Author's Notes:

So, this is my first time writing a Camp Camp fanfiction, and I'm so excited to join a growing community of fans and writers of this amazing and hilarious show. I hope you enjoy! 😊

(see end for more notes)

Davy could remember the date and time of the incident as clearly as when his parent unceremoniously dropped his butt off at Camp Campbell at the beginning of the summer. The date was August 15th, the time was 12:30 pm, just past noon. He was roped in to join the golden boy, Jasper, and their eccentric camp leader, Cameron Campbell, on a hike to find the Sleepy Pine. That's all fine and dandy, if Mr. Campbell would stop leading them around in circles and finally pick up a compass for once in his life. That man's pride, and addictive dependence on technology, was the reason the three of them were lost in the dang woods. At least the weather is decent enough for this excruciating adventure, Davy chided, glaring up through the sickening rays and haze of the summer sun.

"Hey, Davy! Come check this out!" Jasper shouted, waving his arms frantically to catch the red-headed camper's attention. Rolling his eyes, Davy dragged himself over to look at whatever thing Jasper thought was "totally tubular."

"See?" Jasper said, pointing to the object of interest. "It's a Cabbage White Pieris Rapae butterfly. You don't see a lot of these up here in the mountains during this time of year."

Who cares, Davy thought irritated. He didn't want a lesson on butterflies, as Jasper rambled on beside him. He just wanted to find this stupid stick and return back to his bunk. But, just to humor his campmate, he only sighed and rolled his eyes to display his disinterest. Jasper, however, didn't seem to notice the ques and kept up a steady stream of conversation, the red-head jumping in every now and then to interject a word. Finally, Mr. Campbell called out and announced to continue their quest, and so the trio left behind the pearly white butterfly in search of the pine tree that would release them from their Order of the Sparrow mission.

Several more minutes passed, and it seemed that Mr. Campbell did, in fact, not know where he was heading, leading the two boys in a circle once more. Davy felt like he was going to burst in anger, but stop when he noticed Jasper slow down beside him and come to an abrupt stop.

"Jasper. What are you doing? You're going to be left behind, you big dummy," Davy called out behind him. The lack of a response caused him to wheel around and head back for the Pog-crazed camper, but he came up short. The look on Jasper face, which was turned up to the sky and squinting at the summer sun, was one of unrecognizable sorrow.

"Hey, Davy. Can I let you in on a secret?" the boy said, his voice so low it was also a whisper. "I really do hate the summer."

Davy could only stare at the boy, who was the most sickeningly cheerful person he ever knew, now filled with desolation. Suddenly, the moment had passed, and Jasper plastered a smile back onto his face and rushed ahead to Mr. Campbell's side. What on Earth was that all about? He shook his head of the thoughts and hurried up to the two in an attempt to not be left behind, the look in Jasper's eyes still gnawing at the back of his mind.

Finally, Davy blew his cap and called Mr. Campbell out for his poor sense of direction, berating the older man for not being able to recognize one tree from another. Turning to have some backup, Davy froze as the look of despair filled the olive-haired's eyes once more. They were gone in a flash, as Jasper pointed to one of the trees in the distance.

"Look, it's the Sleepy Pine, in all of its sleepy glory," Jasper announced, edging closer and closer towards the direction of the pine. A sense of foreboding crept into Davy's body, like a cold finger brushing up his spine. "Looks like we've done it after –"

Jasper cut off with a scream, tumbling past the bushes and out of sight.

"Oh no!" Davy cried out, rushing to where his fellow camper disappeared to. Pushing past the bushes, he found that the infamous Sleep Pine was actually a pine tree growing out of the side of a cliff and curving up to be seen over the foliage. And hanging from the extending trunk was Jasper, his legs pinwheeling over the treacherous drop.

"Holy shnikes! This is whack!" Jasper cried out, his hand slipping on the smooth wood in a desperate attempt to gain purchase. Davy's eyes were as round as saucers, wide with terror. While he didn't really consider the boy his friend, he wouldn't just sit back and left the olive-haired boy fall to his death.

"I'll save ya, Jasper!" Davy cried out, his voice shaky with trepidation. He slowly began to lean out, reaching towards the boy. One hand gripped onto the trunk in hopes to keep him anchored, but he was shaking so badly that there was a high chance that he might fall in, too.

Jasper caught Davy's gaze, the despair once again creeping into his Neptune eyes. But, something changed in his gaze, and the horror faded away to something more content in nature.

Finally, Jasper's hand slipped on the smooth wood, and the boy plummeted into the cavern to his untimely demise.

"He's dead!" Davy breathed out in horror, his eyes glued to the spot where Jasper drew his last breath. "He's dead and we witnessed it."

"We didn't witness anything," Mr. Campbell's voice said from behind him. "And we'll testify to that."

"Come on!" Davy shouted, quickly scrambling to his feet and dashing off in the direction that would lead down the hill to the bottom of the cavern. He was so busy worrying about Jasper that he didn't even notice Mr. Campbell sliding a hunting knife behind his back. His breath was raspy and his heart fluttering from the unusual amount of work he was forcing it to do as he sprinted through the trees. He didn't worry about his shortness of breath, his aching muscles, the creatures watching from behind the greenery, or even Mr. Campbell trying to keep up. His only thought was, Please be alive, somehow. Please.

His prayers were not answered.

He found Jasper's mangled body at the bottom of the ravine, directly under the Sleepy Pine, branching out as if mocking them for not knowing the dangers that lurked under its pretty leaves. Davy gasped, chocking on the sight and scent radiating from the deceased boy. He almost puked, his gag reflex kicking into overdrive. It was sick, just so dang sick.

Branches snapped from in front of him, and he lifted his gaze away from the corpse, expecting to see Mr. Campbell taking charge and acting like the leader he always claims to be. But instead, it was a boy dressed all in red; the haze of summer.

He had red, poofy hair that seemed to never be tamed by a brush. A dark red hoodie covered his small frame, with a lighter red shirt peeking up from underneath. Red jeans and matching sneakers finished off the outfit. Bags decorated the undercarriage of his eyes, but those eyes were a wicked cyan color, a stark contrast from the bloody ensemble.

The boy stood there, watching him from across the dead body of his campmate, the blood spilling crimson across the forest floor. A malicious smile decorated his face, like the red-head's agony was his sort of sick pleasure. He opened his mouth and laughed, "What you see is exactly what you get."

And just like that, a wind slowly picked up and the summer faded to black.

Davy bolted up in his bed, a heavy sweat breaking out over his body and a gasp slipping through his lips. He glanced around, becoming familiar with his surroundings. He awoke on his bunk back on the grounds of Camp Campbell, the sounds of his fellow campers and counselors piercing through the thin fabric of the tent.

What time is it? Davy pondered, glancing over at the small electronic clock on the adjourning wooden dresser. It was August 14th, sometime just past noon, meaning that he slept through not only breakfast, but morning activities and lunch as well. I need to get to the activities field before Darla gets even more mad at me. Kicking on his shoes and dashing through the tent flaps, he didn't stop to ponder the strange sensation of the chill running down his spine as he ran to the source of all of the noise.

He arrived to see all of his fellow campers gathered around the low-rise stage, Cameron Campbell front and center and the two counselors standing on stage right. He was announcing the recipient of the honor to join the Order of the Sparrow. But that doesn't make sense, Davy thought. He wasn't supposed to announce the newest member of the Order until tomorrow. He was having some strange déjà vu moment right now, watching Jasper walk onto the stage, alive and well to receive his award. Were those events all just a dream then?

"What a load of hooey," Davy said to himself.

"Whoa, whoa. Who's hooey-ing out there?" Mr. Campbell called out, glaring into the crowd to find the source. Davy didn't realize that his outburst had reached the ears of those on stage. Man, he was in trouble.

Wait. If I can somehow repeat the actions that lead to my accompanying on that hike, maybe I can find out if what I thought that occurred was just a strange case of déjà vu after all. Making up his mind, Davy shoved aside his fellow campers, trying to reenact the events. Hoping that he wasn't going crazy.

Well, at least I can confirm that I'm not entirely crazy. This thought filtered through his mind as the trio wandered through the woods in search of the Sleepy Pine. Remembering the events that occurred in his déjà vu, he was able to help navigate the group in the direction of the pine tree without wasting all of their energy wandering in circles. Finally, they made it to the rough area where the tree could be spotted, pausing to rest before adventuring on. Davy glanced over at the other boy, scared that he may at some point go wander off and accidently find the tree before he does. Jasper catch him staring, giving him a soft smile and a wave before turning back to completing a friendship bracelet he had brought from the craft camp to kill time.

Perfect, nothing's going wrong so far. As long as I can keep Jasper away from that tree, everything could work out fine. Davy smiled, watching the forest around him come alive. He almost felt a little appreciation for the stillness of nature, meaning that nothing bad was on the horizon. His thoughts were cut off when he noticed a familiar white butterfly flutter onto the scene. Eyes transfixed on the winged insect, it was almost like he was under a spell. It was all of the distraction he needed to forget about the chill creeping through his veins.

"Hey guys, look! It's the Sleepy Pine!" Jasper's voice called out, cutting into Davy's spell-like trance. Cold terror washed over him as Jasper pointed to the tree peeking over the bushes, a smile lighting up his face. Images of his horrified eyes and mangled body exploded in the red-head's mind like fireworks. Feet moving before his mind could catch up, Davy sprinted over to the other camper, gripping his wrist in a vise-like hold. The boy turned to look at him, a questioning look in his eyes. Even Mr. Campbell seemed confused by this sudden turn of events.

"Here. Why don't I get the branch? Besides, you all said I needed to learn to love nature more, so let me start with this," the boy pleaded, trying to keep the desperation from dominating his voice. Jasper stared at him, a small hint of shock evident in his eyes, for several beats before nodding and stepping aside to left Davy do his thing.

Relieved, Davy quickly secured himself to the base of the trunk with a length of rope he snagged from Mr. Campbell's backpack a few minutes prior. He crawled out onto the trunk, stomach to the wood and slowly sliding himself along. He didn't dare look down, didn't dare think of the horrible things that could happen. He grabbed two branches and shimmied back immediately without a second of hesitation, wanting to leave that canyon of death as far behind him as possible.

"Radical, man. You got the branches," Jasper called out to him as he emerged from the bushes. The boy hepled him to his feet, steadying his footing.

"There. We have the branches. Now can we please get back to the camp? I've had enough of dang nature for one day."

"Alright, then. Let's head on back and call this trial donzo," Mr. Campbell exclaimed, picking up his backpack and making his way back into the woods. Davy grabbed Jasper's wrist and dragged him along, hoping to get back before something ruins this achievement.

But, as the sun continue to arc across the sky, lighting it up in the various shades of evening, Davy was beginning to become more anxious. They were undoubtedly lost once again, and he was starting to worry that something might happen. Jasper walked silently alongside him, glancing at him from time to time with a worried look.

Every shift in the wind or rustling of leaves sent Davy into a frenzy, his heart ramming inside his ribcage out of fright of the unknown. Why aren't we back yet?!

The trio stepped into a lighter area, the mess hall and Quartermaster Store visible through the tiniest gaps in the trees. We're almost there!

"Kids! Look out!"

Davy's heart skid to a halt, hearing a heavy succession of twigs snapping, branches breaking, and bushes rustling. His green eyes turned up in horror at the monstrous, hulking bear rising from the foliage, lumbering over them with a wicked look in its beady eyes. The giant paw came down at the red-head, claws sharp enough to shred through skin like paper. He squeezed his eyes shut, praying that it would be quick.

A sudden force shoving him backwards made his eyes snap open, and blow up in horror.

In his place was Jasper, the bear's claws slicing his skin to ribbons. Blood exploded outward in a gory rain, showering the green wildlife with a bloody crimson. He didn't even scream, his eyes, only slightly widening in pain. He collapsed like a puppet with his string cuts. Meanwhile, the bear took his que to leave, disappearing back to the safety of the woods.

"Oh no, you don't," Mr. Campbell called out, giving chase, leaving young Davy with the mangled corpse of his friend once more.

No, no, no, no, no! Davy screamed, chocking on the scent. This couldn't be happening again. Not when he did everything he had to do to keep Jasper from falling to his death. In the end, it was all in vain. Here they were again, in the same position. The shifting of leaves told him that he had a visitor and the boy lifted sullen green eyes to meet mischievous cyan-colored ones.

"What you see is exactly what you get," the boy laughed, soaking in the anguish with delight.

Already, the wind was slowly bringing to pick up once again, bringing along the fading of the summer light. But, before everything went dark once more, Davy swore that he saw Jasper looking at him with a smile.

Davy stood on the side, watching as the remaining clock continued ticking. All of the other clocks were blood-stained and shattered, evidence of the multiple times he has relived the same days over and over and never was able to change Jasper's fate. He gazed down at the remanence of his past failures, knowing he was almost out of options to change the hands of destiny.

He picked up one clock, thinking back to his desperate attempt to change the past then. He ran straight up onto the stage and, dragging Jasper behind him, took off back into the camp. They hid behind the mess hall, Jasper confused about why Davy was acting so reckless and out of character today. He wanted badly to spill his guts to the boy, to explain that he's been watching him die over and over for at least 2 years now, trapped in a never-ending cycle of death and the summer haze. That he wanted to see the autumn leaves, snow capped mountains, even the budding of flowers in early spring that would eventually bloom into glorious displays of art. Glancing up, he was ready to spill his guts to the boy but the truth died on his tongue. The summer haze stood along the tree line, locking gazes with him. It's pointless, the boy said. And it was. The roof suddenly caved, sending the wall and shingles crashing down to bury his fellow camper.

Davy set the clock down, turning to gaze upon the others. He had been trapped in this loop for a little over a decade now, to the point where he had practically given up years ago. Day after day, the olive-haired camper suffered gruesome deaths by the hands of summer, and all he could do now was watch.

Picking up the last surviving clock, he watched the clichéd play be performed once more, the three on a hike that would end in a swan-dive directly to the forest floor. There is only one way that this story could end. As he watches the slow-motion fall of Jasper and his equally slow reaction, Davy realizes something. There must be another way to rewrite the story. One he hasn't tried yet. Because, beyond these repeating summer days, that possibility must exist.

It has to exist.

Davy rushes forward, grabbing ahold of Jasper's hand and, with as much strength as he could muster, he yanked the boy back onto the cliff. As Jasper flew backwards to safety, Davy was pitched over the edge, into the yawning maw of the canyon. Gravity was slowly beginning to take a hold of him, accelerating him to the awaiting forest floor. He looked up to see Jasper's horrified face one last time, and floating next to him was the white butterfly, watching the red-head's descent. Suddenly, it seemed that all was right with the world, and a sort of content feeling rushed through him. Davy closed his eyes, unaware that they had grown damp with tears of sorrow and relief, and waited for the impact.

When it came, it was like the entire world shattered.

Davy laid there, his body bent and twisted in ways that no body should. He lied there, his breaths slowing down now as he felt eternal darkness begin to slowly creep in. He could hear Jasper crying out his name in the distance, the sound of his gasps from chocking on the scent and sight of the gore muffled in Davy's ears. He lifted his eyes to see the summer haze standing just behind the grieving camper, his cyan eyes no longer twinkling with malice. Instead, he looked horrified.

Ha. What you see is exactly what you get.

This would be what he might've called a normal summer day, but the sight before him sent a ripple of terror through him. Standing behind Jasper now was the summer haze, but instead of red, he was completely blue. The boy lifted his eyes, and the cyan eyes held a sorrow that was once reflected in Jasper's eyes. It finally all clicked, in a horrifying way. Davy wanted to scream that it was supposed to be a normal summer day as the lights finally went out.

But all of that ended today.

The blue boy stared at the last remaining clock, pristine and untouched by all of the others. He stood in a sea of blue and glass, like someone bled blue blood that spilled all over the sad shattered remains of his past failures. With one last look of despair, he threw the remaining clock onto the ground to join its brothers.

Jasper awoke to the sound of glass shattering in his mind, and tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

"It seems I have failed this time as well," Jasper uttered, and the white butterfly rose from its spot next to the boy's bed and took off out of the tent.

Into the unrelenting summer haze.

Final notes:

First of all, thank you all for reading! I hoped you all enjoyed the story.

The story line was based on the song "Kagerou Days" by Jin. I highly recommend listening to it, especially the version by the Nico Nico Chorus.

The butterfly was not in the original version of the story, but added for my own flair. The purpose for the addition of the butterfly was because butterflies symbolize death and resurrection, especially during early America, when white butterflies were thought to symbolize death.

Thank you for reading, and be sure to review and let me know what you thought. Other than that, have a wonderful day! 😊