Camp Alpha (BoyxBoy)

{6}

‘How did you find this pond, I haven’t seen one other person here or even heading in this direction,’ Brody asked.

‘Hunter and I found it one day, we used it to throw a party on the full moon.’

Brody’s eyes widened and a smile graced his face, ‘Really?’

‘Yeah, Hunter and I jumped in the lake with our clothes on at like one in the morning and we got so cold that we had to run back to our rooms to change clothes,’ Nate smiled at the memory, ‘Then we got drunk on cheap vodka that someone brought and almost got lost in the forests. Thank-god for the fences.’

Brody laughed, ‘That sounds like Hunter.’

‘You must miss him,’ Nate stated carefully.

Brody nodded sadly, ‘It’s nice to be here, to be where Hunter used to go. I feel close to him.’            

Nate reached over and placed his hand on Brody’s arm, squeezing it gently. After a few moments he let go, his hand coming to rest in his lap again.

The mood was down and so Nate stood up, extending his hand to Brody.

Brody took his hand without question, allowing Nate to hoist him off the ground until he was on his feet, the book still under his arm.

‘Where are we going?’ Brody asked, looking at Nate through curious eyes.

‘A tree,’ Nate stated simply.

‘A tree?’ Brody repeated, the confusion clear in his tone.

‘A tree.’

Nate motioned for Brody to follow him, and Nate led him further away from the pond and deeper into the forest.

Brody quickened his steps until he was right next to Nate, ‘Aren’t we just going to run into the wall?’

Nate shook his head, but didn’t give away any more information.

They only walked for a minute before Nate stopped them both, looking up at the large tree which stood tall in front of them.

Nate had been here a few times before, but never with another person. He looked over at Brody and saw that he was staring up at the tree with those emerald orbs.

The tree had large roots which stuck out from the ground and was full of branches all the way to the top, which peaked up high in the air.

‘It is quite a beautiful tree,’ Brody commented, shifting the book from under one arm to the other.

‘That it is,’ Nate stood next to the tree, lifting his hand to come to rest against the hard wood of the trunk, ‘and we are going to climb it.’

Brody’s eyes widened, ‘Climb that?’ he looked up at the tree, a once appreciative gaze turning into a more fearful one. ‘No way.’

Nate smiled cheekily, ‘Yes way.’

‘No, uh, I’ll just stay down here and read,’ Brody nodded towards his book.

Nate crossed the difference between them, coming to stand face to face with his friend. ‘Brody, it will be fun, I promise you.’

Brody took a deep breath, ‘What if I fall?' he asked seriously.

Nate smirked, 'Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?'

Brody smiled, 'Erin Hanson quote. I'm impressed.'

'Are you coming?' Nate asked, looking up at the tree.

'Fine,' Brody agreed.

Nate smiled triumphantly and gently pried the book from Brody’s hands, placing it gently against the base of the tree.