Chapter XII: Ledgers and Legends

A set of worn-out armchairs sat awkwardly in the middle of the room, their fabric threadbare and torn. The armrests were adorned with owl-shaped pillows, their beaks sharp and menacing even in their plush form. It was as if the counselor had a perverse obsession with owls, transforming this space into a temple dedicated to their dark allure.

The air grew heavier with each passing second, as if the owls themselves were alive, silently observing my every move. The forest of owl-shaped furniture seemed to close in on me, their glassy eyes following my every step. Goosebumps dotted my arms, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.

"You said, you wanted the ledger for this summer right?" Bella asked.

"Yeah," I pored over a few other books on the shelves.

There used to be encyclopedias here. The human body, astrophysics, art, music. But the books I was seeing here were mostly just records that ran for decades. Like yearbooks and stuff. This entire office was like the camp archive.

"You're gonna want to see this." she beckoned me over to the desk and switched on the dim lamp.

The ledger had thousands of names but the page she was on had five names in particular circled in red ink: Candy Summerton, Lance Launceston, Penelope Hartfeld, Dwight Hamilton and Jordan Rah. And my name had an awfully large star next to it. Usually that meant something like "I forgot to answer this question, I'll get back to it later." But having a big red star next to your name in the counsellor's ledger was not a good sign.

"So we're supposed to be here after all?" I felt myself choke, sinking into one of the arm chairs.

Part of me wanted our names to be there, but not with a f*cking red circle around them? What did the red circle even mean?

"Is that why you wanted to check the ledgers?" Bella pursed her lips. "And here I thought you were planning a coup or something."

She chuckled.

"We're not done yet." she said.

"The hell are you talking about?"

"You just found out you're in the right camp. And yeah it's kinda sketch but imagine all the secrets this room must be holding. Imma—"

"You don't get it do you?" I snapped. "I signed up for Willow Wind Summer Retreat. Not Camp Willoughby."

Her face went grim.

"...Willoughby." she tapped her chin.

"What?"

"Gimme a sec."

The shelves loomed before us, filled with an assortment of books and trinkets. We were on a mission to find a history book called "The Legends of Willoughby Woods."

As she swept the beam of light across the dusty shelves, my heart raced with anticipation. The air was heavy and not just from the bog. Every creak of the wooden floorboards echoed through the silence.

And then, there it was. Nestled between two weathered yearbooks, lay the ancient leather-bound book she was looking for. Its cover bore a sigil that seemed to shimmer in the torchlight, as if holding secrets within its design.

Gingerly, Anabelle reached out and retrieved the book from its resting place, placing it in my hands. The leather felt worn under my fingertips, as if it had been touched by countless readers before us. She opened it slowly, revealing yellowed pages that whispered tales of forgotten lore.

As my eyes scanned the pages, I marveled at the illustrations that adorned them. Detailed sketches of mythical creatures and enchanted forests brought the legends to life. Each page turned with a delicate rustle, as if eager to share its hidden knowledge.

But it was when Anabelle turned back to the first page that a shiver ran down my spine. There, in elegant calligraphy, were words that sent a chill through my veins:

"Beware those who seek the truth, For darkness lurks beyond these roots. Within these tales, secrets lie, Unveiling legends that never die."

And the first story, was one we all knew. 'The tale of the Shed.'

We shared a look. Bella's face folded into a frown.

"Get me that yearbook over there." she snapped her fingers pointing to a book so far in the corner, no one could even tell it was there.

"What, why?"

"Less talking more doing Elsa." she snapped. "It's almost bedtime and that means the counsellors are gonna be back soon."

I passed her the book and she held each in her hand, holding it up in the torchlight for comparison. Then she got to work undoing the binding for each one. I understood what she was doing and knelt down beside her to help.

There were two short knocks on the door. Shit. The signal. She nodded as she stood up to replace the book in the shelf. She tossed the other one out the window.

***

Dwight and Penny had completely forgotten about their mission in the midst of their joking and laughing. So when the camp counsellors' meeting broke, they weren't even aware of the one headed straight for them.

"What are you two doing out here?" Miss Dawson asked her gaze shifting from one to the other.

Dwight and Penny sprung up from the steps, backing towards the door protectively. They looked up at the her with wide, skittish eyes. Unsure of what to say. Then again, if Penny had something to say, she wouldn't say it anyway.

"Well...um, you see..."

***

The office door opened and Miss Dawson stormed in, nearly fainting at the sight. We sprung apart, feigning embarrassment that we'd been caught like a deer in headlights. Thank the stars for theatre.

"I'd ask what you were doing," she started shaking her head in disappointment. "But I think I've seen enough."

"Please Miss," I begged. "Please don't tell anyone about this."

"Give me at least one reason, why I shouldn't punish both of you right now." she demanded.

"Not everyone is receptive of our...love." Bella held back a wince, but Miss Dawson hadn't noticed. "And the other campers, they gossip you see. It wouldn't paint a pretty picture."

"You wouldn't want to keep us apart, would you? I mean, don't you believe in love?" Bella asked.

I elbowed her side. She was overselling it but Glasses seemed to buy it. Her face morphed into one of genuine sympathy and her eyes went to the photo on her desk. I'd noticed it earlier. But I hadn't taken quite a good look. A man, probably her husband. She had no ring on her finger though. You didn't need a pen to connect those dots. From the look on her face, it was clear we'd touched a nerve. She thought about it for a minute.

"Alright." she exhaled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But keep it in your pants until Summer's over. I do not ever want to walk into something so shameful ever again. Now back to your cabins, it's nearly lights out."

She pointed to the door and we walked out of the office, heads hung low.

We hastily made our way toward the exit, desperate to escape the claustrophobic presence of the counselor's owl-infested sanctuary. I couldn't help but feel relief as she finally shut the door behind us, leaving behind the ghostly apparitions that haunted the office. I gave Dwight a glare and he whistled avoiding my gaze, kicking aimlessly as he went on ahead.

"We never talk about this again, got it?" Bella warned.

"Agreed."