The Transfer ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Two - Caution

The sight of the sun rising feels fake. I had built up an expectation of disaster. The theory had transformed into a total camp lockdown and now that nothing had happened, a startling question was running its way through my body. What now? There was no plan to recover. We, as the main leaders of camp, had unleashed total hysteria with no outcome. Where was the adrenaline supposed to go? After rigorous testing, training and preparation, the camp was on its knees. There was no-one to execute us. Our killer hadn't arrived. Why?

Leonardo and I left the hut with caution in our every step. Our hands were linked, a solid connection in a shaky state of affairs. Shooting him one last glance – a look of temptation – we walk back into our perfectly intact camp. People are slowly emerging from their designated spots, the daylight acting as a safety blanket to extinguish the flames of their fear. Mine was still burning diligently. There was no way Oakwood would back off that easily.

This raised the question of who was in the minivans. If not Oakwood, then who? Was there someone in this compound messing with us and we weren't even aware? The camp we walked back into looked the same, but it felt different. Fragile. The sprawling corridors were confining, the main reception a cage. I didn't like it. Feeling uncertain of my own movements, I walk slowly through the camp. It was coming back to life through the lights turning on and the constant chatter. I feel different, but others clearly didn't.

With nothing to do expect fill my own brain, I try to train once everyone had dispersed into their rooms. It didn't work. Letting out a sigh of frustration, I pack away my equipment and walk out into the reception. Making a sharp turn down medical, I'm relieved to see Isaac on his own for once. The rest of medical has obviously gone to rest – they were under most pressure to perform if there was an attack, it's going to take a toll on both their physical and mental wellbeing. Spinning around in his seat to face me, Isaac smiles at me welcomingly.

"Before you ask, I'm not here for a checkup." I say, breaking the social ice.

He laughs. "Good. I think I'm all out of medical checks for a while."

I take a seat across from him and cross one leg over the other. With my arms folded across my chest, I send him a scheming smile. "Well, since we're both still up, I was thinking we could work on an agreement."

"For the already harmonious camp?" Isaac muses.

I roll my eyes. "Only your sector is harmonious."

"I agree. Continue."

"Well, the thing is, other sectors are only going to get along if they feel equally important," I say slowly, trying not to be too forward for once in my life. "Everyone gets told how the budgets are going to go, but not what they're being spent on. Percentages are explained to them, but not the materialistic values that come out of those percentages."

Isaac rest his hands behind his head. "I've never thought about that before."

Getting excited, I try to put my instantaneous brain-wave into comprehendible sentences. "Since were struggling on budgets, why don't we break them down further. Look in-depth into what each sector is spending it on and print it out for the whole camp to see."

"They'll see the flaws?" Isaac questions.

I shake my head. "Maybe, but it's highly unlikely. Although they'll probably be able to admit that the camp doesn't need some things. We could order less, food for instance and portion it out better – giving more of an equal spread."

"What if they just demand for things to be added?"

"We take it on board but we don't give any definite answers. The representatives make them. More voices, better democracy. Plus, no complaints."