Summer Camp Escape
SamKaz
“Clara? Are you listening to me? Young lady, I swear. You better behave yourself at this stupid camp. I don’t want to see your face until the end of the summer. Understood?” Clara nodded and looked back out the window of the car.
“Yes, Ma’am..” The car slowed to a stop and she unlocked the doors.
“Go on. Get.” Clara sighed and pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt, grabbed her backpack and stepped out of the car.
“Bye, mom..”
“Close the door! You’re letting out all the cold air!” She sighed and closed the door, watching her mother drive off back down the road. She turned around once the car was out of sight to look at the camp. It was old, run down and dirty. She was a week early since her mom had plane tickets to Hawaii tomorrow. She didn’t expect anyone to be here so she head to the mess hall to see if there were any canned foods she could eat until someone got here. Hopefully it wasn’t expired. She looked around and pushed a chair up to the serving window, climbing up into it to get into the kitchen. She searched through the various boxes, really really old eggs, moldy bread, expired moldy pudding. There were a few cans of corn and peas and some canned fruits. The fridge didn’t even work. She hadn’t eaten yet today and it was a 5 hour car ride.
“Surprised mom even bothered to bring me all the way out here.” She mumbled to herself, getting on her tiptoes to look through the drawers to find a can opener. Goddamn short legs. She sighed and just ended up poking a knife through the top and calling it a day. She took an old box and propped open the door to the kitchen with it and sat down at one of the tables. She stuck her plastic fork in the can and started eating. There definitely wasn’t much back there, maybe two cans a day for a week would last. After finishing her ‘meal’ she decided she should probably fill out the form for this place. Her mom signed the bottom and said she could do the rest herself. She stared at the form. Her mom wouldn’t know anything, she’d never be caught dead here before August. She hesitated an slowly penned “Max” on the first line. Yeah, Max.
Two days went by with no sign of anyone, Max couldn’t manage to get the counselors cabins open so he settled for sleeping on the benches in the mess hall. At least it was out of the rain. He huddled himself in the corner with his blanket. Another loud crack of thunder echoed through the building causing Max to hide further in his knees. Boys don’t cry if he wanted to be a boy he couldn’t cry. He sniffed and wiped his eyes. He heard the front door squeak open and his head shot up to see a figure in the doorway. He yelped and got up, retreating back into the kitchen and closing the door locked shut.
“What? Is there someone in here? Hello?”
“Go away! I don’t have anything you want! Leave me alone!” The man walked further into the cafeteria and stuck his head through the service window to see Max. “Ah! Go away! Don’t hurt me!”
“What’re you doing here? Are you a camper? I’m not going to hurt you, Im David I’m a counselor here! Why are you here so early? How long have you been here..?”
“Two days.. My mom had to go on vacation..” Max relaxed slightly but still pressed himself against the wall of the kitchen.
“Oh.. What’s your name, kiddo? Why don’t we get you out of here, the roof leaks, you can stay in the counselor’s cabin if you want!” David smiled and held out his hand for Max.
“My names.. M-Max..” He hated hearing himself stutter over his words. He turned and slowly opened the kitchen door, ignoring David’s gesture.
“Okay, well how about we get you an as hot as this camp’s plumbing will allow shower and then off to bed, okay?”
“Yeah, that’s fine..” Max followed David through the rain and into the cabin he’d tried so desperately to get inside just the day before. David directed him to the bathroom and handed him a fluffy new towel. By the time he’d gotten out of the shower David made the bed and set up a sleeping bag on the floor. David sat down on the sleeping bag and stuck his feet inside it.
“Ready to go to bed, Max?” Max climbed up on the bed and sat cross legged in the middle, shrugging his shoulders.
“I guess..” He flinched as another clap of thunder echoed. David turned out the lamp and laid down on the floor and Max made a move to grab his teddy from his bag. He hugged Mr. Honeynuts tightly to his chest.
Max sighed and glanced out the window, they were almost there. Maybe one more mile. It was a win-win his mom didn’t have to deal with him and he didn’t have to hide who he was. She stopped the car and unlocked the doors. David got there early every year now since Max’s mom seemed to drop him off earlier and earlier. He opened the door and reached into the back seat to grab his bag but as he was pulling it into the front, his mom grabbed his arm. “Clara, I swear to god if you start telling everyone here you’re a boy and you get kicked out, I’m not coming back for you. You can fuck off into the woods for all I care. It’s about time you get that out of your head. You were born a beautiful woman, just accept it. No more of this “Max”. Understood?” Max glared at her and ripped his arm away, got out of the car and slammed the door. She rolled down the window and opened her mouth to speak but Max beat her to it.
“Rot in hell you old bitch! Don’t fucking come back for all I care! Living with you is the worst thing I’ve ever had to deal with! Fuck off and die!” Max clenched his fists and turned, walking right into David. His mother gasped and put a hand over her heart.
“Well, fine if that’s how you feel, I won’t come back!” She stuck up her nose and rolled up the window, turning the car around and speeding away.
“David! Jesus christ! Where the fuck did you come from?!” David frowned.
“I was hoping to get to talk to your mother this year since you’re going to be a junior counselor but.. She is coming back at the end of the summer, right Max?”
“Who cares.”
“I care, Max! She can’t just abandon you here!” Max walked past David and muttered to himself.
“She abandoned me way before now.” He turned around and waited for David to catch up. “Do I get my own Cabin yet. Those tents suck.” David sighed.
“Well, I bought a new bed but there’s only two cabins so me and Gwen will probably have to sleep in the one and you’ll get your own.”
“Hell yeah! Finally the accommodations I deserve!” David smiled and handed him his junior-camp-counselor uniform.
“Here’s your official camp uniform! Now we’ll match!” Max rolled his eyes and took the shirt from David.
“Great, that’s my least favorite part. Right up there with the fact I don’t get paid for this shit.”
“C’mon, Max this year will be fun, it’s your birthday May 28th isn’t it? That’s a few days from now we should go into town to celebrate! 16 is a big milestone!”
“Yeah I guess it is surprising I haven’t killed myself in 16 years.”
“Come on, Max don’t say that! Maybe I could even let you drive there, hm? What do you think!” Max groaned.
“I hate driving. It’s shitty and boring.”
“Fine, I’ll drive there why don’t you go get settled in your cabin, I’ve got other stuff to set up! We’re going to have so so much fun this year!” David smiled and waved to Max as he walked into his cabin.
