Chapter 18: Chapter 18

The walk back to camp was painfully tiring. Jameela rested twice on the way, heaving down on the ground for a minute before dragging herself back up to join the others. By the time they returned, Mrs Sana’s group were the only ones back. Jameela swiped on her phone quickly. 5:23pm. The walk back was longer, she had noticed. Graham didn’t seem as confident as he did when they were going, walking into every hook and cranny with head held high. He had looked solemn, neck darting left, right at the forest that illuminated both sides.

She collapsed into her tent, shoving off her backpack. It was way past ‘Asr prayer but all she could think of was sleep. Blinking rapidly, she thought it best to pray before resting. A quick stop to the toilet upstairs, then ablution at the stream. As she approached the tents, she perceived a stomach punching smell. What the heck was what? She sniffed in the air only for the stench to assault her nose once more. Confused, she pulled her scarf up over her nose.

“This is absurd!” Mrs Sana stood near a tent, waving her hands frantically about.

“What’s that smell, Mrs Sana?” Michael sputtered.

“I don’t know. It’s just horrible. I hope it hasn’t contaminated any of our food.”

Jameela’s eyes bulged. What? The foodstuff could be contaminated?

“It’s everywhere. Upstairs in the main house, it’s hideous. We had to open the windows.” The twins, said.

“Wait till you enter the kitchen first. It’s like the main bomb. I almost passed out. And the door leading to the backyard was open.”

“Maybe you didn’t lock it earlier?” Katie suggested.

“No. I most definitely locked it. I made sure of that.”

“What can we do now?” Graham asked, hands akimbo.

“Best to stay outside and leave the doors and windows open. I put on some incense and sprayed a bit of that lavender thingy. Then we wait for the big boss, Cameron.”

Jameela rolled her eyes at the thought of Mr Cameron arriving to this unknown smell. They might be in for another lecture depending on whatever thoughts his mind would conjure up. She pulled out her prayer mat and prayed right next to her tent. The rooms upstairs were still dingy.

“Where do you think the smell came from? “Alexa asked, looking around her friends. They were all either sited or lying in Jameela’s open tent.

“Perhaps a leak from a pipe somewhere?” Ade replied, chewing on his bottom lip.

Alex’s eyes perked up. “A leak? You mean we might be sitting on a potential bomb site?”

His twin rolled her eyes. “Ugh, who said anything about bombs? Do you think we would be here if there was bomb?”

“But he just said…”

“It doesn’t matter what he said!”

“Guys.” Ade quickly interrupted. If they kept on going at it, they wouldn’t stop till kingdom come. “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant it’s possible it is a leak, one of those awful smelling leaks from maybe drainage pipes, or somewhere like that. This is an old house after all.”

“That’s possible. I really hope they find the source. Ugh. This smell is killing me.” Katie said, flopping down on the springy bed.

“It’s really nauseating,” Jameela added. “Though I think it might have been an animal.”

A few heads bobbed up and down. “Well, yes. It’s possible. But the smell is everywhere. An animal couldn’t have entered the main house, up the stairs and into the rooms and bathrooms.”

“Technically, yes. But if it got into the main house, remember the kitchen door was unlocked. The smell could have travelled everywhere.”

“But the kitchen door was closed.”

“Maybe it got pretty windy and the door was knocked closed but was actually left open when we left.” Jameela explained.

“Was the main door open?” Ade asked around.

“Nah, I don’t think so. But I don’t know. Michael went in first.” Alex replied. “We could ask him.

“Does it even matter?” Jameela shrugged.

“Maybe not. But I was just thinking… nah, never mind.”

Jameela eyed him but he kept mute. “I think it’s safe to assume we must be very careful. If it was an animal our things could be in danger especially when we go on our trips with the guides.”

“True that.” Alexa countered.

Jameela awoke a little after eight, the chirping of crickets screaming in her ears. After their discussion earlier, her friends went to their tents for an hours rest. Which turned out to be two. Nudging Hanna that was asleep on the bed next to her stomach down, she stretched and walked out the tent. The sky was pitch black, not a single star in the sky and a chilly breeze blew unexpectedly. She drew her kimono closer to her.

“Have I been asleep for so long?” Hanna stretched and yawned.

“It seems. It’s already eight.”

“What? And no one thought to call us for dinner.” She grumbled as Ibraheem jogged his way towards them. Jameela noticed he was wearing slightly different cloths from his usual. He looked different. Hippy but smart. He wore a white singlet with shorts making him look taller than his height. Perhaps because it was late, he decided to change? The chill in the air came back, reminding her it was impossible to look smart in this sharp weather.

“Hey, just came to wake you up.” He pushed back his slickly hair, even further.

“We just woke up. Can’t believe we slept for hours. When did you guys return?”

He tsked. ‘The field trip will do that to you. I came back knackered. With time, I think we’ll all get used to it. Um, I think a little after five.”

“Wow. We were lucky then.”

“Field trip?” Jameela raised an eyebrow.

He threw out his hands comically. “Well that’s what everyone is calling it.”

“Sounds like one hell of a field trip.” They all burst out laughing.

Together, they walked to the main house and made straight for the dining. Dinner was set elegantly on the large table and all around it, campers had sat engaging in discussions. The room glowed bright orange from the large chandelier bulbs overhead. The sound of bickering from the next room, which was also a small dining room for the guides caught everyone’s attention. Jameela shared a look with her friends as she found a place to sit. “What’s going on in there, do you know?” she asked around.

“It’s about that smell from earlier.” Dmitry answered. He was sited at the edge of the table next to Adriana who sat at the head, looking all high and mighty.

“Oh. Wow. I already forgot about that.”

“I heard them earlier. Mr Cameron and Mr Alessio got into a fight over what to do about it.”

“But what’s to do? It was just a smell. It’s gone now.”

“Yeah, but the problem is, Mr Cameron thinks it best to leave the camp for a while. According to him, the smell was a sign, after that tree falling, for everyone to leave for a while and have some fresh breath.”

“What? Bu- but leave to where?”

“To the field trip with each of our guides. For a few days or so.”

The whole table became abuzz. Jameela thought it was weird. But the old man was indeed weird so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to her. Her precious Alessio talking back at Mr Cameron however didn’t sit well with her. She hoped he wouldn’t put Alessio in his ‘black book’, as he liked to call it. He had a thick black book in which he made a note of whoever was against him. If he wrote a person’s name, well, dare to say, things usually didn’t go well for them. She hoped that wouldn’t be the case for her precioso. Deep down, she was glad he had stood up for them, the students. No one wanted to go on some freaking field trip for days. Why would the thought even make way in Mr Cameron’s mind? She suddenly felt outraged by it all. Couldn’t they even ask for their own opinions? They were the students after all. Without them, all this camping in the woods wouldn’t even take place. Besides, what was wrong with the camp they were in? They were comfortable here. Suddenly, the original idea of going out with the guides for a few hours every few days sounded like the best thing ever. But being out there in the middle of nowhere? Only five of them? What about food? Or would they turn into earliest man and hunt for food from nature? The look on Graham’s face flashed before her. He had definitely seen something. How could they then be forced to live in the middle of nowhere with no form of contact to the outside world? She prayed he would say something to the guides. What if the big bad thing came for them? What would they do? Who would defend them? She knew the answer herself even though it hurt to think about it. This new plan was obviously going to go all shades of wrong.