The facility located in the deep woods of Michaux State Forest, eighty-five thousand acres of nature set near the southern state line of Pennsylvania. The buses pulled into the parking lot, where the self-driving parents already arrived.
"Chloe!" Paige and Kendall ran up to hug her.
"How was your ride?" Chloe asked.
"Excruciating!" Paige complained. "It's like going to a new school!"
Chloe could well relate to the awkwardness. She felt exactly the same in school, people looked at her differently since she became a public figure, everyone wanted to be near her, yet none could become true friends. But to her relief, the camp was exclusive for the ALDC, everyone here has grown to ignore their presence. Any outsiders would swamp over them for selfies.
They were first introduced to the person in charge, a fifty-year-old retired firefighter named Jeff Romans. Romans gave his welcoming speech and introduced the setting. Chloe listened carefully, like reaching every new place, looking for highly populated areas, boundary and exit routes.
Base Camp was the heart of the facility, located on the flat land surrounded by forest, with spidery roads led to activities at different spots in the woods. There was a lake to the west for boating, and a hill up the north.
The facility consisted the main building that was a large gym, not far away was the recreation building, it has different game rooms, cafeteria and a shop.
The living quarter was a short walk to the west, joined by three lines of wooden log bungalows folding to a letter "U", resting near the woods that led to the lake.
The rooms offered two bunk beds, which Chloe, Paige and Kendall had to share with a new girl named Hannah.
Hannah was a student in the ALDC, but not a cast of the show. The young teenager has dreamy eyes, like she never got enough sleep, often carrying a big smile that reveals her braces.
Paige immediately dumped her bag on the nearest bed, marking it her territory. Kendall took the opposite, didn't want to take the trouble climbing up and down out of bed. Chloe took the top bunk above Kendall, leaving Hannah taking the one above Paige.
Hannah immediately started decorating her wall and ceiling with pictures of stars and astrology maps, humming happily like she found a new home.
"You know we're just here for two weeks. Right?" Paige asked the new girl.
"That's why I want to make it feel home!" Hannah smiled.
The team ignored the strange girl and studied the rest of the room, it consisted a square wooden table, with chairs and private lockers resting along the wall. The window was opposite to the door, offering a view to the forest uphill.
"Eh... where's the bathroom?" Kendall showed concern.
"I think I saw a sign when we came in." Chloe said.
"You mean we have to share it??"
"What's wrong? We do it in the studio all the time."
"No. I mean..." Kendall hesitated. "Is it far?"
"What a minute!" Paige turned from the window. "You're not afraid of going to the bathroom in the dark, are you?"
"Not at home!" Kendall defended. "But this is the wildlife! Who knows what kind of creatures living here?"
"Wildlife is wonderful. It opens your senses to nature." the new girl said without looking at them.
"I sense snakes and bugs." Paige said unimpressed.
"I've been looking forward to this long ago! I even brought my crystals!"
"You brought what?"
They watched the smiling girl poured out a bag of rocks, placing them on the window sill in an orderly fashion, they glittered under the sunlight.
"Crystals. They absorb energy from sun and water. I'm gonna get some water from the lake to bath it."
"Are you feeling all right? Are you into witchcraft or something?"
Being a science enthusiast, Paige often found superstition childish, despite herself in junior high.
"It's call New Age. Trees and rocks release energy, it strengthen your aura and bring you good luck." Hannah totally misinterpreted the sarcasm. "I also brought my Tarot Cards. I can read it for you if you like."
"Can Tarot tell me when we can get out of this place?" Paige maintained her sarcasm.
ČTEŠ
Dance Moms Bodyguard (11) Maryton Creek
DobrodružnéWhen the ALDC girls took on Booty Camp, they bit off more than they could chew.
