Chapter XI: Bonds Forged in Shadows

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, the crackling campfire cast dancing shadows on our faces. We sat in a circle, huddled close to the warmth it provided, the scent of wood smoke mingling with the fresh forest air. Dwight's voice pierced through the quiet evening as he leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with purpose.

"Look we want answers, we clearly have to get them on our own." he said, his face folding into a frown. "I'm going to try sneak into the camp counselor's office tonight. There might be something worth learning about this place."

The little girl with her ever-present stuffed bunny, gave him a sideways glance. Her brow raised, chin up as if she didn't quite believe he was capable of actually doing it.

"I think she wants to join in." I translated for her, having learned to understand her facial expressions by now. "Then again, maybe she just thinks you're a dork and an idiot for even thinking about it in the first place."

Dwight seemed hesitant, a rare sight for him, but he was serious about this idea. He made a lot of 'in-the-spur-of the-moment' decisions, but he'd never actually broken into a superior's office. Except maybe that one time he 'borrowed' Mr. Mullens schedule and mixed it up so he'd think he had a week off work. But that was for a noble case then.

"I mean, we're not where we're supposed to be." He lowered his voice further. "Maybe we can find some ledgers where they keep record of the campers who come in and out every year. If we're not in it, then we confirm we're not supposed to be here."

I glanced over at Anabelle, who no doubt had caught wind of the conversation, but like us wanted to make it look like there was nothing of note we were talking about. The other campers seemed to be in their own little bubble anyway. She leaned against a tree, her arms crossed, a thoughtful expression on her face. Finally, she spoke up, her voice low but firm.

"Alright, I'll help you guys. But I'm not sticking around if we get caught," she warned, her eyes daring anyone to challenge her.

"No offense, but we didn't actually ask for your help." I shot, earning me a nasty glare. For a second there she looked hurt but she masked it with a subtle grin before she answered: "Good luck getting in on your own then."

And she pushed herself off the tree heading to another part of the campfire, to chat up the other campers.

The little girl looked thoughtful. She raised her hand excitedly as if she'd just gotten an idea. A lightbulb moment. She could speak, that much I knew from the infirmary, but for some reason, she chose not to.

"The door locks at 9." she whispered.

I wanted to ask how she knew this but we were short on time as it was. Campfires were at seven and if my mental clock was accurate, we'd been here about an hour or so. We didn't have time to iron out all the details.

Dwight and her would stay on guard and give a signal if any counsellors were coming back. I'd sneak in and check for any ledgers or anything at all that would help. We all shared a look, her stuffed bunny held close to her chest as if ready for anything. We knew the risks, but it was either this or we'd be stuck in this horrible camp forever.

As the night grew darker, we waited until everyone was listening to another one of Glasses' tall tales about the camp. We moved like shadows through the trees, our hearts pounding in our chests. We managed to dodge the few remaining counselors who were patrolling the grounds before we finally got to the office.

The counselor's office was an old cabin tucked away farther from the camp grounds than any other building, surrounded by tall trees. If that wasn't a red flag, I didn't know what was.

I cautiously approached the door to the camp counselor's office, the chipped paint flaking off and revealing years of neglect. I couldn't help but feel a cold shiver run down my spine as I twisted the tarnished doorknob. The creak that echoed through the forest only added to the eerie atmosphere that surrounded the office.

As I stepped inside, a musty smell overwhelmed my senses, as if the room had been untouched for decades. The dim lighting from a single flickering bulb did little to alleviate the darkness that permeated the space. The walls were adorned with faded photographs of previous campers, their youthful smiles now haunting reminders of the past.

I hesitated for a moment, my eyes scanning the room, searching for any sign of life. That's when I noticed it — a plethora of owl-themed furniture scattered haphazardly across the cramped office. A massive wooden desk stood against one wall, its surface covered in a thick layer of dust. Perched on top was a carved wooden owl, its eyes staring unblinkingly into the abyss. It looked like no one had been here for years...

The bookshelves lining the back wall were overflowing with owl-shaped knick-knacks. Miniature ceramic owls stood proudly, their beady eyes gleaming in the dim light, while an owl-themed clock ticked away, its rhythmic echoes filling the silence. The shelves also held an assortment of books, their spines cracked and faded, their titles hinting at a mysterious world of untold stories.

"Why are you really here?" someone spoke up making me nearly drop my book.

"Holy shit!" my hand went to my chest as I turned around to see Anabelle leaning on one of the shelves behind me. "How long have you been standing there?"

"I'm the one asking the questions here Rah." she pushed herself off the shelf. "Why are you here?"

"You know, if I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn't be searching this office, now would I?" I snapped. "Besides, you made it clear you weren't going to help us, so why should I give you any answers anyway?"

"Because I could walk out of here and alert the camp counsellors of what you're doing." she threatened.

"If you wanted to, you would've by now." I pointed out. "Now are you just going to stand there or are you actually going to help me?"

She gave me a once-over but caved, her arms dropping to her sides as she crossed the room in a few steps.

"Move over." she pushed me aside. "If you're looking for the ledgers, they're in the third drawer."

"So I take it you don't have many friends." Dwight said fiddling with his fingers as he watched the little girl play with her bunny. She shook her head, no. She had this innocence about her that reminded him of his little cousin. But there was something about her that made him only pity her even more. For one, he was sure there was a mistake because she was the only girl her age here. So she didn't have anyone to talk to or play with and he imagined it only made her feel the more alone.

"Do you want to see a trick?" he asked.

She gazed up at him with questioning eyes. Then he put two of his index fingers on each side of his nose and swapped them, without ever lifting one off. And at first she looked genuinely surprised at the trick, but after a while, she learned how to do it and it wasn't as amusing anymore.

"Do the girls treat you okay in the cabin?" he asked. He didn't know why he'd just asked that. He felt like he needed to. Like it was his...responsibility? He got a distinct ick from the word. Like the very idea of...responsibility sent a rash throughout his body. But sitting here with this girl, he felt like he was obligated to take care of her. It was so weird.

She shrugged. Shrugging was never a good sign. Maybe they bullied her but she didn't want to say. Or maybe they never spoke to her and ignored the fact that she was there in the first place. He didn't know which was worse.

She zipped open her bunny and scrummaged for something in the stuffing. She pulled out something and placed it on his palm.

"...A fountain pen?"

She nodded.

"...Pen...You're name's Pen? Like Penny?"

She nodded slowly.

"Okay Pen, I'm Dwight."

She rolled her eyes, tilting her head to one side, unsurprised.

"But I guess, you already knew that..."

He decided to make her laugh instead of reminding her of something she probably wanted to forget.

"Hey," he nudged her. "Wanna see another trick?"

And as they sat there, the silence wasn't so terrible any more. He'd make silly jokes or do some goofy antic and she would respond with a random object she pulled from her bunny. Unaware that they were being watched from a distance through the trees...