Dawn scowls at the camera and Christian behind it and hopes when Cam and Wendy see the photo they feel so terribly guilty they bring her home early.

But Christian just chuckles. “Your folks read the brochure,” he says. “They know this ain’t summer camp.”

Then he tosses her a headlamp.

“Congratulations on a decent first week,” he says. “There’s your reward.”

Dawn stares at the headlamp. “This is my reward?” she says. “Where’s my freaking tent?”

Christian lowers the camera. “Oh, right,” he says. “Your tent.”

“You said if I did okay, I wouldn’t have to sleep under a tarp anymore,” Dawn tells him. “That’s what you said.”

“You’re right,” Christian says, but his voice is that kind of sticky sweet that lets Dawn know he’s bullshitting. “How stupid of me. What if I book you a suite at the Ritz to make up for it, Dawn? Would that be okay?”

Dawn stares at him. “You said,” she says.

“You’ve been here for six days,” Christian says, his voice hard again. “You’ve got to work a little harder if you want to earn that tent, Dawn.”

Then he raises the camera again.

Looks back at the rest of the group.

“Next!”

The resupply and the rest of it takes maybe a couple of hours. It’s nice to get clean clothes and to wash your face with hot water, but it doesn’t last, and then Christian and Amber are telling the group to pack up again, and Dawn’s struggling to fit all of the new food into her stupid makeshift tarp backpack, and Christian and Amber confer over a map briefly and then seem to come to a decision.

“Okay, Pack,” Christian says, squaring his shoulders. “Say goodbye to civilization for another week.”

There’s nothing but grumbles and muttered swear words in response. But Christian doesn’t hear it. He’s already disappeared down a trail into the rain forest again.

Chapter 18

NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS over the next week. That’s the beauty of the Out of the Wild program. You hike and sleep and hike and sleep and you’re tired and sore and hungry all the time and every day just fades into the next.

The Pack hikes through the rain forest and they camp every night, and aside from a few more blisters and bug bites, nothing much changes.

Dawn hikes with Lucas, most of the time. They linger toward the back, but usually Kyla’s behind them and sometimes Brandon and Evan. Amber usually brings up the rear, to make sure nobody gets lost or, you know, tries to escape.

Warden is always at the front of the Pack. He’s tall and muscular and capable, and Brandon and Evan seem drawn to him. They’re always in his orbit, and since Dawn’s kind of weirded out by Brandon and Evan, she never goes near Warden.