Chapter 10 Let's Go Into The Forest

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Kat awoke to a tapping sound at the window beside her. She peeked sleepily out of her blanket nest to see David. His eyes were asking permission to open the car door. She waved her hand in consent and brought it back into the warmth of her blankets.

"Goodmorning Katherine!" He sounded so...wide awake. Kat groaned.
"Mornin' David..." Her voice was muffled by the thick blanket.

"It's time to get up!" He said cheerfully. She decided then that he was the most annoying jailer she could have possibly been assigned to. Kat sat up and gave David a half alive look. He chuckled at her. "I'll give you fifteen minutes or so to get ready, but then we really have to get to work."

"What time is it?" Kat rubbed her eye looking around. Her hair was sticking up in all kinds of funny ways. It wasn't her fault though, she'd had to wash her hair with a bar of hand-soap the previous night.
"It's 5 am. I know I was technically supposed to wake you up at four, but I thought we'd go easy on you. It's only your second day after all!" He still leaning on the car door as he spoke, so he was letting in all the cold.
"Alright...Thanks..." Kat nodded and shooed him out with a glance. She pulled the black curtains over her windows and dug through her clothes cabinet. She pulled out a gray long sleeve shirt with a little pineapple patch on the chest and a pair of black shorts. She threw them onto the table before turning her attention to the pjs she was already wearing. Now that she was up and moving, the cravings set in. Once her shirt was off, she grabbed her arm and rubbed it trying to draw some sort of comfort. Under her thumb, just above the crook of her arm was a small scar. She could accept the six ugly scars on her abdomen but this one...this one she would never be okay with. She took a moment to be grateful that she never got sick because of her time in the seventh heaven motel. The doctors had checked her in every sort of way, much to her humiliation. The withdrawals were the worst she suffered in the months after her rescue. Physically, at least... She pulled on the gray shirt, not wanting to think about it anymore. After a few more minutes, she was fully dressed, and her hair was brushed. She stepped outside and looked around for David. When she didn't see him right away, she decided to head over to the mess-hall to get a water bottle for herself. David hadn't told her what kind of work she'd be doing today, so she pondered on that as she walked. When she passed the counselors cabin though she saw a small figure out of the corner of her eye. There was a kid crouched down beside the cabin. When she turned to look, she was trying to think of the appropriate way to respond. Scold the child and send them back to their tent? Alert David? Those thoughts came to a screeching halt though when there was no one there. She could have sworn she'd seen someone...She lingered for a moment before cautiously getting back on her way to the mess-hall.

"Oh hey! You got done quick!" David smiled at her when she opened the mess-hall door. He was talking to her through the window used to serve food. He pulled on a small backpack and walked back around into the dining room. "You ready?" He asked.
"What exactly am I going to be doing today?" She questioned. David's eyes widened when he realized he'd explained nothing.

"Well I can't think of any tasks that need to get done that the quartermaster isn't already doing for today..." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "So, I was thinking you could help me set up for adventure camp today?" He gave her a little smile. "It's easier than it seems, I promise." David sounded like he was trying to convince her to come with him. Like he wanted her to...Like she wasn't obligated to whatever tasks he needed around camp as per the terms of her parole anyway. If she could even call it that at this point... With David it felt more like being in rehab.

"Yeah, sure." Kat nodded. She was going to keep talking but was interrupted before she could even open her mouth.
"That's great! Come on! It'll be fun!" He pulled her outside by the arm. She felt a jolt of panic from the contact once again and quickly got herself loose, so she could just walk alongside him instead. She signed as she felt the tension leaving her.
"How does one set up for adventure camp?" She asked him after a few seconds. David picked up an electric lantern from where it sat on a tree stump.
"We have to...well...set an adventure up for the kids." David shrugged. "It can be anything really. A damsel in distress, a mystery, a treasure hunt..." David named off a couple examples before pausing. "I think a treasure hunt would be fun today!"
"What's the treasure going to be?" Kat grinned at his enthusiasm.
"I'm not sure..." David thought scratching his chin. The two of them stood in the dark silence for a while taking quick glances at each other every once in a while as if to check if the other was still thinking.
"I have a palm sized quartz in my van, maybe we could use that?" She suggested. David's brow furrowed in concern.
"Are you sure? You wouldn't be getting it back...Whoever finds it will get to keep it." He explained. Kat shook her head.
"I don't mind. It's not that important to me. It's just a rock." Kat admitted truthfully. David nodded.
"I think that's the best we're going to be able to do." He laughed a little. "The funding for this place isn't great, I'll admit."

Once Kat had gone to get the stone, she walked with David down a trail, so they could find a place to hide it. Kat had put it in a little velvet drawstring pouch for safe keeping. David was walking a few paces ahead of her. She looked around at the murky dark blue sky that seemed to be getting brighter and more yellow by the minute. She closed her eyes for a moment as they walked and listened to the chirping birds all talking to each other in singing voices. Just as she began to feel truly at peace, she ran right into David who had stopped walking unexpectedly.
"Oops! Are you okay?" David turned to her. She blushed with a frustrated look.

"Yeah." She shook her head. "Sorry." She apologized for running into him.

"It's my fault really. I just stopped to appreciate the view." He pointed between the trees at the lake. She leaned in to get a good look at what he was pointing at from his perspective. It was indeed rather nice. The first rays of sunshine were creeping over the mountainous horizon and were reflecting beautifully on the water. Though, something about the way he was always so...happy...so carefree...it almost didn't feel genuine. She shook off the thought as they started uphill.

"Where are we going?" Kat asked after another couple minutes of walking.

"There's this one specific tree that I think would be perfect." David explained. "It's just up ahead." He grinned at her. "You're going to love it!"

"A... tree?" She raised a brow with a slight chuckle.
"I know that may sound silly but just you wait! It really is something!" he didn't look back at her as he spoke. She was skeptical at first but once the tree came into sight she understood.
"Damn..." She gasped looking up at it. It massive compared to all of the ones surrounding it. Its base was covered in thick fuzzy moss all the way up to half of the tree's height which showed just how old it was. David giggled, ignoring her language. He held his hand out for the pouch. She handed to him not taking her eyes off the massive branches. He placed it so it was visible inside a knot of the tree.
"Now all that's left to do is plant clues here and there." David grinned pulling out a stack of sticky-notes and the bright pink highlighter she'd seen him with earlier. On their short hike back to camp David wrote cute little clues on each of the cards and hid them on trees, in bushes, and even one under a rock. David was worried that last one might be a little too difficult for the kids while Kat insisted that they'd be fine. After they were finished Kat stood near the flagpole and looked out over the lake as the sun rose. David had gone off to prepare a few other smaller activities. She could see him working on the outskirts of her vision the whole time. As he worked it dawned on her that he could have done all that himself. Besides the occasional suggestion on hiding places from her, she'd done literally nothing. Then it dawned on her that he more than likely HAD done this by himself...possibly countless times. She felt kinda bad now...She rubbed her arm uncomfortably.
"Hey David? Can I help with anything else?" She called. The pure joy on David's face almost made her laugh.