Last-Ditch Effort - Camp Camp

Shout Out To Whoever Forgot To Put Their Name On Their Paper

(3/10)

Max's POV

I did sadly have to return home the next morning. My parents didn't even acknowledge me once I returned to the apartment a little past 10 am. I strut into the kitchen and saw some papers spread out across the counter.

"The hell?" I murmured.

They were school papers. There were some for public schools in the city, but the majority were for boarding schools across the country. I picked up one of the brochures and began to flip through it. It was for a place up north called "Mountain Creek" and it was for boys 10-15. They're actually considering sending me away. When does this shit start anyway-

A week and a half. All of these schools start up in a week and a half. Dear God.

I can't believe I'm about to admit this, but I spend the next two days at David's house. As long as I came back and crashed at my place, my parents barely noticed. David was kinda starting to grow on me. It was just so strange to see him outside of camp. I hadn't seen the yellow bandana or brown vest in ages, and it was almost unsettling.

Thursday morning: day three of my routine. Slip some cash from Mom's wallet, hop on a bus to take me out of the city and then go to David's. I was digging through the dark wallet on the counter when my dad approached me.

"Where the hell are you off to?"

"A..." I searched for words. "A friend's place."

"You? You have friends?" He snorted.

"Shockingly, yes. Asshole." I grumbled and did my best to storm past him.

He reached out and gripped my arm tightly, dragging me towards him. "I wouldn't recommend trying anything funny." his grip tightened.

When I didn't respond immediately, he slapped me across the face and shouted, "Respond you little shit!"

"Yes sir." the words came tumbling out of my mouth. "I'll be home for bed."

"Fucking waste of air." he murmured, releasing his grip.

He pulled a beer from the fridge then turned back to see me still cowering in the middle of the kitchen.

"The hell are you still doing here then?! I hate it when regret lingers around."

I'm assuming I was the regret he was talking about. When I didn't move, the still full beer bottle came flying past my head and shattered against the wall. That would be my cue to leave.

With some cash in my hand and a determination to get away from my parents, I head on my way to David's house. The bus came right on time, and I even managed to shave a few minutes off my walking time from between where the bus lets me off to David's house.

I guess I actually started to look forward to seeing David now. Or... maybe I just looked forward to getting away from my parents. Probably the latter. I hopped up the stairs onto David's porch and lightly tapped on the door.

Something was off. I couldn't quite place it, but there was something. None of the lights were on, the curtains were still drawn shut and the house didn't glow like it normally did.

I knocked on the door again, a little harder this time. There was no answer. I began to tap my foot and I even went as far as ringing the doorbell, which David said only to use after you've tried knocking. He really didn't like it for some stupid reason he never shared.

Still. No. Answer.

Maybe he just wasn't home. I lifted up one of the flowerpots on his porch steps and grabbed the spare key. He had shown me where it was just in case he wasn't home and I needed a getaway. I crammed the key into the slot and pushed open the door.