Chapter IX: The Wrong Camp

I was having the most amazing dream. Pulling Bubblegum by the ponytail and drowning her in the swamp. Maybe that would teach her not to be such a hypocrite in defense of her cronies. Until I heard something. Suddenly, a faint knock on the window startled me awake. I groggily rubbed my eyes, trying to make sense of the noise. Another knock followed, more urgent this time. In bed, peacefully asleep, as the morning light softly illuminates the cabin. And then someone just had to ruin that.The other girls in the room are still lost in dreams, undisturbed by the world outside.

"Who the hell is that. It's like six in the morning damnit!" I cursed under my breath.

Curiosity piqued, I threw off my cozy blankets and looked up through the hole in the window. There, I saw Dwight standing outside, his face filled with urgency. He motioned for me to come outside. And pressed a finger to his lips pointing towards the other girls.

I was confused. And yet intrigued. I quickly slipped on a hoodie, tights, and my trainers before silently opening the cabin door. Glancing back at my sleeping cabin mates, I hoped they wouldn't wake up.

I stepped out into the crisp morning air, my breath visible in small puffs. Dwight stood near the edge of the camp, accompanied by a little girl clutching a stuffed bunny.

"You better have a good reason for waking me up Ginger because I swear—"

"There's something you've got to see..."

Dwight pointed towards a signpost nearby where a wooden plaque hung. I squinted to read it and couldn't mask the panic fast enough.

The sign read 'Camp Willoughby' instead of 'Willow Wind Summer Retreat.' My heart sank as it hit me.

"We're at the wrong camp."

The weight of the mistake settled heavily on the three of us. Exchanging worried glances, unsure of what to do next.

"Do you think they know there's been a mistake? I mean maybe they got the wrong three kids and we were dropped off here by accident." I ran a hand through my hair. "No wonder I haven't seen Jessie from when we got here."

"Jessie?" he asked.

"My sister. We both signed up for Willow Wind, but she ditched me and left with her friend early. I thought she was ditching camp for sure, but...now..."

"Hey, hey." he stopped me. "The first thing I need you to do, is relax. Don't say anything to anyone."

"Why?" I shrugged his arm off. "If we're not supposed to be here then the others have a right to know!"

"Just...trust me on this okay?" he said. "Jordan, please. Don't say anything to anyone, at least not yet."

He turned to the little girl. "That applies to you too."

He faced me.

"Everything's good." he said. "Everything's fine, just act normal until we know for sure, you can do that right?"

I nodded. "Okay,"

I tied my shoelaces tightly, the nervous energy coursing through my veins. The relay race is about to start, and I could feel the adrenaline building up within me. Today, we've officially been split into three teams. The first one is The Eco Warriors. The second, The Happy Hikers. And the third is The Lakeside Legends. Sappy names for a sappy Summer camp. But as I stood up to join my teammates, I caught Dwight and Penelope staring at me, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.

We're at the wrong camp.

I glanced at them, their fear mirroring my own. The thought of telling the others crossed my mind a few times, but I remembered the promise I made to Dwight—we agreed to keep quiet about it. It was supposed to be a fun summer at camp, and I didn't want anything to ruin it.

Sarah and Emily shot me nasty looks from across the field, their disapproval evident. Lance, on the other hand, caught my eye and gave me a friendly wave. I smiled back, grateful that at least three people here didn't hate me.

The brunette from the cabin, always observant, gave me a look that I couldn't quite decipher. Was it concern? Disappointment? I'm not sure how to translate her expression, but it only added to my growing unease.

Trying to regain some semblance of composure, I bent down again to double-check my shoelaces. As I was tying them, a sudden voice startled me from behind.

"Hey Jordan! Ready for the race?" Lance's cheerful tone caught me off guard.

I turned around quickly, nearly losing balance in the process.

"Holy shit!" My hand went to my chest to ease my breathing.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm ready," I stammer, trying to mask my apprehension.

Lance's smile widened as he stepped closer. "Great! We've got this in the bag."

His confidence was contagious, momentarily easing my worries. Maybe we could still make the best of this situation.

As we lined up for the race, I took a deep breath and focused on the task ahead. Despite the sitch, I was determined to give it my all. The sound of the starting gun reverberated through the air, and with each stride, I pushed forward, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, I had a team by my side.

I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I took my position on the track, waiting for the baton to be passed to me. It was the final leg of the relay race at camp, and I was determined to give it my all. Running alongside me were Emily and Sarah, two girls who had always seemed to have a problem with me. I already had them to thank for my tattered clothes. What did they want now?

As we started running, their words cut through the air, filled with contempt. "Do you think you're better than everyone else, Jordan?" Emily sneered.

"Just because you've got the attention of the most popular guy at camp and Lance's?" Sarah added.

"What the hell are you even talking about?" I snapped.

"Oh please," Emily huffed. "Playing dumb isn't going to save you this time Freak."

"Have a nice trip." Sarah smirked. "To the finish line I mean."

I tried to ignore their taunts and focus on my running, pushing myself harder with each step. As we neared the finish line, I could see victory within reach. But then, out of nowhere, Emily stuck out her foot, tripping me up. I stumbled forward, unable to regain my balance in time.

The impact was hard as I hit the ground, my head taking the brunt of the fall. The last thing I saw were the two of them, crossing the finish before everything faded into a cold blackness.