"You've gotta go dig those holes, with broken hands and withered souls, emancipated from all you know..."

Zig's singing again.

You gotta go dig those holes..."

His voice carries through the still morning air. It's not even really day yet, still kinda dark, I'm fucking freezing, I'm so tired I'm about to fall over, but Zig's singing.

"You've gotta go dig those holes..."

He has more song, or I think he does, but after a while he just sings that one line over and over again, his dark voice weaving through the dark air, through my ears and into my heart.

///

It's lighter now, the sun glaring over the horizon, looking at us with glee. But we've been going well this morning.

Or at least I have, lulled into a sort of daze by Zig's voice; I haven't noticed how much dirt I've been shovelling.

I glance over at Zig. He's still got a bigger hole than mine, faster digger and all, but not that much bigger. We'll go off the same time today.

He looks up at me, grins and mouths 'you've gotta go dig those holes'.

He holds up his canteen.

It's empty.

I offer him some from mine, holding the near empty bottle up from my neck. He shakes his head then, but in a few minutes comes and drinks it anyway.

Not even Zigzag can hold out against Camp Greenlake's heat.

He tries to speak and croaks, then clears his throat and tries again.

"Thanks Squidly."

I tell him it's no problem, and he flashes me this odd smile before climbing out of my hole and back into his.

A minute later the water truck rolls around.

It's kinda strange, coz y'know, when Zig was outta his hole he would have seen it, and coulda waited, but yeah whatever.

///

Zigzag rolled the water around in his mouth, before letting it trickle slowly down his throat.

Squid's water.

Would it be stupid to say it tasted like Squid?

Yeah, coz fuck knows what Squid tasted like.

Probably not slightly musky, like his water. Zig had never put his nose anywhere near Squid to check, and certainly hadn't licked him or anything.

It was an idea though. Zig grinned to himself, and was rewarded with a weird look from Mr Sir.

"You think I'm funny, boy?"

Zig met Mr Sir's eyes, trying not to grin.

"No Mr Sir."

"Good, now get back to your hole."

"Yes Mr Sir."

///

"What'd Mr Sir wanna talk to you for Zig?"

"I looked at him funny or something. Dude, he's psyched today."

"Yeah I know, he poured that new kids water all over the ground. Summat to do with what happened to him. Reminds me, are you okay from yesterday?"

"Yeah dude, don't worry about me, I'ma 'kay."

"Just looking out for my bud."

"Sure. Piss off dude, go back to your hole."

"You gotta go dig those holes..."

"Shuttup man." "You know you love it."

///

"Feeling mighty fine, I'm feeling mighty fine this time, yes indeed..."

"Dude, I didn't know you were in here."

Zig's voice had been calm, but his mind was racing- his shirt was over the other side of the rooooom...

And he was lying in his coz on his back, trying to think of anything else but what Squid looked like right now, and fire. Always fire. This had become difficult lately, so he just watched the ceiling as intently as he watched the busted TV and traced-

"Dude, what happened to your chest?"

Zigzag raised his head and looked down at his bare chest, his finger halted mid-trace of the scar. "Ah yeah. I, uh, well, d'you know why I was sent here?"

"No, because you never fucking told me." Squid said slowly. "Even though we're best mates and we tell each other everything. You always say you're trying to forget it."

"Yeah, I am." said Zig, lying back down again. br Squid tossed him a shirt without Zig having to ask, and watched him closely and Zig pulled it over his frizzy yellow hair, then looked up to fid Squid still watching him.

He sighed.

"You don't know what it is, do ya Squid?"

Squid shook his head. "All I know it that it's trag and ugly as fuck." Zigzag winced and nodded. "Yeah. It's a burns scar. I got it when I was trapped in a burning building."

"You still didn't say why you were sent here."

"I set the building on fire. And the two next to it, demountables at school. Burning Styrofoam is bad for ya." Squid didn't reply, but walked across the tent to where Zig was lying on his cot, and gently ran a finger down the middle of Zig's chest, where the burn was.

"Does that hurt?"

"Not if you do that. It kinda tickles."

"Can I keep on doing it then?"

"Yeah." They sat like that for a minute or two, Zig with his eyes closed and Squid perching on the edge of the cot, running one finger lazily up and down Zig's chest.

"Zig?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm gunna go take a shower."

"K."

Squid got up to go, but not before running his finger down Zigzags chest one more time, then clasping his hand.

"Strength bro."

But Zig was already asleep, a smile on his face.