uh, yeah...okay...
here goes nothing!
------
Charity stumbled into the tent. Brian and Zero were playing cards on the floor. The other's were hanging out, doing whatever, Charity didn't care.
She skipped over and sat on the cot beside the boys. "Hi."
"Hey," Brian muttered. Then, he stopped short and looked at her. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." She smiled. "Why do you ask?"
"Uh, because when I last saw you, you were whining. Now you have too big of a smile on your face. It's not normal."
Charity thought a moment, "Alright, I'll tell you. I just took a shower in the Warden's cabin, that's all." Her voice got louder. She wanted ZigZag, who was behind her, to hear her.
It worked.
"What?" ZigZag spun around. "Did you just say what I think you said?"
"Oh, hello." Charity acted like she didn't notice him. "And, yes, you did just hear that."
ZigZag jumped to his feet and whispered something to X-Ray, who then whispered to Squid, etc. It reminded her of a game of telephone. A sad game, but one none the less.
"ZigZag just said that you snuck into the Warden's cabin." X-Ray sat beside her. "It that true? 'Cause, he's a little...you know."
"Boy, word travels fast." Brain glanced up at Charity.
She let out a small sigh, "Yes, it's true. Just don't tell anyone else about it. I really don't want to be digging, like, five holes or whatever."
"That was...I don't know what that was." X-Ray shook his head.
She shrugged her shoulders, "It's no big deal. I just snuck in. Any one could have done it. It just takes guts."
"I have guts." Armpit cut in suddenly. "Actually...nevermind."
Charity put on a big smile and sighed, "I know you're thinking 'oh no she didn't', but, i just so totally did."
Brian looked over at her and then back at Zero who shrugged his shoulders.
------
The next morning, Charity felt like she had finally earned the respect she deserved. ZigZag began talking to her like nothing happened and the others completely stopped whispering behind her back.
She was leaning against her hole when Brian came over.
"What's up?" he sat on the edge of her hole.
"I found some articles on the wardens wall. They said something about, you know, people disappearing. I was just trying to figure out why thats so important to her. I can't wrap my mind around it." Charity pushed on her shovel. "What do you think?"
Brian thought a moment. " I have no idea."
"Hey, Fox!" ZigZag waved her over to where he was gathered with the others. She wasn't sure if he was talking to her till he pointed to her and nodded.
When she got over she knealt beside him, "You still don't know my name, do you?"
"Fox's your nickname. Because, Fox's are all sneaky and stuff." Magnet replied. "Anyway, we heard what you were talking about. The articles about people disappearing and everything. Well, we know someone who disappeared."
"I thought we decided we weren't gonna bring it up?" Armpit elbowed him.
ZigZag picked up Magnet's sentence, "His name was Ice Tray. It happened a month ago, I think. The Warden says he ran away, but none of us think so. Then I heard what you were talking about."
Charity bit her bottom lip, "Strange. I wonder if it's all connected somehow."
"It's nothing. Don't listen to him. We all know he's paranoid." Squid shook his head and walked away, muttering something. The others walked away, too, leaving Charity, ZigZag, Zero, Brian standing by themselfs.
"I take it this is a sensitive issue." She looked at ZigZag.
"I wonder why." Brian pushed his way into the group.
ZigZag looked at him, "Hey, Twitch."
"Who's..." Brian began, but Charity cut him off.
"It's your nickname name." She shrugged as they stood together awhile longer. "Just go along with it."
------
Charity couldn't stop thinking about what ZigZag had said earlier. Someone has disappeared. But, where could they have gone. What if...
"Fox?" X-Ray tapped her on the shoulder. "You alright?"
"I'm fine. I'm just thinking, that's all." Charity played with the so called food.
"You're thinking about that kid, aren't you?" Squid rolled his eyes, "It's nothing. He went crazy or something. Kept talking about these creature things that don't even exist. Just, leave it alone."
She stopped listening, "Did you say creatures?" Squid nodded. "What kind?"
"Some kinda bird that was on fire, or something." He shrugged.
"A phoenix." She muttered. "Why would he be talking about a phoenix?" She looked over at Brian, who gave her a blank look. She leaned towards him. "Something weird is going on."
"Please don't tell me you're gonna do something stupid? Or that you're gonna drag me into it." He gave her pleading eyes.
She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not gonna do anything stupid."
"You're not."
"Of course I am. I just said that to make you feel better." She smiled.
------
i'm gonna start typing their nicknames instead of just typing charity and brian. hope her nickname make since, by the way.
oh, and please, please review!