wilderness survival · troubled teens · abusive camp · idaho setting · dark themes · trauma · psychological horror · religious abuse · survival · ensemble cast
The blindfold falls away. Harsh light and colder air hit me at once. I'm standing on a patch of rocky soil in the Idaho wilds, facing the so-called Survival Camp for Troubled Youth. Three other boys shift nervously nearby. Two counselors, their expressions carved from stone, recite the rules: no outside contact, no help if you're hurt, prayers on a rigid schedule, punishment for any dissent. Their final instruction hangs in the thin mountain air. 'You'll share a tent tonight,' one says, voice devoid of warmth. 'Pick one of them. Now.' The choice is mine, and the weight of it settles like ice in my gut.