Mortality

Chapter 3: Let The Games Begin

The sun shone through the curtains, the smell of bacon lingered in the air, and for just one brief second, Rachel thought she was back at home, in her bed. Then a loud snore erupted from the end of the cabin and she remembered she was still at camp. She sat up and detected the snoring was coming from Guinevere. She turned and saw Amara wearing ear plugs and staring at Guinevere.
"Are you ok?" Rachel shouted loud enough for Amara to hear.
"Sorry, what?" Amara said, taking out her ear plugs.
"You looked so scared," Rachel chuckled.
"Oh," Amara giggled, "she's been snoring for hours. I finally got back to sleep with ear plugs and then she really woke me up. I'm surprised you slept through it all."
"Tough sleeper, I guess." Rachel grabbed her beanie and picked out a nice red and black skirt-shirt combo, and walked out of the cabin. Then she came back in. "Where are the showers?"
Amara grabbed a pamphlet she had found on her drawer. "They're over by the blue cabin."
"Oh great, the furthest one," Rachel sighed. "Thanks," she said, and then left.

"Man that shower is cold as hell," Nataliya said, coming back from the shower.
"There's no hot wat-?" Cole started to say.
"At least the showers are so clo-" Felix stopped.
Nataliya was standing by her bed completely naked, brushing her hair.
"H-holy sh-sh-shit, I-I gotta go," Felix said as he ran out of the cabin.
"Uh, Nataliya, are you comfortable?" Cole asked, red-faced.
"Yeah thanks for asking."
Cole started to try to talk but was so bewildered by the girl's bareness that he couldn't think of a thing to say, so he grabbed his clothes and headed towards the shower.
"Amateurs," Nataliya smiled as she put on her clothes.

Brooke and Amethyst exited the showers and began walking back.
"Thank god you're not one of those gross hippies who don't shower," Brooke laughed.
"Actually, I wouldn't exactly call myself a hippie. And I don't think that hippies that don't shower are gross, they're just more in touch with nature and natural beauty. It's very admirable, honestly. My mother always told me that beauty is only your mindset, so if showers are only used for cleanliness, it's simply how beautiful you wish to be. I, for one, use showers medicinally. That is, I like the benefits of cleanliness and the feeling of purity that comes with it. Or as you say, I'm not a 'gross hippie'," Amethyst said calmly.
Brooke was red in the face. She looked at the ground, then at Amethyst who was staring straight ahead, smiling, then back at the ground, and then straight ahead.

Ms. Leventhal came back over the announcements and told the campers to meet at the lunch hall. Felix and Rachel were the first ones there.
"Hey its the cute girl from earlier!" Felix smirked.
"What happened to respecting me?" Rachel snarked.
"Right, my bad, I forgot. So what's up? Where's your best Ra-Ra-Ra-friend?" Felix laughed.
"Probably still snoring in the cabin."
Just that moment, Guinevere burst into the cabin, radiating beauty and glowing. She was wearing a yellow sundress and had her hair down, every blonde lock flowing with the wind of the open door.
"Dayum," Felix whispered.
"Dayum," Rachel whispered.
"Morning ladies!" Guinevere waved at Rachel and Felix
"Morning, princess," Rachel laughed.
"I'm not a lady, but you sure are," Felix said.
"Knock it off, she's a lesbian," Rachel said.
"Damn, why is every girl in this place unavailable or not interested," Felix groaned.
As the three sat down at the now three long tables, Lyle, Brooke, and Amethyst all walked in.
"I just wanna get groups!" Lyle groaned.
"Me too. I hope we're in the same group!" Brooke said, flinging her arms over their shoulders.
"Well, the odds of us being in this same group would be strange. The two of you are two of the three smartest people here," Amethyst said airily.
"And who's the third of the smartest?" Brooke asked.
At that moment, Amara walked into the cabin.
"Who do you think?" Amethyst laughed, sitting down. Everyone in the room sat down as the campers began slowly filing in. Once every camper was settled down, Ms. Leventhal, Mr. Fox, and two other adults came into the cabin.
"Alright campers, I hope you had a good night sleep because today is the first official day!" Ms. Leventhal said.
"What's different from today and yesterday?" Zeke asked.
"Today, you all get not only your groups, but today is the first event," Ms. Leventhal said.
"Why don't we start with groups first?" Mr. Fox smiled.
"Good idea. Alright, well, we're gonna pick team captains and let you choose your groups!" Ms. Leventhal said cheerily.
"Oh no, this is gonna be like gym class all over," Lyle sighed.
"Alright, team captains, line up in front of me," Mr. Fox said.
"Mr. Lewis," Ms. Leventhal began.
"Oh crap," Brooke groaned.
"Ms. Vo," Ms. Leventhal continued.
"Good. Works for me," Rachel laughed.
"And, Mrs. Karnak," Leventhal finished.
"Damn right I'm a team captain," Nataliya laughed as she walked up.
"Oh, sorry, I mean Mr. Karnak," Leventhal corrected herself.
"Me?" Bailey asked. "Nobody ever wants me."
"Well, we sure do," Leventhal smiled. "Now, Bailey, you may choose a teammate first."
"Oh, ok, um, Brooke," Bailey whispered.
"Wow, thanks Bailey!" Brooke said, walking up.
"Cole?" Leventhal prompted.
"Luther," Cole answered fast. Luther walked up and stood beside Cole.
"And Rachel Joy?" Leventhal said.
Rachel hesitated. "Uh... well...."
"RACHEL, PICK ME!" Guinevere yelled.
"Ok uh, Guinevere," Rachel chose.
"Yay! I was worried for a moment," Guinevere laughed.
"Bailey," Brooke whispered in his ear. "Pick Lyle! He's really smart!"
"Ok, Lyle," Bailey said.
"Really? I'm usually picked last, alright!" Lyle cheered and walked up.
"Amara," Cole said again, without hesitation.
"Fine by me," Amara smirked.
"Let's go with a little girl power!" Guinevere screamed in Rachel's ear.
"Fine! Nataliya," Rachel said, annoyed.
"Well, at least someone picked me since that traitor didn't," Nataliya scoffed.
"Sorry sis, don't hate the player, hate the game," Bailey laughed.
"No thanks, I'll hate you," Nataliya mocked.
"Whatever. Uh, Amethyst," Bailey said.
"Gladly," Amethyst smiled and stood with the team.
"Felix," Cole said.
"Took you long enough, man," Felix complained.
"Sorry, had to pick the best," Cole said.
"So that means we get..." Rachel started to say.
"Me," Zeke said angrily. "And thanks for making me last."
"None of us know anything about you," Cole replied.
"Not true!" Rachel said. All eyes turned on her.
Zeke glared. "Whatever. Doesn't matter. I'm gonna crush you all anyways."
"Highly unlikely," Brooke said.
"Don't worry, Zeke! Come on! Girl power!" Guinevere said.
Zeke glared at her with the burning intensity of a thousand suns.
"Alright, well, teams, you are assigned counselors," Leventhal continued. "Team Red, that's Rachel Joy, Guinevere, Nataliya, and Zeke. Your counselor is Mrs. Simon."
"Yay, girl power!" Guinevere exclaimed.
"Team Yellow, that's Cole, Luther, Amara, and Felix. Your counselor is Mr. Fox," Leventhal said, annoyed.
"Oh! Lucky!" Guinevere exlcaimed again.
"And lastly," Leventhal pressed on. "Team Orange, obviously, Bailey, Brooke, Amethyst, and Lyle. Your counselor is Mr. Campbell."
"Oh they're all so smart and-" Guinevere started.
"Shut up!" Cole, Luther, Zeke, and Ms. Leventhal shouted.
Mr. Fox suppressed an awkward grin. "Well, uh, why don't we tell them the first event, Ms. Leventhal."
"Oh. Yes. Sorry dear, camp ownership is stressful. Anyways. The first event is tomorrow, and with it, comes our first person sent home.
"So soon?" Amara asked. "We only just got here. I don't wanna go home yet."
"Don't worry, you won't go home, you're smarter and probably faster than me," Felix laughed.
"Now, who said this required either of those things?" Leventhal asked. "No, this is a test of endurance."
"Endurance?" Zeke scoffed.
"Yes. Have any of you ever canoed before?"
Luther, Lyle, Brooke, and Guinevere raised their hands.
"Good, because the first event of Camp Purissimo is a canoe ride around the camp!" Leventhal cheered. The campers stared at her. "Well, counselors, take your groups and discuss!"