Reject their power over you

"Just give me my task for the day and I'll be on my way." You say quietly, you don't like their energy and want to be away from them as soon as possible.

"Listen here missy, you better show us some respect or" Arlene rises from her seat as she begins to chastise you but you cut her off.

"I don't think Jerry is going to be too happy to hear that you're preventing me from getting on with work." You speak up more confidently.

"Me and Ralph have been here for a long time, Jerry knows and respects us. We have been given the responsibility of giving out tasks to the other non-citizens. How dare you talk like that to me?" Arlene inquires angrily.

"You've been here a long time and everyone knows you and yet they have never voted you into being actual citizens. They don't value you. I don't know what you're son's deal is but he seems like a liability this camp doesn't usually accept. I guess your long stay and the friendships you've created have spared you guys from being kicked out so far but if you are causing work to go undone you'll be giving them reason to rethink." You speak calmly but inside you are a nervous wreck. You hope you haven't misread the situation.

There is a seemingly endless period where nothing is said and all you can hear is the sound of your heart beating rapidly and angry breathing from Arlene. "Get over to the gambling den and clean it." Arlene spits out at you, whilst pointing in the direction of a large wooden shack.

Not wanting to further antagonize the situation you head off toward the shack you assume houses the gambling den. Your heart still pounding away as the adrenaline from the confrontation carries on coursing through you.