CHAPTER FOUR

“My name is Rachel Adkins,” Rachel begins, her long red hair tied up in a high ponytail. She’s wearing the counselor t-shirt which, along with her jeans, is clinging to her frame, enough so that most of the boys are practically drooling.

It makes sense because she’s around our age while the other counselors are much older.

“I’m an Assistant Counselor and like some of you, I’ve just recently rejoined Mistfall Wilderness Camp! Since we’re all so close in age, you can call me Rachel.” Her voice is cheerful and sweet, and I can see some of the students begin to relax as she continues, “I’ll be taking the endurance classes. I would like to know a little bit about-“

Immediately, Abigail’s hand shoots up and Rachel’s gaze rests on her. “Yes?”

Abigail puffs up her chest, inflated with some strange self-confidence. “My name is Abigail Warner.”

Rachel blinks, “Ah, okay.”

When Abigail doesn’t get the response she so clearly desired – whatever it may have been – she continues, “I thought we were doing self-introductions.”

“No, we’re not,” Rachel smiles but I wonder if it’s just me who sees the hint of coolness in her eyes. “I’ve already studied all your profiles before coming here and since this is going to be the only class I teach you Level Ones, I already know all of you.”

Her eyes land on me and this time her smile is deeper. However, the look in her eyes makes me shudder.

I have a really bad feeling about this.

Suddenly Rachel claps her hands, startling me. “So my understanding is that most of you have recently tasted your first transformation.”

I can feel somebody’s eyes digging into the side of my head and when I turn my head, I see Anderson glaring daggers at me.

I just scoff and look away.

It’s been like this ever since we had our first class together as Level Ones. He seems to have taken it personally that I’m now a Level One. As if the very fact that we now stand on equal footing is an insult to him.

I turn my attention back towards Rachel as she says, “So far, your physical lessons have allowed you to get slightly used to your new strengths. This week is going to kickstart your real classes. I’ll be teaching you endurance. The catch though, is that you’re not allowed to access your abilities.”

Well, to be fair, none of us know how to access any of our abilities. They’re keyed into our emotions. But we’ve been learning how to manage them and stop sudden explosions from happening.

“You have to control your emotions. When you go back to the outside world, you will have to be vigilant of how you feel and how far you are pushed. If you crack and humans see who and what you are, the consequences will have a ripple effect across every single being who is different, like you and me. So, this caution is not just to protect yourself but to protect the whole community.”

Even I can understand what she’s saying. The gravity of her words is absorbed by everyone in the clearing.

Then Rachel smiles, “So, for the first exercise, I don’t want to overwhelm you so we’re going to have a simple game of tug of war. Follow me.”

As we trail after her, I have to admit that out of all the counselors we’ve had, she’s the nicest. I glance at Abigail who has a sullen look on her face.

“She seems nice, doesn’t she?” Beth murmurs.

“Yeah,” I respond.

Maybe I was mistaken. It could just have been jealousy making me wary of her.

Rachel is taking us deeper into the forest and for some reason, the air starts becoming humid and the ground, wet.

“Did it rain?” I mutter, making a face when my shoes squelch in the wet mud.

“I don’t know,” Beth looks equally confused. “Look over there. It’s dry there. Why is it wet here?”

Almost as if Rachel has heard the question, her voice soars over to us. “The islands are not as simple as you think they are. The only island relatively normal is the Level Zero island. The rest are quite dangerous. You can walk directly from burning rays of the sun into rain and yet the sun is out on the other side. The forests in particular are more dangerous. As you advance to each island, you will notice that the level of danger increases. Which is why we don’t recommend students running around.”

I suddenly remember my first day on this island when Anderson had pushed my hand into a stream full of vicious piranhas. I’d almost forgotten that memory after everything that happened. But as it comes back, I shudder.

“Alright,” Rachel claps her hands once again. “Here we are.”

‘Here’ is a large swamp and I gape at the place. Is it even possible for a swamp to exist in a place like this?

I’ve barely processed the existence of the swamp when Rachel points towards what looks like a large mud pit. There is a plank of wood on it.

“The activity is simple,” Rachel explains. “I will divide you into two teams. You will each come forward and take a piece of folded paper from me. When you open the paper, there will be a drop of color on it, either red or blue. If you are blue, you will come and stand to my right and if you are red, you will stand to my left. Is that much clear?”

It all seems pretty straightforward to me.

“However,” her lips curve, “you will not be showing your paper to each other. The reason is that some of you will receive a special paper. Within your drop of color will be written the name of the opposing team. You will be the traitors and your real team will be the name written inside the color. So don’t show anybody.”

She holds up a bag and all of us gather around.

However, once we all get our papers, she comes up to a few people on my team and swaps their papers for others. It doesn’t make sense, but I ignore it, passing it off as part of the game.

The rest of the rules are pretty simple as we get on the wooden plank, Beth and Anderson facing me as part of the other team. Abigail is on my team.

The plank is sturdy but it’s thin, so it’s hard to focus on not falling and on pulling the rope. To my frustration, however, nobody on my team seems to be really trying. My arms are beginning to ache from pulling the rope and while normally I would give up easily, I can feel Rachel’s eyes on me and I don’t want her to see me fail.

“Pull harder!” I hiss at Abigail who’s in front of me.

“I’m trying!” she spits back but I can see how loosely her hands are curled around the rope.

She must be a traitor!

“I would like to remind you all,” Rachel begins, her eyes fixed on me, “that you have ten minutes left for the lesson to end and lunch time to begin. If any of you falls into the mud, you are not allowed to wash it off.”

I see a glimmer of maliciousness in her eyes as she holds my gaze. “I hope you know how humiliating it will be to sit in the mess covered in mud. So don’t slack off.”

Lunch is the only time I’ll be able to see Jesse!

I don’t want to be covered in mud for that!

He barely sees me as it is and the last thing I want is for him to remember me drenched in stinking wet mud.

My jaw tightens.

“That seems like something you definitely wouldn’t want. Am I right, Taylor?”

My head whips in Rachel’s direction at the taunting note in her voice.

My eyes narrow.

She’s smirking as she looks at me.

“Abigail!” I snarl, “will you try and put some effort?!”

Abigail ignores me.

I look over my shoulder and shock fills me. Nobody on my team is trying.

They all must be traitors!

Wait, so does this mean that I’m carrying the entire team?

I recall how Rachel swapped out the papers of nearly everyone on my team. She didn’t do that with the other team. It was just with the team I was on. And she had seemed far too pleased as she did so. A sickening realization hits me.

This was deliberate!

Rachel wants me to fail! That’s why she set me up!

Anger courses through me as I keep trying to pull the rope but I’m fighting alone against the opposing team, nearly all of whom are pulling the rope. At this rate, I’ll fall face down into the pit of mud!

Anxiety and frustration consume me.

I have to win!

I don’t want to let Rachel succeed in humiliating me!

I throw a glance at her, and it infuriates me when I see her hand flitting over her mouth, as she hides her smile. Her eyes, though, have no warmth in them, just maliciousness.

I don’t know how she knew to swap the papers of my team but whatever this is, it was definitely planned.

“You’re slipping, Taylor,” Rachel calls out. “Maybe if you paid more attention to your classes than trying to sneak around with boys, you might be able to perform on the same level as your peers.”

I can feel my face turn a bright red in humiliation at her words.

Did she just imply what I think she did?!

The jeers from the people around me drive me to anger. Only Beth looks upset for me and to her credit, she actually opens her mouth, “Th-That’s not –“

Despite my growing anger, I refuse to let Beth be put in a situation where she will become Rachel’s next target.

I yank at the rope, shaking my head at Beth.

I can see her pale face as everyone involved in the activity snickers. Anderson is sneering at me and I narrow my eyes at him.

“It’s funny you would say that, Rachel,” my voice is hard, “considering this is your first day here.” I’m a little out of breath as I try to keep pulling the rope. “Since this is our first meeting, I can only assume you try to target all your female students this way. Or am I special?”

I see Rachel’s smile disappear in an instant and cold hard satisfaction forms in my gut.

Didn’t think I would answer back, did you?

“You’re right,” she suddenly says. “I saw a student out last night when I arrived so I must have mistaken her for you. But then I’m really tired from my trip and then catching up with an old friend, the whole night. I hope you didn’t get hurt by my …”

I’m not listening to her any longer, as the shock of her words are like a physical punch.

The whole night?

Jesse and her?

This time the hurt and the anger form an ugly combination and I can feel my body coursing with a familiar burning energy. This time when I yank the rope, I hear startled cries as the other team is suddenly pulled towards us with a speed that startles everyone.

Almost instantly, the mud pit is filled with groaning students. Fortunately, I land on top of the pile of students. The shock of what I’ve done makes my emotions cool down almost instantly but when I glance at Rachel, there is a thoughtful gleam in her eyes.

Did she do this on purpose? Did she orchestrate this whole thing to see me react like this?