At Camp

Did ya hear something?

Nah.

Are you sure? I could have sworn I heard something rumbling.

I think you need sleep, my friend. You’ve been up all night guarding our little compound and must be super tired. I’m pretty sure it’s that it’s  just that your mind’s all mixed up right now.

I guess...

You don’t seem too sure. You really think you heard something?

Yeah, I do. I wouldn’t have told you unless I did. I was expecting you to be more open to what I had to say instead of just dismissing it.

Here’s the thing though: I’m not dismissing what you have to say. I’m just pointing out that when people are tired, their minds don’t always think straight. It’s possible, then, that your mind might have made up a noise in your head and that that’s what you heard.

Still sounds like you’re trying to deny what I’m saying...

(He yawns)

Look, man, I’m not denying anything. I just think you should get some sleep so you can recharge. I’ll be on watch duty while you sleep, so ya don’t have to worry about me.

Yeah, you’re right. I probably should go and get some sleep. I am pretty tired.

There you go, man. Just get some sleep and you’ll see that noise wasn’t ever a thing in the first place. After all, what could possibly go wrong for us here in these woods?

You just had to say that line, didn’t ya? Way to tempt fate to hit us back...also, you just said why we should be worried. We’re in the middle of a fucking forest with a bunch of people who we barely know and you’re acting like everything’s all hunky-dory.

You know man, you’re right. I shouldn’t have said that. And I’m sorry for disregarding what you had to say. I shouldn’t have done that.

Thanks, bro. I’m just happy you’re recognizing that something did happen.

Eh...I’m not saying something did happen. I still think that noise you’re saying happened didn’t happen, but I accept that there’s a chance it might have happened. I’m just apologizing for disregarding what ya have to say.

Well, I guess that’s something...

(Off in the distance, a voice bellows: “THOMPSON, YOU’RE UP!”)

Alright, I’ve gotta go now and do my watch duty. Promise me you’ll get some rest?

Yeah, I will.

Thanks.

(He rushes off)

Well, I’m still sure I heard something. It felt real, and I’m not gonna let that go. I can’t. Not when it could possibly be an intruder or an animal that could pose a threat to us.

My brother....he’s still not fully adjusted to this new way of life...this whole way of life where you have to constantly be on guard for anything since anything might kill ya in these woods...he’s still not really in the right frame of mind for it.

I don’t want him to lose his innocence; I really don’t. But I think it’ll be what’s best for him. ‘Cause if not, he’s gonna get killed. I’ve already seen my parents get killed, and though he doesn’t yet know, he’s gonna find out at some point, and when he does....let’s just say that it won’t be pretty...

But anywho, I should probably go and take a shower. Being on watch duty’s hard work.

(He goes into a small building. Inside, there’s several showers with curtains. A bar of soap, which has been slimmed down due to heavy use, is there, alongside a small bottle of shampoo. Placing a towel in a dry corner of the shower, he hops in and takes a quick shower. After the shower’s done, he puts on a tank top, a pair of underwear, a pair of shorts, and some flip-flops. He then steps out of the building.)

Alright. Took my shower. I could use a smoke now but I don’t have one on me at the moment, so I’ll probably bum one off someone else.

(He walks to a section of the compound where a handful of people, mostly men, are seated. The section, which looks out into the lake, has a handful of people there smoking.)

Hey, Gary!

(Gary sits in a corner, smoking a cigarette)

Yeah, Mike?

Ya happen to have a cig you could spare?

Sure, man. Here ya go.

(Gary gives the cigarette to Michael and lights it up for him. The two then start to chat.)

I just had this weird encounter with my brother. I told him I heard something but he doesn’t believe me! And furthermore, he seems to think everything’s all hunky-dory...

(Matt takes a drag off the cigarette)

Yeah, man. Some folks are like that when they first come in. Not me. I was deployed in the Marines before all this shit went down, so I guess you could say that this life was something I already knew how to live in.

(Gary also takes a drag off his cigarette)

So, let me guess, they drilled in Semper Fi and all that kinda shit into you guys?

Yeah, basically. Along with a whole bunch of training and deployments, but yeah.

(Matt takes another drag)

I notice that you came alone. You ever have a girlfriend or a wife, dude?

(Gary looks slightly sheepish before responding)

Yeah, man. Yeah. But it’s not something I want to talk about. No offense.

(Gary takes a drag off his cigarette)

I get it. Sorry to pry.

It’s fine.

(After that moment, the two men stayed silent a while, simply smoking their cigarettes for a while. Ultimately, both of them finished their cigarettes.)

Well, I’m gonna go to sleep.

In the morning?

Yeah. I do watch duty during the night and my brother does watch duty during the day.

Ah. That makes sense. I’m gonna head over to where the militia is. They need all the men they can get, so an ex-Marine like me is very useful for them..

Makes sense. Good luck.

Thanks, man. Same to you.

(Matt goes to his tent. Upon zipping the tent door shut, he strips himself down to just his pair of underwear.)

Man, living like this is weird. If you were to tell me two years ago that I’d be living like this, I’d’ve thought you were saying something out of the pages of a video game or a comic series. I’d never have guessed that I’d actually be living like this. Really, it’s kinda remarkable. But I can’t stay up thinking about that. I need my rest, so good night, or good morning to me.

(Matt falls asleep.)