HIDE

1st Day

Camp was the thing I looked forward to the most each summer. The drive there, seeing my friends, swimming, s'mores and looking at the stars. The drive would be the only thing different this year. Scout camp would be at a different park this year, Park Strongfire would be their host.

Weaving around the curves, her mother drove them. Summer was in full bloom. Green hung above the rural road like umbrellas layered over one another. Her mother hummed along with the radio as dappled light flickered through the windshield, streaking over the signed permission slip that sat on the dash. Permission to do all of the activities. 

"Mom, why did they make you sign that?" I nodded at the paper slightly bouncing.

"They didn't make me, I wanted to sign that because this is going to be a special summer for you. You'll be doing things that are meant for more advanced kids your age. They're still all scouts but no small kids."

"Oh."

"You'll be camping in tents, and fishing and kayaking. It won't just be crafts this year, babes."

I laughed.

"I'm so excited."

Three hours later, after a sharp turn around a left hand corner, the camp came into view . A rusted iron arch stood at the entrance. CAMP STRONGFIRE was in bold black and brown letters. A silhouette of a fire was cut between the words. Bright green trees flanked both sides of the car as they turned right into the camp.

"This is gonna be a great week for you, sweetie. You're about to learn so much."

"There's Kelsey! And Sarah! And Alex!"

The car came to a halt. I jumped out of the passenger seat and out onto the red dirt. 

"Hey!" I shouted as I screamed towards my friends, who were all huddled around the yellow school bus that transported them from the different schools in the area where some of the parents met. 

"Dana!" My friends screamed in unison, Kelseys voice being the loudest. They ran toward me.

We all grasped on to one another, forming into a massive hug. 

"How was your year?" 

"Did you do archery this year?"

"I have a boyfriend."

"My mom and dad got divorced."

I stopped and stared as the group got quiet and stared at Sarah.

"I am so sorry." I spoke up first. We all hugged again.

My mom stepped forward with my bags as we continued to make small talk.

"Hey girls." Mom said.

"Hey Mrs. Weathers." They all spoke out again. The smile on my face was wide and starting to ache, but I was so happy to see them.

"Mind if I steal my Dana Doo away for a moment?" My friends began to snicker.

"Mom!" I hated that nickname.

I followed her away from the group, she squatted to her knees to be eye-level with me. 

"Listen, I love you. I hated that camp fell on your birthday this year but I know the counselors and your friends will take plenty care of you. It'll be good."

"I know, mom. And I love you, too." Mom pulled me into her for a hug. Her blonde hair brushed against my face. It smelled like lavender, which wasn't surprising. It was her favorite. Her shampoo, her body wash, scrubs and lotions. All lavender. Calm.

The hug lasted for almost ten seconds before I began wiggling. 

"I love you. And I'll see you in a week."

"Yes, ma'am." My mom saluted at me, still squatted. She stood behind me as I walked back toward my friends. I stood next to my bag and turned to wave. She waved back, her eyes growing mildly misty. She moved to the drivers seat of the car, ignited and pulled away.

"I love your mom. She's so cool."

"Yeah, she is." I said. I did love my mom. She was so easy to talk to and was always open with me any time I had questions. She was right. I am advanced. I can do whatever this week at camp put in front of me.

"Let's go find our cabins." Kelsey said.

We all stood in front of the line of cabins, the girls on the left and the boys on the right. 

Of course, I got into the same cabin with my friends. Almost bunked right beside each other, too. Except Sarah, who was one bunk away, with Katie Crossno being in between her and us. 

Sarah made a face at me when she was putting her bags away under her bed. She squeezed her nose between her pointer finger and thumb. Katie Crossno did indeed smell bad, and we got the privilege of sleeping beside her. 

After our bags were put away, we made our way to the mess hall where Leader Marsha made the first nights announcements. 

"Tonight is the first night of your week here. Tonight we have fun and tomorrow the tasks begin. Each night a different age group will take the primitive camp, the age groups who aren't camping will be enjoying a nightly game. These games are meant to challenge you, campers. They aren't easy and they can be dangerous. For this reason, we require the buddy system. Two campers together at all times during these games."

I looked over at Kelsey. We already knew we were going to be buddies. Sarah and Alex shared the same look between them.

"Like I said Campers, tonight is the fun night. Hide and seek. It is all pairs for themselves with no primitive camping."

Our eyes grew large and the whispers in the mess hall began, growing from a dull hum to a loud roar.

"Campers! There are a few rules to this game. The first: the only off-limits are outside the fence of the campground. The camp is a two mile circle in diameter. We have the buddy system so no one gets lost, alone at least." The leaders slit line mouth grew into a slight smirk. 

I felt my eyes growing large along with my friends.

"The second rule: when you are found, you join the seekers and begin hunting for the hiders. The third rule: we play until all campers are found. There are one hundred of you, so fifty pairs. The better you hide, the longer the game goes. Remember that." 

I felt my stomach growing queasy. 

"The fourth and final rule? Keep your eyes open. There are six hidden totems, one of which will be hidden each night before the game starts. They are all golden and will vary in what they are. They will be hidden well. The cabin who finds the most totems at the end of the week will win the camp trophy and will be the winner until the last day of camp next year. You want to be the winners, campers."

All attention was on the leader.

"Now, the first seekers, are the counselors. Counselor Jackie, Counselor Smithee, Counselor Rick and Counselor Martin. This is you. Campers, you will have thirty minutes to hide. The time starts now."

Silence hung through the mess hall, like a cloud. I heard a camper to my right say, "now?".

The whispering started again and quickly grew into a roar. 

"Now campers. Go. Hide. Find the totem but stay hidden." Chaos erupted. I glanced at my Casio on my right wrist. 8:03.

Sarah, Alex, Kelsey and I each grabbed small flashlights from a table next to the door, which, if we had paid more attention, might have been a clue to what our night held for us. We snatched the lights and ran out the double doors of the mess hall along with the rest of the campers. The sky was a deep and dark orange, turning into an abyss of purple. 

"The woods. That's gonna be the best place to hide." I said.

"The woods? Are you crazy? It's getting dark." Sarah spoke up.