Sixty-Two ? Phan

Five

I stood up, tray in hands. "I'm going to go find Phil."

I felt their stares on my back as I left. I wondered, if I ever did stick up for Phil, would I also get the looks? The ones they gave him both when he was and wasn't looking. The ones that screamed you don't belong here.

I dumped my trash and walked out the door. Warm, bright light enveloped me from all sides and I looked around. A few people scattered the grounds, unlike the last times I had left the main hall, talking with their friends and counselors. The end of breakfast was nearing and I had no idea where to even begin looking for Phil.

My feet first took me to our cabin. As expected, it was empty, side from all our belongings. Then, I checked the bathroom, and even circled the campsite narrowly. No sign of him.

Slightly delfated, I returned to the main hall, which was nearly empty by that point, standing beside the table and leaning my hip into it.

"No luck?" James asked. I shook my head.

They stood and stretched, empty
handed. Must have tossed their trays while I was out.

Chris gave his neck a twist to get out the knots. "Better this way."

They both nodded in response, but I bit my tongue.

The four of us left the hall, back into the sun, in a line behind James like little baby ducklings. Quack, quack, waddle, waddle. Into the forest. Shadows cascaded softly, grazing the grass and dirt on the ground. As we furthered under the trees, of which were nothing but canopies of green splotches, the chatter of camp life slowly faded into buzzing, natural silence.

"Not as exciting as something I could plan, but I guess it's pretty," Chris murmured.

"Where are we going?" Peej asked.

James shrugged. "Just following the path. Feel free to wander and look around."

I took this opportunity to slow my pace, having gotten a little out of breath. I was not what most would call in shape, theoretically speaking. Soft tick-tocky sounds of bugs buzzed from the bushes, and I stopped to look at a clump of flowers. I ran my fingertips across the petals lightly.

Just then, there was quiet crunch somewhere close by. Vague, light, nothing but an ambiguous whisper.

I looked up, scanning around in front of me and behind trunks for the source. At first, when I saw nothing, I thought it was just the wind. Then it came and went again, a minor chord of sound. Crack, crunch. I stood, now sure there was something more to it.

James and the others were walking still, talking about something I couldn't hear from the distance I'd gained between us already. I heard a collective laugh, then looked back to the trees, standing up straight. I gave a final glance in their direction before stepping over the flower bush and towards the sound.

I tried to listen as best as I could, the continuous crunching getting louder. Every couple seconds, crunch, crunch, crack. Eventually, or quick enough, at least, I saw a clearing, widened out by a dirt underfoot. The source of the sound came into vision soon afterward, and I was so surprised that all I did was stand there. Slack jawed and wordless.

A short minute of my resolute silence passed and he spoke up.

"There's no point in hiding. I know you're there."

I stumbled back a step, then forward again. Phil glanced back at me from where he sat, legs criss-crossed at the far end of the clearing, back faced my way. There was a pile of broken twigs by his side.

I went to say something, to maybe question his presence amidst dozens of snapped branches in the forest. But I found my mouth arid, no response able to work its way out into proper language.

Crunch. Phil cracked another twig before standing. He brushed off his dirty jeans and then turned, walking towards me.

I found my voice at once. "You can't."

Phil stopped right in front of me, tipping his head to the side like a lost puppy.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You can't stop me from talking to you."

"Oh," he said, smiling that fake little smile. "That. Don't worry. I don't plan to."

"I don't understand," I mumbled.

He stepped closer, like in the bathroom, almost, but I held my ground this time.

"Dan, you're digging yourself a hole. I've now realized there's no point in trying to stop you. I figure I've given you enough of a warning already, and so by the time you've dug as far as you pleased you'll have learned your lesson."

I stared at him blankly. I felt my confusion bubbling at the back of my mouth, waiting to spill out like vomit. I was buzzing with anticipation to know what happened. Question upon question filled the inside of my lips.

Thankfully, he didn't give me time to act on them.

Phil took hold of my hand, catching me furtherly off guard. He smiled, softly, but still without happiness. Nothing like the pictures. I swallowed any questions that had been forming.

"Follow me," he said. "I want to show you something."