Evacuated

Week One

For nineteen days I counted them down until the day we would be leaving for Camp Lark Creek.

Upon hating Jess's house so much, the fact that I'd be spending from Sunday night until Friday afternoon then coming home to the Aarons for the weekend and going back to camp for another week was exhilarating.

The first week at Camp Lark Creek, Jess was registered to do the same program as I, so we'd have to see each other a whole awful lot, but we wouldn't have to communicate, which I found relieving. May Belle was registered for the second week I was there, and Jess was not. The program called CLTD Jess and I were registered for was a two week program but Jess's family couldn't afford to send him both weeks and send May Belle a week herself, so Jess's two weeks were cut in half and May Belle took over the time he had in Week Two.

Our best friends, Tom and Grace Jacobs were also registered for camp. Tom is the same age as Jess and myself so he was registered in the same program as us but would be staying both weeks. Grace, being a year younger, her program only lasted a week and that would be, like May Belle, the second week.

Everyday that passed brought us closer and closer to the day of Sunday, August 24th, the first day at CLC.

Then it finally came, suit cases were packed and Jess and I were sitting in the back of the Aarons' car driving to spend the week away.

When we got there we got signed in and got wristbands to indicate we were supposed to be on camp grounds. I was so excited to obtain this upcoming experience as well as spend some time with Tom Jacobs.

Jess was taken to his cabin by Mr. Aarons and Mrs. Aarons took me to mine. When I got there, I began figuring out what was going on and how things worked.

The program we registered for lasted three years, it took three summers to complete. Jess had gone last year and this was second year we registered for. I was too old to do first year, it was for younger kids, so everyone in my cabin all knew each other well, leaving me to be an ultimate outcast.

The second I saw Barbara Keane walk into our cabin my heart felt a strong sense of relief. Even though her and I have had our differences in the past, it was nice to actually know someone.

"It's hard being new, I know" Barb said, sitting on my bed next to me.

"Well were in it together, right?"

She smiled at me and nodded.

"Come on, let's go introduce ourselves to the other girls" she said, taking my hand and dragging me over to where the girls who had known each other over a year were talking amongst themselves.

Our cabin leaders told us the only time we'd be spending in the cabins would be at night. Most of the time we'd be spending in this Down Under place, where the CLTD hangout was. We'd also be spending 90% of the time with the boys, which made my day and broke my heart at the same time.

Once we got Down Under, which turned out to be the basement underneath the lodge where we signed in, there were eighteen of us. Eighteen boys and girls. There were two male leaders and two females, who I already met up in the cabins.

Everyone went around and introduced themselves and added their favorite ice cream flavor.

"I'm Leslie and my favorite ice cream flavor would be strawberry."

I looked to Tom Jacobs who sat beside me awaiting him to introduce himself.

"I'm Tom and my favorite flavor of ice cream would probably be marshmallow."

That created some conversation as it was an interesting flavor choice. I'd never heard of marshmallow ice cream.

"That's such a weird flavor" I laughed.