The morning walk was not any better. For once, Kai didn’t have anyone that they didn’t know with them while walking. So, all they had to do was listen to more boring lectures and look at the scenery. 

Which led them to notice things about the camp they never had before. Or things that had never been there before. For one, they noticed that there were more plants in the thicket of the forest, and the mist that shrouded them had never been there before. Had it? 

For some reason, the trees were eerier- leaning over them in an ominous way. The leafy canopy they were by now used to hold more shadows. Then again, all this might have something do to with the fact that Kai was now 16. Only one more year to go. Their parents had said that they would be able to leave at 17! And Kai couldn’t wait to get away. 

A face peeked out from the darkness. Kai hurried up their steps. 

 

Lunch. 

Everyone had lunch together. A time to meet and talk. When Kai sat in their usual seat, they saw Raelynn strolling over to the table idly, a short girl with auburn hair in a pixie cut following after her. 

“Who’s the newbie?” Kai asked slowly, opening up the package containing a soggy chicken sandwich. They could tell that this kid was new by the way their hair was so short, and how wide and sparkly their eyes were. Every other kid here had such dull lifeless eyes… 

Raelynn plopped down and started devouring her lunch, “Becca. New Here.” She said between bites. 

Kai smiled at Becca, even though it was admittedly a little fake. “The names Kylie,” Kai offered a hand, “But I’m non-binary and go by Kai and they/them.” 

Becca nodded but glanced around worriedly, and Kai knew instantly what was going through her mind. “Most of the consolers don’t really care,” Kai said, shrugging, “The ones you’ve got to watch out for are King, he’s the owner of this camp and Stark. He’s the big buff guy who is usually in the corner scowling. He’s the one who won’t hesitate to punish you. Harshly.” 

Becca nodded, wide-eyed. “o-O-Ok…” She whispered. “N-Nice to meet you, Kai.” 

“Nice to meet ya too, kid,” Kai leaned over and ruffled Becca's hair. “You’re one of us now.”

Becca had a wary smile on her face, as if not sure if she should be glad that she had been taken under Kai and Raelynn’s wing, or worried about the future in this camp. But Kai decided to interrupt her thoughts, “So, what did you do to land yourself in here?” Kai asked, calmly eating some green beans that were probably somewhat moldy.

“Nothing really- I just came out to my parents as aro-ace. They freaked out. Crying about how they broke me and they’re never going to have kids if they don’t fix me… the usual.”

Kai hummed in acknowledgment. But Becca continued, “And that isn’t all! I came out first like 2 years ago, and my mom just tsked and said it was a phase- but then I did it again and… now I’m here.” 

Raelynn looked surprised, “How old are you?”

“14!” Becca slowly started eating her own food. 

“You knew you were aro-ace since 12?” Kai was honestly surprised. Most 12-year-olds are too busy trying to fit in and making dirty jokes to notice that they are actually asexual or even aromantic. 

Becca shrugged, “I guess I’ve just always thought I was aro or ace, I’ve never really felt attached to anyone in more than just a friendly way, to be honest.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Raelynn slung an arm around Becca’s shoulders- before remembering the rule about ‘no physical contact’ and jumping away. “You’re here now! And all you have to do is survive!!”

Becca seemed shaken up for the rest of lunch as she ate her soggy sandwich and green beans. 

 

“What do you have next?” Raelynn asked Kai and Becca. 

Kai smiled at this, “Art. The only good thing in this camp.”

“What about me?” Raelynn asked, pretending to be offended. “Anyway, I have an afternoon walk. It’s so boring.” 

Becca had a small smile on her face, “I have art. I’m not much good, but I enjoy it.”

“I’ll teach you some tricks!” Kai laughed. “Really- Art would be okay if we would do more than paint classic paintings that look terrible.”

Raelynn sighed, “Well. I gotta go. I hope King isn’t in charge of the walks today…” 

Kai placed a hand on Raelynns shoulder and smiled, “He’s not. Don’t worry. It’s Cherri actually.”

Raelynnn adopted a small smile, “Maybe I won’t get threats for the room then. Right?”

Becca’s eyebrows furrowed, “The room? What’s that?” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Kai waved their hand while glancing around worriedly, “You’ll know what it is as soon as you're thrown into it. 

“What!?” Becca squeaked, running after Kai. 

 

Art was calming- or at least the most calming thing in the camp. They weren’t allowed to paint rainbows, for obvious reasons. And mostly dark murky colors that got on Kai’s nerves. Kai liked dark colors, but when the entire painting was dark greys and disgusting blacks and greens and browns. 

They took a seat at one of the tables, telling Becca to sit in the seat across from them. “So they don’t get suspicious,” Is what they hissed in response to Becca’s inquiry. By ‘they’ Kai meant the consolers and King. For there were more consolers than usual in the art room.

It was only a few minutes until Kai was called out of the Art room. 

They stood tall in front of the consoler, they hadn’t seen this man before, so they didn’t know what he might do. “Yes?” They asked, hands behind their back, longing to go back into the Art Room with Becca.

“You are Kylie, yes?”

“Yes sir.” 

“Do you know why I’ve called you out here?” He asked, he had a clipboard in one hand and was tapping a pen against it with the other. 

“No sir.” 

He raised an eyebrow, “You have been here for a year, yes?” 

“Yes,” Kai was starting to get annoyed 

“You’re 16?”

Stop asking questions you already know the answer to.

“Yes.”

“Come with me.” 

Kai shivered involuntarily but followed the man nonetheless. They strolled through camp, Kai warily looking around, trying to guess where they were going. Past the main office- so not into there. Maybe to the church? That’s where King would be anyway. 

The further they went into the camp, the more anxiety rose in Kai’s chest. They felt as if they were going to be sick. The dark forest path they rarely used was getting closer and closer. Kai had only been there once. They gulped the room. 

 

“What are you doing!!” Kai stood at the edge of the path, not wanting to run in case that inspired more punishment. 

The man’s eyes darkened, “Come with me, Kylie.” His voice was deep and soothing- but it was fake. 

“Tell me where we’re going!” Kai yelled back, “Or I’m not moving!” 

The man’s scowl deepened, and he strutted over to them and grabbed their arm. “Come ON!” He jerked them forward, making Kai stumble and fall onto the rocky path. They crawled a few steps ahead in horror.

“Stop it! What did I do??!?” They scurried back as the man continued to advance toward them. He grabbed their arm again, pulling them to their feet and dragging them through the path, Kai kicking and screaming the entire way, until their head hit a sharp rock and went black. 

 

The door was locked, of course, it was. It was the room anyway. Kai slumped back onto the concrete slab that was supposed to be a bed. They had only been in this room once before- when they had accidentally slept through prayer, and that was a minor crime. But they didn’t even know what they had done this time. 

The door opened. King stepped in. “Kylie.” His voice was smooth as he stepped over to the wall and idly picked up one of the many blades mounted on the wall. 

“Come here, little girl,” He stood, towering above them as Kai stood and walked over to King, head bowed. 

“Do you know what you did?” He asked, slipping a hand under their chin to lift their face up to look at him. 

Kai gritted their teeth, “No. As far as I know-” King silenced them with a sharp slap to the face. One word is enough. Oh yes, Kai definitely remembered that. 

“You have been flirting with other campers doing their best to heal and repent for their sins,” King said letting the blade drift cooly down their face. 

“What- No!” Kai stepped back, before realizing their mistake very quickly. King had driven the blade into their arm- not deep, maybe a half an inch, it would only require stitches. Kai gasped, their breath coming in shocked gasps. 

 

“There,” King hissed, wiping the blood off of the blade. “Are you willing to listen to me now?”

Kai nodded, unable to speak and they held their heavily bleeding arm. 

King looked down at them with distaste before mumbling something about bandages into a walkie-talkie and turning back to Kai. “Like I said. You have been becoming too close to others…. Sodomites. If this continues, I am afraid we will have to put you in isolation. Do you understand?”

Kai nodded again, but apparently, that wasn’t enough. 

“SPEAK!” Roared King.

“Y-yes sir,” Their voice quavered with terror as they collapsed back onto the ‘bed’. 

King retracted slightly, “Good.” His voice sounded satisfied. “There will be bandages shortly.” 

He turned and swept out of the room, locking the iron door behind him. 

Kai fell to the floor, clutching their arm and taking shaky breaths. The cut wasn’t that deep, but their entire arm started to numb as Kai pressed their shirt to it. 

True to King’s word, medics arrived swiftly, bandaging Kai’s arm up and leaving a few blankets. Kai would be spending the night in the room. 

 

As they bundled up, trying to get the most warmth out of the paper-thin blankets, they felt sparks of warmth run down their spine, goading them into standing and shedding the blankets. Kai stood and gazed around the dark room, seeing a small ghostly smile appear randomly in the corner of their eye. The room was made to confuse and hurt people. Drive them crazy. They saw random mirrors attached to the corners of the wall, and in the mirrors, they saw the shimmering outlines of people. Young people, from ages 13 to 18. Kai turned quickly, seeing the shimmering form through the mirror. And sure enough- there was a… ghost? It was a young girl, probably one of the youngest ghosts there. With dark silver hair flowing freely down her back, and her dead yet sparkling eyes, she looked 13. The ghost stepped forward. “Another?” She asked Kai. 

“Another?” Kai repeated, but their tone was a lot more skeptical. “What do you mean oh figment of my imagination?” 

The girl cracked a small smile at Kai’s joke. “Another destined to end their life in this dismal place.” 

Kai snorted at this, “Destined to die? Oh no. I couldn’t be. Why- I haven’t done a thing!” 

The girl merely raised her eyebrow, “Well, how else would you be able to see the spirits?” 

“I dunno. You just appeared,” Kai shrugged, “Hey- can you help me get out by any chance? And- what’s your name?”

The girl crossed her arms, “Elise. I know you’re Kylie.” 

“Kai. That’s my preferred name,” Kai sat back on the bed.

“Too bad you’re going to die, Kai,” Elise said, “You see like an okay person.”

Kai held up a hand in a ‘just stop’ motion, “Hold up, I am NOT going to die.”

“Aww,” Elise cooed, “You still believe that! Well, This Room has special properties. Anyone in this room for more than 3 hours has a tendency to die pretty quickly. How else would you be able to see me?” 

“Oh, I don’t know! Maybe I’m just crazy!” Kai started pacing back and forth. 

Elise tsked and called to the wall, “Why don’t y’all just come out? She ain’t being convinced!”

Murmurs surrounded Kai as more shimmering people surrounded them. Ghosts. Kai was going to die. Weren’t they?