Divided (camp camp) {danvid }

Chapter 20

Daniels POV __

The blonde counselor had to drop David off by his cabin for some time to prepare himself for the ritual. If he was being honest, Daniel felt like he was obligated to stay with him even though David insisted that he go back to the others. It was a weird feeling. Is that what friends feel for each other? No, it was something else. He felt the need to protect David and he was no fool to ignore their displays of affection.

My god, he was smitten.

As he approached the duo from the distance, he heard parts of their conversation. He decided to stay silent and hide in the darkness the mess hall provided.

"I mean like, we should all take a day off. Let the campers run free or let them sleep the whole day in. I should suggest that someday," Gwen yawned. Jen patted her back.

"We should totes go swimming someday. I've been itching to take a dip in the water," the girl in pink winked. Gwen smiled, and waved good night to her as she entered her cabin.

After a silent minute that seemed to clear the air of the atmosphere from the happy campfire, the reality of what's going to happen settled on him. Daniel felt an emotional exhaustion from everything. He admits it had been a quick decision to initiate the ritual so early, but Jen was urging it. The sooner the better, she ingrained into his head.

"I can see you, you know. How's your little love bug?" Jen pivoted in her place towards the shadows where Daniel currently stood.

"He's hanging in there," he replied, stalking towards her. "It's gonna take him a while to absorb the shock."

"Make sure he gets over it faster," she said without sympathy. "We're going to bring him over to our side once this is all over." Her eyes were set with determination. Jen, in general, looked dead tired. May it be from the campfire, or something else.

The cultist brings her hands up and holds it between them. This, of course, was a joke. He did it to spite her. That was evident when Jen looked at him in disgust. "Worry not, my little sister. After everything we helped him through, and knowing what he has done in desperate times, David won't blink at the prospect of joining us."

The other counselor removes her hands from his. "You make sure of that. That is our end goal, is it not?" She asked hesitantly.

Daniel chuckled. "I thought you wanted to go out in a blaze of glory. Make a grand exit with all the kids drowning in their own puddles of blood, or something along those lines." The thought of Jen gutting the kids still made him uneasy. It's such a hassle, he whined in his head.

The girl dusted off her pink blouse, as if the mention of kids sullied her outfit. "Don't think I've put that idea aside," she said. "For now, we should focus on luring in David and showing him the benefits of joining us." The urgency in her voice didn't go unnoticed. Ever since Daniel mentioned David's attempt at a ritual, Jen's eyes held something like hope for the other man. He doesn't know why she feels the way she does. It's not something you see in Jen every day.

Something's exciting her, and Daniel unfortunately doesn't know what it is. He has to tread carefully around her.

"Is there a reason for this?" He asked. The girl has been pacing back and forth, muttering the procedure for the ritual to review herself. It also wasn't a daily occurrence they'd summon a spirit from the dead. If anything, Daniel won't be surprised if she screwed up and summoned a demon instead.

"For what?" she turned, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"This rush," he spread his arms, indicating the recent events. Before he could get another word out, she was already making her way back to him.

"Daniel, in case you've forgotten, it's been a month. The police are still out there. You aren't cleared yet," she spoke in a low voice. "You're risking a lot to stay in one place. Hell, for all we know, you could be found in a few days from now."

Jen had no clue how much her words weighed him down. He hasn't told her that Cameron Campbell had come to visit David to warn him about a certain someone. The inevitability that he would be found and sent to jail soon set him on edge. He kept his mouth shut and watched with steely eyes as she rambled on.

"We're trapping ourselves here, living out a fantasy we both know is bullshit. Once they find out who they've really hired, we're not walking out here uncuffed." She hissed. She walks closer to him, looks him deep in the eye.

"But you're lucky, aren't you? The man of your dreams has it in him to become one of us." Something like jealousy laced her voice. "You get to bring back a little souvenir with you. Gwen's a lost cause," She stepped away from the cultist and sighed. The man's blood boiled at her calling David a little souvenir, as if he was nothing more than just that.

"We get David then we leave. An addition to our group is more than enough." She said with finality.

"We can't just leave. We leave no evidence behind." Daniel spoke up. Hands crossed and chest heaving, he calculated how long it'll take for him to explain all this to David­–and how long he'd agree to join them. Assuming he joins... and what if he doesn't? The little flaw in their plan has revealed itself.

"You think me foolish?" Jen scoffed. She inhales and clasps her hands together. "Daniel, we aren't dumb to leave this place while every trace of us is scattered here. Our papers may have false information, sure, but what about security? Any record of us being here is an open wound waiting to get infected," she said.

"A punch won't do the trick anymore. We have no time to gather everyone out for a drinking fest." She checks her phone for the time and curses. "Leave it to me. It's time you see what I'm made of." Daniel can't see the expression on her face as she was already walking a couple paces away from him.

"Get David. I'll go get the supplies and we meet up back here." She walked back toward her cabin. So without any protest, Daniel obediently walked back the same way he came from. He entered the brunette's cabin, seeing him sitting down on his bed. The camp counselor turns his head and his eyes widen. His yellow neckerchief is discarded as well as his vest. Judging from his damp auburn hair, he must've taken a bath.

He clears his throat. "Is it time?" He asks, uncertainty in his voice. Daniel holds a hand out for him to take it. Once his hand rests on his, Daniel pulls him up and looks him in his green eyes. God, their proximity was so close.

"Not if you don't want it to be yet," he teases and snakes his arms around the brunette's waist. This elicits a warm blush on his face. Daniel smiles lovingly at him, fond of how the two of them could be so... touchy and be casual about it.

"What if I don't want to go yet?" David looks at him from under his lashes. His arms are between them and he's gripping his white shirt.

Daniel pretended to think for a moment. "We can tell Jen you had a breakdown and it took an abundance of encouraging words to pass through your barrier. That's reasonable."

The camp counselor looked at him dead serious and smacked his chest.  "I sort of did have a breakdown okay?" David fidgeted, shuffling away from Daniel's embrace. The blonde laughed. Of course he would.

"It's not funny!" David yelped. He sat on his bed and inhaled deeply. "I don't know what to say to him. Or- or how I'll initiate the conversation. I'm kind of freaking out. I'm seeing my dead friend after a couple of years!"

The white-clad man watched as the brunette had a small panic attack. He was wringing his hands and his leg was bouncing. Daniel brought a hand to his blonde hair and brushed it back. He's gonna have a small pep talk and hopes Jen won't mind them being a bit late. He might as well put on his charms and introduce the idea of joining them.