Tris' POV
This summer my parents have sent me to work as a camp counselor at Camp Faction. I just turned eighteen and this is my final summer before college. I wasn't crazy about the idea at first but my parents convinced me somehow that it would be fun.
I'm skeptical. Spending twelve weeks shoved into a cabin full of kids doesn't exactly sound like my idea of fun but maybe it won't be so bad. I arrive in time to join the counselors for our first training session. We have to be here and train for a week before the campers arrive.
I learn how to perform basic first aid and the way that the camp is organized. Each section of the camp or faction focuses on specific activities the campers chose. There is Amity which focuses on arts and crafts and music. The Erudite who focus on academic skills and science, the Candor who focus on socializing and honesty. Abnegation who focus on volunteer work and community service and the Dauntless that focus on sports and adventure activities.
I chose the Dauntless right away when I agreed to be a counselor even though my parents really wanted me to do Abnegation as they thought the emphasis on volunteering would be beneficial to me. I listen to the camp director, Max, drone on about safety precautions and how to handle discipline among the campers.
We're released to lunch afterwards and given our cabin and setting assignments. I'm in Cabin Ten with a male counselor who calls himself Four (no idea why!) and counselors-in-training Will and Christina.
Everyone seems to be eating some kind of circular patty on bread but I haven't seen it before. My parents are conservative and we eat food that is typically bland. I grab a patty, pinching it as I am confused about what it is.
"It's beef. Here put this on it." Four tells me and I blush. "You've never had a hamburger before?" Christina asks me and I shake my head. I eat the rest of the meal quietly until everyone starts sharing where they are from.
Christina and Will are from Milwaukee. I share that I am from Chicago, "Where are you from, Four?" I question him but I see a flash of anger or maybe annoyance in his eyes as he answers "I thought I would only have to answer all these questions but now I've got counselors too?"
I shrug and find my brother, Caleb, at a neighboring table. He's working in the one of the Erudite cabins this summer as he's never been athletic and hates anything artsy. I return to my group as we join a campfire for our first night here. It's supposed to be some kind of tradition.
Max welcomes us again and the evening is spent laughing and singing all kinds of silly campfire songs. We make s'mores and devour them before heading back to the cabins for the night. Four leads us as it's dark and he was the only one smart enough to remember a flashlight.
The cabin itself is huge with separate bunk areas for boys and girls. I take the bottom bunk while Christina takes the top and fall asleep.
The next morning. I'm woken up by the sound of a trumpet playing outside. We eat breakfast then head to the gym for Dauntless specific training. Four, and a guy with a variety of piercings and an evil smirk named Eric announces that they were worked here for two years and are the senior counselors who will be training us.
Four demonstrates how to shoot an arrow before the rest of us attempt to as well. I learn that Cabin Nine has Zeke and Shauna as counselors with Marlene and Zeke's brother, Uriah, as CITs. Cabin Eight has Eric and Lynn with Myra and Edward as CITs. Cabin Seven has Four's friend and mentor, Amar, Tori, George (Tori's brother) and Al as CITs.
It takes me awhile to perfect my stance and aim but I smile to myself as I am the first to hit the target. Next, we split into teams to play basketball but we are first reminded about how to encourage teamwork and good sportsmanship with the campers.
Four and Eric divide us into teams so I am on Four's team with Christina, Uriah, Myra, Zeke, Lynn, Amar and Tori Eric's team has Marlene, Shauna, Will, Edward, George and Al. I manage to steal the ball away from Eric and try to shoot a basket, it bouncer off the board but it doesn't deter me.
By the end, our team has won with a score of 15 to 12. In a short of good victory and sportsmanship, we line up and high five everyone by telling them "Good game". That concludes our training for the day and we have free time to do whatever we want.
I don't get a lot of free time at home between homework and the volunteer activities my family insists I participate in. It's a welcome break. I wander around camp aimlessly, taking in the beauty of the outdoors around here. Peaceful.
At dinner, Four announces tonight we will be playing Truth or Dare with the other cabins. I'm excited for the game and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm actually kind of liking it here. I dress in layers for the game and follow Four along with our CITs to Cabin Eight.
Eric is setting up chairs around the circle for everyone. I sit next to Four as we wait for everyone to arrive and Eric stands up to announce the rules. "While I'm sure most if not all of you have played truth or dare, I would like to remind everyone of the rules."
"Each person here will be asked truth or dare. If you refuse a question, you must remove one article of clothing. We will take turns in a clockwise circle so you cannot ask a person dares more than once." he continues
"Does everyone understand the rules?" he asks as people murmur yes or nod their heads. "Alright then. Uriah, we're starting with you. Truth or Dare?"
"Dare! I'm no pansycake!" he yells excitedly. "What's a pansycake?" I whisper to Zeke. "It's an old insult but no one in their right mind would use it except my idiot brother, of course." he chuckles.