Camp Façade

Chapter One

Benny Dorn

    I started working at Camp Campbell about a month ago, some of the kids have warmed up to me but others not so much. Gwen is going to be leaving soon and since it's already difficult to manage all the kids with just the three of us so when she's gone it'll be really hard, that's why we're hiring another counselor. So today David has left me with the chore of going through job applications, there's not too many just mainly teens who want money and probably wouldn't actually do the job. I may only be twenty-three but there's a huge difference in your attitude when you turn twenty. 

     There are three possible counselors I'm looking at so far but I still have about ten applications left, I come down to my last one and find myself raising an eyebrow. A man by the name of Daniel Boone, who looks a little like David, but David is tanner, has freckles, and red hair. This man is pale, has blonde hair almost white, blue eyes unlike David's green, and is wearing all white clothes. Hmm...

     "I want this job because I want to teach kids the great beauty of the outdoors, my last camp was shut down for various reasons and I want to pass my knowledge down to kids who are just as enthusiastic as me!" Ha, enthusiastic isn't exactly the word I would use for it, but it works. His last boss recommends him from what I can tell according to the email attached to his papers, he's twenty-seven which is the same age as David, so they could get along. He has a few degrees, one in psychology, one in advanced English, so on so forth, he seems smart. He blew the best of the game right out of the water.

     I type up an email saying that he can start Saturday, today being Thursday, and a quick run down of all of the campers. Now just to wa- DING! I look back down to the computer, he already responded? Wow, okay.

     "Dear Benny,

I look forward to working with you! I really appreciate you choosing me as the next camp counselor, it means a lot!" Yada yada yada, blah blah blah, I can't wait to meet you, blah blah blah, "Once again, thank you so much! -Daniel Boone"

     Great, okay, we'll see him in two days. Though I'll miss Gwen, she found another job that will be better for her, and tomorrow we're throwing her a going away party because once the kids go to bed she's leaving. The kids should already be asleep by now, eleven pm, so I'm gonna just go ahead and go to be.

<>~<>

     Even Max was a little upset by Gwen leaving, we put on a performance, had a magic show, and showed her how much the kids have improved in their respective talents since they arrived, the night ended with s'mores and Gwen crying. Now it's about five am, and David woke me up because he couldn't sleep all night, he was too all over the place with his emotions so he got me up at about four am and we played cards and talked. We wake the kids up at eight am, and the new counselor will be here around six am. He's coming early so he can set up his tent and we can show him around.

     David slaps the card pile with the least cards and grins, "Ha, I won that round!" I roll my eyes playfully and nod, "Alright alright, you won. Let's start making breakfast so it's ready and we don't have to scramble to make it. Since quartermaster is still sick and all." David smiles and nods, we both get up and make our way to the kitchen, today we will be serving whatever that slob is in the freezer. I set out a bunch of water bottles while David starts cooking, as I'm putting water bottles on all of the tables the mess hall door opens and I turn my head towards it.

     A tall man, with white blonde hair, stunning light blue eyes, and a smile that could knock over any woman stands at the entrance, and spots me as quickly as I spot him. "Oh, hi! You're a little early, we're just setting up breakfast for when the kids wake up. Water?" I gesture a water towards him while holding about ten more under my other arm. He steps towards me and takes the water almost gently, "Thank you, I'm Daniel, you are?" Before there can be an awkward silence I answer and continue setting water bottles down, "Benny, I was the guy emailing you about the job." 

     "Ah, yes! Let me help you." He take half of the water bottles and gets to placing them around, "Is there anything else you guys need help with?" 

      "You don't have to, I just have to set some plates out." He shakes his head with his unmoving smile, "Nonsense, where are the plates?" I point towards the closet in the back and he wastes no time grabbing them and setting them out, damn he's fast. 

     "David are you done?" He pokes his head out of the kitchen and smiles even wider upon seeing Daniel. He rushes over and grabs his hand, shaking it, "I'm David, you must be Daniel! It's a pleasure to meet you!" 

     "The pleasure is all mine David! I'm so glad to be working here now!" David drops his hand and clasps his own together, "I'm glad you're working here now too!" These two seem like two peas in a pod.

      David shows Daniel around and I finish with all of the chores which include waking the unsuspecting kids. I tell them to all stand in a line which ends up more like a group than anything, "So now I've told you our plans for the day, I'd like you to meet our new counselor, Daniel!" Right on time the two walk in and Daniel waves enthusiastically. 

      Max doesn't seem to enthused though, "Who the fuck? You get rid of Gwen for a guy who looks like his printer ran out of ink?" I try my best not to laugh at his comment and nod. Daniel interrupts, "Watch the language Max!" David smiles to a point I thought impossible and nods quickly, "Watch the language indeed!" David wraps an arm around the new counselor's shoulders and Max lets out an annoyed groan, leaving the mess hall as fast as his legs let him.

    "Daniel is going to be today's leader, treat him with respect you'd show David and I." Nikki perks up at that and grabs a bunch of mud she must have been hiding in the pouch of her overalls, and chucks it at Daniel. His smile remains unmoving which I find a bit creepy as he simply rubs it off, leaving a dark stain on his light clothes. "Tell me Nikki, is that the respect that your counselors like to see or is that what you simply show because you can?" Nikki seems a bit put off by the comment, never having been talked to like that. 

     "Daniel, why don't we go get you cleaned up, kids, lets try to be nicer." I grab Daniel by his forearm and pull him away from the group, David's arm slips off of his shoulder in the process. "I am so sorry Daniel, I really did not expect that." I continue guiding him while holding his forearm, not really thinking about it. He chuckles from behind me, "It's quite alright, I'm sure it's a difficult adjustment for them." I let out a small groan, "Even so, that was completely and utterly disgraceful and definitely not allowed. I really thought they improved but I-" He interrupts by pulling his arm from me and turning me to face him, "It's alright, really."