Camp Driftwood

Chapter 6 - Seeds Of Dissent

Chapter 6 – Seeds Of Dissent

The hall fell into silence again as the prayer ended, the words still ringing in Kaylee's ears. It was unlike any verse she had heard, and certainly not from the same book that she read. The very thought of the false prayer was enough to make her blood boil. Still, she maintained her outward visage of calm. The attendants around her started to pick up their forks, and she did the same. Her eyes flicked to Evan, who was playing with his food disinterestedly with the plastic utensil.

He shot her a meaningful look as she heaped up the fork with food. She watched as he brought a forkful of mashed potatoes to his mouth, barely touching it to his open lips, before dropping it back to the plate. He did this several times, not actually eating anything, but making a good enough show to fool anyone that wasn't looking closely. Kaylee followed his example, looking enviously to the other attendants as they shovelled food into their mouths. Even Judie was clearing her plate.

The scene made her think of cattle, all lined up in front of their troughs to be fattened for slaughter. All walking on absently, all powerless to even comprehend their purpose. And while she was here, why shouldn't she eat? Why should she starve herself when Evan wouldn't even tell her the reason why she wasn't supposed to take as much as a bite? The whole situation only served to worsen her mood, but throughout all of this, Evan wasn't eating either. There had to be a purpose for this, he didn't seem like the type that enjoyed messing with the new kid.

So, for the time being, Kaylee decided to do as she was told. She would follow his lead and go hungry for the night, but unless he had a good explanation for all of this, she was going to turn his body into one giant bruise. In the brief window of doing nothing that she had, Kaylee took the opportunity to scan the room. On the side directly behind Hale and the other camp managers was a wooden door, currently closed. On the other side, behind the attendants, was another door. This one was open, leading to what looked like a kitchen. Kaylee spied a pair of pressurised gas bottles inside, hooked up to what she guessed was the stove.

If this place had things like that, they had to come from somewhere. A supply shipment, maybe? They'd need to be regularly stocked to keep the kitchen and generator running. Worth noting, she'd have to ask Evan about it later. She turned back to her food, studying the scattered mashed potatoes. While there wasn't any less on the plate, she had done a good enough job of separating it to make it appear to be at least partially eaten. Evan's was the same. She stayed perfectly quiet, not doing anything to draw attention to herself as the night drew on.

"Hale's going to call you into his office," Evan muttered, still looking at his plate. "He does it with all the new attendants, to try and psych them out. Just stay cool, okay?"

Kaylee gave a short nod back, which could have easily passed for a slight readjustment from boredom. Her fork poked at the steak, uninterestedly, stirring it in with the mash. After about five minutes of this routine, Evan's prediction came true.

"Kaylee Adams, a word?"

She looked up. Deacon Hale was at his feet, standing at the side of the elevated table of camp managers. He waited calmly as Kaylee got up from her chair, walking in the middle of the two rows of tables towards him. Precious few of the other attendants even looked up from their food, it wasn't worth their attention.

Hale turned as Kaylee reached the manager's table, leading the way toward the door directly behind them. John was still in his seat, both eyes locked onto Kaylee as she followed Hale. Kaylee held his gaze as she followed, until she walked through the door that Hale was holding open.

The interior was well-furnished. A heavy oak desk was set against the far wall of the room, a pair of comfortable-looking armchairs on the side opposite. The walls were covered in various framed photographs, most in black and white. Only the wall to the far left of the office was completely bare, taken up completely by a wide window that looked outward from the camp. Kaylee was instantly drawn to it, and to the outside. She walked towards it, walking absently though the office as Hale closed the door behind them. The view was breathtaking, and terrifying.