Stanley looked at his hands and sighed, the blisters had calloused over and his hands felt rough on the rest of his skin. He had finished his hole for the day and decided to skip the Wreck Room, he was too distracted to hang out with the rest of the guys.

All day he had been daydreaming, it had been a month, exactly, since he'd come to Camp Green Lake. He still remembered his first day here, his first hole, his first shower. All horrific experiences he wished to forget. He hated being in the sweltering heat, he hated feeling thirsty, he hated Camp Green Lake, and he sure as hell hated digging. Hearing the tent flap he looked up. Zigzag and Armpit strolled in, mid conversation.

"…last one was Caveman and he ain't no entertainment," Armpit was saying. At the mention of his nickname Stanley sat up.

"Huh?" he said suddenly interested. Zigzag rolled his electric eyes

"We need new people!" he said. "It's getting boring here again."

"Mmhmmm," Armpit agreed. "Wonder who sent Magnet that letter?" he added.

Zigzag nodded enthusiastically, his eyes wide.

"Yeah! He seemed pretty protective," Zigzag said suspiciously "His girlfriend?"

Throughout their conversation they had failed to notice the arrival of Zero, who came in quietly and lay on his bed, staring at the roof of the tent.

"Hey Zero!" Armpit called when he finally noticed the small boy's arrival "Had any letters from your girlfriends lately?" he snickered and Zigzag laughed. Zero ignored them, his eyes focused on the canvas of their tent.

Slowly, in ones and twos the rest of the D-tenters came in, some after showers, most after chilling in the wreck room.

"Who sent the letter?" Armpit demanded from Magnet.

He narrowed his eyes in response, "None of your business. Just cause I have people who love me," he shot at Armpit, who turned to Zigzag.

"From his mom," he mouthed and they both sniggered.

Stanley rolled his eyes and rolled over. X-Ray was telling Zigzag and Armpit to butt out and Magnet was sulking.

Tomorrow would come too soon, another day, another hole. Stanley was beginning to agree with the others. They needed a new person to shake things up a bit.

Fired. The word still swam cruelly around my head.

Fired.

On the first day.

"Great," I muttered to myself, slouching on the sofa watching some crap on television. I heard footsteps outside and groaned. This would be Mum back. Wanting to know how it went. Oh dear god, she'll be in for a shock.

I sure was in for a shock when it turned out to be my Dad instead of Mum.

"Hey," he said, walking into the sitting room. "What you doing sitting in the dark?"

I had drawn the curtains to shut out the outside world, I didn't need reminding that I wouldn't be enjoying the incredible American sun. I just shrugged in response.

"How was your first day at work?" he asked kindly, sitting by me and wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I buried my head in a pillow and muffled

"I got fired,"

There was a brief silence, then my Dad took the pillow from my face and asked calmly.

"How?" I shook my head, I didn't want to answer, it was too highly embarrassing. "Come on," he encouraged.

"I shouted at a customer for being grumpy and spitting coffee at me, then I exploded a milkshake on me and another customer and probably broke the Milk Frother in the process and then flooded the coffee shop with milk," I answered.

"So all in all not the perfect day at work?" he simply asked. I looked at him in despair.

"This is unbelievable! I've nothing to do! Nowhere to go. It's gonna be hell. Three months of boredom. Yay." I moaned.

"Well…" I could practically hear his mind whirring, looking for the 'silver lining' "…at least you got one day's worth of wages off that wretched woman," he reasoned. Wrong again. I shook my head

"No. She said I cost her more than I earned. I actually ended up paying her money,"

"Oh," Dad answered in a small voice "We'll find you something to do,"

"Yes but what you think is fun and I think is fun are two complete different things," I said in despair.

"Your Mum will think of something," he said reassuringly. "She's good like that,"

"Nyuh," I said switching the channel.

"Cheer up chuck," he said kissing my forehead then leaving the room.

I sighed.

That evening, whilst eating dinner, Mum turned to me.

"Your Dad told me about what happened today, and I've been thinking," Oh God, here we go. It'll be, 'I think you should grovel to that awful witch of a woman for your job back because it is a responsibility that you took on and a commitment that you should honour,' I was strangely surprised. "You've never met your Aunt Lou have you?" she asked. I did a double take.

"N-no," I answered. My Mum nodded.

"Well," she continued, "she's in charge of a Camp,"

No way. Was she actually going to send me to be with people of my own age? Apocalypse.

"You've never met her before, so I was wondering if you wanted to spend the summer with her on her Camp?" my Mum suggested.

I thought this through.

What if I hate her? Then again, I could just hang out with the teenagers there instead. Oh this could actually be quite awesome. I wouldn't have to do stuff around the house, or baby-sit Noah or worry about bumping into Zoë. Oh yeah, that last one made up my mind.

"Go for it," I said grinning. "Tell me about Auntie Lou Lou,"