Inconsolable » Squid [Holes]

23: Sinking Depths

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Armpit asked the question that sat on their minds. It was hours past lights-out, but D-Tent remained awake. Squid due to his now common bouts of insomnia, the rest of D-Tent due to their rage at their home being invaded by "outsiders".

"We can raid their tent," Zigzag said. "Get them when they least expect it." He grabbed his pillow and started punching it, as if imagining it was someone's face.

"We can swap their deodorants with cheese," Armpit said. At the following laughter he rolled his eyes. "My brother and sister did it to me once. I didn't trust them after that."

"So that's your excuse, huh?" Magnet asked, waving his hand in front of his face. Armpit threw his pillow at him. Magnet batted it out of the way.

"I'm just saying, it works."

"We could put toothpaste in their boots," Magnet said.

"I really don't—" Mouse tried to say from the floor but Zigzag spoke over her. Her mouth twisted to the side and she sighed. Squid watched and felt her body deflate next to him as he wrapped bandaids around her fingers. The bleeding had stopped minutes ago but he wrapped them just to be careful. Dirt and cuts didn't mix. They were hours away from a hospital and Pendanski's dismissal over the news was lackluster. Not that it surprised him.

"Or scorpions," Zigzag said.

"Or rattlesnakes," Magnet said.

"Or we can cut the toes off their socks."

"Guys, I don't—" Mouse tried again.

Magnet laughed. "Yeah, give 'em big ol' blisters!"

"No, that's not enough!" X-Ray's declaration from the head of the tent grabbed their attention. He had been pacing in front of the tent flaps, rubbing his chin. Now he stopped and stood beneath one of the hanging lamps overhead. The shadows cast on his face illuminated the fire in his eyes. "They messed with our tent. They fucked with one of us. We can't just let them get away with that. Not on my watch."

"So, what are we going to do, X?" Magnet asked.

"I'm working on it," X-Ray replied. "But scorpions and snakes? We have to think bigger! B-Tent's been messing with us since, like, the beginning. Just because they're bigger. Well, save for you, Pit." Armpit cracked a proud smile. "It's time that we put an end to it. Get them back for everything."

"How're we going to do it, though? With the Warden watchin' us and all."

"She hasn't been watching us much after the whole gold tube thing," Zigzag said. "I think she got bored."

"She won't care. Bet you B-Tent won't get anything for this from her," X-Ray said. "But not this time. We just need to...wait in the weeds. Let them think they're in the clear. And then we strike."

"Like rattlesnakes!" Magnet said.

X-Ray rolled his yes. "Yeah, okay, fine like rattlesnakes." His lips briefly formed a line and he pushed a breath out through his nose. "I'll think of something."

"Or you could ask Mouse what she wants to do," Squid spoke up. He held the sharp gaze X-Ray threw his way. He'd probably get an earful for that later, after all who stood up against X-Ray when he was on a crusade? Not him. He stood by and stayed quiet. That didn't work for him anymore.

"Okay then," X-Ray said following an exaggerated sigh. His gaze swept over to Mouse. Her mouth pressed into a line. "Any suggestions?"

Mouse's nose wrinkled. She moved her free hand up to her hairline, as if to scratch it, but then lowered her hand a second later when she remembered all the bandaids attached to them. "Don't do anything," Mouse replied. Squid didn't miss the listlessness attached to her words. He frowned; he'd never heard her sound so defeated. Broken.