"Alright, well you've all had your chance," Nathan began. "Get up out of the stands and address the line." There was a pause, and people looked around at each other, I think we were all a little confused. "NOW," Nathan yelled, and we all got up quickly. We all walked onto the court, and stood on the line that Nathan pointed to.

"We don't like to use marching as a punishment," Eddie said. "But if you're not willing to step forward to help a family member, then we'll do what we have to do. Stand by." We all went to stand by. I was very upset now. If this person doesn't speak up soon they'll have us at attention for hours—

"BAND! TEN HUT," Eddie thundered.           

"HUT," replied the not so happy freshmen. We stood this way for about five minutes before a single word was passed. Already my arms hurt, they'd been hurting all night, but now I had them up in front of me, and my shoulders started to ache. The bottoms of my feet started burning, but if I concentrated on that I forgot about the pain in my arms, so I tried doing that. I noticed that I started to droop my chin, and quickly put it back up where it belonged. I wasn't going to let the pain get the best of me, whoever wasn't telling needed to fess up now!

"Hurts, doesn't it," Nicole asked. "It'll be over just as soon as one of you steps forward and tells us what you know. Jo says that Cameron talked to one of you at great length about this little outing of his. We want to know where he is, and one of you is going to tell us, or you'll turn into statues standing just like that." Oh no! I remembered something, oh stupid me, stupid me!

"Sir," I said, I think I choked as I said it, because I knew I was about to die. "Sir, I think I know something."    

"Yes," Eddie said, very angrily, but with a tone that meant "continue."

"Well, on the first day of camp, at dinner, Cameron asked Jo if she wanted to go on a hike sometime. She said no, but he looked as though he was going to go either way."

"Did he say which trail he'd be taking," Nathan demanded.

"No Sir! He just asked her if she wanted to go. That was it. Honest," I didn't think they believed that that was all I knew, but it was! Oh they're going to kill me.

"Jo said that Cameron talked to one of you extensively about this. Lexi, it doesn't sound like she meant you, but thank you for trying," Nicole tried to be nice, but it didn't help. I hadn't even moved my eyes when I was addressing them. I was afraid to. I saw someone twitch out of the corner of my eye. I had to catch myself, I felt myself turning to look and see who it was.

"Mark! Give me ten! And anyone else who thinks of moving can drop along side of him," Eddie was by far the maddest of the drum majors. Nicole tried to be nice, although it was plain as day that she was furious. Nathan was more concerned with circling us, and making sure we weren't moving. Then Eddie spotted it. 

"Lexi, are you chewing gum?"

"Yes sir!"

"Are you allowed to chew gum?"

"No sir!"

"Spit it out, and once you get back drop and give me twenty-five," Eddie was enraged. "Anyone else have gum?" About ten people raised their hands from in front of them to above their heads. "Get moving!"

We had been standing at attention for maybe ten minutes now, we'd stood there longer before. But when I ran to the trashcan and back to my spot it was nice for my arms to have a break. In fact, even the push-ups seemed like a treat at this point, it was using a different part of my arms, and my neck wasn't killing me. I made a point of rubbing my neck before I got back up. I hoped that none of the drum majors noticed. I thought I caught a glimpse of Nicole eyeing me as I snapped back to attention, but I think she let it go. When I had been running I was able to notice where people were in the line. Sidney was just a few people down from me. Mike was at the very far end of the line. I was somewhere in the middle. Jeff was to my left. Nathan had stopped his circling by now, and stood in front of us with his arms folded across his chest.

Jo came running back into the room. She was panting even harder now. She was almost panting too hard, I was worried about her. She better slow down and get a drink of water. Why doesn't she just tell them which freshman it was if she knows? Jo again ran to the drum majors, who hurried around her. She tried to whisper something to them through her breathing. Eddie nodded, Nicole shook her head, and Nathan turned to glance at us who were still at attention.            

"Anyone that moved their eyes owes me ten! Now," Nathan commanded. I probably should have done the push-ups just to give my arms and neck a break, but I had been watching using peripheral vision to watch, so I didn't move. The four continued to talk and Jo ran out of the room again. "Stand by," Nathan said, finally deciding to give us a break. It had been about twenty minutes. Oh, I thought my arms would break off as I put them down in front of me. My feet were almost just dead weight by now.

"We're going to start taking you out one by one for questioning," Eddie said. Questioning? Eek, you have to be kidding me.  "This is your last chance to speak up. Do so now and you'll be fine. All we're looking for here is to get Cameron back safe and sound." A pause followed. That terrible pause. I knew what was coming. "BAND! TEN HUT!"            

"HUT!" I wanted to die. A senior came running into the room. Nathan yelled to one of the boys and told him to go with the senior. You could almost hear "Taps" playing in the background. Five more minutes passed and another senior came in. Another freshman was ordered to follow him out. This pattern continued for what seemed like a life time. There were about three people left in the room by the time I was left out. That meant I had been in there for about an hour. When Eddie called my name, signaling that I could leave, I thought my legs would give way. The senior who led me out of the room was none other than the one who had led me to the band garage the day of the meeting. Oh gees.

The senior was carrying a flashlight, and he led me down a narrow path. I had no idea where we were going. I was so scared I knew I was shaking, and I was sure the senior could hear my teeth chattering. I was freezing cold, wishing once again that I had a nice warm jacket. I wondered what they would do with me after questioning. I wondered what they would ask me while they were questioning me. Most of all I wondered where we were going, and exactly what was going to happen when I got there. We slowly found our way out to a camp fire. The entire band, except a few of the freshmen who were still in the gym, was sitting around the camp fire. The senior instructed me to find a seat near the fire. I looked around scared completely out of my mind. Then I heard my name being whispered.