Writer's Note:
Hi everyone! Very happy to see everyone liking this fanfic so far and voting for choices. If you are enjoying this section, just wait until things start getting spooky. This note is to inform you all of a couple changes: first, I'm changing the dates by a month (all 'June' dates from previous chapters will be 'July', as will this one). This is to make the fanfic work more with the dates seen in the game. There has not been a time skip.
Secondly, when the 'Quarry' events actually begin, Eliza will present the readers 'Oracle cards', instead of 'Tarot cards'. This is to respect the art of tarot and not undermine it by changing names of cards. The purpose will stay the same, as will its function: Eliza will simply just refer to them as 'Oracle cards' or simply 'cards' now. I have made this change in 'Introduction' too and replaced all 'Tarot' words with 'Oracle'.
There is a new informative chapter, like the introduction, however this one is much more interactive. This chapter - called 'Character Information (Items, Stats, Pathways)' - will include ALL the current items of every character in the fanfic, so you can make informed decisions when deciding to use items or switch them, the updated character statistics table, and, my favourite part, all-new pathways.
Pathways will work similar to how they do in the game: every decision made by readers will be listed under this section, but given a name (for example, the building of the communication tower decided in chapter 1 is under the name 'Costly Communications').
Every effect that the original decision has on the chapters will be listed here. So, essentially, you can trace a lot of narrative points (death, infection, injury, etc) as a cause of past choices.
I have made a few small changes to the character statistics table on further revision. It's not necessary to look, but I gave every character a '5' statistic to maintain fairness, and changed some characters' stats around generally. An updated table is found in 'Character Information'.
Thank you for reading this, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I recommend you check out 'Pathways' when you can!
Disclaimer for this chapter: Sexual references.
[ THE COUNSELLORS, THE FIREPIT, JULY 20TH, 9:43 P.M. ]
Ryan put his left arm under Dylan's leg, his right arm on his back, and hoisted him into a bridal carry. Dylan smiled brightly and let out a small giggle.
Dylan put both hands under his chin and pointed them downwards as if to show off his face, smiling.
Ryan smiled kindly and tilted his head, carrying Dylan.
Kaitlyn let out a very quiet sigh. She shook her head back and forth, eyes closed, in a distracted manner.
She opened her eyes, smiled, and put her hand on her hip to pose for the photo.
The camera flashed for a second or two, then it went dark again.
E: "Ta-da! What a cute photo that'll be."
Jacob smiled, as Emma let go of him and ran over to her phone.
Nick let Abi down off his back, and yelled to Emma.
N: "Hey Emma! Show us that picture."
E: "Well duh. I'm not stupid."
Dylan was still in Ryan's arms and looked up at him, as Ryan looked down.
D: "I didn't know you were that strong."
Dylan poked his flexed bicep comically, still hanging in his arms.
D: "Jeez..."
R: "There's lots of things you don't know about me, Dylan."
D: "Ooh! How mysterious..."
Ryan chuckled, amused. Dylan stared at Ryan, with involved eyes.
D: "Like what?"
R: "Like the fact I'm secretly... a massive, green, shapeshifting alien who eats people."
D: "You can eat me, I'm cool with that."
Ryan chuckled slightly. Then they smiled at each other again, looking in each other's eyes.
R: "Okay. I'm putting you down now. You're heavy."
D: "Um! How rude of you."
Ryan tilted his arms left, Dylan's feet touched the ground and he stood normally.
R: "I'm sure it's just your overwhelmingly large wit."
D: "Fine, I forgive you."
They both chuckled.
Emma walked over to the rest of the counsellors, now with her phone.
E: "Look how pretty!"
Emma showed the photo: it was a great shot, and was very wholesome. Everyone looked extremely happy, and everyone was posing with someone.
Everyone but Kaitlyn. Still, she looked cool and happy, posing with her hand on her hip, and looking like her usual confident self.
K: "What would that even be called?"
E: "What would what be called?"
K: "Like, seventh wheeling?"
Most people awkwardly laughed at this, since Emma and Jacob were the only ones to actually confess their feelings for one another.
E: "Hm, I guess. Three couples and an independent woman who don't need no man."
People looked confused at this remark. Ryan and Abi were in particular quite embarrassed.
K: "True. Men are as reliable as hand-free soap dispensers."
Ryan chuckled.
D: "What?! Kaitlyn... I am tragically offended!"
K: "Except you Dylan, you know I love you."
Dylan smiled, and put his hand on his hip.
J: "Well what about me?!"
K: "Like I said. Hand-free soap dispenser."
J: "The fuck does that even mean?!"
Kaitlyn laughed and began walking over to the firepit. She picked up the bag full of trash and slung it over her shoulder.
Everyone began walking away from Jacob and towards Kaitlyn, collectively heading towards the cabins.
Jacob stood there, still near the lake.
J: "HELLO?!"
He rolled his eyes and huffed, before running to catch up with them.
[ DYLAN, THE RADIO HUT, JULY 21ST, 7:53 A.M. ]
Dylan rubbed his tired eyes and yawned, walking into the hut.
D: "Time for my morning announcements."
He looked to the right: it was very messy: Mr H usually shoved all his boxes, books, tools, etc in the radio hut for extra storage. Dylan had said that he didn't mind it because he likes doing PA announcements, but it does bother him.
There was a faint chatter of campers outside: a few children were sitting on the steps of their cabins and some were outside on the tables near the large centre tree, but most were still in their cabins or sleeping.
He sat in the chair at the desk and began fiddling around with some buttons.
D: "God-damned- PA. What's wrong with this shit-"
A very small buzz suddenly materialised within the microphone.
D: "Finally!"
Dylan pressed the PA button.
D: "Hello! Good morning, Hacketteers! If you or your friends haven't gotten out of bed yet, pull your friends or yourself out of bed!"
He smiled to himself and continued.
D: "Today, as you all know, we're staying in the lodge for a movie night! So, make sure that anything you need, you bring with you when we go over to the lodge! Water bottles, stuff like that!"
Dylan looked out the window and saw Ryan sat outside on the tables with some campers, listening to the PA.
D: "Speaking of movies, why did the sad Jedi cross the road?"
He let go of the announcement button, gave it a few seconds, then pressed the button again.
D: "To get to the dark side."
A faint laughter could be heard outside, a high-pitched, collective laughter which sounded like the campers. Dylan looked out of the window and saw Ryan laughing and shaking his head.
D: "Now, go get everything ready! Remember, Mr Hackett is leaving early today so us counsellors will be in charge! I know you're all very happy to hear that!"
Dylan smiled and stood up, staring at Ryan through the window.
D: "Never thought I would fall into the 'fall in love at summer camp!' cliché. Ugh."
He then put the counsellor's radio, which he always took for the mornings, on the desk. He walked outside, stretching his tired arms.
[ THE COUNSELLORS, LODGE EXTERIOR, JULY 21ST, 8:05 A.M. ]
A: "Here we are, Hacketteers! Let's go inside and we can start preparing for our exciting movie night!"
They all gaily jumped up and down.
A: "Alright, alright! Line up and start to head in, everyone!"
Abigail began ushering in campers, counting them as they went.
Kaitlyn spoke to Emma: they were both at the back of the crowd of campers, along with Ryan and Dylan.
K: "I've always wondered why we have necessary movie nights..."
Emma looked at her, curious.
K: "And why Mr H has been so rigid about 'keeping everyone inside'?"
E: "I have, actually. I thought it might have been because of angry bears or something."
K: "Angry bears?"
E: "Yeah. It feels like there's dangerous animals or- I don't know. It's weird. I've just shoved it out of my mind."
Dylan looked up at the campers heading up the stairs and into the lodge.
D: "Maybe we're hiding from someone."
K: "Or something. It feels like we're bunkering down."
Ryan butted in, as he was listening to their conversation.
R: "It's just a tradition to have movie nights every month. You guys are looking way too much into this."
K: "Is it tradition to leave the campers and counsellors alone at night every month too?"
R: "Well, that's what he does, you know that. But he's a busy man..."
E: "Okay... these past few days, he's constantly reminded us that today is movie night and every single person needs to be the lodge. That isn't weird to you?"
R: "He wants the people he's looking after to be safe. How is that suspicious?"
E: "Hmm..."
K: "I don't buy it. It wouldn't explain him leaving randomly."
R: "Dude. He's cool. Stop conspiring."
Mr Hackett was waiting on the lodge balcony, and spoke to Abi briefly, before going inside.
Abi ushered in all the kids, leaving just the counsellors outside. Nick and Jacob were waiting at the top of the stairs, chatting with each other.
Abi walked down the steps and towards the three counsellors.
R: "Let's just enjoy the movies and chill out."
K: "Enjoy the movies?"
R: "Yeah?"
K: "Ryan, these are literal kids. The movies are going to be about unicorns and how to not pick your nose and wipe it on literally everything."
D: "I, for one, love unicorns, thank you."
R: "He'll have some good movies, I'm sure."
K: "Eh. We're lucky if we get Shrek 2."
A: "What's wrong with Shrek 2?"
The counsellors turned to Abi and smiled. Kaitlyn tilted her head, inquisitively.
K: "It's about a massive, insecure green misogynistic man-thing who pressures women to get what he wants."
R: "Jesus, Kaitlyn."
K: "What?! It's true..."
E: "Ruining childhoods one analysis at a time, Kait!"
Abi laughed.
A: "Mr Hackett wants you guys to come help set up. It shouldn't take too long, we just need to get the projector set up in the classroom, make snacks, and choose the movies."
E: "Choose the movies?"
A: "Yeah, Mr Hackett has a bunch of movies, we get to choose 3 or so. We'll be there all day, and we're starting the movies at 4 p.m."
D: "No baby movies, yay!"
R: "Most of the campers are almost teenagers. Not infants."
K: "Anyone below 16, to me, is an infant."
E: "Fact!"
Kaitlyn smiled at Emma, she smiled back.
Ryan rolled his eyes, as they all meandered up the stairs, met with Nick and Jacob and entered the lodge.
The campers sat around the various tables lined up in the main foyer, giggling and eating cereal and toast for their breakfast. The campers smiled at the counsellors, and began waving at them, some of them whispering to each other.
Mr Hackett suddenly appeared from his office, smiling and putting his hands on his hips.
MH: "Hey, guys!"
R: "Hi, Mr H! You needed a hand?"
MH: "Ah, yes. I have to deal with a few calls, it's uh- family- stuff. Emma, can you get the projector set up in the classroom upstairs?"
E: "Aye-aye, captain!"
J: "Can I go with Em?"
MH: "Sure, just get the projector working."
J: "Yes!"
Jacob pumped his fist in the air, Emma smiled and chuckled at him.
Emma and Jacob went upstairs, holding hands.
MH: "Nick, do you mind preparing snacks?"
D: "Uh... you mean... Chef Nick?"
Mr Hackett chuckled, smiling.
MH: "Right. Chef Nick."
N: "Of course, yeah. What kind of snacks should I make?"
MH: "There's a bunch of popcorn kernels in the storage room. You could make different batches, if you want."
N: "In the general store?"
One of the campers overheard this and excitedly yelled "POPCORN!?".
All other campers suddenly got very excited and started talking loudly. Mr H turned to them and spoke, projecting his voice.
MH: "Yes, we're having popcorn! Please keep the noise down, though! We can't be too loud tonight."
Kaitlyn looked at him, curiously. The campers quietened.
K: "We can't be too loud?"
MH: "Well, uh- yeah. Don't wanna disturb the wildlife, you know?"
K: "Uh-huh..."
N: "Uh... so, is the storage room in the general store?"
MH: "Yeah, the back of the general store. Uh- Nick, I haven't prepared anything for lunch, so, do you mind making it? Just a large batch of sandwiches or something?"
N: "Uh... yeah... that's fine."
MH: "Sorry, just- busy. I barely managed breakfast."
N: "Yeah, no worries, man."
Nick walked outside, towards the general store.
MH: "The rest of you can choose the films we'll watch today. The box of movies is in my office. I'll grab them for you now."
He let out a forced, nervous laugh. The remaining counsellors - Abi, Dylan, Kaitlyn and Ryan - smiled at him.
Mr Hackett walked into his office. Kaitlyn whispered to the counsellors.
K: "What the actual fuckballs was that about?"
A: "I literally have no clue. It was weird, though..."
D: "Huh? Oh, you mean the stench of suspicion seeping from Mr H?"
A: "Ooh. Alliterative."
Dylan laughed.
R: "I- what? He just seemed busy to me..."
K: "To you."
Kaitlyn put her hand on her hip, furrowed her eyebrows, and looked towards the floor in thought.
K: "It's genuinely got me a little worried. The constant 'stay in the lodge', the fact he's running away and leaving us alone before nightfall, his confusion and stuttering. There has to be something up, right?"
R: "Kaitlyn, don't get worried about it. You'll be fine."
K: "It's not me I'm worried about: I'm worried about us and the campers. What if someone or something breaks in? Seven people can't protect, like, thirty plus kids?"
R: "IF something breaks in. Nothing will."
K: "Ryan, do you even know what 'if' means? You can't use 'if' and then provide a definite statement."
R: "Alright 'Miss Grammar'. Didn't know you were the 'word master'."
K: "I'm majoring in English literature at college so, thanks? Don't know what that-"
A: "Both of you, please. Can we just get along? We've never had issues before with one another, why start now?"
Ryan rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.
D: "Ryan... she's got a point. 'Hi, my name's Mr Hackett- I have calls- uh- family calls- uh- important- family- business, busy! Super busy! Not hiding anything!'"
R: "He's busy. That's all there is to it."
D: "Yeah, lies!"
R: "You think he's lying?"
D: "Yep, I know he's lying."
They stared at each other for a few seconds.
R: "You... care to elaborate?"
D: "Nope."
Ryan looked at him with serious eyes. Dylan smiled.
D: "Ugh fine, I'll elaborate. Just for you and your sexy serious face..."
R: "...Well?"
D: "Oh. Right. Hitmen."
Ryan eyed him.
A: "Hitmen?"
D: "Mhm!"
A: "I agree about the suspicious part, but-"
D: "Nu-uh-uh. Hitmen. We... are going to be hunted. Cue the dramatic, intense action music! We run outside, in the pitch black forest, being chased by cannibalistic hired guns who want to eat our asses!"
Kaitlyn silently looked at the campers at the tables, with a concerned expression.
D: "And we'll have to resort to covering our scent with mud and pine leaves! Crafting spears from tree branches and our sharpened canines to defend ourselves!"
The office door swung open and Mr H walked into the foyer again, carrying a big cardboard box.
He walked over to the counsellors, dropping the box at their feet.
MH: "What were you saying about defending yourself, Dylan?"
R: "He's just being an idiot. Nothing out of the ordinary."
Mr Hackett looked worried.
MH: "Well you don't need to defend yourself at this camp. It's totally safe here, buster."
K: "You're sure about that? Nothing dangerous here?"
Mr Hackett looked at her, confused and slightly irritated.
MH: "Yes, I'm sure, Kaitlyn. If there was something dangerous, do you think I'd be here?"
K: "No, you wouldn't be here."
MH: "Exactly. Glad we're on the same page, now if you all could-"
K: "You wouldn't be here. And you're leaving us alone today, aren't you? You're not going to be here."
Mr H was silent. Kaitlyn put her hand on her hip. She continued.
K: "What about bears? Are there bears around here? What if we need your help?"
R: "Christ, Kaitlyn. Stop it."
Kaitlyn looked at Ryan, then back at Mr H, who was silent.
K: "Well?"
MH: "You're safe. Bears don't come around this area-"
Kaitlyn laughed, ironically.
K: "Huh, strange. I saw a bear footprint on the first day of camp: a great massive footprint in the mud, with prints of large claws at the toes."
Chris scoffed, irritated.
MH: "That wasn't a bear's."
K: "Oh, was it not? Was it a dinosaur footprint?"
Mr Hackett turned to her, with an angry countenance, and stared at her.
She looked back at him, with firm eyes.
K: "How about a goose?"
Mr H spoke loudly, almost yelling at her.
MH: "You don't know anything about this camp, and I do. I own it for God's sake. You better wise up, and start listening to what I have to say. I am an adult. You are a child."
He continued, walking closer to her.
MH: "I am trying to keep you safe. You are safe in this camp. If you do feel unsafe, then you are more than free to leave, Kaitlyn Ka. Maybe it would be better that way."
R: "Woah, I-"
Kaitlyn scoffed and raised an eyebrow at him.
A silence filled the entire lodge. The tension was thick: it made the air humid.
Abi, Ryan and Dylan were staring at both Kaitlyn and Mr Hackett, speechless.
The campers were also entirely silent, shocked at hearing Mr Hackett loudly telling off Kaitlyn.
Chris sighed, sounding stressed.
K: "Hmpfh. Okay."
Kaitlyn walked over to the closest door, the one leading to the balcony, yelling back at him as she walked away.
K: "Good luck without me, considering I do everything here!"
She pushed the doors open and stormed outside.
Dylan looked at Ryan. Ryan looked back at him. Dylan widened his eyes and smiled very slightly, to show recognition of the incredibly awkward situation.
Abi was staring at the floor, holding her wrists awkwardly.
The doors closed.
Mr Hackett sighed loudly.
MH: "Great. Another thing to- for God's- ugh-"
He turned violently and started towards his office.
MH: "Get her back in the lodge before we start watching the movies."
D: "Yo, what? Why? You just told her-"
Mr Hackett stopped in his tracks, turning to look at Dylan.
D: "Uh- uh- yeah, sure. Sure, dude! Get the rogue counsellor back inside the lodge ASAP! Got it!"
Mr Hackett nodded, and turned back to his office and walked towards it, going inside.
The campers were still silent, and looking at the counsellors.
A: "You guys- uh- you should probably go after her. I'll go distract the campers. I can't believe she just stormed out..."
D: "Don't blame her. He was lying through his teeth, I would've been-"
R: "Dylan, fucking seriously?"
D: "What?"
Ryan, frustrated, picked up the cardboard box full of movies and went upstairs. Dylan pulled a confused and annoyed face.
Dylan looked at Abi, raising his hands in a confused manner.
A: "Well... never thought we would try to kill each other over some movies."
Dylan laughed at this.
D: "Your humour is always so practically timed, Abi."
A: "Glad I can help, haha."
D: "You know what, I like you!"
Abi smiled, confused, and turned her head quickly to the side and then back at Dylan, who was smiling brightly.
A: "Uhh... thanks? We have known each other for a month now, so... I'd hope so."
D: "Yeah!"
Abi smiled, awkwardly.
D: "Sorry... for- making it awkward again."
A: "It's fine, I don't think it could get more awkward than what just happened."
D: "Heh. Yeah."
Abi smiled.
A: "Well then!"
D: "Yeah..."
A: "Mhm!"
They both burst out laughing. After several seconds, Dylan began slowly meandering towards the stairs.
D: "I'm gonna go apologise to Ryan and then find Kaitlyn. Cya Abs!"
A: "Good luck, Dyl!"
Abi smiled brightly, as she walked over to the tables to sit with the campers.
[ EMMA AND JACOB, LODGE CLASSROOM, JULY 21ST, 8:29 A.M. ]
Emma was stood on a chair at the front of the classroom, fiddling with the projector that hung above the whiteboard. Jacob was sat at the back of the classroom on a chair.
J: "Why are you getting it ready now? We have hours yet..."
E: "Better to get it done now so we can do other things, no?"
J: "Other things, huh?"
Jacob smirked at Emma.
E: "We are literally in a classroom, Jacob. Not the time."
J: "Hey, don't rule stuff out just because we're in a classroom. It's a popular genre of por-"
E: "Alright Jacob! Try that now, please."
J: "Fine."
Jacob stood up and walked over to the desktop computer, at the front of the class, that was plugged into the wall. He clicked the mouse a few times.
J: "It should be up?"
E: "Well it's not, try again."
J: "Dude. I've tried it already."
E: "Well maybe you're not doing the right thing, dude."
J: "Emma, what the shit?"
E: "God, Jacob... Just open it again."
Jacob clicked a few more times. The projector suddenly switched from the default, bright blue colour to a projection of the computer's screen.
E: "There! Told you that you weren't doing it right."
J: "Whatever, man..."
E: "Don't sulk, Jacob."
Jacob walked away from the seat and sat back in the chair at the back of the class.
E: "Jacob..."
Emma walked over to Jacob slowly.
She smiled at him, as she climbed onto his lap and wrapped her legs around him, and they started kissing. Jacob smiled.
The door opened.
R: "Um..."
J: "Ryan, can you not-"
E: "Come on in, Ryan!"
Emma climbed off of Jacob and wiped Jacob's mouth, which had now been stained slightly pink. Ryan walked in, leaving the door open.
R: "In a classroom? Seriously?"
E: "Hey, that's what I said."
J: "It's like 90% of the sets of porn."
E: "God, I wish Kaitlyn was here. Maybe she could lecture you about how porn is literally the opposite of reality, I'm out of my depth. Where is Kaitlyn, by the way?"
R: "Ah, yeah... Um..."
E: "What?"
R: "Kaitlyn and Chris kinda had a really tense and awkward argument, she just ran off and left the lodge."
J: "What the fuck? Kaitlyn's super level-headed, how did he get her mad?"
R: "He didn't- ugh. I don't know. She's just upset."
E: "Fuck. Is anyone going after her?"
R: "Abi told Dylan to, so..."
A silence followed.
J: "What's in the box?"
Emma smiled at Ryan and turned to Jacob, without a smile.
E: "Way to shift a conversation, Jakey!"
R: "It's just a box full of movies. Chris' collection, he changes it up every year."
Emma hummed gently, in an interested manner.
E: "Well, I guess we should look at them. Put 'em on the table."
R: "Yep."
He did so.
E: "So, I guess us three should just choose some movies-"
D: "You mean us four?"
Dylan smiled, walking into the classroom. Jacob spoke, sarcastically.
J: "Great! It's becoming an academic party!"
D: "I'm surprised you even know the word academic."
E: "He didn't. I had to tell him. Didn't I, Jake?"
J: "Okay, I do not appreciate the Jacob bullying that I'm seeing from each corner of the room. Not nice."
Emma and Dylan smiled at each other.
E: "What's happening with Kaitlyn?"
D: "Oh. Yeah. Kaitlyn said 'omg why are you being weird', Mr H said 'yell, mean, leave this place!'"
E: "I meant- aren't you meant to be going after her?"
D: "Yeah. I'll go soon, I think she needs a moment to chill."
R: "Alright, well... let's look at these movies."
The four of them began picking up cases and looking at them.
J: "Hm. 'Blockers'."
E: "Hey, I saw that movie. Very funny."
R: "Yeah, me too. Inappropriate as hell for kids, though."
E: "Actually... Dylan looks like one of the side characters in it. Connor, or something?"
R: "Wait, you're so right."
D: "Hm."
R: "You got a secret actor life that you've been hiding from us?"
D: "Yeah. Yeah, I do. My real, actor name is Kilometre Crows. Nice to meet you."
The three counsellors laughed at this.
R: "There's uh... 'The Goonies'? That's pretty child appropriate, right?"
J: "Hey youuu guuuyyyssss!"
The three counsellors looked at Jacob, interpreting the remark as literal rather than a reference.
J: "Nobody? Alright."
E: "'Big Hero 6?'"
R: "Yeah, sure. Good movie. Sad ending, though."
D: "But, dude... the main character's brother... phew..."
Everyone looked at him.
D: "I have no shame. Stare as much as you please."
E: "Eh, I agree to be honest."
R: "Yeah, same."
Jacob cleared his throat.
J: "Anyway. What about 'Shrek 2'?"
D: "Oh, that is perfect."
Dylan snatched the case out of Jacob's hand and ran out the door.
The sound of someone running down the stairs could be heard.
R: "What the fuck is happening today..."
There was a silence.
E: "'Ice Age?'"
[ NICK, GENERAL STORE, JULY 21ST, 8:35 A.M. ]
N: "Popcorn kernels, aha!"
Nick was, at this point, in the storage room of the general store, rummaging around among the various shelves. He had found the popcorn kernels.
N: "We have sugar, syrup at the lodge, I wonder if there's..."
Nick walked further into the storage room, and found a bar of cooking chocolate.
N: "I could make chocolate popcorn... Oh, why not. I can't resist."
Nick picked up the chocolate bar and put it in his pocket.
He walked around a little more, looking at the various food supplies and random items. He found a poster. It looked like a poster advertising a travelling freak show that regularly came to North Kill, with a woman on the front with a crystal ball.
N: "Hm... a freak show. Harum Scarum. Hm. That woman looks scary."
Nick walked away from the poster and looked more at the shelves. He saw a bar of toffee.
N: "Perfect. Toffee popcorn is delicious. Abi's favourite, too."
He also found a jar of peanut butter, sealed.
N: "Popcorn and peanut butter? Peanut butter popcorn! Wait..."
Nick cleared his throat, smiled like a child, and sung to himself, shimmying slightly.
N: "Pop, pop, peanut butter, butter pops! Pop pop pop 'em in your mouth!"
He laughed to himself.
N: "Oh, I miss those snacks."
He smiled, reminiscing.
N: "Anyway, I should probably get back..."
He started walking back through the storage room, to go back to the lodge. He was cradling all the items he had collected for the popcorn in his arms as he walked.
[ KAITLYN, SHADY GLADE, JULY 21ST, 9 A.M. ]
Kaitlyn sat on a large log at the end of the shady glade path, which overlooked the lake and had a great view. She stared into the distance, picking up some small pebbles around her.
She began throwing individual pebbles off the edge of the cliff.
K: "I just want us to have a good summer."
She let out a deep sigh, throwing another stone.
Kaitlyn smiled gently, trying to cheer herself up, and stared at the clouds above her.
A twig snapped and footsteps could be heard. Kaitlyn sighed loudly.
K: "Please, just leave me alone for a while."
The footsteps got closer to her. She turned her head around.
D: "Hey, it's just me."
K: "Oh. Hi Dylan. I thought you were Ryan... or Chris."
Dylan smiled at her compassionately. She smiled back, looking stressed. Dylan slowly walked to the right of her, sitting himself next to her on the log.
They both stared at the horizon for a couple of seconds. Then Dylan spoke.
D: "Oh. I got this for you, thought you'd love it."
Dylan pulled out the case of 'Shrek 2'.
Kaitlyn looked at the case for a moment, then to Dylan, who was smiling.
K: "Really?"
Dylan chuckled.
K: "I cannot describe how tempting it is to take that and throw it off this cliff."
She laughed. A brief silence followed: a calm silence.
D: "I knew you'd be here. You said to me once that 'it was the most peaceful place in camp'."
K: "Yeah. Thought I needed a little peace."
Dylan sighed.
D: "About that whole fiasco..."
K: "Yeah."
D: "Very out of character for you to storm out like that. What's up?"
K: "I'm only worried about the campers... well, and us... I just don't want anyone to get hurt or worse. I feel like I'm crazy for... wanting people to be safe."
D: "I get what you're feeling, to be honest."
Kaitlyn looked at him.
D: "I put up a front of not caring about things, but this has me concerned. Us two and Ryan have obviously been counsellors here before, and we've had Mr Hackett put us in charge when he's had to leave, but..."
Dylan looked down.
D: "He's never been this- weird about it."
K: "Yeah, exactly. I'm glad I'm not the only one. Still, I feel like I overreacted."
D: "You didn't overreact. I would've done the exact same had he talked to me like that."
Kaitlyn smiled and looked at him again.
D: "We'll be okay. It truly could just be "family" shit, maybe nothing's wrong."
K: "I guess you're right. I just don't get why he got so angry about the whole bear thing..."
D: "Yeah, that is weird... maybe he's just losing his bearings."
K: "Yeah."
D: "Bear-ings."
Kaitlyn laughed, turning to him.
K: "You're stupid."
D: "No...? Me...?"
They smiled at each other, before a small moment of silence as they again stared back at the trail of trees lining the view.
K: "You're stupid, but I'm glad to have you as a friend."
D: "Stop the sappy shit, you'll make me cry."
Kaitlyn chuckled, and put her head on Dylan's broad shoulder.
Dylan put his arm around her shoulder and rubbed her arm, comfortingly, as they both stared at the picturesque landscape in front of them.
After several minutes of general conversation, Dylan stood up, slowly.
D: "We should probably get back to the lodge. You cool with that?"
K: "Well, there's nowhere else to go."
Dylan smiled, nodding at Kaitlyn. They strolled over to the lodge, appreciating the sun-lit forest as they went.
K: "I guess I just avoid Chris for the rest of the summer, huh?"
D: "Eh. That's one possible pathway you could take."
They continued walking.
D: "I'm sorry, random subject change: 'Good luck without me, considering I do everything here!' was so badass."
K: "Yeah, yeah. Don't remind me. I hate getting angry and emotional like that."
D: "Aww, why? Emotional vulnerability is hot."
K: "Sure, but getting too emotional makes you irrational."
D: "So that's what makes Jacob so dumb..."
Kaitlyn chuckled.
K: "Aside from the fact his name is literally 'Jacob', yeah."
D: "Ouch. I hope no one named Jacob is watching us."
Kaitlyn paused for a second.
K: "Yeah... because that hypothetical wouldn't be strange at all and we should totally be concerned about that "Jacob's" feelings instead of their perverse covert observation."
D: "Yes."
Amused, Kaitlyn huffed out her nose.
They soon reached the lodge, and began walking up the stairs.
Dylan opened the door for her.
D: "Ladies first!"
Kaitlyn stood there.
K: "Oh! Sorry! I thought you were saying that you wanted to go in first, my bad."
Dylan smiled sarcastically, gesturing happily with his right hand.
D: "Look at you, cheering up!"
Dylan walked inside the lodge, Kaitlyn right behind him.
A: "Oh, hey you two."
Nick and Abi were sat at the tables with the campers, who were all looking at Kaitlyn. Some were smiling at her empathetically.
Abi stood up and walked over to them, at the door.
A: "Kaitlyn! Mr Hackett said he wanted to speak to you in his office when you came back. You should probably hear what he has to say."
K: "Pft. Well I guess camp has been fun while it lasted."
D: "Hey, don't say that. It might not be bad."
A: "Good luck..."
Abi smiled and walked over to the campers, sitting down with them. Dylan nodded at Kaitlyn and joined Abigail and Nick at the tables.
Kaitlyn walked into Mr Hackett's office. He was on the phone.
MH: "Yeah, I'll be leaving soon just- ah, Kaitlyn, hi."
Chris nodded.
MH: "I gots to go now. See you Ma. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Love you too. Bye."
He put the phone on its stand.
MH: "Kaitlyn."
Kaitlyn looked at him, plainly.
MH: "You know I really appreciate your work here. You counselled here last year, and were my biggest helper, and I'm very glad you wanted to come back again this year."
Kaitlyn nodded.
MH: "I shouldn't have yelled at you and said those things. Like I said before, I am incredibly stressed with work and personal stuff. You're probably correct about the bears and I will investigate that at the earliest opportunity, I'm just a stubborn old man, you know? I am sorry."
K: "I understand."
MH: "I promise you'll all be safe. I know you will. Just don't let anyone in or out of the lodge, and everything will be okay."
K: "Alright. Don't make me regret putting my faith in you."
Chris chuckled a little.
MH: "You won't regret it. Now, the projector's all setup so we'll hang out and talk for a couple hours, eat lunch, and then we'll start the movies."
He began writing something down.
MH: "We'll start the movies at 4 p.m. and then I'll be going for the night, I'm putting you in charge of making sure everything goes according to plan. Bedtime at 10 p.m."
K: "Me? What about Ryan?"
MH: "You make a better leader than Ryan, don't tell him I said that."
Kaitlyn smiled, slightly confused.
K: "Alright. Lunch, chill for a little, movies at 4, you leave, bed time at 10?"
MH: "Sounds about right. You counsellors can obviously stay up a little later if you wish. Remember, all the campers to sleep inside the lodge for tonight."
K: "Yeah."
MH: "That's all I needed you for, thank you Kaitlyn."
Kaitlyn nodded, turning away from Mr Hackett.
K: "No worries."
She walked out the door.
Jacob stood right outside, clearly having been listening. Kaitlyn closed the door, tutting at Jacob.
J: "Well that's good news! Glad to hear he's not vengeful of you or anything."
Jacob smiled and crossed his arms.
J: "And you're the leader now, huh?"
K: "I think the title suits me. 'Kaitlyn the Leader'."
J: "Very creative."
K: "Oh, I know."
J: "We went ahead and chose the movies already, Nick's making lunch and snacks. Very excited for that. We're gonna chill down here until Mr H leaves and then we'll go to the classroom."
K: "Hm. Alright."
Kaitlyn sat with the rest of the counsellors, who were now all with the campers at the tables.
Hours passed: Nick made an assortment of sandwiches for lunch, which the counsellors and campers enjoyed thoroughly. Then, after hours of board games and chatter, Mr Hackett had to leave for the night.
MH: "Bye, Hacketteers! See you bright and early tomorrow morning!"
He walked over to the counsellors.
MH: "Bed at 10. I trust you all, just... don't do anything you wouldn't usually do."
Mr Hackett smiled at the counsellors.
MH: "No one in, no one out. And make sure to have your radio ready so I can check on you tomorrow as I'm coming back."
Dylan smiled nervously.
MH: "You have the radio, right?"
D: "Yeah, I left it in the classroom."
MH: "Cool. Okay. Have a good night."
Mr Hackett left: Dylan turned to the rest of the counsellors.
D: "So, I left our radio at the radio hut this morning."
K: "Dylan, really?"
R: "For fuck's-"
D: "Hey, hey! It's not my fault! I forgot!"
J: "Yeah, so it is your fault."
D: "Well, yeah... but..."
They stared at him.
D: "I'll get it later, when the campers are watchin' their movies. Okay?"
R: "But Mr Hackett said not to leave the lodge..."
K: "Dylan, if you're happy to, it'd be better to get the radio tonight. If you do, take a cart, it's quicker. I'm sure a two minute trip won't hurt."
Dylan nodded and smiled, knowingly.
K: "Now. Let's get the movies going, yes?"
The counsellors were still uneasy, but decided - anyway - to follow what Chris had told them to do.
Nick grabbed his varied bowls of popcorn, and they all accompanied the campers upstairs and into the classroom, where Emma and Jacob had set up the projector. They spoke to each other over a buzzing mumble of conversation from the campers.
N: "Did Chris say we all have to stay here? Can't we, like, wander off to make food or something?"
A: "I think at least a few people should stay with the campers at any one time. To supervise."
Abi smiled at Nick.
J: "Why would you want to leave? We're playing 'Ice Age', bruh."
N: "You got me, that's a great point."
Nick chuckled.
R: "There we go. Hopefully it-"
The projector blurted out a bad quality image, which looked like the title sequence of a movie. Ryan smiled, the campers cheered.
The counsellors all sat down, now unable to speak because of the campers' excitement and the movie, and watched it, compliantly.
The movies were very enjoyable, and the counsellors found themselves laughing and smiling a lot more than they expected. The campers, of course, were very excited - especially with Nick's popcorn - and kept having to be shushed by Emma to keep quiet.
Several minutes into the third movie beginning - at 8:20 p.m. - Dylan stood up and began walking out the door.
R: "You getting the radio?"
D: "Yeah.
K: "Alright."
R: "Just be quick, Dylan. And safe, okay?"
Dylan smiled.
D: "How sweet of-"
The campers cheered at something in the movie.
Dylan's smile immediately faded and he looked at the campers annoyed, in a joking manner. Ryan chuckled.
He began walking, backwards, out of the door.
He waved, and then left.
Nick took the bowl of salted popcorn and ate some. Jacob quickly snatched it off of him.
N: "Dude, what-"
Nick reached over to Jacob and into the bowl, with both his hands, and pulled out a large serving of popcorn.
N: "Assface."
J: "Hey! I just wanted some popped corn, bro! Don't take it all!"
He moved his hands over to Abi.
N: "Did you want some?"
A: "Hah, uhm- sure!"
Abi took a small handful from Nick's hunk of popcorn. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.
[ DYLAN, THE CABINS, JULY 21ST, 8:27 P.M. ]
Dylan had taken a cart to the cabins, so got there within a couple minutes.
He parked the cart at the bridge to the cabins, walking over the bridge and towards the radio hut.
D: "It's very cold tonight. Brr."
A loud rustle of bushes echoed through the night air, close to Dylan.
He sped up his pace, visually very cautious.
D: "When there's something strange..."
He turned around, checking behind him.
D: "In your summer camp..."
He walked fast towards the radio hut.
D: "Who you gonna call..."
He went inside, with haste, and grabbed the radio that he had left on the desk. He smiled.
D: "Radio acquired. Level up! Achievement unlocked... yeah, I should stop."
He threw it upwards slightly with his hand and caught it again, heading towards the door. Then, suddenly, a voice came through the radio in his hand.
It was an elderly female voice.
?: "Dylan..."
Dylan looked down at the radio in his hand. He had a confused expression. He pressed the PTT button.
D: "Uh- hello?"
?: "You're a good person, aren't you?"
D: "Who is this?"
?: "Are you a good person?"
D: "Uh... define... good?"
Dylan stood up and looked outside, thinking someone was playing a prank on him. No one was outside, all the cabin doors were shut.
?: "Red box in the corner. Open it."
Dylan turned and saw a red box, among many other boxes and stacks of books and other clutter (which Mr H had put there for storage), in the corner. He walked over to it.
The box was made of a thick, polished red wood and looked somewhat like a chest. It had a padlock on it.
D: "Uh... it's locked? What a shame."
?: "It's his. Only temporary. Break it open."
D: "I think I'm just gonna-"
Dylan switched the radio off, very creeped out.
The large radio on the desk suddenly turned on, glowing with a small red light, and the voice came through it, much more static now.
?: "SEE."
CHOICE
A) Break open the box.
B) Leave it.
Vote in the comments!
[ ABI, EMMA, JACOB, KAITLYN, NICK, RYAN, THE LODGE, JULY 21ST, 8:34 P.M. ]
A gunshot went off in the woods outside the lodge. The campers suddenly got quiet and looked at the counsellors, scared. The counsellors looked at each other, panicked.
R: "What was that?!"
J: "Was that a gunshot-"
A: "Hey, hey, everyone! It's okay! Keep watching the movie!"
Abi looked worried.
A: "Kaitlyn, what do we do?"
Kaitlyn spoke to the counsellors quietly.
K: "Emma, Abi, come outside for a sec. The rest of you stay here and look after the campers, please. If you hear more shots, block the door. Got it?"
A: "Okay, coming."
N: "Yeah, yeah. Um, what are you doing?"
K: "Just going to check outside the window. We'll be back."
Nick let out a nervous chuckle.
J: "Let me come with you guys."
E: "Jacob, it's okay. Stay here."
Kaitlyn, Emma and Abi went outside the classroom.
K: "Come on."
Kaitlyn led Emma and Abi up a set of stairs and to the attic at the top of the lodge, which Chris used for storage.
E: "What should we do?"
K: "Just stay at a window and watch outside for a couple of minutes. We gotta check for any movement."
E: "Alright."
A: "Yeah, yeah. Okay."
Emma and Abi looked outside through the windows, opposite each other. Kaitlyn began walking away.
K: "I'm getting Mr H's pistol, I'll be back."
A: "Mr Hackett has a pistol?"
Emma chuckled abruptly.
E: "He has a shotgun, too. I think he keeps the pistol in his desk and the shotgun on the wall."
A: "Is it decorative?"
E: "I assume the shotgun is."
K: "I know the pistol isn't: one time, last year, he took us outside and showed everyone how it worked. Anyway, stay up here, and keep an eye out."
Kaitlyn went hastily downstairs. Emma and Abi attentively watched outside.
A: "I'm scared."
E: "We'll be okay, Kaitlyn knows what she's doing. It might just be some hunters."
A: "Hunting season doesn't start for another month..."
E: "Early hunters?"
A: "That's illegal, Emma."
E: "Only if they get caught."
Abi chuckled, stressed.
Several seconds passed. Kaitlyn could be heard running downstairs. Emma's phone was in her pocket.
E: "Wait- what's-"
Emma looked outside, concentrating her eyes. She saw, on the treeline next to the lodge, two men carrying rifles walking very slowly, as if they were checking the lodge out. They didn't see Emma, as she was far above them.
CHOICE
A) Take a photo.
B) Call Abigail over.
Vote in the comments!
[ NO EVASIONS THIS CHAPTER ]
Word Count: 6830