Sanity and survival became the cause.

  Once we put sanity and survival as the main cause we had purpose.  It didn't matter as much why our sanity and survival had gotten ruined in the first place.  And bringing it all around to that primary issue allowed space for all kinds of other issues to devolve before the masters.  Even the nagging opinions of others often melted away as people focused.  It wasn't losing self or self's likes and dislikes, but it was a way to break through zombie and the death clutches of opposition.  It also proved that character and personality is an important part of being human.  It was a way of fighting the communism of war and the factory-production of good little citizens.  People were claiming their Americanism.

     We were all in girls' clothing when some of the parents came looking for us.  A guy with arms the size of my thighs which everyone called cannons had come to our camp lovestruck but at a loss.  "What's yer problem hoss?" Another guy finally peeled himself away from his girlfriend and dislodged himself from their tent.

     "It's like I can't," he flapped the air with his hands trying to express something, "Can't...." 

     "WHAT?!? Get it up?" 

     "YEAH." The guy let his hands fall limp on his lap.  "Like all my brains that make it work shook loose or something." 

     "Just pop a couple of these!" The other guy fished blue pills out of his jeans pocket and carefully counted out three.  He took the plastic off his cigarette pack and put the pills in there and tossed it at the guy.  Guy caught it and held it up like it was an X-ray.  He was looking at them when the girl with the broken nose emerged from the bushes and rushed over.  "YOU DON'T NEED THOSE MISTER!  NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE!!" 

     "Their gonna give me a hard-on apparently.  And I think I DO need them."  

     "Give them back.  And let's figure out what's really going on." 

  "Okay."  He stood and gave the pills back to the shirtless man.  "I'll talk, but if that don't work, I want the magic bullet."  The other man grumbled and went back in the tent. 

     "Can I touch them?" 

     "My nuts?" 

     "Your legendary ARMS!" 

     "I GUESS SO.  But you should know," 

     "Yes?" She reached up and her tiny fingers poked at the muscle.

    "I think I found my one." 

    "Your one?" 

    "My true love." 

     "Is this when your other problem started?" 

     "Maybe, but

     She had taken his hand in her own hands and was turning it over and scrutinizing it.  "But?" 

     "That doesn't mean she's NOT!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING????"  He snatched his hand away. 

    "Is that gunpowder?" 

     He tucked his hands into his armpits in crossing his arms.  "Maybe."

     "Did you harm those girls you won in that bet?"  She'd caught his darting eyes and wouldn't let go.  He stared back at her.  And finally said, "It's not like that."  

     "Want some grits?  I was just about to make some."  She turned towards the firepit.  He dropped his hands and tall-leggedly beat her to it.  "Want me to get some more wood?" 

     "That'd be very nice of you."  He turned to look for a stack of wood.  "My father won those girls fair and square.  Because," he kept looking for a stack of wood, "Because, your government couldn't figure out how not to waste talent!"  He started towards the Forest floor.