Camp Camp: Someone who cares (Dadvid) BEING RE-WRITTEN

Chapter II: The Hike

The campers trudged through the forest in clusters, kicking the dirt at their feet. Grey clouds turning black loomed over the campers, covering the sky that was a bright blue at the beginning of the day. The humidity caused beads of sweat to form on Max's face and drip down his neck. His sweat matted his hair to his forehead as he tried to wipe it off with the sleeve of his hoodie. He figured he might as well spare everyone from smelling what was going on underneath the hoodie by not taking it off.

David was still marching happily like he was for the past hour with seemingly no decrease in energy. He hummed one of his made-up songs in a chipper way that made Max tempted to cover his ears. It seemed unnatural that not even a drop of sweat seeped through his clothing or dripped down his neck.

"Hey David," said Gwen, cutting through Max's thoughts," I think it's about to rain."

When David turned to his co-counselor with a dumb smile, Max knew he would never stop the stupid activity.  

"Don't worry Gwen," replied David in his upbeat manner. "I prepared for this scenario and brought rain coats for everyone. Now no one needs to worry about a thing and we won't catch a cold! A little rain isn't going to stop our fun!"

Everyone groaned in unison, their heads either turned to the ground or the grey sky. The only comfort to Max was the knowledge that others were joining him in his suffering.

Max rolled his eyes and said with the most sarcasm he could muster, "So we're going to get even hotter and have to smell wet dirt. Great." 

One by one, the campers begrudgingly accepted a yellow jacket that blinded their eyes with its ugly fluorescence from Gwen. David and Nikki wore them with pride, skipping along the wet dirt path. Max made a mental note to reign her back in with a cynical comment since she was getting close to being as irritating as the annoying red-head. He also concluded that he was too nice to David that morning, saying sorry and all, which would have contributed to his overzealous attitude that day. 

Everyone's shoes squished in wet dirt not even fifteen minutes later as heavy rain poured down. There was one half of the camp that had enough common sense to avoid the puddles to save their shoes. However, the other half that jumped in them managed to soak their shoes and legs anyway. 

"Okay, kids, only forty more 'til we get there. We've been walking for about an hour which means we're over halfway there," David chirped. 

Max got some secret joy in seeing Gwen struggle to hold a large map under her raincoat in an attempt to keep it dry. The heavy rain that progressively got heavier continued to weigh down the tired campers for what seemed like hours. Yet again, every activity felt like hours to Max. 

"So where do you think he's taking us anyways?" asked Neil. 

"Maybe to a wolf den where we can hunt with the wild beasts," suggested Nikki with a crazed look in her eyes. Max still couldn't believe she was still enthusiastic. 

Her face lit up for a brief second before she ran into a puddle in the middle of a narrow-ish path. She cackled loudly while jumping into a puddle until the muddy water splashed everywhere. Most of the water got on Gwen who just sighed and scrunched up the soaked map. She made sure David was not looking when she angrily threw it into the forest. 

"It's going to be some random checkpoint in the middle of the woods that'll waste everyone's time and energy because we ran out of budget to have a new activity," Max explained nonchalantly, smirking at Gwen's inconvenience. "It always is and you guys should know that by now."

"You haven't quite guessed it yet but they'll be a great surprise when you get there," David butted in, facing forward to the track. 

Max stuck a middle finger up at him, knowing he could not see. David was too happy, he concluded. Accidentally apologizing made his day and tricked the bastard into thinking he may have actually tolerated him. When he thought about it, he unintentionally was bullying David less and less to the point of giving him the impression that Max might have liked him. He only counted seven times he made fun of David that day. Just seven!

The camp man was wrong if he dared thought Max was actually becoming closer to him. The only way to keep his reputation of being an unfeeling asshole was to maybe get back to the death traps, but they took a lot of time and were only meant to scare him. He had to keep an image that he wanted his camp counselor to die without actually killing him.

Another fifteen minutes later, the rain was forcefully pouring down on everyone at what felt like the speed of bullets. A chorus of complaining echoed throughout the forest while David blissfully lead them. 

Finally the walking came to a stop with David standing by a tree with a large branch sticking out. He casually leaned against the branch with his extended arm supporting his body, ignoring the slope. It seemed liked he was imitating the cool people he would have seen on his nerdy shows or something. Max and everyone else at Camp Campbell knew that the more David thought something was cool, the more it really was not. 

"Now campers, you may be wondering if the destination is worth the hike and I assure you it is. I'm taking you to a place we were taken I was a young camper. It's a statue of our founder, Mr. Campbell!" He exclaimed.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Max shouted above the groans of the rest of the camp.

"Language Max," David said. 

"In the middle of the woods?" Neil asked suspiciously. 

"It was probably another marking spot for something he wanted to hide," said Gwen. 

"Oooo! Buried treasure, perfect for adventure!" Nikki cheered, running up to another puddle that was right next to Gwen.

David looked up at the sky dreamily as he said, "I don't know about that but the statue is pretty gosh darn amazing."

That was when Max noticed that the stupid camp counselor had been leaning on that branch for a longer time than what he was comfortable with. David continued to talk, not seeming to notice the rain getting even heavier than before. 

A sickening feeling unexplainably swirled throughout Max's gut, convincing him that something was going to happen. The sharp rocks below David waited like a fox waiting for a baby bird to fall out of a nest. Max approached him without thinking.

"Hey idiot-" he started but before he could do anything there was a snap.

David's body gave way to unforgiving gravity towards the rocky slope, letting out one of his girly screams. 

"David!" Max called out of instinct. 

 Before he even knew what he was doing, Max's tiny hands gripped the man's shorts and tugged them forcefully. He turned his body as he pulled away from the slope. The extra force made them both lose balance and stumble forwards before David could tip over the edge.

David's body landing on the dirt path made a dull thud while Max felt as if he were floating with air rapidly brushing past him. He was falling in the opposite direction. An uncontrolled shriek that escaped him as his heart started to accelerate.

Max's faceplanted in the mud as he hit the ground and started rolling, further and further. He could not stop. His visions of pine trees, rocks and dirt blurred around him as he spun. Different parts of the forest, sticks, rocks and tree roots, tore through his raincoat and left cuts on his exposed skin. His body was thrown around by the earth like a rag doll under the mercy of a violent child.

The concerned voices calling out to him could faintly be heard over the crinkling of his raincoat and the breeze whizzing past him. For a brief second, he felt weightless again. Max cursed internally, awaiting the second landing with panic.

Pain blossomed throughout his temple for a moment before there was nothing.