CH1: Laser War

“Right here, you campers!”

We hear as another voice comes from the other side of the hallway. A firefight breaks out and I hold Grace back as she wants to shoot as well, but I feel like just looking for now is better. We see as the ponytail girl runs back into the gym and three others run after her from the other side of the hallway. I recognize them as those same girls from the rec room. It’s the Recreationists. “Come… there’s an overlook to the gym from the second floor!” Grace pulls on my arm and we hurry up the stairs. There’s an open walkway just to the side of the gym and we look past the corner at the gym below. The three Recreationsists are well armed with shotguns and submachine guns and I am surprised nobody has been eliminated yet. “Oh my god…” I watch with Grace as it seems the gym people have set up a whole fortress in the gym out of various gym supplies. It seems the Retreaters have at least three people actively fighting. The ponytail girl is doing most of the heavy lifting though and seems to be the one actually pushing the recreationists back.

“I’m out of meds, gotta get the hell out!” The pretty blonde grunts and dives out of the door as the red haired Recreationist and the one with the nice shade of brown hair stay behind. “Esme! Can I count in you? I’ll make a run for it. Just cover me!”

The brunette says and the redhead gives covering fire as the brunette charges in and gets the ponytail girl caught off guard. We hold our breath but suddenly there’s a thump and the brunette trips over and groans. She just.. slipped? “Get her gun! Quick!” The ponytail girl tells one of her teammates and a short blue haired girl runs up and takes the shotgun and looks shyly at the stronger teammate.

“What the hell is going on, Lorelei?!” Esme, the redhaired girl shouts and peeks from behind cover as more of her teammates run in with even more advanced weapons. One of them is the tall confident Calliope, wielding an **** rifle looking weapon, she kneels next to Esme and gives her some extra supplies. “We got one of your people! Should I just shoot her, tell me!” The ponytail girl shouts and her teammates takes aim behind the fortress. Even Kendall peeks out with a pistol and together it’s four people against four as the recreationists have now Calliope and the tanned girl who had a bad attitude last time I saw her.

“You’re outgunned. It doesn’t mean anything if you shoot her. You’ll lose either way. We just want you to give up. Join us and you’ll be all spared.” Calliope takes aim and shoots at one of the girls peeking and gets behind cover as the ponytail girl returns fire: “Lucy! Are you ok?” Lucy sobs and it doesn’t look good. That **** rifle is very accurate. “So, what is it? You gonna give up? Or are you all going to just die?” Calliope shouts and the ponytail girl makes Lorelei stand up while holding the shotgun on her back. “Do you guys really just want her to be eliminated? I’ll let her go if you promise to not raid us! We can hold you all off! And… even if we lose, we’ll take out many of you! Do you really want that?”

The Recreationists look at each other. It looks like they really thought they could make it with three but ended up having to push it up to five. “Fuck! I don’t wanna see her die, Cal!” The tanned girl groans and Calliope seems thoughtful. “So I see. I admit, you got a pretty nice defense here. Kendall. Are you there somewhere? I hear you are behind this. Why don’t we have a talk.” Calliope stands up and puts her arms up. I gasp and look at Grace who seems somehow entranced.