Chapter 5 - Opening Ceremonies
The pavilion was a large open-air structure made of rough-hewn logs. True to its name, two humongous pine trees flanked the entrance. Inside, campers sat waiting on rows of log benches as the camp song played through the crackly speaker system. A crowd this size would normally be filled with chattering voices, but this group of strangers, thrown together for the summer, was eerily quiet. Katie hesitated, not knowing where to sit. Suddenly, she spied Lou holding a Cabin D sign with one hand and waving enthusiastically at Katie with the other.
Katie snaked her way through the rows of benches, oddly happy to see Lou’s grinning face. Lou was pointing to an empty seat in the Cabin D section. Katie stopped short, having recognized another face. It was none other than “Duffel Bag Girl.”
Frantically, Katie looked about for another seat in the Cabin D section, but as she did, Ms. Vanden Bosch, the camp director, came to the podium and asked everyone to take their seats. Finding no other option, Katie plunked herself down beside DBG.
“Welcome to Camp Wickamonga, a fun time getaway for girls. I’m Ms. Vanden Bosch, your camp director. Take a look to your left and then your right. The girls you see on either side of you may be strangers today, but by the end of summer, they will be your life-long friends.”
“Yeah, right,” DBG muttered under her breath as she eye-balled Katie.
“Now, let’s get to know one another. I’d like to begin by introducing our staff. To my left is Nurse Kim. You will find her in the Infirmary located to the left of the dining hall. Should you find yourself feeling ill, she’s the person to see.”
As Ms. Vanden Bosch spoke, Nurse Kim rose from her seat and waddled to the front of the stage where she grinned and waved to the crowd. Somehow, with her short round body and bob haircut, she looked more like a German polka dancer than a nurse.
“Next to Nurse Kim is Mr. Mike, our recreation director. He will assist you in selecting your recreational activities while you are here.”
Mr. Mike also rose (if you could call it that). He stood about 4 ft 10 inches tall, but obviously thought muscles made up for his lack of height. His head rested on a thick, stubby neck that connected to wide shoulders. His upper arms bulged in a WWF sort of way. He sauntered up to the edge of the stage, and with one hand on his whistle, he winked and saluted the audience.
“Now let’s meet our CIC’s,” said Ms. Vanden Bosch. “These ladies have been hand-picked and possess the qualities, skills, and enthusiasm to make your time here at Camp Wickamonga a once in a lifetime experience. As I introduce each cabin’s counselor, I’d like the campers in that cabin to stand, also.”
Ms. V began with Cabin A. As Carrie, their counselor, was introduced, the campers in her cabin stood, shook their fists and yelled, “WOOH, WOOH, WOOH, WOOH!”
Each successive introduction brought a similar, but increasingly louder response. When Cabin D was announced, Lou surprised everyone by jumping up and doing a series of running handsprings down the aisle that ended with a Chinese splits. Cabin D girls exploded into deafening screams, having just earned their place as the “It Cabin” of Camp Wickamonga. Strangers no more, they jumped up and down, grabbed the girl next to them and hugged as if their favorite team had just won the national championship. Katie, an amateur gymnast herself, was ecstatic. Lou’s sense of humor might be questionable, but beyond that, she was awesome.
It took Ms. Vanden Bosch’s repeated requests for quiet before the girls began to settle down. As their wild frenzy began to subside, Katie released the girl she had been hugging. One minute she was embracing her new best friend, or so she thought, and the next she was face to face with . . . “Duffel Bag Girl.”
Both girls released their grip, making faces as if they had been holding a dirty diaper, took a step back, and sat down. The rest of the introductions were made, the camp song was performed by the counselors and staff, and the girls were sent to their cabins to freshen up and get acquainted before mess call at 6:00.
Cabin D girls were pumped as they hiked through the woods back to their cabin. Lou led the way, using the railroad ties that lined the path as a makeshift balance beam. Soon the entire gaggle of girls was lined up, arms outstretched, mimicking Lou’s every move. They pranced and wobbled their way back to the cabin.
Chapter 6 - Bunkmates
Once inside the cabin, Lou gathered the girls in the front room for a “family meeting” where she spelled out the camp rules. Katie thought to herself, It really is true, that saying, “Everything I ever needed to know, I learned in kindergarten.” The rules were basic: treat others as you want to be treated, speak with good purpose, follow directions, and always have a buddy.
Katie looked around at the gathering of girls. She wondered who the mischief-maker in the group would be. Her life experiences had taught her that every group had one. In her Girl Scout troop, it had been Roxie. Once, at a troop picnic, she had poured ketchup on her head and run screaming toward their leader as if seriously wounded. On her soccer team, it was definitely DeeDee. She had a habit of tying people’s shoelaces together when they weren’t looking. Even her Sunday school class, where everyone was usually on their best behavior, had Samantha. She always peeked during the prayer.
As Katie continued to scan the group, she determined it would not be Ava, the timid girl sitting directly across from her in the circle. Ava had listened intently to every word Lou had spoken, making her a definite rule follower. Erin, the freckle faced red-head, was a possibility. Perhaps not a mischief-maker, but undeniably outgoing and fun. She and Katie had been on the path together on the walk back to the cabin. Erin had giggled most of the way. Three girls had lost their balance and jumped fearfully when Erin pointed to a stick on the ground and yelled, “SNAKE!” Katie knew immediately that she and Erin would be friends. Next to Erin sat DBG, or Caroline. Katie pegged her as simply a grump. Mischief-makers, though troublesome, were usually pleasant, despite their pranks. Katie couldn’t picture herself using the word pleasant and Caroline in the same sentence. Katie’s reverie was interrupted as Loucalled the meeting to a close. The girls chattered happily, as they headed down the hall to their bunks.
Katie was just swinging her leg over the top rail when she froze. Please, don’t let it be so,” she thought as she saw none other than DBG approaching the lower bunk.
“Oh great,” muttered DBG as the reality of the situation struck her, too. “Does anyone want to change bunks?” she asked scanning the room for a volunteer, but the room offered no takers. “Fine then,” spat Caroline as she glared at Katie. “You don’t have a problem with bed wetting, do you?”
“I’d prefer you didn’t,” retorted Katie as she swung the other leg over and settled onto her bunk. She reached for the box of stationery she’d placed atop one of the ceiling beams. She really needed to talk to Mazie, but would have to settle for a letter instead. Pen in hand, she began to write:
Dear Mazie,
How are things at home? How’s your mom?
Camp Wickamonga is pretty weak so far. I wasn’t too sure about my cabin counselor at first, but she turned out to be pretty cool. Her name is Lou. The worst part is I’m sharing a bunk bed with “Duffel Bag Girl.” What, you may ask is a duffel bag girl? It’s a long story. Just trust me when I say, you don’t want to know her. She’s rude, grumpy, and down right intolerable. Fortunately, it’s just for the summer. I guess I can take anything for eight weeks.
Tell your mom “hi” and write back soon. Gotta go,
Your pal,
Katie
Katie folded the letter, addressed and stamped the envelope. As she was licking the flap, Erin approached her bunk.
“Those envelope flaps can be mighty tasty, I hear,” teased Erin, “but me, I’m gonna take my chances in the dining hall. Wanna walk with?”
“Sure,” said Katie.
Sealing the letter and hopping down from her perch, Katie giggled with Erin as they turned to leave.
“So what am I? Invisible?” snapped Caroline, as she sat slumped on the lower bunk.
Katie and Erin glanced suspiciously at one another, shrugged their shoulders, and turned in unison.
“Gee, sorry,” Katie said. “Wanna join us?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” mumbled Caroline, “we’re all headed the same direction.”
Chapter 7 The Infirmary
Katie, Erin, and Caroline, an unlikely trio, headed out the door and through the woods to the dining hall. It wasn’t long before Caroline was lagging behind. Each time Katie and Erin turned to look, they found her twisting and squirming, scratching an arm or a leg.
“What’s with the mosquitoes in this place?” complained Caroline. “I’m being eaten alive.”
“I haven’t felt a one,” said Erin.
“Me either,” said Katie.
“Give me a break,” Caroline shot back. “They can’t just be biting me.”
Katie and Erin walked back to where Caroline was standing. She was red . . . from head to toe.
“Uh, Caroline,” Katie said. “I don’t think those are mosquito bites you’re scratching. It looks
like . . .”
“POISON IVY!” exclaimed Erin. “Oh m’gosh, Caroline, you’re covered with it!”
“I don’t remember you being introduced as the camp doctor!” Caroline snapped. “How could I have gotten poi . . . ?”
Suddenly, Caroline turned to face Katie. “You…YOU…YOU,” she yelled and stomped off in the direction of the Infirmary.
Feeling bad, but more hungry than bad, Katie and Erin continued on to the Dining Hall. Once inside they found Cabin D’s table where the rest of the girls were already seated.
“Where’s Caroline?” asked an angelic Ava in a concerned voice.
“Uh, I think she scratched dinner off her list of things to do tonight,” Erin offered.
* * * * *
After dinner, the campers were herded once again to the pavilion for an evening devotion and sing-along time. Apparently, Kiefer, one of the lifeguards, also played the guitar and sang. His deep tan and sandy colored hair made him much more fun to look at than Ms. Vanden Bosch. His dreamy voice had the girls thinking they’d found the next American Idol. He had no trouble getting the girls to sing along as he taught them a string of silly camp songs. Chelsea, one of the more spirited Dining Hall waitresses, demonstrated hand motions to go along with each song. Katie and Erin thought “Little Rabbit Foo Foo” was a bit juvenile, but decided if Kiefer was singing it, then it must be “cool.” As they finished the last verse, Ms. Vanden Bosch rose to speak once more.
“Ladies,” she began, “You have 45 minutes before lights out. Remember, our days begin bright and early here at Camp Wickamonga, so you will want to get a good night’s rest. We’ll see you in the Dining Hall at 6:30 in the morning.”
Chapter 8 - The Pink Monster
Back at their cabin, the girls quickly changed into their PJ’s and grabbed a flashlight for a game of “German Spotlight” with the Cabin C girls. The girls chose Ava to be “It,” and handed her the flashlight. They designated the bridge as jail. Ava remained by the “jail,” counting to 20, as the rest of the girls ran and hid. The full moon, along with the cabin porch light, provided just enough luminosity for the girls to find hiding places behind trees, trash cans, benches and boulders. Ava’s job was to find the hidden girls, spotlight them, shout out their names, and send them to jail. She was quick to spot Alicia whose sun-bleached hair formed a beacon in the moonlight.
Next, she spied Erin, carefully hidden behind a large boulder, but carelessly giggling in her happy go lucky way. Cleverly, the remaining girls would determine Ava’s directional trend and, at just the right moment, move to a new location. Ava though was determined to locate them all. The “inmates” yelled words of encouragement to those not yet captured as they looked on. Sniggers and muffled giggles, mingling with crickets and other sounds, drew Ava’s attention first one way and then the next.
Suddenly, the night was pierced by Ava’s shrill scream. This was not a cry of playful enjoyment; instead, one of sheer terror.
“Don’t move,” yelled Katie. “It’s a trick to get us to blow our cover.”
But when the first scream was followed by an even louder second one, the girls began to show themselves one by one.
“Ava,” they yelled. “we’re coming!”
Erin picked up a big stick as she joined the rest of the girls. If it was good enough for Teddy Roosevelt, she thought. it’s good enough for me.
Ten girls surrounded Ava, and their eyes followed her flashlight beam. Just a few feet in front of her was something somewhat human, and yet not. Standing as tall as Ava, teeth bared, puffy, round, and oh so pink. Unlike anything they’d ever seen.
“Go ahead. Get a good look. It’s called Calamine Lotion. You wanna make somethin’ of it?” snarled Caroline as she lumbered toward the bridge.
The cluster of girls parted like the Red Sea, staring wide-eyed as Caroline passed between them. Taps began to play over the speaker system, signaling it was time for lights out.
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