Chapter 4- Tolkien

Dinner was very, erm, dinnery. I suppose that's what you could call it, if you could call it dinner. My plate was simply covered by an amorphous yellow mass that I could hardly gather the strenth to put on my spoon and eat. These people obviously had not heard of fruit, juice, or multivitamins. My sole comfort was that I quickly found a seat next to Jose-I-mean-Magnet, and we spent the whole time talking and catching up. We both had missed out on a little bit of everything.

I told him how my dad was going insane again.

"Man, that's gotta suck," he had said.

"Yeah, I guess. But, I'm used to it, you know. Anyway, he's not anywhere near this place. I'm semi-relieved, becauselast time he wigged out like that, I was on the street for three days. It would have been four days if..."

Everyone was looking at us. "Erm, okay guys it's like this," I began. "My dad's kind of a psycho and whenever he is, I like to stay out of his way. So last time, well, before the guinea pig incident, I ran away and spent a few nights in a gay bar, cuz I knew I wouldn't get harrassed there. And then I was walking through the mall and met jo- Magnet. And he did me a favor and let me stay at his house a night. Then, my dad remembered to take his pill and I could go home. Anyhoo...Magnet, what'd you do after we got convicted? I never heard?"

They nodded knowingly.

Of course, it was only later I found that I wasn't being stared at because my story was so original. When I got to know everyone a little better, I found they were all from some sort of disorder. Some were poor and stole food once in a while, some had been abused and their crimes had been just acting out. Our common backgrounds made a bond between us all. I heard, though that the only normal kid to have ever crossed Camp Green Lake had been a kid called Yelnats, or Caveman. He actually hadn't done anything wrong to get landed in this hell hole.

But, I didn't know that at the time. All I knew was that My life was slightly strange. We all finished our food and it was time for bed. Our group happily returned to out tent, the boys exhaustedfrom their day's work. They'd been digging. That was our line of work, digging. Everyday, everyone had to dig a round hole in the ground-

"Fivefoot wide and five foot deep" Magnet explained in our tent. "Warden thinks that's the way to reform us."

"Probably a conspiracy theory to it," I retorted.

"Probably, but then, this whole camp is all fuzzy logic, isn't it?"

"Guessso."

"Heh. You won't be so casual tomorrow."

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

"CHaA!" said Zigzag, sitting up in bed, "I guess you ain't never dug a hole in your life."

"Well, I had to bury my cat last year."

"pfft," X-ray began to laugh. "You won't put that on your resume tomorrow."

"Yeah, you're gonna dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."

"I...I am?" I said, my voice crackeda bit.

"Of course."

"But it's okay, really," X-ray put in, "first hole is the hardest."

"Uh... uh-huh." I replied, quite unsure of myself, and I lay down. Tried to sleep, but failed miserably.

The next day, dig time commenced.

It was four in the morning when the blaring of Mr. Sir's trumpet woke us. The guys took charge and helped the girls wake up. We got some gross breakfast (reheated dinner from last night) and then we got our shovels, all before dawn. We went out to the lot and as the sun was rising, put the metal blades of the shovel into the clay which the authorities liked to call "dirt". I couldn't even get the stupid thing to penetrate the earth. I ended up screaming in frustration and kicking the ground like I might with someone's arse at times.

"It's done like THIS," Magnet came up and said.

"I'm assuming so, becasue I've just successfully mugged this patch of dirt and raped the shovel with my foot."

He grabbed my shovel and dug out a shovel-full of dirt. He took my hands and showed me where to place them, and how to push the shovel down.

"Be careful not to get too many blisters," he said with a laugh and went to work on his own hole.

I started on mine. Once I got past the layer of hard clay, about six inches down, the earth was softer and easier to dig. I was surprised. Which is not to say that the task was easy. It was anything but. I had blisters within two hours. It was so hot and dry out. I didn't know if I could take it anymore. Then, my salvation came. Actually, it was only the water truck, but close enough. Zig-Zag let Tink cut in front of him in line, Leena went in front of X ray. Magnet however, felt he had to challenge me to a wrestling match to be able to let me pass. Mr. Sir filled my canteen, and we got back to digging.

Hours later, I was surprised to find that I wasn't the last one done with their hole. Of course, it helped when Magnet helped me to dig for about twenty minutes and waited for me. I finished my hole and left to get back to camp, with Tink who had finished at the same time, cuz Ziggy had helped her dig. Such hospitable boys, indeed.

"First, hole's the hardest," she said. Then we went to get our towels. Geezus, I had never been so thankful to God for a shower. I was the last one to finish, foolishly trying to get all the dirt out of my hair. I heard shouts from outside.

"Jesus Christ, girl!" I heard Magnet. "Get the hell out already, we ain't gonna wait forever. This ain't girl scout camp. HURRY UP!"

I sniggered at his refernce to our lord protector Mr. Sir, but I finished up, wondering what would have resulted if Magnet decided to take matters into his own hands. Then I would rape him, probably. Friend or no friend, prison can bring out the sexual frustration in people very quickly. But, even though I sniggered at him, I still had to act like I was protesting.

Because that's just something I do.

"IN A MINUTE!" I screeched. Promptly, I came out in my rest clothes and went to the wreck room. After that, there was dinner sleep and the whole process started again the next morning. Shit.

It hadn't seemed so bad as a concept, but the reality is always an eternity harsher.