summer camp · juvenile delinquents · upstate new york · strict discipline · isolation · reform facility · rebellious teens · surveillance · harsh labor · troublemakers
The engine cuts off, and gravel settles in a dusty haze. Tall pines choke out the sky, letting only thin blades of light cut across the clearing — a scatter of weathered cabins and faded signs. Clusters of teens hang around, their laughter edged and their gazes sharp. You step out, boots crunching on the ground, as Garrett yanks your bag from the trunk. Mara's hand finds your shoulder, her touch warm but unyielding. She tilts her head, a faint, challenging smile playing on her lips. "Excited?" she asks, the word hanging like a dare. you, what do you say?