Summer Camp
By Ryan Fukuda
Summer camp. When you envision it, you get fond memories of sparkling waters and rustic cabins begging to be filled with laughter. Well, from some people’s experience, camp was a living torture cell filled with vicious, uncaring beasts stalking you from the shadows sensing for the miniscule hint of vulnerability. And that was before It happened.
Okay, deep breaths… This is the final straw, thought. I don’t care how dumb those guys are. My battery powered phone charger doesn’t just run off by itself. Now, how the heck am I supposed to keep in touch with my friends and my mom? This dumb place has no electricity. That was the problem with summer camp. Inconsiderate jerk wads just take your belongings without asking. And the camp counselors don’t do crud. You tell them what happened and they say that the other boys just “borrow without asking.”
It was different this time though. The vicious and horribly unfair cycle went like this; the bulkier meatheads steal the poor defenseless kids items, use it, leave it in some random place in camp, and the victims find their items some time later. If you were lucky, you find your items before it looks partially digested. If not, tough luck.
Again, this time was different. John had
looked everywhere. Actually, he only searched maybe 20 percent of the camp. The
problem though, lies in the geography of
“If I don’t
find it I’m gonna… ahhhhhh!!!” screamed John as he sprinted to the lake. Before
it clicked in his mind that he had arrived, John stopped. It was an instinctual
reaction. I haven’t mentioned it before but there is a reason why I said that
the lake is weird. If you flew from above, you would just see a large dark spot
smack dab in the middle and think it was a slightly deep hole. Boy, are you
wrong. The lake’s name among the kids is
Discouraged by the sight of the lake, John headed back to his cabin. Standing at 4’4” at the age of eleven, John was a primary victim of theft. To be more in depth, his full name is Jonathan Paul Edwards, has short, light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a slightly tan complexion.
As John approached his cabin he was alerted to a shrill whistle coming from behind the cabin. Cautiously, he approached. “Whoa!”
“Shh!” As John recovered from being harshly pulled behind the cabin he realized who it was. Crouched down in hiding was 4’6”, blond haired, blue eyed, white as this paper, Robert Sherman Engleton. “John! I have to tell…”
“No! First apologize for giving me whiplash,” snapped John as he rubbed his neck.
“Okay, I’m sorry but…”
“But nothing, that really hurt!”
“John, listen to me, you need to hear this,” pleaded Rob with a desperate expression on his face.
“Okay, my ears are open,” concluded John.
“I overheard the counselors today talking about The Hole.”
“You mean the one in the lake?”
“Duh, there is no other hole.”
“Yeah there is the pothole in the road…”
“Never mind the road! This is vital to your existence! I overheard the counselors saying that the “operation” was almost complete. And they said that it didn’t matter what happened to the kids.”
“You’re crazy Rob,” concluded John.
“Oh yeah, well I can prove to you that it is true.”
“How then Rob, can you answer me that?”
“Easy, come with me tonight and follow the counselors.”
“Now I know you’re crazy.”
“I think you are just a big, wimpy baby,” teased Rob making a rocking motion with his arms as if cradling an infant.
“I am not,” retorted John.
“Then come with me.”
“Fine, but if we get caught, we’ll get kicked out of… Never mind, I got nothing to lose. In fact, if I get sent home it will be a colossal gain for me,” John replied with a smug expression.
“Okay, meet me during lights out at my cabin.”
“Fine, but you have to bring the flashlight.”
“What ever…”
And so came the night, a smothering blanket of darkness. The hoot of owls whistled through the air unnerving the very earth. A figure crept silently across the camp. Arriving at its destination it was, once again, pulled behind the cabin. “Will you stop doing that?” whispered John harshly.
“Shhhh!” warned Rob. “Now, follow me, quietly.” The two immediately set off. Straining their ears, they came to the counselor’s cabin. As they came closer they saw a group walk cautiously toward the lake. In pursuit, they set off again. When they approached the lake they saw the counselors veer of to the side of the path. John hid in a bush and Rob went behind a tree. While they looked they saw the counselors push over a large boulder in unison. Dim light emanated from a large hole that had been uncovered. One by one the counselors dropped down the hole. When some time had passed, John signaled silently to Rob and they went down the hole too.
A deep rumble could be heard from within. It was like being in the throat of a beast. A long winding passage was ahead lit by torches. The air was stifling with smoke and dust. Their shadows danced like specters on the barren cave walls. It seemed as if all life had been drained out of this place.
Thinking it safe to talk John blurted out “Oh my cheese and crackers, you were right Rob! This is like some weird James Bond Movie.” Rob didn’t say anything. Neither did John as he saw what the situation was. Rob lay limp in a bulky counselors arms. John soon joined him.
When they awoke the rumbling had increased to a roar that was almost deafening. Trying to make sense of the situation John looked around. He was on a ledge surrounded by camp counselors. Directly before him was an immense machine. In the ceiling was a hole. Water gushed down from it like and upturned water bottle. The clear liquid fell into the machine but came out quite different. Sickly purple sludge oozed out the back disgustingly. ”Confused, little boy?” asked a counselor. “This machine here is the future. It will revolutionize the world! This device uses an advanced form of hydro electricity. It actually breaks down the atomic structure and blah blah blah… why am I explaining this to you? You’re what, 12 years old? It doesn’t matter because I am going to make sure you don’t have the chance to tell the government. These hazards that we are dumping into the ocean are… wait a minute. Oh dang it you wouldn’t have even known that if I hadn’t just said it. Nonetheless, we shall be rid of you!”
The ring of counselors closed like a noose. Panicking, John and Rob simultaneously kicked one counselor’s shins. Adrenaline pumping the children made a dash for the exit. Through the passage they went, on and on with the constant beat of the counselors shoes on the barren dirt. But they were more nimble and navigated easier than the clumsy group of adults. On and on the passage went, seemingly interminable. Finally, they saw the hole and scrambled up it. As if they read each others mind, both started to heave at the boulder. Eternities flew by as the struggle ensued. Just as shouts could be heard the boulder gave way and toppled onto the hole, sealing it temporarily.
As they left, John tripped on
something. Miraculously, it was his battery powered phone charger. John gawked
in astonishment. Realizing he was in danger he whipping out his cell phone John
charged it for as long as he dared and proceeded to dial
The police came just in time to stop the evil counselors from escaping their rocky tomb. With the police came a team of environmentalist who analyzed the extent of this ecological catastrophe. It has been a two months since that incident and ever since there has been no excitement for John. Now something even worse comes along. School.