the Parent Trap [Huke]

Chapter 1: Camp Walden

*11 years and 9 months later*

Lana, the owner of the camp, early forties, five feet and five inches tall, wearing khaki shorts, talks through a bullhorn. Next to her stands her daughter and first lieutenant, Sofia, just under five feet tall, tanned and humorless. She also holds a bullhorn.

Sofia: (into a bullhorn) Good morning, ladies and welcome to Camp Walden. I'm Sofia, your Camp Director and this is my mother and right hand man, Lana, please find your duffels as quickly as possible, we've got a big, big day ahead of us. Mom, bunk assignments, if you please.

Lana lifts her bullhorn and starts barking out bunk assignments right into her daughter's ear. Sofia covers her ears in pain.

A mountain of duffel bags sits on the quad as one eleven-year-old, Peyton Hemmings, pops up from behind the huge pile.

Peyton: (to herself) Okay, found my duffel, now the question is: how do I get it out?

Peyton wears overalls, a baseball cap that says Girls Rule, sunglasses, and a sweatshirt tied around her waist. Her ears are pierced, her hair is short, she wears bright red high tops and metallic blue nail polish.

Peyton: (finding her duffel bag strap) Okay, I can do it.

Peyton pulls on the strap with all her might, her face turning bright red.

Peyton: Okay, no I can't.

A skinny kid with a long neck, Darcy, steps in, carrying her duffel bag on her shoulder and chewing gum.

Darcy: You must be new.

Peyton: How can you tell?

Darcy: You didn't know to grab your duffel before the apes tossed it into the heap. I would say you need some serious help.

Peyton: Thanks. It's the big yellow one

Darcy: (helps Peyton pull on the strap) Cool hat

Peyton: Thanks. It was a going away gift from my dad

As Darcy and Peyton pull on the strap together, the Bus Drivers toss another half-dozen new duffels onto the pile. Peyton and Darcy shoot the Bus Drivers a look. Just then, Jasmine, a strapping ten-year-old in a tie-dye T-shirt, beads and a bandana around her head arrive and easily pulls her duffel from the center of the pile

Peyton: Now that's my kind of woman

Darcy: (cups hands around her mouth) Hey! Tie-dye girl!

Jasmine turns around

Peyton: Would you mind giving me a hand? My duffels the yellow one, way in there

Jasmine nods and drops her duffel. It lands on Darcy's foot

Peyton: You okay?

Darcy: (grabbing her foot) That would be negative

Jasmine yanks Peyton's duffel out of the pile and drops it on Darcy's other foot

Darcy: Aaaahhh! Why, thank you

Jasmine: (smiles) You're welcome (reading the name tag on Peyton's duffel) Hey, you're from California?

Darcy: You are? Do you live in Hollywood?

Jasmine: Do you like live next to a movie star?