Inktober 2024 - 22 - Camp

Two dozen people in their early twenties are standing at attention in front of a man in his forties. All in a similar outfit, they form a line, in front of which he is pacing calmly, wrists crossed behind the small of his back.

"Welcome to Camp Heartfall. You have all been selected based on your athletic, intellectual, magical, and emotional capabilities. None of you should be lacking in any department, but in the event that you should find yourself short in any way, please, do NOT hesitate to rely on your team mates. You are expected to function as a whole, the constituting parts of a very well-oiled machine, working toward the same goal. In other words, no competition will be tolerated among counselors. Is that clear?"

"Sir, yes, Sir."

To this spontaneous, unanimous, and unwavering assent, the corner of the drill sergeant's mouth twitches as he refrains a full-on smile. It's nice to see the camp is finally finding its pace. When he was where they are, they weren't even half as many volunteers.

"You should be able to relate to your charges, to anticipate their actions as well as their needs, and protect as well as contain them should the need arise. Campers come in all shapes and sizes, and I promise you not all of them will present the same challenges. Stay alert. You are smarter, faster, and stronger than any of them, there is no question about that, but there ARE more of them than there are of you. If any of them poses a threat to the rest of the group, if any of them seems to be initiating any kind of mutiny, in any way at all: isolate them. Getting the campers on your side, which starts with making them understand that you are on theirs, is your first order of business. I don't have te remind you of the riots of '04. Nobody wants a repeat of that…"

Without needing to ask for agreement, he sees chins nodding up and down as he speaks.

"I recognise some familiar faces among you. Some of you were here as campers, once. Good. That will be of help. Rely on your knowledge of the terrain, and pass it along to your colleagues. That being said, fresh eyes are also a good edge to have on one's side, so do not make the mistake of underestimating any question, no matter how naive. It's a delicate balance, but one I'm confident you will find."

A few glances are exchanged among former campers, who have already clocked each other.

"Finally – and trust me when I say I know how complicated this one can get: no fraternising until the end of Camp. Cohesion is encouraged, but distractions are prohibited. The debriefing week at the end of the session was specifically designed to put any tension that may have arisen at ease. But until then, I require laser focus from you."

Suddenly, a man in his thirties appears behind the sergeant and whispers something in his ear.

"Well. Ladies and gentlemen: they have arrived."