“I don’t feel good, either,” says Trina. Her pale skin is tinged slightly green.
“Christ,” Natasha mutters. “Where are Tyler and Gabby? Has anyone seen them?”
Garrett arrives, his eyes looking sunken, followed closely by Damian, who is moving gingerly. The only person who doesn’t look miserable is Kei.
“Harmony’s not coming,” Damian confirms. “She says to go ahead and start without her.”
“It’d be nice to have some guidance from the producers, but okay!” Natasha says, exasperated. She adjusts her mic, and nods at one of the cameramen. “Campers!” she exclaims, her sour mood erased. “Our challenge today is an old camp favourite—the scavenger hunt! There are fifteen clues hidden all over—”
“I’m sorry,” Sue-Ellen blurts. Her eyes are wide, and she looks slightly stricken. “I’ll be right back.” She doesn’t wait for permission, she just takes off toward the Bunkhouse, walking like she has a hot poker up her ass.
“Me too, BRB,” Damian says, prancing away, squeezing his butt cheeks together with his hands. I can’t help it, a giggle escapes.
“What the hell?!” Natasha cries, glaring at me. I look down, biting my lip. When I dare to look up again, I find that Kei is looking back at me.
“You okay?” he mouths. I nod back. Why is he so nice to me? He smiles, and I smile back, suddenly feeling shy.
And then there’s a retching sound. It’s Trina. She’s barfing, vomit thundering out of her mouth and splashing on the ground, splattering over Natasha’s beautiful teal sandals.
Natasha gasps. She’s frozen for a moment—we all are. She looks as if she might go apoplectic. “I’m sorry,” Trina calls weakly, but then she starts barfing again. This is carnage.
I’m struck again by that hollowed-out feeling in my stomach, like my bowels are about to drop out of my butt. I excuse myself and head for the Arts & Rec cabin hoping for a little more privacy than the Bunkhouse. My sense of urgency increases, so I pick up the pace, and as I burst in through the door, I nearly collide with Will, one of the cameramen.
“Good fucking luck, Cleo,” he mutters, as he breezes past. Inside, Tyler and Gabby are both standing there, slack jawed. When they see me, Tyler leans back, adopting a relaxed posture. “What’s up, Cleo?” he drawls.
“I, um, need a bathroom.” I look pleadingly at Tyler. Please don’t make me spell it out for you. “I’m sick. Everyone is.”
“What do—” Gabby starts to say, but there’s no time for questions.
“Sorry,” I say, pushing past them.
I wait inside the bathroom until I hear them leave. When I get back to the flagpole, it’s deserted, except for Kei, who is gathering up the scavenger hunt props.
“The challenge is cancelled,” he says. “You can go rest.”
“Thanks,” I say, nodding. “I think I will. What about you? You’re feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. I was the only one who didn’t have one of those protein smoothies.”
“How’d you get away with that?”
“Those things are always so high in sugar. I told Gabby I’d get sick if I drank it.”
“And yet you’re the only one who didn’t get sick. Not fair.”
“Twenty-five years of being diabetic and I’ve finally found a perk.”
We stand there, smiling at one another. I want to ask him why he hasn’t exposed me as a liar, and if he plans to, but there are about a dozen cameras on us right now. I have a feeling he wants to say something to me, too, but he doesn’t.
“Well, I guess I’ll go lie down.”
“Okay. I’ll check in on everyone soon. And if you need anything, just holler.”
I nod and turn toward the Bunkhouse. I can feel him watching me as I walk away. His kindness to me is unsettling. I was so rude to him on the plane, yet he’s been so sweet.
Seems sus. No one’s that nice, are they? Not unless they want something.
Which begs the question: what could Kei want from me?
