Camp Twin Tails

Chapter 2: Ghosts Aren't Real Anyways

By the time we actually get to the summer camp, it's already lunch time and I'm starving. But instead of sandwiches being passed out to us as we get off the bus like I'd envisioned on the way here, they line us all up and start talking about rules. 

Of course that's the first order of business. 

Nothing says Welcome to Camp Twin Tails like getting squished against sweaty bodies and being roll-called to make sure no one got lost somewhere between the flat tire and actually getting here over an hour late. 

I'm practically tuning the rules out until the fifth or sixth one; as the brown haired counselor puts it, it's very important we don't break this rule. Pretty sure they already went over all the 'safety first kids' rules. 

"This is one of the most important rules here so everyone listen closely. It is absolutely prohibited that you ever leave the camp boundaries, save for an emergency. Under no circumstances are you to wander passed the camp boundary lines. Do I make myself clear?"

I exchange a skeptical look with Calder, not that it matters with the hoard of returning campers all but screaming their compliance. This isn't a new rule to them in the slightest. 

"Alright then," the female counselor with dark skin and dark hair starts, clapping her hands. "We'll be assigning cabins and once everyone's settled in we'll gather back up for some late lunch." 

Great. I have to wait longer for my food. I can hear my stomach protesting, and judging from the look Calder is giving me, so can he. 

I wait to hear either Calder or I's names, a few cabins already having been filled now. 

The female counselor, Andrea was her name I think, looks down at a clipboard. "Marina and Calder McCoy, Ezra and Natalia Cortez, and Hazel and Josie Colin, you have Cabin 5." 

So apparently twins get to room together here and there's literally no gender separation in the cabins. Awesome. I grab my duffle bag and stay close to Calder while looking for the twin girls from the bus. I spot them rather easily as they make a beeline straight for us, bags and all. It's then that I notice the other two campers heading in the same direction as us, their faces both covered in freckles. 

Of course Ezra and Natalia are also children, looking barely over ten. 

They don't separate age groups here either apparently. 

We easily find our cabin, seeing that it's marked with a big, painted 5 in white right next to the door. The rest of the building is a tan wood color with a black roof. All of the cabins look like that, with their respective white numbers painted next to the door. 

Josie opens the screen door, then opens the solid wooden door behind it. There's six bunkbeds and a singular seventh bed, presumably for a counselor. We all file in and drop our bags in the center of the cabin. 

Calder bumps Ezra on the shoulder. "Yes?" the younger boy asks. 

 My brother gestures to one of the bunkbeds, "You and I will take these two, the girls get the rest." 

Ezra nods, dragging his stuff over, uttering not a single protest. 

Hazel and Josie pull their brags over to one of the other bunkbeds, which leaves Natalia and I to share. I try to put on a friendly smile, "You want top or bottom?" 

She thinks for a minute and points to the top. "Top bunk."

I nod. "Sure thing." 

Just as we start getting unpacked a little, the solid wooden door suddenly closes. Not quite slamming but not quietly closing either. It didn't look like it was windy enough for that, especially without any windows open. We all look up and stare at it but Ezra and Natalia are the first to return to unpacking as if nothing happened. 

"Old door hinges huh?" Calder asks. 

Ezra shakes his head, a blank look on his face. "Fantasmas."

Hazel tilts her head to one side as the rest of us exchange a look. "What does that mean?" I ask cautiously. I've taken Spanish in school, granted it's been a hot minute since then, but I have a hunch I know exactly what that means. 

Natalia looks up at us, the same blank look. Almost bored even. "Ghosts." 

I knew it. My Spanish may be a little rusty but I think I remember Mrs. Diaz's horrifying ghost story that ended up actually being based off a true story and she terrified a whole class of seventh graders in the process. Most of us couldn't sleep for a week afterwards.  

Hazel's eyes lit up the second she heard the word 'ghosts'. Josie looks a little more skeptical but still at least somewhat interested. 

"Like real ghosts? Like a murdered wife or old miners who died in a cave-in and still wander around?!" Hazel yells, her excitement written all over her. 

"You think we'll see one?" Josie adds on. 

Calder shrugs. "I don't know, maybe if you stay up past your bedtime."

Hazel's smile grows even wider. "Oh my gosh I'm so going ghost hunting, Josie?"

Her twin hesitates for a second but then nods eagerly, "Maybe we'll even talk to one!"

They continue gushing over the topic while Ezra and Natalia, aka the ones who caused this, are blatantly ignoring the rest of us. 

All this over some dumb comment. This is probably just Ezra and Natalia messing with us cause they're returning campers and we're not. I don't know why my childish twin brother had to egg them on but whatever. 

The door opens and a counselor walks in, it's one of the guys from earlier; light brown hair and matching brown eyes, with the slightest hint of a tan already. Emmet I think? "Hey there kiddos. I'm gonna be the counselor for this cabin. You can call me Mr. Emmet. Now, most of the kids are ready so let's join everyone in the mess hall for some lunch." 

Finally, lunchtime. 

As we follow Mr. Emmet out of the cabin Calder falls in step with me and bumps me with his elbow. "You good? You've been quiet. Does it have anything to do with all the talk about ghosts?" 

I cross my arms, "You don't really believe that stuff do you? It's probably just some stupid prank Ezra and Natalia are trying to pull 'cause we're new." 

Calder shrugs and puts his hands behind his head. "Could be."

Mr. Emmet looks at us funny, clearly having overheard us. "Oh believe me, there's a lot of ghost stories here for a reason." 

I roll my eyes. Yeah right. Who even says that to kids? Mr. Emmet apparently. He better not be trying to scare us. Although, that obviously won't be working on Hazel and Josie anytime soon seeing that all his comment did was cause another bout of ghost hunting talk. 

So ridiculous. It's not like any of it's actually real.