Chapter 7
Dig it
The next few day passed pretty uneventful. Stanley and Mandy were always together, Hannah and Zigzag's favorite hobby was to talk and hold hands. As for Katie and Twitch...Twitch felt that Katie was still kind-of distant, but they still talked and had even been caught by Hannah holding hands. One day while everyone was in the Mess Room, Squid jumped up on the couch and announced that he thought that the guys should all teach the girls "Dig It". So it was decided. Armpit started up the beat and soon everyone was singing along. Even Katie.
dig it up oh, oh dig it
dig it up oh oh oh
dig it up oh oh dig it
dig it up oh oh oh
After about three times thought, Twitch could tell Katie was tired of all the noise and people, so without even thinking, he grabbed her hand and pulled her outside.
"Thanks. That was...interesting, but after a few times..."
"Yeah, I know. Would you mind if we took a walk?" Twitch said rather nervously.
"No! That'd be great."
So hand in hand they started walking around the holes to nowhere in particular.
Katie looked up at the star filled sky in wonder. "You know, when I was little...I had this friend down the street (he shall remain nameless) who was so sweet. We were both about ten, and for my birthday, you know what he got me? It was a certificate!" Twitch looked confused, so Katie went on. "It said something like, Katie Sanders is now the proud owner of star number 381950293. And it showed you where that star was and all. Oh, gosh! I'm sorry. I've been boring you with all these childhood memories."
"No, really, I like to hear about them. The stories. So what star was it?"
Katie looked up. "I think it's that...one. Right there."
Twitch laughed. "That's cool enough. But has anyone ever given you a hole? See? Like, the first hole I ever dug. I dedicated it to my dad. He taught me how to hotwire cars." He grinned lopsided. "The last hole I ever dig will be dedicated to you. For all those birthdays I missed."
Katie pulled her hand out of Twitch's. "No...wait. This is all too fast. And too short! The bus is coming anytime. Plus...see...there's this guy back in Virginia, where I lived before I came here...and we were going out just before I took the last car..."
Twitch stopped her. "No. You wait. I sneaked into the office yesterday and saw Mr. Man's file on you, Hannah, and Mandy. Katie, ya'll aren't going back when the next bus comes. There isn't going to be another bus coming for us. It's really hard to explain here...but Mr. Man...he is planning on kidnapping us or something and taking us out of the country. I mean, I KNOW this all sound really crazy and like something out of a book, or movie, but I heard him making the plans."
Katie's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh. Twitch. What are we...all of us...what...why?"
"I don't know...I wish I did. But he's planning this in two days. I think, if we got everyone in E and D tents to "escape" we could go for help."
Katie looked over at Twitch. He seemed so brave, like someone else she knew and missed.
At the same time somewhere else under the stars, Mandy and Stanley were walking and talking. After a while, they sat down on the edge of a hole.
"So why did you buy this camp anyways?" Mandy look over at Stanley for his answer. "Well, you know...the dirt, the heat...I love it." He teased and then flashed his "see-I'm-teasing-you grin. "Mandy? What are you going to do when you get out?" Mandy hadn't expected that. "Well, since I'm a sophomore in collage...I guess finish up there." Stanley nodded. "Yeah, I'm a senior this year...but what about after that? Anything special?" Mandy laughed remembering all her far-fetched plans she had had, not a year before. How distant they all seemed now.
Hannah walked out onto the porch of the mess room and into the cool night air that seemed to surround her and give her wings. As she started walking back to her tent, Zigzag crept up behind her as quietly as he could. Waiting until thy came to some shadows, he then jumped out from behind her, making Hannah jump and even let out a little scream.
"I got you!" Hannah's heart was now going 50 miles an hour. "Wow...Zigzag! I'm...I'm still shaking!" Then seeing her chance as they passed a hole she turned and pushed him right into it. Poor guy. Zigzag came up laughing and unhurt. Soon, they were both laughing until their sides hurt.