he can carry on a conversation without looking like some vapid drooling zombie person."

I mimicked the look on her face whenever Kellen talked to her and he shoved me off my seat on my backpack as he cackled. "Quit it! That's too weirdly accurate."