Chapter 8: Dear Diary... Diary?

Dear Diary

This nightmare just keeps going! I’m actually considering going home! I feel like I’ve completely lost control of my life! I know I thought that before but now I realise how much freedom I had at home. Sure I don’t really like the course that my parents are making me study at uni but... I don’t mind it. I guess if there was something else I was actually passionate about they may have considered negotiation. Daddy would sort things out. This place though... I came here voluntarily and I feel I can’t leave. Not that I’ve tried, or that anyone has told us we can’t. It’s just the way the camp leaders look at us. It’s like we’re prisoners and their glance is a dare to try and escape them, to try and defy their orders. I feel like I voluntarily put myself in some kind of high security secret prison. The kind where no one on the outside ever comes in, so what goes on inside is never seen... the guards can get away with anything. Is that a bit rash; saying that after only one night? I guess I’m just emotional. I’m not having a good time. Jaclyn... She makes my blood boil. I’m glad I got a chance hit that bitch!

What’s with these rival groups I wonder... AND WHY DID I HAVE TO BE RIVALED WITH JACLYN?? Well tonight is the first rival activity. I have no idea what to expect. I hope it’s better than kite flying... flying those flimsy kites that we were meant to make. I also hope it doesn’t rely on good team work. Somehow I don’t see my group working together. It’s just not a good time for us. I have no idea what’s going on with Chloe, she’s so unpredictable. Her emotional personality seems to change daily. Dylan hasn’t really interacted enough for me to feel comfortable working with him. Plus, he seems to enjoy interacting more with our rivals. Traitor. What about Forrest? He’s in his own world it seems. Sometimes he interacts. Sometimes he’s completely ignorant of the current situation, or wandering off alone such as this morning... which was probably one of my only lucky breaks thus far on this journey. Would you call it a journey? That would mean I’m going to change right? I think I’ve changed enough; I’ve realised home wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. And again, it’s only been one night... is that long enough to have been on a journey? Well I’ll just call it a journey for now. Who knows what the future may hold.

Why do I do this? I feel compelled to keep an update of those three... Well since I’m here, I just can’t stop thinking about them. I feel a need to make this team work. But I can’t. Not with my guilt. Why did I do that? I can’t get the question out of my head. Was it instinct? To protect myself? There’s a thought that lingers quietly in the back of my mind... At the time, did he deserve it? No. It’s a silly thought. No one deserves that treatment. Only someone who would do that to me would deserve me doing that. One of those ‘kill or be killed situations’. But again, no, Forrest’s harmless. Well, at least from what I can remember; which isn’t much. I think I should say sorry. Right? Well, I guess I don’t have to. He doesn’t remember. Though if I did it might make me feel better. It might make this nightmare slightly more bearable. Or would it make things worse? I might... If I just find the right time. Maybe I could build up to it. I could slowly drop hints or something; make Forrest aware slowly, bit by bit. Then it wouldn’t be as much of a shock... He wouldn’t be so mad... But he won’t be okay with it. I know that. He shouldn’t be... Not unless he knew he deserved it... Stupid thought again. Why do I keep thinking that? I guess I found a loop hole to make myself feel less guilty.

I need to clear my head... I think I’ll go for a walk.

Dear Diary... Help? I can’t get you out right now so I just have to remember to write this later. If there’s a chance later... HELP! What’s going on? I don’t understand... What’s the counsellor doing here? What’s he doing with Forrest? What are they doing with me?

I thought in panic as two men dragged me away from the scene.

“FORREST!” I screamed again but with little hope left. I could no longer see him past the trees. The two men stopped and held me firmly. “What do you want? Let me go!!” The two men completely ignored me. They didn’t even look at me. Or at least I don’t think they looked at me. They just stood there with a creepy smirk on their faces. I continued to struggle against their grip. “Forrest! Help! Where are you?” There was no way I was going to escape from their firm grip on me. Nothing seemed to be happening so I calmed down a bit. There was nothing I could do anyway.

Dear Diary... I hope Forrest is okay. I don’t understand what’s going on. We were in the middle of a race, an organised group activity. Why would the counsellor meet us out here? Does anyone even know we’re missing from the race? I can’t escape these goons. They won’t talk to me. I don’t know what they want...

Suddenly I saw movement coming towards me. The counsellor appeared through the trees.

“Let me go! Tell them to let me go! What do you want? Where’s Forrest? Let me go!” The counsellor didn’t say anything. He just walked straight up to me and grinned. He reached out a hand and began to stroke my cheek. I immediately jerked away. “What do you want?” I growled through my teeth. He moved his hand down and with one quick movement reached down my top removing my diary. “HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!”

“Dear diary...” The counsellor grinned and took a few paces away from me. “Visiting Camp Woodlands was an exciting experience ten years ago.” He continued to read. That was a diary entry from a few days ago. “It’ll be interesting to see how things have changed.”

Is he being cynical?

“Also, an interesting idea, perhaps I could try and remember what happened back then.”

Why is he reading this to me? What does he want? Diary! Don’t leave me now! Ow..

I opened my eyes, surprised to be lying by a tree in the forest.

“What happened?” I groaned as I slowly sat up. Wait, something doesn’t feel right. “... WHERE’S MY DIARY!?” I frantically felt around my body and searched the ground around me. It must have fallen out when I fell of the motorbike... Wait, I don’t remember falling off the motorbike, what happened?“Where’s my diary, Forrest? You’re the only one who could have taken it, unless... Jaclyn.” I looked around for Forrest at that moment that I realised I didn’t know where he was.

“Finally, you’re awake. Let’s go.” Forrest was sitting casually on the motorbike by the tree.

“But my diary!” I debated and continued to scan the ground as I stood and kicked around the leaves and sticks on the ground.

“So you’re not even worried about falling off the bike and being unconscious?” Forrest asked with amusement. I looked up at him and remembered the race. He started the engine and began to rev it impatiently. I have to get back in the race, but... I have to find my diary. I have to!

“You go. I have to find my diary!”

“I can’t, stupid. The whole team has to be at the finish line. That includes you. Now come on, you probably didn’t have your diary with you.” Forrest complained and rode the bike up next to me. I looked around frantically and groaned.

“Fine!” I jumped on the back of the motorbike and Forrest rode us away.

Dear Diary. I’m so sorry I have to leave you. I will find you again one day.

Just as we rode back onto a proper thin path in the forest I heard someone call my name. I looked back, Chloe was behind us.

“Forrest, Chloe’s behind us.” I told him but he didn’t respond. I glanced back again. Chloe was calling to stop. That’s when I noticed something missing; Dylan. “Forrest stop! Chloe’s lost Dylan.” Forrest went just little further then slid to a fairly sudden stop.

“Thank goodness. I didn’t think anyone was coming for me.” That was Dylan’s voice. I looked around and spotted Dylan sitting against a tree. He had his t-shirt off and was holding it to his head. I blushed a little and looked back at Chloe who stopped next to us.

“Sorry Dylan. It turns out we all need to be at the end to win.” Chloe grumbled and then stared at him for a moment.

“Put your shirt back on. The girls aren’t going to win a race at this rate.” Forrest joked. “See you at the finish line.” He revved the engine and took off. I had to clutch his waist tightly to stop from falling off backwards at the sudden acceleration.

“Shouldn’t we have waited to make sure Dylan was okay?” I asked as we raced through the trees.

“He’s fine.” Forrest said bluntly and continued to speed through the trees dangerously. Soon the finish line came into sight. There were a few pairs back waiting for the second half of their group. I tightened my grip as I spotted Jaclyn and then grinned. Kari and Tyler weren’t back yet. We could still win this race. I looked back to see if I could see Chloe and Dylan. I did spot them, but I wasn’t happy. Kari and Tyler were in front of them and right on our tail.

“Our rivals are right behind us! Chloe and Dylan aren’t going to make it.” I shouted in Forrest’s ear. He mumbled something but didn’t seem to care. I guess there was nothing he could do anyway. We were in front. I glanced back again. Chloe had caught up to the rivals. Dylan and Tyler seemed to be smiling at each other but Chloe was giving some kind of death stare at someone at the finish line. Suddenly Forrest and I were through. We came to a halt and watched for the winners. Everyone at the finish line were calling and cheering; it was neck and neck. I guess the other groups weren’t taking it quite as seriously as we were. Just as the two bikes approached the finish line Kari edged ahead. Then something which shouldn’t have surprised me, but it still did happened. Chloe kicked the back of Kari’s bike! Kari swerved but was quick to steady and both bikes went through the finish line at the same time. The same time? A tie! How could we tie with our rivals?

I got off the motorbike and waited for Chloe and Dylan to join us. As she passed the rival group she gave a cheeky grin to one of the members. He just smiled in return and turned back to his group. I didn’t know that member of the rival group but obviously Chloe did. Then I noticed Dylan had taken the chance as Chloe had slowed down to jump off the bike. He was talking to the rivals!

I can’t believe this! Dylan is actually shaking hands with one of the rival guys. Does no one take this seriously? I’m so mad right now I could write a million pages in my diary... My diary! I’m sure I had my diary with me before... I have to go back and look for it tomorrow.

We waited in our group for a while. It was getting pretty late, but finally all the groups finished. Then we all had to gather so the leaders could announce the winning team and give out the prize.

“Congratulations on completing the first rival challenge. I’m certain you all had interesting experiences without too much trouble. Now to announce the winners; here is a small trophy which can be put on display in the winning team’s cabin and we have a plaque here which will be updated with the winners of each rival challenge.” The camp leader running the activity explained. Though I didn’t know how that was going to work. It was a tie. A draw. A stale mate.

“After a very exciting finish by the first two teams I’m sure you’re all wondering how this is going to work. Due to the tie we have come up with a tie breaker. The winning team was the team whose first pair arrived first. So I am happy to announce that the one and only winning team is Felix, Jaclyn, Kari and Tyler.”

“What!? That’s not fair!” Chloe burst out. Forrest held her back from rampaging the camp leader as the rival team moved forward to claim their prize. The rival team held up their trophy and plaque and all gave equally sly grins to my group.

Dear diary. I agree with Chloe. I thought angrily as I used all my self control just turn around and walk away. I didn’t care if the event wasn’t over. I was going to bed.