Chapter 2.
Sirius groaned as he pulled on his black swimming trunks, the first day there and they were already doing activities, he hadn't settled in yet. He followed the rest of the boys out of the changing room and towards the lake, all but two boys and he were dressed in blue swimming trunks, Pugsley was dressed in an old-fashioned black male swimming costume and a nerdy boy by the name of Joel was dressed in brown trunks and a snorkel, flippers and mask. The campers lined up on a bridge that went across the lake with the boys on one side, the girls on the other and Garry in the middle, from where he was behind Pugsley Sirius could see that all the girls were dressed in orange one-piece swimsuits except for Wednesday, who was dressed in a female version of what Pugsley wore.
Garry blew his whistle. "Life saving!" he shouted in the same tone that he always seemed to be using. "Now, I know we're all top-notch little swimmers, but now we get to show our stuff and earn those certificates!"
Once again all but Sirius, Wednesday, Pugsley and the Joel clapped. Sirius rolled his eyes and wondered why they were clapping.
"Hey, how about a first pair of little lifesaving buddies?" Garry asked. "Amanda, Wednesday?"
Wednesday and the blond-haired girl next to her stepped forward.
"Is that your bathing suit?" Amanda asked with a little laugh.
"Is that your overbite?" Wednesday countered with the emotionless voice she always seemed to use.
"Now one of you will be the drowning victim and the other gets to be our lifesaver."
Sirius was ready to push Garry into the lake he was so annoyed with his voice.
"I'll be the victim." Amanda volunteered.
"All your life." Wednesday said.
Sirius had a feeling that she wasn't joking.
"I'm going to be an actress." Amada boasted.
"Brava." Said Garry. "Now, Amanda, jump in, swim out a few yards and start drowning."
Amanda jumped in. "Help me, help me, I'm drowning! Help me, help me, I'm dying." She shouted before going under the water.
"She's got a long way to go to become an actress." Sirius murmured to himself.
Wednesday stayed where she was on the bridge. "I can't swim." She said simply.
Sirius snorted slightly from behind his hand.
The next day Wednesday and Pugsley were in something called the Harmony hut for not joining in on a group hug, the inside of the hut was decorated with posters about peace and happiness while upbeat music played, it was also decorated with summer chairs and cuddly toys. The two looked very out of place in it.
"How long do we have to stay in here?" Pugsley complained.
"Until we crack." Wednesday said.
The door opened and Garry pushed in Joel who was holding a book.
"Have fun." Garry said before closing the door.
"What are you in for?" Wednesday asked.
"I wouldn't go horseback riding." Joel said.
"That's all?"
"And I wouldn't make a bird house."
"Why not?"
"I just wanted to read."
The door suddenly opened again by Garry. "Not on my time four-eyes." He laughed before taking Joel's book and closing the door again.
Joel looked around the room and then screamed when he saw a Michael Jackson poster.
He was cut off by the door once again, this time it was by Becky who practically shoved Sirius into the hut before closing and locking the door.
"You can't do this to me!" Sirius shouted. "This is false imprisonment and abuse!"
Sirius sighed and then groaned as he took in the inside of the hut and his fellow prisoners, he slumped to the ground. "Great, they've rounded up the head outcasts." He said.
"What you do?" Wednesday asked.
"I got caught, someone snitched on me." Sirius complained. "I put itching powder down the shirts of some of the other campers because they were acting like they were better than me."
"You should have put it in their beds." Pugsley said.
"Yeah, should have thought of that." Sirius said. "It's only the second day here and I already hate it. I need to get out, I don't care where I spend the remaining time away from my parent it as long as it's not here."
"You're not the only one." Pugsley said.
As soon as it got dark after they had been let out of the hut Wednesday, Pugsley and Sirius were all dressed in black with their faces covered as they snuck towards the fence surrounding the camp.
"Hurry up." Wednesday whisper-shouted to the boys.
"We're coming." Pugsley said.
Pugsley bent down to give Wednesday a foot up the fence while Sirius looked for a sturdy enough branch that went over it.
"Wait!" a voice quietly called out.
"Who goes there?" Wednesday demanded.
It was Joel. "Be careful, tetanus." He warned.
Joel then began using the pliers he had brought with him to try and cut through the fence, but as soon as he tried sirens started wailing and spotlights focused on them.
"There they are." They heard Amanda say.
The group turned around to see Amanda, Garry, Becky, some campers, some other supervisors, and a couple of dogs approach them in the group.
"I saw them sneak out." Amanda continued.
Three campers removed the masks the Wednesday, Pugsey and Sirius were wearing.
"Children, what do you think you're doing?" Garry asked.
"What does it look like we're doing?" Sirius challenged.
"We have to see our family, it's very important." Wednesday said.
"More important than a summer of fun?" Becky asked. "More important than making new friends? More important than sharing?"
"More important than turning your brain to rot." Sirius mocked under his breath.
"And Joel Glicker, I'm surprised at you." Garry said.
"I-I have to get out of here, I have allergies." Joel said.
Some of the campers laughed.
"Oh, you're allergic, to sunshine and archery and crafts?" Becky asked.
"Yes." Joel said.
"And what about you, Sirius?"
"I just don't want to be here, simple as." Sirius deadpanned.
"I think they should be punished." Amanda said. "Punished, punished…" she began chanting as the other campers joined in.
"No!" Becky shouted and everyone stopped chanting. "No! We are not here to punish, we are here to inspire."
"Campers, do you what I think our little ninjas friends here need?" Garry asked. "Do you know what I think will turn their sad and potentially wasted little lives around?"
"What?" Joel asked the dreaded question.
Garry started playing a guitar as he and everyone else began singing. "Kumbaya, my lord, kumbaya…"
As they sang Joel and Pugsley didn't look like they knew what to do while Sirius clamped his hands over his ears and hummed to drown out the singing while Wednesday looked a little bit scared and grabbed at the fence behind her.
After the torcher that was the camp song the group managed to get away, Sirius and Pugsley went back to the boys' cabin while Joel and Wednesday wandered off elsewhere.
"Hey, Sirius." Pugsley said from his bunk bellow Sirius'.
"What?" Sirius replied.
"My uncle Fester and our Nanny are getting married and I'm allowed to bring a guest along with me, since you hate it here as much as we do, do you want to come along to at least get away from a while?"
Sirius thought about the offer. "Sure, as long as it gets me away from this place."