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Chapter 8
After Sophie had fetched a canteen from the kitchen and had filled it, she set across the desert with the rest of D tent. She picked a spot to start digging, slightly closer to the boys this time as she didn't feel nearly as wary about them as she did before.
"Oh and put some proper effort into it today," Squid said, huffily as he walked past Sophie with his shovel, "It took us ages to dig your hole as well, it was barely half a foot deep,"
"I can put as much effort into it as I want!" Sophie said grumpily, levering some dirt up.
"Whatever," Squid said, "Just coz you think your so special,"
"I do not," Sophie said indignity but Squid ignored her and just sauntered casually over to where he was supposed to dig, shovel slung over his shoulder.
Sophie watched after him, her eyes blazing angrily. He just really got on her nerves.
Sophie got her walkman out (she couldn't help but notice how the boys looked at her with envy written all over their faces as she did this) she put the headphones to her ears and inserted a CD. Blink 182 was the only thing to get her through the morning of digging.
When the sun came up it was like a million times worse. Sophie's throat was parched and she longed for more drink but she knew she had to ration the little water she had. The sun was beating mercilessly down onto the back of her neck. She felt sweat drip down her face and she felt dizzyingly sick.
How could my mum be so evil as to make me do this?
Sophie looked at her hole with frustration, wanting to desperately chuck her shovel down in submission and run all the way back to the cabin. It was a little over one foot, better than yesterday, she had tried a little harder. She tried to convince herself that it wasn't over what Squid had said though. She figured she'd be able to pretty much manage a 2 foot hole by lunchtime.
She looked up from her work and noticed Zero measuring his hole with his shovel. The boy got up and spat into it.
Don't tell me he's finished already? Sophie thought, How can such a little boy dig so fast?
She removed the headphones from her ears and called, "Hey Zero,"
Zero looked over his shoulder at her but continued walking.
"You done all ready?" Zero nodded curtly and carried on walking towards the camp compound.
Sophie sighed slightly at the boys ignorance. Why did she even bother making an effort with him. She had never heard him speak once.
I cannot tell you how relieved Sophie was when Mr Pendanski turned up at lunchtime. If her muscles didn't feel so sore she would have ran into the water truck. She was so pleased to get in the truck, away from the sun's evil glare.
Mr Pendanski got into the truck after her. He gave her a sandwich and Sophie accepted it, eating it hungrily.
After devouring the sandwich, Sophie took her hat off and fanned herself with it. She was truly exhausted and rather annoyed. How did her mum expect her to endure such a gruelling task? She now knew for sure that her mum was positively evil.
Mr Pendanski dropped her off outside the warden's cabin before driving off. Sophie ran up the steps and was about to open the door but realised it was locked.
She banged on the door, hoping that someone was in, she was longing to get inside so she could have a nice, cold can of diet pepsi or perhaps even an ice lolly…if there was any left in the freezer.
There was no answer.
Sophie yelled out in frustration. After all that and her mum was not even in! Sophie peered through the netted curtains trying to see if she could see if someone was inside but it was impossible to see through the thick, net material. She sighed in deeply, running a hand through her tangle of hair, where was she supposed to go now?
She couldn't stand outside the cabin for goodness knows how long, sweltering in the heat. She surveyed the camp compound for a couple of seconds. Wondering where she could go that would be safe and where she would have shade.
Her eyes lingered for a moment at D tent's tent. It would be shady in there. And besides, only Zero was in there and he never spoke anyway. She made her way towards the tent.
Zero looked at her with a slightly surprised expression as she entered.
"Don't worry Zero, I'm only coming in here coz the cabin's locked," Sophie said, sitting down on a cot, feeling relieved to get away from the suns rays.
Zero just looked at her for a few seconds, blankly, and then turned back to stare at the tent canvas.
What's so interesting about the tent canvas? Sophie thought, watching Zero for a while, Wouldn't that get boring just staring at that for ages, doing nothing.
Sophie leaned over to try and get better view of the part of the tent canvas Zero was looking at, wondering whether there was actually something interesting about it. She leaned a little too far and toppled off the side of the cot. She landed on the dusty floor with a dull thud. Sophie shot up, brushing herself down, her face flooding scarlet.
She noticed that Zero was sitting up too, looking at her with a slightly amused expression on his face.
"Don't tell anyone about that!" Sophie warned him as she sat back down on the cot. Then she realised he doesn't speak anyway so he probably wouldn't tell anyone.
"How come you dig so fast?" Sophie asked Zero, attempting to start a conversation with him or at least distract him and make him forget about the whole falling off the cot incident.
Zero shrugged, his brown eyes glued to the floor.
"If I were you I'd be well chuffed if I could dig that fast," Sophie said, still continuing the non- existent conversation, "You beat Squid, X ray, Ziggy and everyone,"
Zero gave Sophie a barely recognisable smile.
"It must be boring…just hanging in this tent all alone for ages, though," Sophie said, deciding to sit cross- legged on the cot.
There was silence for a couple of seconds while Sophie tried to think of something else she could say. Suddenly Sophie heard a small voice, "How come your mum makes you dig?"
Sophie looked at Zero, astonished. Omigod! I actually got him to talk! Sophie thought, trying to hide the smile of accomplishment she felt forming on her lips.
"I don't really know," Sophie sighed, "It's probably coz she's evil,"
Zero nodded slightly and was about to speak again when a loud commotion outside stopped him from doing so. X ray, Squid and Zigzag entered the tent, rather rowdily, considering you'd think they'd be exhausted from digging.
Sophie noticed that they all had their tops off, presumably just having had a shower judging by their sopping hair. Sophie gasped slightly, feeling rather embarrassed. It was lucky she didn't fall off of the cot again.
The three boys stared at Sophie for a couple of seconds in mild shock before Squid said, "Do you mind, your on my cot?"
Sophie leapt up and brushed herself down, yelping, "Ew! Ew!" just to totally piss Squid off.
Squid scowled and rolled his eyes at her.
Zigzag laughed slightly and said, "Aw…Sophie and Zero.."
Sophie shot him a dirty look, "What? What's that supposed to mean?"
Zigzag looked at her as though it was obvious, "Well…you know."
"No I don't!" Sophie said, frowning at them, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable to be in the tent with them, "I'm going..."
She shoved past them and marched out of the tent.
She was relieved to find that the cabin door was open, finally.
She entered the cabin and noticed that the warden was sitting on the couch, indulged in painting her nails a deep, red colour.
"Where were you at lunchtime today? I came back here but the cabin was locked?" Sophie demanded as her mum looked up at her.
"Oh, I was busy…business stuff," the warden said, blowing on her nails to make them dry quicker.
Sophie rolled her eyes and made her way over to the fridge to get herself a can of Diet Pepsi.
"Good work today Sophie," the warden said, casually, "Getting Zero to talk to you,"
Sophie looked up at her mum and gasped, "How the hell do you know that!" before she could stop herself.
"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice, Sophie, how many times do I have to tell you?" the warden said, completely changing the subject, "You don't want me to get annoyed with you again tonight, it's your birthday tomorrow, you don't want me annoyed at you on your birthday,"
Sophie looked at the warden, shocked, for a couple of seconds and then glanced at the calendar on the wall.
True, it was her birthday tomorrow. She couldn't believe that she had actually forgotten about it. You really lose concept of time and day in this place, Sophie thought, I don't really want to be here for my birthday. I want to be back home with my Aunt and Uncle…
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