Our Hill Of Stars

Chapter 4: Sweaty Pig

"That motherfucker." Archer growls.

"Are you serious?"

"Why would he do that?"

"Is Douglas actually considering it?"

My head spins with all the questions but within the midst of the uproar I notice that Ace had gone really pale. I look at him curiously while he avoids my gaze. I shrug his reaction off and look back at the others. I'd have to ask Ace about it afterwards. Right now I had to deal with my friends.

"Okay okay. Calm down." I hold up my hands to cease the questions. "Yes, my dad is considering it because Mr. Davis is offering a lot more money than this place is worth. No, he hasn't agreed to it yet. As I said before, we have until the end of the summer. And besides, I have a plan"

Everyone's heads pop up curiously. "Care to share you plan with the class, Auto?" Dax stares at me.

"Okay so. Well." I stutter around. The truth is my plan wasn't really a plan. It was more like an idea-ish. "We need to step up Beaver Falls. More campers means more money. Which means we need to find a way to make it more known. We need to make sure the kids want to come back next year."

"Yes, I agree with that but what's the plan, exactly?" Evie asks from beside me.

"That's where you guys come in." I smile sheepishly, "brainstorming time?"

"How about fundraisers?" Charlotte suggests, "If we set up fundraisers it gains us publicity and money. We can do like a "half of the money raised goes to charity" type thing."

"That is really good actually." I smile at her.

That could definitely work.

"The fundraisers could be like craft sales or a bake sale?" Evie adds on.

"We can get the kids to do the crafts and then we can sell them in the city. Same with the bake sale. On a rainy day Mickey could give them a lesson or two in the kitchen." I say, snowballing off of the other girls.

"We could also set up a Spikeball tournament!" Archer says, enthusiastically.

"Yeah! There would be like a 5 dollar admission fee or something" Dax adds on, nodding his head.

"Well there we have it! I'll tell the bossman our plan tonight so we can get it approved. Then we will have to work hard to get them all set up." I smile at my friends.

I don't miss that Ace had said nothing throughout the whole conversation but I don't say anything to him. Yet. That is for another time.

"We will fight for this camp just as hard as you, Auto." Evie promises.

"Yeah, we're with you." Charlotte gives me a side hug. It was a little awkward while sitting on the bench but the feeling got across.

Beaver Falls Summer Camp was going to be okay. We were fighting for it. For our home.

After lunch, we split up once again. Evie, Ace, and I head to the truck while the other three go towards the pit. When my group arrives at our destination, Ace speaks up.

"What's with all the fireworks?" He asks, referring to the large amount of boxes piled in the back of my dad's old, red pickup truck.

"Canada Day, obviously." I say.

"Well yeah but what are we gonna do with them?"

"Um. Light them? On Canada Day?" I'm really not sure what he is getting at.

"Did you never light fireworks at your other camp?" Evie asks, standing beside me.