Summer Camp by Cassie Beattie - HTML preview

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

I guess my story really starts a few years ago, when I was 14; I had a mega crush on a guy in my drama class. After class one day he asked if I was going to the drama camp over the summer. I wasn’t planning to but if he asked I might ask my parents. I grabbed the booklet after school and went home, my mum was in the kitchen looking a bit tired so I left the brochure on the table and went to help her with dinner. After dinner, when we were cleaning up my mum noticed the brochure, she asked me if I was interested in going, I said I was, that a few people from my drama class were going.

She said she would discuss it with my dad and let me know, I didn’t find out until later that my mum could not get time off during the summer holidays and was feeling bad that I would be home alone for the summer. I am the last of 3 children; I was born 11 years after my brother and 15 years after my sister. My sister had married, moved away and had 2 children and my brother was in the military, I may as well have been an only child, my sister left home when I was really little and my brother not long after her. I got to see them during special holidays but we were not close.

The next morning my dad asked me at breakfast if I wanted to go to the drama camp or if I was just going to make my mum feel better. I said I really wanted to go, that it would be fun and I might learn something while I was at it. So dad said I could go, that he would book me in and pay that day. The closing date was the end of the week so he only had a couple of days any way. He made it very clear that after he paid for this I was going like it or not. I was fine with that! Hell 4 weeks with my crush at a camp couldn’t be that bad.

The last few weeks of school went really fast between cramming for exams and taking the exams, I didn’t really have much time to think about it. I got a confirmation letter about the camp and a list of things I needed to take with me, I put it aside, deciding to concentrate on my exams and think about it on the week of holidays before I left on the camp. So the school term finished and I decide to look at the packing list, there are a few odd things on the list but we had everything I needed at home. I started to gather everything together, making a pile in my room, after work my mum got me a suitcase from the basement and I packed everything into the suitcase making sure I had everything on the list, the next day my mum and I went shopping after she finished work and she bought me some new and some nice things to take away with me. I also bought a new backpack to take with me, I put my new things in the suitcase along with all of the “just in case” things my mum wanted me to pack. The next morning my mum drove me to the collection point for the camp, there were a couple of people from school but I didn’t see my crush anywhere, I guess he changed his mind. Oh well this was going to be great any way.

I was really excited to be going away for 4 weeks, it was my first real time away from my parents, I know I had been on school camps but never for more than a week. A large coach pulled up, the driver got off and called each of our names, I said good-bye to my mum and told her I Loved her, and that I would write. Then I put my suitcase in the storage locker under the bus and climbed aboard. There were a few other students already on the bus, but no familiar faces. I said hi to a really cute guy towards the back of the bus after he smiled at me. He asked me if I would like to sit with him, I did, why wouldn’t I! He stood up and helped me put my backpack in the overhead lockers. I sat down and waited while everyone else was loaded. There were heaps of empty seats, I thought we must have heaps more stops but we didn’t, it was just us. On the 3 hour bus ride to the camp I learnt a fair bit about all of the people sitting around me, I felt at home, the cute guy asked me if he could talk to me about Jesus, I told him I had already had the chat. It turns out that he went to one of our sister churches and that we knew heaps of the same people. It really helped me to know I was not the only church kid at the camp. I then found out that most of the back of the bus was from the same church! This was going to be an awesome camp.

On the bus along side of me was Troy, he was a walking bible, he knew every verse. Behind him was Ed, his best friend and the class clown, then there was Emma, who was so pretty, and Tess, who was a bit shy but an amazing singer. In our group was also Peter, he was Emma’s boyfriend, and he was also a pastor’s son! We talked, laughed, played Sunday school games and when we got bored we would sing!

When we finally arrived at the camp, we discovered that we were all staying in cabins; there were hundreds of cabins but not many students. We also discovered that some parents had opted to drive to the camp rather than catch the bus.

When most of us were assembled in the dinning hall, a funny little man stood up on a chair and welcomed us, he went through all of the usual house keeping sorts of things, he took us on a tour of the grounds and then when we got back to the dinning hall, lunch had been served. Lunch was rolls and fruit, some people were complaining about it but I thought it was quite good, compared to school lunches it was great.

After lunch we were all given our welcome packages, it turns out it was one cabin each, there were also timetables, rules and our keys. We also had a name badge and maps! I was a little worried to discover that my first lesson was at 7 am the next morning. My new friend offered to carry my suitcase to my cabin, I was lucky my cabin was fairly close, I had cabin 9, he had cabin 22. Once I got to my cabin, I checked the time table the only other thing we had today was dinner at 6pm, so I had a couple of hours to make my self comfortable.

My cabin had 2 beds, 2 wardrobes, 2 desks and a bathroom, it even had a bath! I was excited and remember thinking, “I think I got a good one!” I took the opportunity to clean everything to give the blankets a good shake outside and I made my bed, I put my things away. I unpacked my books and my torch, I put them by the bed so I would know where they were, I also put my spare bottle of water by the bed. I found a broom in the bathroom so I gave it a quick sweep; I was feeling pretty happy when my new friend swung by to see if I needed anything. It seemed that all of the cabins were the same, we all got a bath, and I guessed from the timetable that there was a fair bit of physical work so I would probably need a hot bath at some stage.

Anyway, I locked my door and my new friend and I went off to have a look around, I really wanted to figure out where everything was so I wouldn’t be late to any of my classes. On our walk we run into my crush, his mum had driven him to the camp because he was late for the bus. He had 4 large bags, what could he possibly need? He also had cabin 47, it was way up the hill. I was going to offer to help but he was a bit snooty so I figured he could lug his own bags. My new friend Troy commented that he was a bit of a princess, something that would become really evident in the next few days.

After dinner, we were all encouraged to get an early night because the first day would be a tough one, We were also reminded that we all needed to be at classes at 7 am sharp, any one that was late would be punished. I went to my cabin, I read my bible for a little while then I checked my door was locked and my curtains closed, before saying my prayers and turning in. It was only early but I was tired and I was not looking forward to my alarm going off at 6.

Next morning my alarm went off at 6, I dragged my feet out of bed, had a quick shower, and pulled on my yoga pants and a t-shirt before heading down to the dining hall for a bowl of cereal. I would have loved coffee but coffee was not allowed! This was going to be a long 4 weeks! After breakfast I went back to my cabin, made my bed, tidied up after myself and went to my first class at around 6.45, I know I was early but Troy and a few others were heading that way so I joined them. They were really nice and I decided they would be the people I spent time with, they were all church people and we were all responsible, so we were in bed early and managed to get to class early. The teacher Mr Norman was impressed, he gave us our workbooks and encouraged us to have a look through it. At 7 we started the class with some stretching and some yoga type moves, it was really relaxing, he moved onto some drama basics, making us do a series of silly things, like be trees!

After about an hour the lesson was over, we were all really surprised the classes were so small, there were about 12 people, I was sure there were about 50 at dinner last night. Mr Norman told us that there were 2 classes of 24, so he had half of his class, not a great start. After our movement class we had an acting workshop, there were still only 12 of us, the workshop went until 10, when we went to the dining hall for morning tea.

We met up with the other group; they only had 10 people show up! So over half were absent, the organizer seemed to relish this for some reason! He did stand up on his chair again and commend us for all making it to the first 2 classes, he also encouraged us to keep it up, reminding us that we only get out what we put in.

My next class was a dance class, so I went back to my cabin to get changed, I was not really looking forward to it, I was not good at dance previously, so I didn’t hold out much hope for this class. I did turn on my mobile phone and there was a message from my mum and dad, telling me that they loved me and to have a great time. I grabbed my dance shoes, locked the door and danced over to me class. The teacher Ms Hubbard was really nice, she worked one on one to help me get it together. By the end of the lesson I was hot, sweaty and puffing, so of course the first person I run into is my crush from school, Tony was hot but he looked like he had just woken up! It turns out that he had. I had 20 minutes of free time before lunch, so I went back to the cabin and had a quick shower. I checked my timetable, I have a couple of classroom type classes, so I figured I could wear neat casual clothes for the whole afternoon, and so I put on my jeans and a t-shirt.

My group all caught up on the way to lunch, we didn’t have the same classes but it was nice to have some one to talk to. At lunch the numbers had swelled again, lunch was served, today it was pasta, and after lunch I went back to my cabin for my workbook and took off for my next class. This one was really fun, it was with Mr Norman again, we were discussing some of the plays we had as preparation reading, we even acted out some of the scenes, the classes finished at 4 and I had 2 hours free time. I went back to the cabin, I read some of the plays we had discussed with a whole new appreciation, Troy called past with a vase of flowers, I was suspicious as he had 5 of them! He had decided to share them with the other members of our group; He thought they would make the cabins more homely. It was really nice of him to think of me.

I walked with him to see where everyone else was, all of the cabins were fairly similar, some were very neat and tidy others were a complete disaster area. Troy only offered flowers to the tidy ones, when we got to his cabin, it was very tidy, he had made himself very cosy, his even had a reading lamp. We all chatted for a bit before Emma suggested me head over to the hall for dinner, we were early, so we offered to help set the tables and the offer was gratefully accepted. Tess started singing a song we sing at church and it didn’t take much for us all to be singing, Mr Norman was in the office at the end of the hall, he come out to see what was going on. We stopped, thinking we had disturbed him, he told us to keep going, that it was great to sing. He also asked if any one wanted to play the piano to just ask and he would get he key for us. It become our afternoon ritual, everyday we would head to the hall early to set the tables and to sing together.

On a side note, I was really glad I got up early, all of the people that were late to a class were excluded from the dining hall, they all got lunch bags, they also had to write a letter of apology to each of the teachers of the classes that they had missed. Any one that didn’t do it by dinner was confined to cabins for the rest of the day; they were only allowed to join the group for meals. A lot of them didn’t like this; Tony was one of the loudest complainers. He really was a princess, he didn’t help in any way, and he expected everyone to bring him what he wanted and to clear his dishes. He complained that no one made his bed, that no one woke him up; he was a complete pain, worst of all he called his dad and he was told he had to stay there until his mom got back from Europe. This was the deal; he got to go to the camp she got to go away with his sister. He was not happy! Walking back towards the cabins that evening he was complaining that he wanted to go home, everyone ignored him and one person even pointed out that he was a big boy he should start acting like it. It was embarrassing to watch his outburst in the dining hall, I was really glad no one knew I used to have a crush on him.

The next 3 weeks passed in a blur, it was really hard work but also great fun, firm friendships were formed and when I wrote to my parents I could honestly say I was having a great time and that this was the best gift ever. During the time I was there a lot of the people that didn’t show up to classes left, those few that remained did so because their parents wouldn’t come get them. Tony was one of these people, he hated it, and he wanted to go home and he only come out of his cabin for food. I used to really like him but now I could see his true colours, I was really glad I had. I was also really glad I met Troy, he was awesome. At the end of the 3^rd week roles were given out for the end of camp play. We were doing Romeo and Juliet; it was the ultimate to get one of the big roles. I didn’t think I had a chance. At the announcement Troy was announced as Romeo, we all congratulated him, I thought Emma would get Juliet, she was so good, when I was announced I almost passed out. Everyone was around me congratulating me, it was at about this time that Tony stood up and had a little outburst that he should be Romeo. He hadn’t even shown up to a class, so there was no way he was going to Romeo, everyone laughed at him. I felt sort of sorry for him but I also knew that he was the lazy one, I had worked really hard.

I rang my parents and told them that I got the lead in the end of program play and that it was Romeo and Juliet, I was so excited. My mum said that they would come up for the play and bring me home. The play was the last night, parents were always invited and they could stay in one of the unused cabins. I really missed my parents, this was a great experience but it would be great to see them. What I didn’t know is that I would see them before the last night of camp.

The next few days were a blur; there were rehearsals, costume fittings, people running around making sets. It really made me excited, I really couldn’t wait for the performance; I had never really been into drama before, I did it at school because I was expected to but I could see how it people would really enjoy it. With two days until the big night, I was exhausted; so after dinner I decided to have an early night, I went back to the cabin, locked my door and run a bath. I enjoyed the bath, it felt so good, I got out when I realised I had nodded off in the bath, I woke up with a jolt, I must have dropped my head into the water and the splash woke me, so I got out, I dried off and put on my all in one pyjamas, I wasn’t going to bring them but my mum packed them just in case. I was glad she did, it was nice to have something so comfy, I fell on the bed and into a deep sleep. I didn’t even say my prayers for the first time since I had been at camp!

I woke at some point to a loud noise; I didn’t know what it was but the next thing I knew there was some one on top of me, I tried to scream but couldn’t make the sound come. I kicked and shoved, who ever it was, was much heavier and stronger than me. They also smelled like beer, it was awful, I grabbed my water bottle and tried to hit them, I missed him but the bottle slid out of my hand and hit the window by the bed, breaking the glass pane in it; a little bit later, possibly a few seconds, the light was turned on.

The breaking window was heard by one of our teachers, I found out then that the weight on me was Tony, he was almost naked, he was only wearing a t-shirt, Mr Norman, grabbed him and locked him in my bathroom, he checked I was ok and called the police, He took me out the front of the cabin to see if I was ok, I was very shaken. Emma heard the commotion and come to check on me, I was in shock and shaking quite badly by the time she arrived. Mr Norman didn’t want us to go back inside, he didn’t want us to mess with the scene although it sounded like the bathroom was going to be completely trashed, I could hear crashing and banging. The police arrived quickly, I told them what had happened as far as I knew. They had a look at the cabin, took some photos then retrieved Tony from my bathroom. Emma when back to her cabin to get a spare blanket to wrap around me, I was shaking although I doubt it was from the cold, heaps of people showed up to see what was going on, I was happy to have the blanket, typical I was in my daggy pyjamas and this happened! Not that I was honestly thinking that at the time. The police noticed that I was quite battered and insisted that I go to the hospital to be checked out.

Mr Norman took me to the hospital himself; he got me all sorted then went to the police station to make his formal statement. At the hospital they checked me over, it was then I realised my wrist really hurt, they x-rayed it and it was broken, they had to call my parents, they explained what had happened and that they needed there permission to treat me. The police also arrived at the hospital and asked for my pyjamas, photos and my statement, the nurse was awesome she gave me some thing for the pain, helped me out of my pyjamas; got me some new pyjamas and took heaps of photos, it was a bit intimidating, the lady police officer was in the room, she was funny, she kept making jokes, they used a special camera that can see bruising before it is visible. They told me I was going to have a lot of bruises and the next week or so was not going to be much fun. They got me dressed again then the doctor come to set my wrist, he did a bandage first then he x-rayed it again, he was happy and I gained a plaster, it was really light, I remember when I broke my arm when I was little it seemed to weigh a ton.

I was put into a bed and I think they gave me something because I was asleep in a few minutes. When I woke up my mum and dad were there, so was Mr Norman, it seemed he was trying to explain what happed. I found it interesting because not even I knew. My parent noticed I was awake and they told me we were going home as soon as the hospital said I could. I objected, I was Juliet; I had worked hard for it. I pleaded with them to let me stay, even if I couldn’t be in the play; I wanted to see my friends. Mr Norman said there was no reason I couldn’t do it but only if the doctor and my parents said I could. Beside my attacker was no longer around, I also really wanted to see my friends, to tell them I was ok, my parents reluctantly agreed but only if they could stay for the last few days. When the doctor gave me the all clear we drove back to the camp, everyone was having lunch, it was so good to see everyone, although the hugs hurt, it was a good hurt, it proved I was alive.

I went back to my cabin, it was totally trashed, and the police had taken all of the linen and a few other things. It was decided I would move into another cabin, one where my parents could stay close by. I was so happy to see my Romeo, he looked so concerned, he didn’t want to hug he thought he might hurt me, but I got my hug! I was so blessed to have such awesome friends. After lunch I went to rehearsal, we had the first full rehearsal, Mr Norman told me to take it easy and if it was too much to sit out, that we could rehearse with a stand in, the past 12 hours had been tough but he would have won if I had not forged ahead. I stumbled a couple of times at the beginning, but after a really big laugh, we all found our rhythm and it was amazing.

After rehearsal I was feeling very tired, I went back to find that Emma had collected all of my things in my cabin and put them in the same place in my new cabin, the bed was made, everything was clean, she even washed all of my dirty clothes. I also found a gift of new toothbrush, hairbrush and bathroom essentials in my bathroom; they decided that I wouldn’t want them. I found out years later that they were all in the toilet, they were right, I would not have wanted them. I laid down, I was only intending to rest for an hour or so but my mum woke me up on the way to dinner, I got up and washed my face, I was really hungry, something that is unusual for me, it must be the tablets for the pain in my wrist. We had dinner, it was a bit weird to have may parents there, they sat with the teachers but it was still weird.

I introduced them to all my new friends. They were really impressed; they were more impressed when Emma offered to stay in my cabin with me, so I wouldn’t be afraid. It was lovely to have some one that loved me for me. It was also nice to have some one nearby on the first night, I was a little scared but I didn’t want to appear weak, having Emma there with me was nice. We prayed together then we both turned in, the story she tells is I was asleep before my head hit my pillow, she may have been right!

The next morning we got back into the old routine, Troy picked me up and walked me to breakfast, we had our dress rehearsal, it went terribly, and everything that could go wrong did. Afterwards at lunch Mr Norman said it was all going to be fine, that we should all rest up and get ready for the main performance, we would have one final walk through the next morning and that was it! We were ready! Now I was really concerned! If this was all good, I hated to think was bad was going to consist of.

That afternoon we spent a little bit of time praying together, then we did our usual songs of praise while setting up for dinner. My parents were out on the deck while we were doing it and were amazed at the group we had formed. My wrist really hurt so I just watched and sang we also had a little prayer about my wrist and about our one and only performance the next night! We all turned in early again, Emma slept in with me, it was really sweet, and I mean she didn’t have to do it but she chose to! We prayed some more, talked and eventually went to sleep. It was only about 10 pm but somehow we managed to sleep through the alarm, Troy knocked on the door at 6.30 and we were both still in bed! Oops not a great start to the day, we both rushed to throw some water over our faces and pull on some clothes. We made it to breakfast and to our final walk through rehearsal, not quite awake but close enough.

After the rehearsal I had to have some alterations to one of my costumes done, so I hung around, everyone else was going up to the dining hall for a snack, then we all had some quiet time.

It was decided we would have dinner early, we had heaps of parents and friends coming, and they were all being offered dinner while we got changed and got ready for the performance. After dinner heaps of students waited to greet their parents before going to the hall to get ready.

Since my parents were already there, I decided to headed down early, Troy come down with me and we went over a couple of bits. Then we prayed together. The others joined us and we said a word of pray as a group, everyone that wanted to be included was! Then it was time to get into costume, make up and a quick sound check, the worst time was after all of that was done, I was sitting in my cardboard dressing area, alone with my thoughts. I felt fear but something in my heart told me I was strong enough, I was good enough, I knew it was my god. I took a deep breath, and walked up to my place. The play went really well, I remember all of my lines, and no one made any mistakes, even the props and the set all stayed together. It was an amazing feeling, I was on a total high, and at that moment I had no pain, now I knew why people would do this. The girls working on the costumes had made me a dress to wear to the after party, it was so pretty, when I stepped out of the girls change room, Troy was waiting for me, it seems he got an outfit too, although his was a long tunic and tights, he took it all in good humour, as he usually did but I cracked up laughing.

At the after party, Troy introduced his parents to my parents, it turns out they already knew each other, typical, heap of the parents knew each other. Lots of people come up and congratulated me on such a great performance. It was really nice that people had a great time! I also had a couple of agents approach me and ask if I wanted to make some money out of acting, I said I wasn’t sure, my parents took their card politely and some of them my dad gave his business card to. It think it was more being polite, I was enjoying my last day at camp, I was also sad to be leaving my friends. We all exchanged addresses and phone numbers but I knew it wouldn’t be the same. On the last night we all slept in my cabin, there were 12 of us, mattresses on the floor and bodies everywhere. I don’t think my parents were that impressed by the sleeping arrangement but they kept quiet, besides with that many of us, what was going to happen. It was a very late night; we all woke up after 10! We all packed our things and cleaned up our cabins, Troy come to carry my bags to my parents car. I wanted to go back on the bus but my parents insisted on me going with them. I said I very teary good bye and got in the car, as we were about to leave, Mr Norman ran up to the car, he had a bag, he passed it through the window to me, it was the dress, he said it was mine to keep and that he really hoped I would be back next summer.

On the drive home, I had a little sleep, we really didn’t get much sleep the night before, when I woke up my mum and dad were talking about me changing schools. I pretended to be asleep, I wanted to know what they were thinking about, but my mum having mum