Camp Twin Tails

Chapter 1: I Get Stuck on a Bus with a Flat Tire in the Middle of Nowhere

These stupid, noisy kids make me want to punch them in the face. But that's not going to help anyone because we're on the same bus. Together. All going to the same stupid summer camp. Maybe if they could just stop throwing things around and yelling so much I wouldn't be in such a terrible mood. 

On the other hand, I didn't want to go to camp in the first place so today is just rotten in general. 

My identical twin brother Calder is slouching next to me in the seat with his face stuck in a book as he clearly tries to tune everyone out. But I can tell it's not working. Neither of us wanted to go to camp. We'd rather spend our summer at our house on the shore, but Mom got all sentimental or something after finding her old stuff from when she came here. I have this weird feeling that there's something more to it than just her wanting us to experience summer camp. 

And I'm not sure if it's a gigantic coincidence or if she just got some really lucky genetics because she seemed kinda into the camp and then she had twins to send here too. Against our will but still. We're here now and there's no getting home until the end of camp.

How could this day get any more rotten than it already is?

A loud thump, followed by the entire bus vibrating unnaturally and then the sound of something flapping interrupts the chaos. The driver curses louder than she probably should and pulls over to the side of the road. 

Yeah I totally just jinxed us. Oops?

"Everyone stay in your seats," the driver commands before exiting the bus. 

A hushed silence falls over everyone before a good half the kids jump from their seats and swarm the windows, trying to get a glimpse of what's going on. Calder lowers his book to look at me. "What's going on now?"

I shrug. How on earth am I supposed to know when we've been sitting next to each other the entire time? One of the older teens on the bus curses from his view at the window before continuing, "We got a flat tire."

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," I frown, looking out my window at the trees and empty clearings. "We're in the middle of nowhere. We haven't passed a house for miles."

For a second, I'm concerned all hell might break loose and everyone will be even more chaotic than earlier. But instead many of the kids who got up, return miserably to their seats, like they've just lost all the fight in them. 

Calder closes his book and stuffs it into his backpack. He straightens up before turning to look around at the hoard of kids crowding the bus. A head pops up from the seat in front of us, nearly startling me enough to yelp. A young girl, maybe preteen aged, with golden brown skin and kinky black hair smiles at me. 

"Hi. I really like your hair."

"Oh um." What do people say to compliments again? Suddenly I get self-conscious over what my hair looks like right now and I start fiddling with a few flyaway auburn strands. "Thanks. I like yours too." 

Her eyes sparkle, like sunlight just shined in them. The light hazel a striking contrast to her dark skin. "I'm Josie by the way. Josie Colin." 

I smile awkwardly, trying to remember basic conversation mechanics. "Marina McCoy."

Another head pops up next to Josie, near identical except for the eye color. "Hellooo."

I wave, "I presume you two are twins too?"

The second girl nods, "I'm Hazel. Nice to meet you."

Calder isn't paying attention, too busy people watching, so I elbow him and he shoots me a glare. I roll my eyes at him. He gives me a silent questioning look and for a long few seconds we don't use words to communicate. Then he looks at the girls.