Darla's Camp Scare

chapter 1

Darla was upset one summer day at home.

Jessica was walking down the hallway as she was home for the summer, then looked to her little sister and walked in, coming behind her with a gentle hair stroke. "Darla, is there something wrong?"

Darla sighed. "Amber won a beauty pageant with help from Patch, Colette, Lucky, Rolly, Cadpig, and Spot..."

Jessica looked confused. "You're unhappy about that?"

"She won a gymnastics camp scholarship," Darla explained. "She'll be gone all summer... I won't get to see her until we start school next Fall."

"I'm sure that something interesting will happen." Jessica smiled.

"I guess..." Darla sounded sad and bored.

Jessica hummed, trying to think of something to cheer her little sister up. "Um, have you ever thought of signing up for summer camp?"

Darla pulled a face. "What is 'summer camp'?" she asked as though she had never heard of such a thing.

"You never heard of summer camp?" Jessica asked.

Darla shrugged while shaking her head.

"It's where you go during the summer." Jessica said.

"What do you do there?" Darla asked.

"Make friends, eat yummy S'Mores, tell campfire stories..." Jessica listed. "It's basically the most fun you could ever have... Plus, you can make loads of new friends and try a lot of new experiences... I think this'll be good for you since you miss Amber so much."

Darla pouted and stared at the floor. "I-I don't know... If Amber's not going..."

"I know Amber's your best friend, but just think, you can make different friends and have a lot of more fun than you could ever have!" Jessica encouraged.

"Well, okay, but what camp could I possibly go to?" Darla asked before Atticus came in.

"Guess who's going to be a camp counselor with the Mystery Inc?" Atticus asked excitedly.

"Uhh..." Jessica drawled out. "Donald Duck?"

Atticus narrowed his eyes. "Very funny."

"Would it be you?" Darla giggled, already having a feeling of why her older brother was excited.

"Yep," Atticus smiled, proud of himself. "I'm going to Fred's old summer camp from when he was a kid, Camp Little Moose."

"Would there happen to be openings for new campers?" Jessica asked, hoping to get Darla signed up to go this year.

"Actually, yes." Atticus nodded.

Jessica came over to her brother and whispered to him. "Darla's been very lonely lately... Amber's at gymnastics camp."

"I'll be happy to get her signed up to Camp Little Moose." Atticus whispered with a smile.

"Thanks..." Jessica smiled back. "She just looks so miserable without Amber."

"I know, that's why she looks like she could use some camp fun." Atticus said.

"Good boy..." Jessica hugged her younger brother.

After separating from the hug, Atticus signed Darla up for Camp Little Moose. Patrick and Emily of course approved as Darla looked bored to tears as she sulked in her bedroom and kept staring out the window as though she expected Amber to come walking up to the house and they could hang out again. Unfortunately, this would not be.

The next day, Darla was told where she would be going for the rest of the summer. "I'm going to summer camp?" she asked. "Really?!"

"Yep," Emily smiled. "It might be a lot of fun for you!"

"Plus you can make all sorts of new friends." Patrick added in.

"Isn't that great, Darla?" Patch smiled.

"I don't know what to say..." Darla smiled gleefully. "Thank you!"

"You better start packing so you can be ready." Patch said.

"Here, let me help you, you need to pack certain things." Jessica put her arm around Darla.

"All right!" Darla beamed, then grabbed Jessica's hand and ran with her into their room to get packing for summer camp.

Atticus was getting his stuff ready for the camp as well since he was going to be a counselor there. He then saw that he had a text from Mo about the camp. 'You're gonna be a counselor too? How cool is this? ;)'

Atticus got excited before texting her right back. 'So I'm guessing your going to be picked up by the gang too right?'

'You know it, can't wait to see you.' Mo replied.

'Back at ya I hope I get to put my strength to use at the camp.' Atticus replied.

'Hopefully... LOL.' Mo replied.

'Especially when I use my karate skills I learned from Goku.' Atticus replied.

'LOL, you lucky duck, Quack Quack #ducky.' Mo laughed.

'Anyways I'm taking along with me some camping stuff I'll need there and I also am packing my weights but making them light enough for the van to not slow down.' Atticus replied.

'Good boy, I'm excited to try out summer camp, I've never been.' Mo admitted.

'Cool so then this will be your very first one.' Atticus smiled.

'Yeah...' Mo replied. 'I have to admit, I'm a little nervous... I just hope these campers aren't little jerks... I love JJ though, he's a little sweetheart.'

'Well I can assure you these kids won't be jerks.' Atticus replied.

'They better not be... I'll TTYL, I have to finish up packing.' Mo said urgently then.

'Same here see ya in the van.' Atticus replied before hanging up.

Mo smiled, she hugged her phone and went back to packing up. Atticus finished up his packing as he placed inside what he would need at camp while including his heaviest weights of them all before making them light enough to not slow down the vehicle.