Blooded Mate

Chapter 12 - Willow Creek Lodge

The Willow Creek Lodge sat in the middle of a forest resplendent with the fall colors of red to brown. The multi-hued leaves waved cheers of welcome in the late morning air as the bus slowed to a stop. Ethan loved the vivid reminder of autumn by the trees. His home was in an evergreen mountain, and it was rare to see such an extensive display of non-verdant colors.

I wouldn't mind a long walk through this forest. It's... soothing.

The driver parked in front of a barn-sized hall cradling the cul-de-sac driveway. It was built entirely of thick logs with two smaller buildings flanking its sides.

"Ok, we're here," a teacher announced and, together with the other staff volunteers, hustled the Snow Pines students off the buses.

While Ethan stretched out his long limbs, a group of coordinators in bright orange sweatshirts came out of the hall to welcome them. The logo on their shirts was a green willow tree with a stream running underneath.

"Welcome, to Camp Willow Creek," a pudgy man began. His high exuberant voice had Ethan wincing. "We're so glad to have you all here. I'm Camp Supervisor Morris, and these are ..."

It's too early for him to be this hyper.

Ethan glanced down at Emily, whose look of grimace echoed his thoughts.

"This is the assembly hall," continued the energetic guide, after introductions." It also serves as the dining hall. If you come this way, the bathrooms are right behind. Boys on one side, girls on the other. Beyond that are the tents. The blue ones are for students, red for camp officers. If the boys would follow me, I'll show you your assigned spaces. Ladies, kindly follow Camp Officer Molly."

Emily wiggled her fingers in a quick goodbye and started walking towards a short-haired woman waving the girls over.

Ethan threw his backpack over his shoulders and shuffled along with the other students after their tour guide.

The tents were arrayed in perfect rows and columns, and each could take at most two people. Red canvas liberally dotted the sea of blues, and the vanguard warriors who had escorted them were already settling in.

A section of the accommodations was reserved for the boys of Snow Pine High. As soon as the guide indicated the area with an outstretched hand, there was a mad dash for tents as students scrambled to get a prime spot or bunk with their buddies.

Ethan walked to one of the tents set on the edge of the array. None of the boys wanted to be with him anyway. Wondering where Zyga's would be, he scanned the crowd for the distinct red-head, but he could not find him in the heads bobbing and weaving around.

He tossed his bag inside the red triangular canvas and popped his head in. The small tent contained two sleeping bags and little space for anything else. Ethan eyed the bed skeptically. It did not look long enough for him to stretch out his legs.

Before he could confirm his suspicions, an announcement split through the air. "Assembly in ten minutes. Wash your hands and move to the main hall.

Many grumbled, including Ethan. After hours on the bus, his legs felt cramped. He had planned to walk off the fatigue by exploring the surroundings, not sitting down again.

His tent was one of the furthest from the assembly hall. As he walked by, he saw a group of boys clowning. They looked to be about his age but what caught his eye was that he recognized none of them. A tall, dark boy, also unfamiliar, ran through, shoving them aside. And the group gave chase.

'Probably students from the oh-great-and-famous Gray Oaks High,' he thought. 'Where's Emily? Bet she's fangirling somewhere.'

The main hall was lined with rows and rows of long tables and benches with a platform raised at the front. And a swarming crowd filled these seats, buzzing with energy. There were far more boys than Ethan had arrived with. The students of Gray Oaks had nearly doubled the number of campers.