He arrives to find that the camp is a dried up lake run by the warden, Louise Walker, her assistant Mr. Sir, and camp counselor Dr. Kiowa Pendanski. Prisoners who are known by their nicknames – including Zero, Zig-Zag, Armpit, Squid, X-Ray, and Magnet – spend each day digging holes in the desert; they may earn a day off if they find anything that intrigues Walker. During the night, Mr. Sir rescues Stanley from a yellow-spotted lizard, which he warns Stanley are aggressive and lethally venomous. After finding a golden lipstick tube initialed K.B. Stanley is accepted into the group and is given the nickname Caveman.