It was a clear morning. The sun was almost at its highest not a single cloud over Lake Lilac. The lake itself was still, and the forests surrounding the lake were silent, apart from the sound of geese flying overhead. A chilly yet gentle breeze went through the forest, swaying the branches back and forth. It was unusually cold for this time of the year, especially with the sun shining high, and the strangest occurrence at the lake? The unusual calmness at Camp Campbell. It would be even more unsettling if it were not for the fact that it was the end of summer.
The end of summer meant many things for the campers, one of which was the return to the mediocre lives they lived before setting foot in Camp Campbell. To Max, however, the end of summer meant returning to the home that was almost empty all the time.
"Who knew that time flies by." Max leaned up against his bed frame, watching Neil pack up his belongings in a khaki bag provided to all the campers.
"One moment we were raising all sorts of havoc in the activities field, the next moment we are packing up and leaving." Neil sighed as he put in his belongings. "It's kind of sad."
"Well, summer wasn't going to last forever." Max tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. He shuffled his hands in his pocket as saw Neil finish packing up.
"Done." Neil now lifted his bag. "Shouldn't you be packing Max?"
Max rolled his bluish-green eyes and pulled out his khaki bag from under the bed. He opened said bag and shoved the only three possessions he had: Mr. Honeynuts, his coffee mug, and a disassembled BB-gun he had gotten from David when it had snowed.
"Well, that was… quick." Neil now awkwardly scratched the back of his head."
"I like to travel light." Max simply stated, shrugging. "Let's get going."
The two boys now walked towards the mess hall, where all campers were to meet once they finished packing. It was a short and silent walk until they got into the mess hall, where the tables were arranged slightly different. At one table, Dolph, Ered, Harrison, and Nerris sat chatting about who knows what. At the table next to that one sat Preston, Space Kid, and Nurf. The table on the other side of the room had Nikki, who was trying to wave them down, and the last table next to her sat the platypus, just doing what it does.
"Max! Neil!" Nikki called to her friends. "I saved a table for us!"
"So Nik," Max took a seat next to her, "what's got you so excited?"
"I overheard David talking to Gwen about some surprise!" Nikki almost jumped out of her seat.
"A… surprise?" Neil chuckled nervously, raising an eyebrow.
"Its probably going to be a speech by David about the lessons of friendship we learned," Max rolled his eyes, "and it'll probably end with David crying."
"Whatever it is, I hope it's a fun surprise!" Nikki raised her arms, nearly falling off her seat.
It wasn't long before David walked in with Gwen, who was pushing a projector.
"Good morning Campers!" David greeted everyone with his warm personality. "As you all know it's the final day of camp, and I hope you all enjoyed your time at Camp Campbell." David looked at everyone with a wide smile. "Now before you all part ways with us, Gwen and I put together a small slideshow of all the big moments and fun adventures we all shared here at our very own Camp Campbell!"
"Hopefully it'll be a good recap of your time here." Gwen said, turning off the lights in the mess hall. It was only a moment before the slideshow began.
The clip started with a title slide "Summer at Camp Campbell". The slides then started spotlighting each camp and highlighted the big events of each camp activity, such as a play from Theater camp or when they sent Space Kid to the "moon". The next set of images were from the "around the lake" events, such as the Camp Campbell Camporee, and even the Lilac Summer Social. Some moments managed to make the campers laugh, other moments made the camps cringe from how embarrassing some of the times they shared were.
Max couldn't help but smile and even let out a small chuckle when the adventures he and his friends participated in. Even though most of the time he was trying to ruin the fun of everyone else, the best times were when he decided to help everyone else, like the time he had reunited Camp Campbell after causing so much havoc across all of Camp Corps camps.
Oh man, this seems like forever ago. Max thought to himself. Four months gone by in the blink of an eye.
Four months of adventures, activities, and much more compacted into five minutes of slideshow ended just like that.
"Doesn't that bring a tear to your eye." David sniffled, holding back tears from the memories made. "Well, there's only one last thing to do!"
"One last thing?" Max raised an eyebrow.
"Everyone outside!" David cheerily walked outside. For a moment no one moved.
"David wants to take a group photo." Gwen rolled her eyes as she pulled out a camera. "You know, for the memories."
There was a collective sigh at first, but the campers went to the front as a photo with the campers they endured everything this hellhole of a camp had to throw at them was an opportunity not to miss.
All the campers stood next to the flagpole, David stood to the left of all of them while Gwen readied the camera.
"Alright." Gwen began as she tweaked the camera to make sure every camper was in sight. "Everyone ready?" When no one said a thing, she shrugged and clicked the button and walked fast to her position.
"Say, Campe Diem!" David's eyes lit up as the camera took its shot.
All the campers did their own unique pose and said "Campe Diem". Max however simply had a grin on his face and had his arms around his friends, Nikki and Neil, and just like that, that moment was immortalized.
It wasn't before long that the sound of an engine drew closer and closer until it stopped in front of the mess hall. The bus door opened to reveal the Quartermaster at the wheel.
"Bus is here." Quartermaster stoically said while looking out of the bus door.
"Now that the bus is here its time to leave." David was tearing up again. "David you told yourself you wouldn't cry."
"God David you make this any more emotional and I might just puke." Max proceeded to cross his arms and look away.
"Group hug!" David shouted as he dragged Gwen in, who looked mildly annoyed at first. It took a second before the campers joined in. Max sighed and eventually joined in. "Alright campers." David wiped his tears away. Get your stuff on the bust before I start to cry again."
Each camper gathered their things and loaded onto the bus, preparing for the long ride ahead of them. Max waited right next to the bus door, watching as all the campers loaded in.
"Come on Max." Neil stopped right at the bus door. "Can't keep everyone else waiting."
"Save a seat for me." He looked at Neil and Nikki. "I gotta do something quick."
"Will do!" Nikki enthusiastically pushed Neil into the bus. "That seat won't save itself, Neil!"
Max walked towards the two counselors who oversaw them all summer. "Gwen, David!" He called to them.
"Max? What is it?" Gwen put her hands on her hips.
"Well… I just wanted to say… thank you for making the summer at Camp Campbell great."
"It was no problem Max, its just a part of the job." David modestly told him. "I'm just glad you enjoyed yourself. Maybe you'll consider spending another summer here at Camp Campbell?"
"Don't push it David." Max chuckled as he walked towards the bus. "Goodbye." Max Waved as the bus doors closed behind him. The bus began to move and drive away from camp.
Max sighed, looking around the bus. Both Nikki and Neil waved to him. Slowly, Max walked towards the open seat that his friends had saved him.
"So what do you plan on doing once you're on the outside?" Nikki asked excitedly.
"I don't know about you two, but I think I'm long overdue some computer time at home." Neil confidently told them. "Probably do more coding before we get trapped in public school."
"Honestly?" Max looked at the both of them. "I thought the camp would've killed us before the summer ended."
"I'm thinking about exploring that forest behind my moms places a bit more." Nikki smiled at the thought of nature. "Maybe I'll become a wolf mama!"
"That sounds… fun." Neil turned to look out the bus window, seeing the trees pass by.
"It's not going to be the same without you two by my side!" Nikki sighed now, looking slightly sad now, remembering how she would not have her friends by her side in her newer adventures.
"Yeah…" Max sighed. We haven't officially parted yet and I'm already missing them. Max closed his eyes. Going back to an empty house is going to be hard to get used to…
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Nikki's voice was filled with the usual excitement it had.
"Almost forgot wh-" Neil asked only to be hushed by Nikki.
"Close your eyes!" Nikki asked, digging through her bag.
"Why?" Max asked, trying to see what Nikki was reaching for.
"Just close them!" Nikki's eyes lit up. "Aha there you are!"
"Fine, fine." Max closed his eyes.
"Now both of you put your hands out."
"Nikki I hope this isn't some last prank you have in store for us." Neil calmly told her.
Max simply put his hand out and hoped for the best. Luckily for him, all he felt was a light item placed into his hand.
"Now open!" Nikki voice could barely contain her excitement.
They both opened their eyes to see what Nikki had given them. To their surprise it was a handmade necklace, the actual necklace was just a thick line of black string, but what it was attached to was a small wooden carving of a platypus.
"Voilà!" Nikki put her arms out. "What do you think?"
"The craftsmanship is remarkable!" Neil looked at the small wooden platypus.
"I gotta hand it to you, Nikki, this is pretty good." Max complimented the gift.
"You would not believe the amount of time I put into it." Nikki looked at them. "I asked Dolph for help to teach me a bit about wood carving." She smiled. "At one point Dolph just kept on repeating the number nine, not too sure why." She chuckled, now looking at hers. "They'll remind you that we'll always be friends no matter where we are!"
"Thanks, Nikki." Max smiled as he held put on the necklace.
…
Max didn't know when he dozed off, but when he woke up he could feel someone resting on him. He turned to see Nikki's head resting on his shoulder. He grinned before the bus came to a halt.
"Time for you kids to leave." The Quartermaster simply said as he opened the bus doors.
"Hey, Nikki." Max nudged his sleepy friend.
"Huh?" She groggily got up. "When did you become my tent buddy?"
"We aren't at the camp anymore, we got to get off the bus." Neil yawned, then picked up his stuff.
"Exactly." Max agreed with Neil, though he wish he did not have to leave. His heart was heavy now that he had to see his friends' part. "Well, I guess this is goodbye."
"Even though you were an asshole all the time, I'll miss you, bro." Neil put his fist out, and Max followed up with a fist bump.
"Take care of yourself." Max grinned. "You too Nikki."
"I'll miss you both." She first hugged Max, then Neil.
Once they got off the bus, they were met with the cold breeze of late summer-early autumn. The sun was setting in the distance and all the campers met up with some form of family. In the distance, Max could see a taxi driver with a sign that just had "MAX" in bold black letters.
"Figures my parents couldn't even be bothers to pick me up." Max shook his head and sighed, slowly walking to the taxi.
"You Max?" The cab driver said coldly, looking down at the sign to be sure he got the name right.
"That's me." Max looked at the sign. "Couldn't even be bothered to write my full name either." He turned back to see each camper return to their dysfunctional yet somewhat loving families. Though he wish he didn't, he couldn't help but envy all of them. He opened the back door of the taxicab and got in.
That was the last time Max saw the people who he cared about for a long time.
Well I havent posted anything in a long time on this site but right now im Camp Camp Trash so please leave a comment to voice what you liked/disliked/what you think could be improved, favorite and follow if you want to be kept up to date with this story! Ill be posting another chapter within the week hopefully!
-MLT