Well, it seems that in the end the "maximum laziness" attacked me. Here we go.
The uniformed man urges me to follow him, but I really don't want to part with Gunter; he is the first "friend" I managed to keep for more than a full day.
The man seems to have more than enough strength to drag me into the back room on his own but he realizes that Gunter and I must be in the same pack.
The man sighs and waits for his partner to finish filling out the admission paperwork for Gunter.
-And with this you are already a young imperial. As soon as you arrive at your assigned camp, you will be given your uniform and your belongings.- The woman announces with a certain tenderness and maternal air.
Gunter nods, takes the documents and goes to meet me. -How fast. They started treating me like you and I just finished.- Gunter complains.
I shrug. -I had a letter of recommendation. I guess it would have a lot of weight in the decision.- Gunter's mouth is open.
-I never heard of a letter of recommendation to enter the youth, in fact as an imperial service any Karlslander can enter- Wonderful, now it turns out that I'm German now.
-And what do you want me to tell you? My tutor gave me this letter and told me to deliver it when I got to the recruiting office.-I pause briefly to look around.-The truth is that I never thought you could open a recruiting office in a foreign country. -
-I suppose they reached some kind of deal with the emperor.- It is now Gunter who shrugs.
Both the woman and the man from the recruiting office take us to the back of the recruiting room, where they have a small dining room. The room is spacious and well lit, there is a huge dining table with benches on each side and some lamps hanging just above, as well as a large window just at the opposite end of the office access door.
From the windows you can see a backyard with a couple of tonneau trucks.
The yard is big enough to fit a couple of Panzer 4s and still fit the two parked trucks, of course, there wouldn't be room to maneuver any vehicle; will one of these two trucks be the transport that takes us to that camp?
Because I don't think it will be exactly close to the city.
I suppose that here they accumulate the recruits until they have enough for a transfer to the training camps or that the young people wait here before their trip to their new home is organized.
Either option works fine for me.
There we are told to sit down at the table, we are about to open our mouths to ask something, when the woman appears again with a couple of plates with sausages, baked potato and what I think was sauerkraut, thanks to my memories, but it could well be any other type of braised vegetable; I'll have to try it to find out for sure.
The woman sets the plates on the table and then pats our heads, then she walks back to the front of the recruiting office.
I thank her and she returns to her seat with a tender and sincere smile.
I don't know whether to eat or not, even though I'm hungry; Gunter doesn't think much of it, and he just pokes one of the sausages with a fork to start devouring it next.
That's when I lose my modesty or fear that he might have him eat food that he hasn't gotten on my own.
I cut the sausages into pieces with the edge of my fork, spear one of the pieces, and pop it into my mouth.
When the piece touches my tongue I can taste what ingredients were used in its preparation. Some alcoholic beverage was used in this dish, it could be liquor but knowing the long German tradition I think I'll go ahead and say it's beer; some beer with a strong flavor and high alcohol content.
I smile at the unexpectedly good taste, used to eating only canned food with who knows how long inside those damn jars this morsel tastes like heaven.
The man sighs in relief as he watches me eat, like he's hoping he doesn't have to feed me himself. He was watching us from the shadows from the moment we sat down at the table.
I don't know what was in the letter, but after seeing how his face and expression changed when reading the content, how he waited until I ate and how they treat me; they make me believe that I am actually valuable cargo of some kind.
Something that they should take care of and treasure as best they can, although right now I don't understand why; Gunter said that most of the technological advances were brought by people from my reality here, but from what I checked on the ship; very few really believe in this subject. So, unless what Gunter says is completely true; something that I do not doubt since I was not born here; I don't know why there is so much dedication and delicacy towards me.
As Gunter said, people who come from another world and time have different views and know different things than ordinary people here, but I think it's not correct to attribute all technological advances to people from outside.
While there will be a lot of advances brought in by outsiders, I don't think the people here will be completely useless. If so, they would have collapsed as a civilization long ago.
Great, now I have more questions than before but anything I ask could make him suspicious of me. And Gunter I don't think he was one of those who would stop pursuing an opportunity like this, he loves this song; If he has the slightest clue about my origin, he will not rest until he finds out the truth.
He struck me as that kind of person when I met him on the ship. I hope he never finds out my secret or doesn't take it too seriously.
It took us a good hour to finish eating, well, it took me an hour; Gunter finished his food in half the time or even less. After finishing his portion, he looked at mine as if his hunger had no limit.
The truth is that when he was still at home; the other world; I could have eaten this dish in just a few minutes but due to my new height and size this task turned out to be a bit more challenging.
Having finished eating the man now seemed to breathe easier, I don't know if I'll get a chance to ask him about it, but with Gunter around I don't know if I really want to try.
As soon as we finished eating, three more boys arrived.
Max, Maximillian; tanned complexion but not as much as Gunter but if he gives the impression of having spent many hours in the sun, he is wiry and seems not to have even an iota of fat on his body. With light brown hair and eyes of the same tone. About my new height and with an air of mischief. You have to keep it in sight.
Otto; the skin of this boy is what we could call normal, although it stands out among the people here, that he has the palest complexion. The tallest of the bunch, in fact I'd say he's taller than Lars. Blonde hair and blue eyes. It reminds me of something important about war-time Germans but I guess I won't comment.
Emil; short and plump with a complexion more similar to someone from the Mediterranean than someone with Germanic roots. With jet black hair and eyes the color of honey. He is serious but to the point that you could call him an introvert.
I can think of many jokes with their names and historical occurrences but I don't think they would understand them so they will probably take it as vulgar insults, so I won't say anything about their names.
The woman appears again and serves the same food to the recently arrived boys, they are grateful for the food, she caresses her head too; it seems that she must do it out of habit; and she returns to the public part of the office. Gunter turns his attention back to the freshly brought food, all he has to do is drool like a dog.
Boys don't eat in silence; they talk to each other; about the journey here, about the war and about the life they left behind. It's interesting, while for Gunter these topics are banal, for me they are more and more additional information about my new world.
All three appear to be from the same locality, but they must not have spent their time in the same way.
Waiting and having patience is a virtue, right? Well, by waiting in silence, I was able to find out that Max was a farmer, Otto is the son of a military man, and that Emil was born into a wealthy family.
The three of them met at some point during school and became friends, I can't figure out when that was exactly, I'd have to ask him directly, but we still haven't known each other well enough to ask something so personal.
The afternoon arrives and with it a truck with caterpillar tracks instead of wheels, I know what it is; it's an RSO.
I think it was a truck of English origin that had the drive train replaced by tank tracks.
It will be a comfortable but long journey. These tackles had a reputation for having good suspension and load capacity but they did not exactly shine for their speed.
The couple of office workers urged us to get on the truck and helped us to load our things, then they loaded some cargo in the form of boxes and a couple of drums, we all helped to accommodate them inside the back of the truck.
Before the truck started and we left the backyard of the office I heard that we were going to a place called "Osbi" or something like that.
Leaving that patio, the five boys peeked through the loading opening of the strange tank truck and waved goodbye, it was a short time but you have to be grateful to those who help you.
After moving away a couple of hundred meters we return to the interior of the truck, and luckily because the atmosphere here is literally polar. Inside the back of the truck it's fine but outside and at the speed we're going it must be freezing.
We close the tarpaulin behind so that the heat does not escape and we sit on both sides of the truck.
Gunter for his part has already found someone to talk to; It seems that he and Max are compatible. I hope she sticks it out with Gunter if he gets into talking about his favorite topic; travelers. And together with Otto paired with Emil it makes me sit alone, in a box in the middle and back of the truck.
I almost prefer this place, since it is made of wood and not metal covered with cloth; as the "seats" of the two couples; Although it may not seem like it, it turns out to be super cold in these conditions. I highly doubt they'll be able to feel their asses by the time we reach our destination while I may be a bit uncomfortable but at least I'm keeping warm.
Little by little we leave the big city and give way to a more rugged area but covered with a thin film of ice and, in some parts, even some snow.
But it seems that they take care that there is no snow on the crops and the road, the rest is completely covered with a thick layer of snow.
The boys start talking among themselves, I hope they don't bring me into the conversation; I really have nothing to talk about with them.
Everything I studied in college and everything I learned during my work here is science fiction. Any "normal" talk would be extremely embarrassing due to not possessing the common sense of this land.
They're speculating about what we'll do when we get there and what we'll do for the next three years. Things like learning survival, camping, campfires, learning to make utensils with your own hands, making houses or cabins in the woods, marches, learning to fight and use weapons.
The first part seemed to me the cliché of the boy scout, the second I did not like so much. Why would we have to learn to fight and handle weapons? Aren't you supposed to learn that already in the army? So why advance events?
Unfortunately for me, Gunter brought me into the conversation.
-Erik, what do you think we will do in the youth?-
-Huh? - I try to feign surprise, although I was already prepared in case this happened. -Well, I don't know, I suppose they dedicated themselves to applying for a base so that the future training of the army would be easier and bearable. So that when we finish in the youth we can join the troops in the shortest time possible.- A response worthy of a true son of Karlsland, Trude would be proud.
-Did you really believe that?- It was Max, who seemed dismayed by what I said.
-Well… isn't it? Then why don't they just put us in boarding school? -
-You have a point, because I think it's better than being locked up but I don't think they'll force you to join the army when you're done.- He answers with as much conviction as possible.
-I don't think they force you but if you have been conditioned to live in a group, in a squad, you are used to living under the rules and one or several leaders, under the chain of command. If you realize that is very similar to the army. If you have already got used to that life, and at the end they tell you to find a life for yourself or you can continue with the same but in the army; many will join directly. - The rest stay thinking for a while.
-You're right.-Otto finally answers-They don't force you but it's almost as if they did. Because no one would want to leave the life they have been leading in recent years, especially if it was a good life, instead of having to start from scratch. - Otto explains to the rest, who seem to end up understanding my point of view
-But if you knew this, why do you join the youth?- Emil asks.
-I had no other option. My guardian can't take care of me and I don't have any living relatives left.-With this explanation Max and Emil turn pale, Otto apologizes and Gunter lowers his eyes.
-I'm sorry, I didn't know.- Otto apologizes again.
-You couldn't know.- I said, shrugging my shoulders and trying to play it down.
-Yes, but still…-
-Forget it. Nothing will change even if you spend your whole life apologizing.- I express some annoyance. Technically I'm not lying, I don't have any relatives to stay with.
We continue talking for a long time about our impressions of the country, me; of course; I'm silent listening, it's not like I have much to say; I am not from here. I can't say anything, anything I say could make him give me away.
Suddenly we stop, after a few minutes in suspense Otto bangs against the canvas cover that adjoins the cabin, then asks loudly the reason for the stop.
Apparently we have to take a boat to go to the territory of North Batland or what is the same, Sweden.
The tank truck will board a ferry that will take us to the other shore and from there we will continue our way to the camp.
According to the truck driver, it is in a place with a lot of forest and on the shore of a lake. In other words, it can be anywhere in the Nordic countries and even almost any other country in northern Europe.
With a small boat we board a ferry, according to the driver we will have to cross the sea on this ferry before heading further north. The driver keeps avoiding having to tell us where we're going, as if he's afraid we'll run away. Where are we going to run away? We are in a foreign country far from our families and practically in the middle of nowhere.
I would like to have a map, or that my mobile phone has a signal, so I can check the maps and see where I am exactly. Might as well try to find our destiny.
Unfortunately, any act of consultation on my mobile phone and, in fact, just by taking it out from my pocket could expose me. I don't understand why exactly I have to go unnoticed, I understand that culture shock can be dangerous, but I don't think the solution is to hide from the rest of the world either.
The boat trip aboard the RSO turns out to be the most boring thing in the world. I would like to go out and see the frozen landscape but between inside and outside there must be a temperature difference of at least fifteen degrees.
There is also the fact that the driver of our tank truck forbade us to leave the trailer while we were on the ferry so we stayed inside talking about life. How boring, they're talking about what they did at school.
Wait, now I'm an elementary school boy again, will I have to go back to school? I hope not. Now that would be hell.
Gunter talks about how much he likes history, Max that his forte is natural sciences, Emil talks about physical education and finally Otto who prefers mathematics.
Then, as expected, Gunter asks me.
-I'm more into science. I like determinism…-
-What's that?- Max interrupted me.
-It is when applying a method to do something and under initial conditions, you always get the same result. Like a formula. In mathematics, if you apply a formula you can always solve the problem.- It is difficult to explain modern concepts to middle school children from more than seventy years ago and more with my level of didactics.
-Ahh… I think I understand.- Emil answers.
I don't know if he really got it, but I'm not going to ask, just in case.
-But that's obvious. If you apply the same method you will always get the same result.- Express Max.
-Ok, I'll give you another example. Let's see... If it rains every day and you take an umbrella with you so as not to get wet, you don't expect hurricane winds that will break your umbrella and allow you to get wet. The first case is deterministic, under certain conditions you reach an expected result while in the second; when changing the conditions you do not reach the previous result.-
-But that doesn't make sense. If it's windy, it's best to wear a coat with a hood.- Max complains.
-Yes, but let's imagine that you have no way of knowing what the weather will be like tomorrow or what the weather's like today. You go out with your umbrella and take it in case it rains but you don't take into account that there may be wind. Did you understand?-
-Of course. The conclusion is that you have to go with a hooded coat. - He says smiling. The rest laugh at Max's joke.
I partially covered my face with the palm of my hand. -Okay, I'll give you another example. Vehicles need fuel to move, right?-
-Yes.- Max answers dryly, he is waiting for me to say later; I don't know whether to try to shoot down my argument or to really try to understand the concept.
-Okay, now I'm telling you that the car can move on its own if it's on a downhill and the brake is not on.- Max's face changes from concentration to bewilderment-The first example is deterministic; If the initial condition is not met, the result is not given. While the second example is not tied to that initial condition, so it is not deterministic.- I finish explaining while I extend the index finger of my hand, trying to secure my domain.
-But then if you push the car your determinism disappears…- He has not understood anything. I cover my face with my hands.
-Look, it doesn't matter. You'll understand it some day.-
-Or not…- Emil answers mockingly.
Max looks angrily at Emil, who laughs, hiding behind Otto.
The trip is being too monotonous and I ask them to open the back fabric a little so that we can see the landscape.
We are still at sea, on board the ferry.
I sigh out of sheer boredom and Max pets my head like a small animal. The truth is that this action makes my concern fade a little.
Through the opening in the canvas we can see how the land recedes and the port from which we started becomes smaller and smaller. When the port could be covered by raising the little finger in front of the eyes, the tracked truck starts and resumes the march. We heard a heavy metallic sound outside the truck, and soon we disembarked from the ferry to the northlands.
I lean back against the canvas wall as soon as we reach what looks like a main road and inform the others that I'll be getting some sleep, closing my eyes and letting my imagination run wild.
The alarm clock sounds and I open my eyes, I'm in my room. She reached up lazily to turn off the alarm clock. Confused, I look around me. I get out of bed and do a few stretches before heading to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.
I take one of my cat-shaped mugs out of the cupboard and grab the coffee pot, it's light; I open the lid and notice that it is empty; some dried grounds are stuck to the bottom of the container.
I growl and go to make coffee. I empty and clean the pot, then change the ground coffee and fill the bottom with water, then screw it back on and put it on the stove.
While I wait for the water to boil, I go back to my room to change.
Today I have to go to the office, so I must wear something decent.
I put on dress pants and a striped shirt and head back to the kitchen as soon as I hear the coffee start to rise.
I pick up my cat mug again and pour some fresh coffee into it, then grab some cookies, milk, and sugar, and start my breakfast in silence.
After I finish, I wash the cup in the sink and go brush my teeth.
When I finish I just grab my fleece coat and the backpack with the company laptop, I leave the house and go downstairs, out the doorway of my block and go to the subway stop.
At the mouth of the subway there are many people, more than usual; What a burden, it's too many people. I get to the platform and, like outside; many people.
I try to sneak towards the end of the platform to catch another car and, with a bit of luck, it is not so full.
I push people and I get into the crowd as much as I can, until I reach the middle of the platform and progressively I have been pushed out of the crowd. I see that right at the edge of the platform there is space for a single person to pass. I don't think about it and I cross there, at some point someone pushes me a little and fearful of falling onto the tracks I grab onto someone who, understanding the situation, looks at me and smiles while helping me pass without falling onto the tracks.
I thanked him and went to the end of the platform. This area is usually almost empty so it will be more comfortable to travel than the crowded area.
The train is heard arriving, I look into the tunnel; leaning over the edge of the platform to see if it arrives or not.
I feel a sudden pressure and I see in slow motion how the floor of the tracks gets closer to my face, I put my arms to avoid falling headfirst and then I try to get back up, people scream.
"Run" I hear, then I look in the direction of the tunnel and some very powerful lights blind me.
I wake up suddenly, it's dark. I am panting a lot, also some sweat runs down my temples.
I start frantically looking around to try to figure out where I am. Then someone just hugs me, I can feel their warmth through the coat.
-Shhh. It's just a nightmare. Shhh.- Try to calm me down.
-But… The subway… I fell onto the tracks…-
-Shh… It was just a nightmare. They can't hurt you anymore. Shhh… Calm down-
When I calm down I manage to identify the person who was trying to calm me down, it's Max, as well as my surroundings, I'm still in the tank truck.
It was all a nightmare, but it was so real… I don't know if this is a dream, a bad dream and the nightmare was reality… If it was, have I died?
Max is in front of me, on his knees, while he looks at me worriedly. In fact a quick glance informs me that everyone seems to be worried.
-Don't worry, whatever it is. Now it is far. Now you're safe.- Emil tries to comfort me.
-Yes, I don't know what you were saying, but if it was an enemy it stayed in Karlsland.- Gunter explains.
But this doesn't make sense, how come they don't know what I'm talking about? Subways have been around since the early 20th century, you have to know what I'm talking about. But I suppose that now it doesn't make sense to continue delving into the problem, whether or not they know what a meter is, I don't think it will help me survive what is to come.
I have never been to a boarding school, let alone an academy. I don't know what life will be like in the youth camp, but it looks like it's like a boarding school.
-It's night. What time is it? - I ask, but it doesn't make sense to ask that because I don't even know what time we left the city or what time we finished crossing by ferry. -How long has it been? How much is left?-
-Woah… Calmly, the questions one by one.- Answers Otto.-We left Copenhagen at about half past two and it's… - He takes out a quite ornate pocket watch pulling a chrome chain that goes from his belt to the pocket.- Ten minutes to eight. But I have no idea how far we've come or how far we have to go. But I don't think it's much. They don't risk carrying some kids overnight.- He shrugs.
-But it's already night.-
-Well, in that case I don't think they want us to spend a lot of time in the dark.- Otto looks at the rest, who don't seem very convinced by the answer.- Or the cold.- He adds, and the answer now does seem to please Otto. the other guys.
The rest of the trip I try not to close my eyes so as not to fall back into another nightmare but the rattling of the tracks of our transport makes it difficult, it is very rhythmic and that makes you want to sleep because it becomes monotonous.
In a time I begin to see lights filter through the canvas, it seems that; finally; we arrived in civilized land. Who knows how long we have been traveling through the dense forests of Sweden… I think it is Sweden, but now I am not sure.
Soon the truck turns and brakes. I wake the rest, who fell asleep again, and we wait with sleepy eyes for them to open the back of the truck so we can get out.
It opens and the lights of the place temporarily blind us due to the time spent in the dark in the back of the truck.
A couple of people in the same uniform as the couple who served us at the office help us out of the truck and direct us to a large building.
There are people around, a lot of boys and girls in gray uniforms who are walking around the place, talking to each other or sitting at tables eating outside.
Are those the new ones? some ask.
The couple simply ignore them and direct us to the largest building in the place, once inside they lead us down a corridor and then we turn right, on the wall there is a sign that says "boys" and when I turn my head I see that in the hallway that turns to the right there is another one on the wall that says "girls". It seems that both sexes share a building but that they are segregated.
After walking and walking through the endless corridor we reach a room, they open the door, they put the five of us in it and close the door.
-Tomorrow the last member of your team will arrive.- Announce a male voice coming from the other side of the door.
The room is spacious, it has three bunk beds; each against a wall; between the bunks occupying the corners there is a large wardrobe and a table with two benches on the sides.
In one of the walls there is a window and you can see the moon reflected on the surface of a lake.
In the room only bunk beds were mounted. It was quite obvious, they wanted to let us sleep.
I didn't give it much thought and plummeted down onto the bottom bunk against the wall opposite the door.
I opened my eyes again, fully rested. A few rays of sunlight enter through the window that is right in the wall of my bunk.
I try to stretch but I'm under the covers, I don't remember throwing the covers over myself; I don't remember taking my coat off either.
The rest of my classmates are the same as me. Tucked into their respective beds in the other two bunks, covered by the sheets.
It seems that I will sleep alone or… I seem to remember that yesterday they said that one last member of our group would arrive.
Gunter shares a bunk with Max, the one on the right, and Emil and Otto take the other.
I'm a little hungry, what time will it be? I look for my cell phone in my coat and look at the time. It's nine thirty-eight; starts to run out of battery, I'll have to find a way to recharge it.
Shit. My tutor told me not to use my cell phone. Luckily no one has seen me, they are all asleep.
I put my phone back and try to get dressed quietly. Then I just put my coat back on and walk out of the room. Luckily it wasn't locked.
As I walk down the long corridor that leads outside, the outside noise becomes noticeable. Many voices of boys and girls, along with those of some adults make me understand that the boys and girls who were already in the youth camp.
As I reach the end of the hall I see what appears to be a huge dining room with several rows of dining tables and benches. It seems like I was so tired yesterday that I didn't even notice the dining room before we were shown to our room.
As I approach the door of the huge dining room the sounds get louder and louder. It's obvious they're having some kind of event outside. I reach the door and open it, the bright rays of the sun blinding me for a few seconds before I can look around and take in my surroundings.
In front of the dining room and bedroom there is a wide esplanade with a pole and a flag that I do not recognize hoisted, just in front there are two buildings; a wide but low one with wide doors. One of the doors is open and I can glimpse the RSO that brought us here last night.
The other building looks like a barracks, maybe it's where the adults sleep.
To the right are three buildings and what looks like a covered picnic area with a roof and wooden beams. All three buildings look practically the same. I think that one of them is a kind of warehouse, since I see some adults entering with boxes in their hands and leaving without them.
Some boys approach the picnic building, go to the center that seems to have a brick structure the height of one of the children and grab something, the water flows down and the child bends down to drink. I think that building is the bathroom.
And maybe the other two are showers, segregated by gender.
On the opposite side you can see the lake from last night, which turns out to be bigger than I would have imagined. There is a small wooden jetty with small boats tied to it and some guys are walking on top of its boards.
On both sides of the wharf there are rows of canoes and canoes, I suppose for recreational activities.
I come out of my reverie when I notice how a hand rests on my shoulder, I turn my head to identify the person who turns out to be one of the adults, a young girl to be exact. She is a bit taller than me right now, she has light brown hair and dark brown eyes, with fairly pale skin. The girl wears a dark gray uniform with some distinctive features that she had never seen on said uniform. Well, to be exact and truer to the truth, she is wearing half a uniform.
Just the top.
Ahh… I forgot what world I'm in now. But this; Wasn't it just a thing for witches? Aren't witches supposed to dress like this for reasons of efficiency and operation?
But as far as I know, "normal" people don't have to dress like that, is this girl a witch?
-Hello-
-Hello young boy, you wake up late. Where is your uniform? - I shrug my shoulders
-They didn't give me one. We arrived last night and they took us to sleep directly.- The girl covers her mouth with her hand.-Oh you're from the last group. I thought you would sleep more. Why did you wake up so early?-
-Early? It's after ten. It's actually almost eleven o'clock. At this time I was already on my way to another control.-
-Well, it doesn't matter. Now the other teams are playing, it's Saturday, and on weekends the teams have free time.- The girl explains.-Come, I'll show you the camp.-
The girl takes me by the hand and pulls me while pointing towards the lake . -I've already seen almost everything from here. And a reconnaissance tour would give me all the information I could need.-
-No. It is among my duties to show and guide the new members of the place.- She answers smiling.-This will be my last year here.-
-Then you'll enlist? -If she's a witch, I don't understand why she isn't already in the army, if she isn't; What I don't understand is why she dresses like that.
-Ah… Are you talking about this?- Says the girl looking down.-I'm ashamed to say it but they tested me when I was little and I'm not fit for service. But yes, when I get out of here I'll get ready, although I don't think I'm going to go to the front lines.- She explains with her eternal smile.
If everyone here is this smiling and nice I think I could get used to this.
The girl leads me to the pier, and there she lets go of me and stretches out her arms to the sky.
-Welcome to Camp Osby- Well look, I hadn't misheard the adults in the office. -The eighty-eighth imperial youth camp. And the largest abroad after Rosario's fifty-third in Neue Karlsland.- She Expresses herself with a smile that dazzles.
It's already a coincidence. I laugh to myself. A youth camp and, above, with the number eighty-eight. Look, they are too many coincidences.
-Here is the pier, from here you can take a boat to go to the other side of the lake if you don't want to go around it or if you want to practice some water sports.- She walks straight towards me, passes me and points to the bathroom building and the showers in the opposite side to the dock.-There are the taps, next to them; the female showers.- She crouches down a bit and brings her face closer to mine.- Don't even think about going in there, the last one we caught looking at we threw him into the lake.- She explains seriously. -At night- she adds with a mischievous face.
-Why would I want to do that?- All the girls here are far from my age range.
-Ahh… I guess you're not at "the age" yet.- It's not that, in fact he's over that age, that's why they don't interest me.-Well, the similar building next to it is the boys' showers. There you can enter.- She explains obvious things, but I guess you should explain everything to boys of this age in detail so they don't screw up. -The other building is a warehouse. Although I think the instructors' bedrooms also serve as storage.- Nice, it seems that I got my recon was right.- Lastly,- She points to the adults' bedrooms.- Those are the instructors' bedrooms. Opposite are the bedrooms of the young people, they are divided is…-
-Yes Yes Yes. Segregated by gender. I already saw it. Nor will I sneak to the girls' side. You don't have to point it out.- I cut her off.
-Well, that simplifies things. In that building there is also the dining room, as you may have seen when you went outside. There is also the kitchen and a small pantry. We only use the dining room when the weather is bad. When it doesn't rain, snow or it's very cold we go out to the fields to eat, which is more pleasant.- The explanation ends.
-Okay. It makes sense, you wouldn't set up camp in the middle of a forest and a lake if you weren't going to enjoy them.-
-Of course That's it. Finally here is our flag. Everyone must line up in front of the flag when it is raised and when it is released.-She stands firm in front of the flag and salutes in a martial way. It seems that they are very, very militarized. Things like this only happen in the United States, back in my home world.
-Well, it seems that my Gruppe already skipped that and on the very first day.- I begin to add German words to my normal speech, I need to adapt myself to the new world and I try not to stand out; as my "tutor" advised me. So exclaimed that with a mischievous smile.
-You are excused, yesterday must have been a very long day. Isn't it?-
-It was practically as I predicted, a very long but comfortable trip. The RSO is comfortable and doesn't have bad suspension, but it is very slow.- Respond by pointing to the still open garage inside which you could see the tank truck that brought us here. The girl smiles.
-Indeed. They warned me that a boy was coming who would have to be closely watched. I guess it was you.- She shrugged again.
-Could be. Who knows? The rest of my group are also someones to watch closely.-
-I'll keep that in mind.- she responds with a superior smile.
Here ends today's chapter, how would you like the last member to come to be? I let you make proposals.