Camp: private conversations

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Respond here for a private conversation with Red! All comment threads are screened.

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Monday Evening

[homeecspacecop]

[Things are horrifying. Chuuta... has pulled himself back together somewhat, enough to be functional.

Enough to try and talk to Red.]

Um... Counselor Red? C-can I ask a question about the... people in the woods?

[Chuuta's pretty sure that Red could destroy him instantly, he's not under any illusions of being extremely powerful, and he's pretty sure that Red knows all the powers that he hasn't told anyone about here.]

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You can ask, but I might not be able to answer your questions. Is that alright?

[homeecspacecop]

[He doesn't know. He's kind of lost here, without the support system that's been slowly helping him learn how to move forward and make progress. He doesn't know who to trust, or what to do. He wants to vanish, to step back and blend into the background. But he can't do that, not without letting down the people around him.]

That's all right. I... I heard that the people in the woods and in the RV park aren't part of the camp.

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You're right, they're not. They don't work for me.

[homeecspacecop]

So why could you stop them?

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Because they're afraid of me.

[homeecspacecop]

[SEEMS LEGIT]

If they're that scared of you, why are they still here?

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Because for as much as they're afraid of me, they're also afraid I'll stop doing my job. And if I stop doing my job, then they will step in and handle things.

[homeecspacecop]

What's your job? [He knows the big part of it, the "kill people" part.]

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I am the Facilitator. I make sure everything at camp runs smoothly and take care of any problems that might arise during the summer.

[homeecspacecop]

Like murders. [Chuuta's not used to this, to deaths like clockwork.]

Why aren't you preventing murders? Are we all supposed to die?

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Do you really want to know the answer to that question?

[homeecspacecop]

[Does he? It's going to hurt.]

... yeah. I do. I mean, I don't... I don't want to, but I think I need to.

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[Well, he wants the answer...]

Most of you are supposed to die here, yes.

[homeecspacecop]

Why?

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Because sacrifices need to be made, and all of you were the unlucky ones who got chosen to face that this year.

It's nothing personal against you or any of the others. It's just misfortune.

[homeecspacecop]

But I don't even understand why you're making sacrifices, or who you're sacrificing to. And if sacrifices need to be made, why can't you just ask for volunteers?

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Because there's rules to how it works. Namely, it can't be adults. Only teenagers can be sacrificed.

[homeecspacecop]

[She didn't answer any of your questions.]

[Chuuta plows ahead.]

Why does it have to be teenagers? And not everybody here is a teenager, some of the kids are like, still in elementary school.

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Because that's what it has to be. That's what's required. Anyone between the ages of 11 and 18 will do. No older, no younger.

[homeecspacecop]

10 isn't old enough and 19's too old? [Chuuta doesn't say "that's stupid" but he's thinking it.]

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I didn't make the rule.

[But yes.]

[homeecspacecop]

[There aren't a lot of people that age.]

Yeah, I mean, it doesn't make sense to only be picking people that age.

[And Drew's too old!]

Huh?

[Drew's been on Earth for four billion years.]

Oh! Really?

Counselor Red? Drew's like, four billion years old. That's way outside the age range.

[Drew's personality isn't that old, since the Monitalien reset when it transferred to Chuuta.]

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Drew isn't a camper. Drew can leave any time he wishes.

[But Chuuta can't.]

[homeecspacecop]

But whatever happens to me will happen to Drew too. I mean... he said he's... okay with the rocks because it isn't trying to get rid of him, but whatever sacrifice you're trying to make will involve him too.