Divided (camp camp) {danvid }

Chapter 13

David's POV__

The camp counselors succeeded in finding Max, Nikki, and Neil. Jen was the one who heard their plea for help and ran to find David and the others. The trio were stuck in a ditch that wasn't far off from camp. Nobody knew why it was there or how it came to be there. It was probably one of the campers' doing, since they were all over the place doing who knows what unsupervised most of the time. But as David loomed over the ditch, he saw it was deep and impossible for one small kid to dig it up without getting stuck down there himself. It's the perfect trap for anyone who got fooled into walking into it. He's going to have to fill that hole up later.

"Seriously, what were you kids thinking? You could've been hurt," the campers were all patched up and sitting together on a bench. The camp counselors surrounded them like worried parents. It was Daniel who asked them.

"Yeah, like you'd actually care about that." Max scoffed and looked away.

"We're fine! It's just a scratch," Nikki complained. In the next second, she was on her feet and hopping around. This girl has too much energy in her, David awed.

"Can you tell us why you were down that hole?" Gwen sighed, clearly tired. They searched for a while without success and strained their voice. Luckily, Jen had to be in the right place at the right time. Thank heavens for her!

"We heard a poor animal crying somewhere not too far. It sounded like a cat," Neil murmured, embarrassed to be explaining this. "Or a wounded wolf! It could've been anything. We tried to follow it, but then we fell and yeah. That's where you found us." Ended Nikki, still hopping around.

"I told you guys it wasn't worth it" Max intervened. "The quartermaster probably had it covered. Maybe he's the source of it! And we were about to walk in on him. Remember last time? Yeah, I don't want a repeat of that." Max rolled his eyes and got off the chair. He left without another word and, with an awkward glance at the camp counselors and a wave from Nikki, the other two kids followed him.

Glad that the kids were safe and, for the most part, unharmed, the camp counselors went about their day. Science Appreciation Day was still on, and with the help of three other pairs of hands, it didn't take them long before they had booths set up. David isn't familiar with it and he admittedly was poor with the periodic table. He liked biology though, but he didn't listen enough during his time in school. So he went and dressed up as Einstein instead. He urged his fellow counselors to do the same and with a bit of reluctance from Gwen, the four of them dressed up as goofy scientists.

It was a fun day. Of course, Daniel had to beat him again and he related well with Neil. It was he and Jen who tried out science experiments for the campers to watch in awe. Neil, ever the smart one, had one up his sleeve and took the spotlight. The camp counselors didn't mind, as long as everyone had their fun. At one point, David sat alone, far from the events. Going around camp with an itchy mustache isn't the best idea. Taking off his costume, he sat back and watched the campers run off. The brunette watched as Harrison stepped up as well and taught the campers the science of magic.  Or the magic of science, whichever it was.

Someone sidled up beside him. It was Jen who dressed up as Marie Curie. She didn't put on anything though and said the pony tail was enough. Said blonde brushed her bangs away and looked far off into the distance. David tensed and tried not to show it. Shifting awkwardly and finding a new pose, he too looked at the camp. He hoped the silence would stretch. But that's going to make it all the more awkward. I should at least acknowledge her, right? He thought.

He nodded at her direction and gave her a light smile. Jen, who caught the action, looked at him from her peripheral vision and gave him a sideways smile. Her piercing blue eyes were so alike to Daniel's, except they didn't give him warm feelings. It sent cold dread running up his spine instead.

David observed that Jen and Daniel have been accepted into camp and are now making a place in each of the campers' hearts. In fact, he'll admit that camp activities have been much more fun ever since they arrived. Whatever camp they've been from before must've been a lot different from theirs. More managed, perhaps. Disciplined. Educational. David blushed in shame as he realized Camp Camp may not be as great as he thought it was. But didn't Daniel mention that their previous camp went down? How could a successful camp such as theirs be... put down?