RANK SIX

I walked back. The rest of the books forgotten. "Sam?" I heard Sid's voice as I drew closer to the exit.

"I am here," I said coughing. She appeared as I broke out of the dust cloud and asked what happened. "I don't know," I replied. "But we should get the hell out of here before the ceiling collapses on us or something," I glanced back in fear.

"Think it is an earthquake?"

"Don't know, come on," I hurried past her, fearing whoever killed Paul will come after me since I'd witnessed a part of the murder, plus the thing he gave me. The lizard creature was curled up in my pocket even now as if trying hard to hide itself more.

Just as the exit of the Shelves came into view, I had to come to a stop as three people walked into the hallway. Two men, and an Asian woman in brown robes in lead. The woman was middle aged with her dark hair held in a stern bun. The guy directly behind her was a young blond wearing garish blue and gold armor, and the last guy was a little older, though I couldn't make much of him_ as he was mostly obstructed by the two in front_ besides that he's dark haired. They matched towards us in a hurry.

Me and Sid stepped aside_ into the intersection_ to let them pass. But the woman stopped at the junction and turned to us. Her expression was one of righteous aloofness. "Freshmen?" She pursed her thin lips. "Mind you tell us what had transpired here?"

"I don't know..." I said.

"Your excellency,"

"What?"

"You should refer to your betters with respect. I am a professor, your excellency will be appropriate when dealing with anyone of my status,"

Is she serious? I pursed my lips. "I don't know, your excellency,"

"As it should be. Begone," she waved her hand then matched on. The others followed, going past us in a breeze. I watched their receding backs with a frown. The blond guy held a big black mace, while the last guy in black and silver armor- that was sleek as the blond guy's armor was bulky- held a long sword. They disappeared into the Shelves and me and my sister exited it.

Our 'friends' were waiting for us in the reading area. They talked, guessing what must have happened, as we walked back to the Ground floor or Metro or whatever. They'd only heard the explosion, nothing more, so soon the incident was behind them and there started sharing what they learned in the library. The incident was on my mind though, cause I'd seen something they had not.

Yet I stayed quiet. [I was smart enough to understand somethings should be kept to myself, and this is one of them].

We separated from the boys at the door to the barracks as they went on to theirs. "So you just have to find the bed that matches your bunk number," Chloe said.

The bunk number is in our status. "What if I sleep in someone else's bed, would I get punished?" Willow asked.

"Probably,"

"I don't remember seeing it in the rules," Sid said skeptically. "Anyone?" I shrugged and walked away. She followed after me. When we were far away from the others she asked. "You alright?"

"Yeah," I kept studying the beds. There weren't bunk beds as I had believed earlier, but instead beds placed atop lockers so it looked like bunk beds from a distance. Each locker had a door and placard with a number. The numbers were random. As an example, number 12 was between number 100 and number 34. My bunk number is 137 so without any pattern it'll depend entirely on luck how fast I find it in the forest of beds.

"What happened in those Shelves?" Sid asked conspiratorially.

I paused and looked around. God help me they have no cameras in here. If they do, I wouldn't be able to hide it from them for long anyways. "Come closer," I reached into my pocket and grabbed the creature, it squirmed in my hand as I pulled it out.

"What's that?"

"Keep it down stupid," I snarled. "Paul gave me this before he died,"

"Why... Wait, Paul, as in the surgeon,"__ she finger quoted__ "is dead?"

"I am still coming to terms with that too," I stared at the creature. It'd gone from mottled brown color to white as chalk. Sid stroked it with a finger and it stopped struggling.

"What is this thing?" She whispered.

"I wish I knew," I frowned. "Paul told me to hide it and not to trust anyone,"

"Advice from a dying man, I'd take it seriously,"

I glared at her. "You think I don't know that? I won't show anyone apart from you,"

She pursed her lips and tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "You could hide it in your pocket for now. But it'll need training if it's to stay undetected by everyone. Like when to hide and where to go and poop,"

"Yeah, it seems intelligent enough, we should try it,"

"We?" Sid glared at me. "It's your pet, it's your responsibility,"

"What does that mean?"

"You can't chicken out like with Larry. It was your dog, you were the one that begged Dad for it but you wouldn't take it for a walk even once,"

"Come on," I rolled my eyes cradling the unidentified reptile in my arms. "I was eight at the time, and I doubt this thing need walks,"

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Sid nodded skeptically. "I guess," she stared at the creature. "We don't even know its gender, lets establish that first,"

"It is male," I said with a surety of a woman that have seen her death.

"How would you know that?"

"Because It's too ugly to be a girl duh,"

"Okay, sure, you know your stuff,"

"Of course I do," I rolled my eyes, ignoring her sarcasm. "I am gonna name him Groove. Hey Groovy, get into my pocket," I brought it close to the pocket and it crawled in.

"What are you gonna say if someone asks you what's in your pocket?" Sid asked with a smile.

"Are you fucking quoting the Hobbit?"

"Well, I think it is only fitting,"

"You are such a nerd eh?" I shook my head and smiled wryly. Somehow Sid could always make me feel better when she wants to. "Okay let's find our beds,"

"Sure,"

Passing through the first row we came out empty. In the next row we found Sid's assigned bed. Bunk 62. Mine was in the last row, close to the bathroom. There was a phone sized digital screen on the top part of the door. To open the locker I had to place my transmitter against it. The screen glowed green as it showered light on my wrist then buzzed and the door clicked. I pulled it open.

I found two more pair of shirts and pants and underwear, all in white. Another pair of shoes, toiletries and a book. I pulled out the book. It was a big black book. Freshman Year was written with red thick letters. I shut back the locker then scaled up the bed by the hand holds at the side. The sheets were white and spotless. Satisfied, I lay on my back and opened the book.

The first year of camp is the most important. Such a famous saying, everybody says it, but it's true. Your decisions in the year will determine how your life in Camp shapes up, how strong you'd become, hell, even how long you might stay here.

You have to juggle a lot of stuff. Choosing the perfect Camp Game party- the one for the games- and choosing the perfect dungeon party__ the one with other beginners for dungeoning__ can be daunting. How to spend your points, which chores to choose, who to become friends with. Apart from the last, you have to choose all by the end of the seven days free time. Those seven days are not free to be honest, but a time to let you research so you could make the best decision. Decisions that are hard and dangerous, but don't you worry, we got everything covered in this book as we give you detailed analysis about every option you have....

I was engrossed in the book as it explained everything I didn't understand. How after coming to Camp you are given a seven days respite which you'd have to use to learn everything about Camp. After that you are to make a decision on how you are gonna live your first year.

Food is free in the first seven days but you'd have to buy it with points after. Still, it's suppose to help that one can make a party with other beginners to delve into the dungeon. Dungeon loots and monster points could be exchanged for points in the Shop.

Coins could be gotten by completing quests for otherworlders. Don't know if that's suppose to mean what it sounds as but we could find them in the forest or the adventurers guild of Rankers City.

The difference between beginners and Freshmen is beginners are those below level 20 while freshmen are does in their first year. So theoretically speaking it is possible for a freshman to be a Ranker. Leveling up above level 20 in their first year, something only a few has ever done in Camp's history.

By the time I read a few pages, I'd gotten a good understand of Camp and gained some of my confidence back that I started thinking maybe this could work. I yawned and closed the book.

My eyes widened when I touched my pocket and felt nothing. The creature... Groove! I sprang up to a sitting position. Then heard a yelp and something fell off my chest.

I looked down at my lap. The creature picked itself up and stared at me sullenly. I scoffed then scooped it up with one hand inspecting it in the air. "You are one curious animal huh?" I said. "Now come on," I kept the book beside me on the bed then hugged the creature and pulled the covers. "Good night Groovy,"

I dreamt of the mansion. I was trapped and alone as I explored an unending maze of white walls. In the distance I could hear my family having fun, laughing and talking, yet couldn't find them no matter how desperate I searched the house. Then they started screaming. I heard collision and the unmistakable sound of stuff breaking. I screamed and tried more desperately to locate them, running round and round the maze till I ran out of steam. I pounded at a wall then sank to my knees as I knew my family was gone.

I cried.

"Sam,"

I looked up. Sid was standing at the end of the hallway. She favored her side where blood soaked her white shirt in a large patch, her mouth leaked blood. "Sam," she repeated reaching out to me.

A scream awoke me.

Heart pounding in my chest, my throat hurt with fear, I twisted to the side to look at the direction of the door. Trembling fiercely as I tried to make myself small. The dim light was enough to see the automatons that entered the barrack with a stretcher in tow.

The girl they carried was crying. I watched quietly as they placed her on the ground and left without a word. Then I turned around, pulling the covers tighter as I closed my eyes. This is just a dream! But the girl wouldn't stop screaming. "Help me, oh help, they have killed me!"

"Shut the fuck up!" I hissed. "I am trying to get some sleep here,"

"Please, I am dying,"

I ignored her.

"Please help me, it's killing me! Please, please, someone,"

"Fuck!" I cursed sitting up. "Can't any of you fuckers help the bitch!? Especially you, miss do goody two shoes, Chloe," I jumped off the bed and matched to the direction in irritation.

The automatons had placed her just inside the door. It was a dark haired girl in freshman white lying exhausted on the stretcher that I found. I didn't recognize her at first, but those stubborn blue eyes are telling. "Sky?" I squinted down at her.

She blinked. "Fuck, Sam is that you?"

I kneeled before her. "What the hell happened to you?"

"The automatons, fuckers, they pierced me on the spine, it wouldn't stop hurting!" She was lying on her side so she rolled to her stomach and tugged at her shirt. I helped, rolling up her shirt. Five studs were lined on her spine from below the neck to just above her hip.

Feeling a sharp stab of horror, I swallowed and straightened back the shirt. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

"Water, I need you to douse me, you understand?"

"Yeah. Sid!"

"Here,"

I turned to see her and the rest- Willow and Chloe- standing just behind me. I grabbed the poles of the stretcher and asked for her help.

With Sid's help we lifted the stretcher and hurried to the bathroom. There I pushed open a stall and take Sky inside. Keeping her on the ground, stretcher and all, I ignored the others that came to watch and said to Sid, "Move aside if you don't wanna get wet," Then I stepped out of the stall myself and switched the shower on.

As the water sprayed down I looked down at my cousin with trepidation. She closed her eyes as she breathed in large gasps, sucking in the water as if it was her salvation. After some time she waved her hand and I shut off the shower. "Ha, good!" She said.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, take me back,"

We located her locker and bed so she was able to have a change of cloths before we tucked her in bed. I stayed with her for some time, holding her hand and talking about how how she got here, before I left. I went back to my bed thinking of how I had been too naive thinking I'd only have to protect Sid. I might not go all out when Willow and Owen are in trouble despite our friendship, but Sky is different. For one she's my relative, for another she'd been kind to me when I didn't deserve kindness.

It was only when I climbed the bed that I remembered Groove. I lay down and hugged the creature against my body. Feeling secured. As I closed my eyes I thought of all what Sky had said.

She had refused the piercing from the Surgeons only to be captured by the Automatons and taking to a laboratory where they did things to her. The other thing she said had suprised me.

She was Rank 6. That explained why rank 6 was unaccounted for. One mystery solved I guess. I drifted off to sleep to confront my nightmares and demons.

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