The Summer at Camazotz

Five

The sun is just below the trees now and the clearing is illuminated by soft yellow light. The sky is painted different shades of pink and orange. Everyone gathers around the campfire, taking seats on the logs that surround the pit.

The game of octopus had lasted about an hour, though I can't be sure—yet again. I lost track after the first round. Astrid and I had been tagged out halfway through the game which is a new record for me. I made it to the centre of the clearing when Jordan tapped my back before tripping over himself and sent us both tumbling on the ground. His slip up had allowed some of the kids from Wolf Cabin to escape his wrath so I didn't mind too much.

"You're a pretty bad octopus if you're tripping over yourself," I had told him.

Jordan had just smiled and shrugged. "I got you, didn't I?"

Astrid had been tagged out in a much less dramatic way. A camper from Coyote Cabin had reached out and tapped her leg as she ran by. I think we would've made it through that round if we hadn't lost hold on each other. Or maybe Jordan would've taken Astrid down too.

Sitting around the firepit now, I'm buzzing with energy, despite the fact that I had just run back and forth repeatedly for so long. I can't seem to shake the excitement of the evening's activities off. I wasn't even thinking about how uncomfortable I would be soon from the feeling of the hard log underneath me. Astrid is sitting on my left and Tammy on her other side. Jordan is on my right and the line ends there. There is still room on the log for two more people, but I assume the rest of the staff knows to give the counsellors our own space too. I'm honestly grateful for this since I'm still only comfortable around my new friends.

As the sun continues to set, Chris and Hannah lead the campers in a chorus of campfire songs about being eaten by a boa constrictor and a moose named Fred. Astrid and Tammy join in after a while, singing loudly with the kids around them. I'm itching to sing, though again I'm really not sure why. I haven't been able to understand anything I've felt today. It must just be the new environment. I'm hoping Jordan will start singing so that I won't feel awkward singing by myself. Well, not entirely by myself since the girls are already singing. There's just this weird pressure to not do something another guy wouldn't do. Is that a thing? It sure as hell feels like it is right now.

It's a stupid thing to ponder on, but that is exactly what I'm doing. I wonder about the small things, the improbable things, even the imaginary things. But that isn't who I want to be this summer. I want to try new things and see if I can get the real me to come out. Mom always tells me to take leaps of faith and now I'm going to. I wait for the chorus to resume and then I start singing along. The words roll off my tongue as if I've sung these songs before. All of us around the fire clap to the beat of the songs, our voices rising and clashing together to form one solid voice.

I have a huge smile on my face and it feels out of character for me, but I'm liking it. It's the first night at camp, but I already feel as though I'm in a safe place. I have new friends and campers to bond with. There are going to be exciting new activities and challenges and that actually doesn't totally terrify me. I sneak a glance to my right and almost stop singing.

Jordan is leaning forward with the rest of us and is singing along.

☼ ☼ ☼

The four of us have moved to sit on the grass, leaning back against the log. The log has proven to be rather uncomfortable—more so than we had hoped—and the grass is the next best choice. There is no telling what time it is besides knowing it is much later as the sun is long gone and the moon has taken its place. The sky is littered with stars. It's the first time I've seen so many stars in years. Dad took Winston and I camping almost ten years ago and never again. We had experienced some. . . complications, that resulted in us swearing to never bring it up after that weekend. Seeing the stars now so many years later feels so brand new to me. It's like I've been missing out on a whole other world. All I have to do to see it is get away.

Chris is indulged in his story about the horror behind Camp Camazotz. I haven't really been paying too much attention to it, but can gather some information. The camp had originally opened as another camp two decades or so ago and had gone through some weird event that was the reasoning behind the camp's new name. There was some mention of Camazotz at the camp or something, I don't really know. I'll have to ask someone else about the story. Except no one else seems to be listening either. At least I don't think so. Tammy is half asleep against Astrid's shoulder whose eyes are open but appear to be glazed over. Jordan is either super into the story or he's sleeping with his eyes open.

I carefully nudge Jordan's arm. His eyes stay on Chris. "Hey, Jordan." No response. "Dude?"

Jordan only hums to let me know he heard me.

"What's happening?"

Jordan doesn't move his attention away from Chris, but responds. "Some of the older campers thought it'd be fun to sneak out at night. They came across Camazotz and some weird stuff happened to them. They kept going out the next few nights and one day they never came back. Chris is talking about the search for them now."

"You're, uh, really into this huh?"

Jordan shrugs. "I'm into scary stuff and this is just starting to verge into creepy territory."

"Just starting? Some mythological creature was hunting them in the woods at night."

Jordan tears his gaze away from Chris to look at me. His eyes stare into mine and for a moment I panic because eye contact while this close to someone is not something I'm exactly comfortable with.

"I thought you didn't scare easily," he comments, raising a brow.

I scoff. "I don't. And I'm not scared. I'm just admitting that the story is kinda creepy, that's all."

I return my attention to Chris, now engaged in the story. Jordan is right about it being specifically creepy now. The story becomes more detailed as it progresses. When Chris finishes the story the whole clearing goes silent. The only sound is the crackling of the fire. I start thinking about going back to the cabins now and am ready to stand up when a shrill screech fills the air. The campers scream and grab hold of each other. Tammy and Astrid jolt awake and gasp, eyes wild as they look around. I try to move back out of instinct, but forget about the log. My back hits the log and I wince in pain. Jordan bursts out laughing while everyone else attempts to steady their breathing.

Chris smiles at Hannah and Mikayla who walk into the centre with a phone and speaker. "Jordan's really the only one who isn't scared?"

Jordan lifts his arms and rests them back on the log. "I did say I'd be the one who lasted longer during the story."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

From the other side of the fire, a little girl raises her hand. "Is Camazotz mad at us?"

Mikayla shakes her head and kneels in front of her. "Nah. Camazotz is long gone. He won't be bothering us like he did in the story."

"Is that story real?" Timothy pipes up from his spot on the log.

Chris has a wicked grin on his face when he says, "Did I not mention that it's a legend?"

☼ ☼ ☼

I pull my shirt down over my head and head back into the main room. The boys are all dressed in their pyjamas and are crawling into their respective beds. Mason stretches and yawns while Isaac and Ethan play together on the next bed over. Sebastian and Jackson are hidden under their covers as they talk about the story they had heard just half an hour earlier. I clap to get their attention. "Okay guys, bedtime."

"Aww," the boys groan.

"I know you guys want to stay up, but we do have a bedtime. And it's now." I check the lock on the door before crossing back to the other side. I turn the lights off and say a quick goodnight to the campers and walk into my room.

I plop down on the bed and grab my phone. Exhaustion falls over me as I stare at the device in hand. Tonight won't be a night for any late night texts, but I do send a short message to my parents letting them know how my day went. Once the message is sent, I put my phone in the drawer of the nightstand and turn away from it. 

I bury my face into the pillow and let out a breath I had been holding all day. Sleep comes easy after the long day I've had and I welcome it with open arms.