The night passed in a blur of restless dreams. Shadows haunted me again—my family's voices fading, their faces lost in smoke and blood. I woke up more than once, heart racing, but as always, I forced myself to stay quiet so no one would hear. Jela's snoring and Carm's occasional sleep talk told me they were safe in their own dreams. I envied them.
When dawn finally came, light streamed in through the cabin windows, painting the walls with pale gold. I slipped out of bed and dressed quickly: a pair of shorts, a sleeveless shirt, my small jacket thrown over my shoulders, and sunglasses perched on my head to shield me from the rising sun.
Jela emerged next, her hair tied back messily, choosing comfort over fashion—pants and a sleeveless shirt. Carm yawned as she pulled on her loose T-shirt and shorts. Andrea and Mia took longer, fussing with their jackets and adjusting their hair, but eventually all five of us stepped outside together, bags slung casually over our shoulders.
The camp was already alive with noise. Birds chirped in the trees, students laughed as they left their cabins, and the smell of food drifted from the dining area. Chris was leaning against the fence with his usual grin, surrounded by a few boys from another school. He noticed us right away and waved.
"Morning, Lena! Morning, everyone!" he called cheerfully.
"Good morning!" I replied, smiling despite myself. Jela waved half-heartedly, still groggy, while Carm crossed her arms and smirked.
Before we could talk longer, one of the campers clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Breakfast is ready! Line up, everyone."
At the mention of food, Jela suddenly perked up, her eyes sparkling. "Finally! I'm starving."
We made our way to the long wooden tables set up outside. The forest air made everything smell and taste fresher, even the simplest food. Today's breakfast was sandwiches stuffed with eggs, vegetables, and slices of ham, served with chilled orange juice. The moment I bit into mine, my stomach seemed to sigh in relief.
"This is so good," Carm admitted with her mouth full.
Jela nodded vigorously, already halfway through her second sandwich. "I could eat ten of these."
Across the table, Andrea was carefully peeling the crusts off her bread while Mia sipped her juice politely. Chris, seated with his group nearby, leaned over and grinned at us. "City food's got nothing on this, huh?"
I smiled, wiping crumbs from my fingers. "It tastes better out here. Maybe it's the forest air."
As we ate, birds fluttered down to peck at crumbs that had fallen to the grass. Some campers laughed and tossed pieces of bread to them. For a moment, everything felt simple, normal.
And I liked it that way.
After breakfast, we carried our plates and cups to the washing area, scrubbing them clean before stacking them neatly for the next meal. The sun had risen fully now, bathing the camp in warm light, and the forest buzzed with life.
One of the campers called for us to follow, and we walked in a long line until we reached a wide clearing deep in the woods. My eyes widened. Wooden platforms stood tall between trees, ropes dangling, hanging nets swaying in the breeze. Mud pits stretched across the ground, logs and balance beams lay waiting.
It was an obstacle course.
"Parkour woods!" Jela shouted with stars in her eyes. She was practically bouncing in place, her energy contagious.
I felt my pulse quicken too. Something about the challenge made me eager, like the adrenaline would burn away the heaviness I usually carried.
Carm, however, groaned loudly. "This looks like torture."
"Don't be such a baby," Jela teased, nudging her with her elbow.
Carm scowled but didn't reply.
The boys looked just as excited as Jela, already stretching and laughing about who would beat who. Even the quieter students couldn't hide their nervous smiles.
A loud whistle cut through the chatter. The camper leading the activity raised her voice. "Alright! Listen up, everyone! Today we'll be doing a team challenge. You'll race through the obstacle course, and the first group to finish wins. But remember—" she paused, her gaze sweeping over us all, "—no powers allowed. Cheating will not be tolerated."
Some groaned playfully, others laughed, but we all nodded in agreement.
The groups were divided: four teams in total, two for girls and two for boys. As the names were called, I discovered that Carm and Jela had been placed in separate teams, which meant less bickering for once. As for me, I ended up in Team 1, along with Andrea, Mia, and seven other girls.
Our leader was a tall girl with sharp eyes and a confident stance. "Zandrea," she introduced herself briskly. "I'm from St. Agatha's School. Track-and-field athlete."
No wonder she was chosen. She looked like she could run through the entire forest without breaking a sweat.
Zandrea clapped her hands to get our attention. "Listen up, Team 1. The key here isn't just speed—it's teamwork. If someone struggles, we help them. If someone falls behind, we don't leave them. Communication is everything. Got it?"
We all nodded, feeling a little steadier under her command.
I glanced at Jela across the clearing. She was grinning, already stretching like she was about to sprint into battle. Carm, on the other hand, stood in her own group with her arms crossed, glaring at the mud pit like it had personally insulted her.
The camper blew the whistle again. "Teams, get ready! First group, step up to the line!"
My heart raced as we crouched into position. The course stretched out before us—nets, mud, beams, ropes. It looked both terrifying and thrilling.
I took a deep breath. I can do this.
For once, it wasn't about powers, or the past, or even nightmares. It was just a race. A chance to prove something—to myself.
The whistle blew, sharp and shrill.
"Go!"
Ten of us sprinted forward, the ground thudding under our feet. The first obstacle was a series of hanging nets we had to climb across. My hands gripped the rough rope, my arms trembling as I hauled myself upward.
Beside us, Jela and Carm's team charged ahead together. Jela climbed like she was born for it, swinging her legs confidently, mud already streaking her arms. Carm, however, clung to the net like a cat avoiding a bath.
"This is impossible!" Carm yelled.
"You're just weak!" Jela shot back, grinning as she scrambled higher.
"Shut up and help me, monkey!"
I laughed despite the burn in my arms, watching Jela reach down and grab Carm's wrist, hauling her up. Their whole team cheered as they made it across.
Meanwhile, Andrea, Mia, and I helped each other through. Mia nearly froze halfway, but with some encouragement she made it, trembling but smiling.
The mud pit was chaos. Jela dove into it like she was swimming, splashing everyone within range. "This is the best!" she shouted, covered head to toe.
Carm's shriek echoed across the clearing. "You got mud in my hair!" She lunged at Jela in the middle of the pit, and their whole team dissolved into laughter—even as they dragged each other forward.
I struggled through with Andrea and Mia, slipping once but laughing when Andrea yanked me back upright. It wasn't pretty, but it was fun.
The balance beams tested us next. Carm wobbled so much I thought she'd fall, but Jela grabbed her elbow and steadied her. "Don't you dare fall, partner. We've got this."
Carm smirked despite herself. "Fine. But if I die, I'm haunting you."
Finally came the tall wall with the rope. Teams scrambled, students slipping back down in the dirt. Jela charged first, climbing fast, her grin wide. Carm followed right behind, struggling but refusing to give up. With Jela and the others pulling her from above, she managed to make it over.
My arms shook as I pulled myself up too, the rope cutting into my hands, but Andrea's shout kept me going. "Come on, Lena! Almost there!" With one final push, I swung my leg over and dropped down the other side.
Both our teams crossed the finish line close together—muddy, exhausted, and laughing.
We didn't win. But we didn't care.
The cheering, the laughter, the sense of working together—it felt like victory anyway. For a moment, the world was just this: friends, fun, and the rush of being alive.