Chapter Three

The following morning, when the moon was still high in the sky, a siren rang throughout the camp. Michaela groaned groggily as the other girls began to wake up and get dressed. Sleepily, feeling as though she had only just fallen asleep seconds ago, she dragged herself from the cot and began to change, putting her jumpsuit on, and tying the top bit around her waist as she had a vest top on. Tying her hair up, pulling on her boots and grabbing her canteen she followed the other girls outside into the humid air.

"The first hole," Becky mumbled from beside her. "Here, you forgot your cap. You're gonna need it."

"Thanks," Michaela muttered back, putting it on.

"Hey," Squid said, appearing beside them. "Michaela, I'm just going to fill up my canteen, d'you want me to do yours?"

"Oh, yes please," Michaela replied gratefully, and he nodded, taking her canteen with him as he went.

"Right come and get it," shouted Mr Sir who had opened up a door labelled 'Library.' What was actually inside was a lot of shovels, and Michaela quickly joined the queue to grab one. When she got there she took two shovels; one for her and one for Squid.

Spotting him further back in the queue, she approached him. "Here ya go," she said, handing him a shovel and taking her canteen from him.

"Oh, thanks," he said, seeming a little surprised by her kindness. She shrugged and yawned.

Pendanski then approached her, with Becky by his side. "Ok, you'll be digging with D Tent, as you're having counselling with them, and if you find anything interesting then you are to report it to either me or Mr Sir. The Warden is very interested in the old lake bed."

"Got it."

"So if you'll all follow me, I'll show you where we're digging for the day."

Michaela and Becky shuffled forwards, following D Tent and Pendanski out to the barren wasteland. Bringing the group to a spot where the ground hadn't been disturbed, Pendanski left them to start digging. Michaela found a crack in the ground and began to dig. The only light came from the moon and the stars; the dirt swirled in the air as everybody began to dig.

A few minutes later, after Michaela had considerably woken up and had managed to dig out a fair pile of dirt already, X-Ray said playfully, "Oh well would you all look at that. The girl has my shovel."

Michaela looked up and was slightly relieved to see X-Ray, and now everybody else, looking straight at Becky.

"What?" she asked irritably; Michaela couldn't blame her confusion as all of the shovels looked identical.

"That shovel, the one you're holding, is mine," X-Ray repeated, as if he was talking to a three year old. He jumped up, and walked towards her, so that they were face to face.

"I don't see your name on it, idiot," Becky retorted, holding it defensively.

Michaela noticed X-Ray's surprised face; obviously he's not used to being spoken to like that. Even some of D Tent had sucked in a breath at Becky. "It's a smaller shovel. Smaller shovel, smaller hole."

Becky smiled. "Oh, well, lucky me."

X-Ray grabbed the top of it, whilst Becky kept a firm hold on the bottom. Magnet was leaning on his shovel, watching the scene unfold with great interest. Becky was definite competition for X-Ray. "Let go of my shovel."

"No."

Michaela huffed in irritation and continued digging. It was too early and too hot for this. The argument over the shovel played out for a couple of minutes afterwards until Pendanski came to see what all the shouting was about; Becky ended up keeping "X-Ray's" shovel.

A little while after the sun crept over the horizon, Pendanski returned with their breakfast, which consisted of lukewarm cereal and orange juice.

Michaela was staring at it, debating whether to eat it, when Squid sat down next to her. "You should eat that," he advised. "We don't get anything else 'till lunch."

Thinking wisely that'll she'll definitely need this food to carry on digging, Michaela ate and finished her cereal, and downed the refreshing glass of orange juice.

"How are ya doing?" Squid asked, leaning back against the dirt pile, covered in dirt and sweat.

"Alright, I think," Michaela answered truthfully. "Now I'm past the crust, the earth is looser and easier to dig."

Squid nodded to agree. "And your hands?" Reluctantly, Michaela held out her palms to show painful blisters. She winced at Squid taking a hold of them softly. "Sorry," he muttered.

Despite her pain and her aching body, she smiled at Squid caressing her hands and dropped them quickly as Pendanski told them to get back to digging.

They continued to dig until the sun was high in the sky, beating down and burning everything below. Wiping sweat from her brow, Michaela heard the water truck approaching. And she was glad; her canteen was empty.

This time, it was lunch, which was baloney sandwiches, potato chips and a large chocolate chip cookie. Dangling her legs over her hole, Michaela sat down to eat. Becky propped herself down next to her.

"This is hell on earth," she muttered, looking a little dazed, and trying to find the effort to chew her sandwiches.

"Have you seen Zero dig?" Michaela asked her, amazed. "How does the little dude do it? He's a lot smaller than the holes..."

Becky shrugged. "I have no idea, but I need to get some tips from him sooner rather than later."

"Good luck getting him to talk to you," Michaela sighed, taking a swig from her canteen of water.

"Bloody hell, is Barfbag alright?" Becky asked in concern. Michaela looked up and followed Becky's eyes. He looked exhausted, even more so than anybody else, and close to tears. She felt a pang of sadness for him.

She couldn't dwell on it for long; they were soon back to digging.

"Where do we use the bathroom around here?" Becky wondered aloud after lunch.

Magnet had heard her and grinned. "Pick a hole; any hole."

Becky grimaced before deciding to take the walk back to camp; Michaela joined her. However when they arrived back they were amazed to see Zero jump up with ease from his hole, measure it and spit in it.

"You're finished?" Michaela asked, stunned; he shrugged, heading back confidently to the camp, taking his shovel with him. "Hey, Squid?" He jumped up and joined her at her hole. "What's up with Zero?"

"From the very first day, he didn't speak to nobody," Squid told her, chewing on a toothpick. "He hasn't been here all that long and he's already good at digging."

"He must be the fastest digger in the whole camp," Michaela thought aloud, as she watched him walk away.

"Yeah, we think he's a mole, or a worm," Squid joked, making Michaela chuckle. "He must eat the dirt."

Zigzag, who was walking past, simply said, "Yeah...he's a weird dude."

Personally, Michaela thought that Zigzag, with his wide eyes and his wild blonde hair, couldn't pass judgment on somebody for being weird when she considered him so; raising her eyebrows at Squid, he smiled, shrugged and returned to his hole.

Later on in the day, the boys of D Tent began to finish their holes too. When Squid had finished his, he made his way over to Michaela. "When you're done, will you, you know, hang out with us in the Rec Room? I know the other girls don't go in there, but...you'll be safe—I mean, you'll be alright with us."

"Ok, I will," Michaela said, feeling quite happy he asked her; even though she can technically go in there whenever she likes, the fact that Squid specifically asked her made it even better.

"Cool," Squid said casually. "See ya in there."

Michaela was quite proud of finishing her hole along with some of the last ones still digging; that wasn't bad at all, particularly as it was her first hole and this was the hardest thing she had ever done.

Her body ached, her hands stung, and her head felt weary but nevertheless she was proud of her hole. Smiling to herself, she drew up any saliva she had left and spit into the hole, noticing that everybody else had done so. Becky herself was almost done so Michaela caught up with Magnet and Barfbag, who was returning to camp.

"Are you alright Barfbag?" Michaela asked worriedly.

"No," he grunted. "I can't take this anymore. I should have taken jail."

"Come on, you don't mean that," Michaela said hesitantly as Magnet gave her a look.

"I'll think of something to get myself out of this hell hole," he said defiantly, marching forwards towards the camp.

Michaela shot Magnet an alarmed look. "What is his problem? We've all got to endure this, not just him."

"I don't know man," Magnet replied wearily, wiping his forehead. "He's always been so depressed...even when they told us that girls were coming!" Michaela laughed at this, rolling her eyes playfully. She threw her shovel onto the ground with all the others. "Are you coming to the Rec Room later?"

"I sure am," she replied, yawning. "If I don't fall asleep in the shower."

As she made her way to her tent, where some of the other girls were on their cots already, Michaela grabbed her things to take to the shower. This shower needed to be quick; no matter how much she hurt or how much she felt tired, and she was even feeling slightly sick, she couldn't help but admit that she was looking forward to hanging out with the rest of D Tent in the Rec Room.

Oh who was she kidding? Hanging out with Squid.

Author's Note:

Thank you for reviewing Paranoixa, The Gummy Bears Are Coming and NinaVuelta93! :) and a big thank you to everybody else for following this story still, your support whilst I re-write this helps me out so much! Hopefully there will be some romance soon ;) watch this space!