"Hey, Max!" Nikki exclaimed as she leaped from underneath the table to her seat.
Max yelped in surprise, nearly spilling his barely-eaten breakfast on the floor. "JESUS FUCK! Nikki! How 'bout a fucking warning next time you decide to up-shit from the table like that!" he bellowed.
"Woah! Geez! Looks like somebody woke up on Niel's side of the tent." Nikki said with a sticky voice as she licked her syrup-coated hands.
"First of all, phrasing, Nikki." Neil took his seat on the opposite side of Max. "Second, yeah. What gives, Max? There's still coffee left if you need some."
"It's not that. It's just...I have a lot on my mind right now." Max resumed picking at his breakfast.
"What could you possibly have to think about so hard on our day off?" Nikki pondered.
"That's just it," said Max, "it's the middle of the week. Why did David go out of his way to cancel all activities and give everyone, including Gwen, a day off?"
"You...want...camp activities?" Neil raised a concerned brow.
"Fuck no! I know I should be happy about it, but I can't stop thinking about David."
"What about David?" Nikki stuffed her face with Max's breakfast.
"Look at him." Max gestured to the councilor as he walked up to throw his tray in the bin. "Don't you guys feel something off about him?"
Nikki and Neil pondered in silence for a few seconds.
"Yeah...he's wearing a white watch! I knew it! He IS a secret spy, and he's using this day off as a cover for a super secret heist!" Nikki stood on the table, fists in the air in victory. Neil lead her back to her seat.
"Or...David just bought a new watch." He suggested.
"My idea's cooler." Nikki protested.
"Who the fuck cares about the watch! Just-" Max sighed frustratedly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's just follow him and see what he's planning."
After a good few minutes of searching, the trio eventually found "David" in the woods nearby. He's crouched before a bush, picking purple berries and putting them in a basket, all while humming an unfamiliar but somewhat cheerful tune. Max notices this but shakes it off when he, Nikki and Neil approach "David", who turns to greet them.
"Oh, hey kids!" he waved at them "Have a good breakfast?"
"It was...uh, healthier than usual?" Neil answered, but it came out as more of a question than that.
"Well, that's good! Nothing like a good nutritious breakfast to cleanse the body."
"Oh, cut it, David!" Max blurted out. "We know you're planning something, and we're here to find out what."
"David" continued picking berries as he spoke. 'Well, keep planning. Because I'm not giving away the surprise."
"And why not?" Max egged on.
"Well, then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" The councilor chuckled.
Max rolled his eyes. "Obviously. And I suppose the berries are a part of it?"
"Now that, I can say for sure. The delicious blueberries do play somewhat of a bit part in it. But that's all you kids are getting outta me." "David" plucked a red stem from one of the berries and flicked it away.
Neil sensed something strange and familiar about the type of berries, then it finally came to him. "Wait a minute. The other day, during the nature walk, you said to not eat berries that look like blueberries but with a red stem because they're poisonous." Max and Nikki remembered this too, besides the agonizing walk and boring nature stuff, and eyed "David", who suddenly stopped dead before picking off another berry.
"I...That's right, Neil!" he said proudly "They are very poisonous, as I said before. I was just testing your memory. Good job, Neil!"
Neil should've been proud of that remark, but was still confused. "So, why are you picking poisonous berries then?"
"Oh, these actually have nothing to do with the activity. I just figured, since you kids have free range today, I should pick off any nearby poisonous berries so that no one gets sick or worse. I'll dispose of these when I'm done." he gestures to the mountain of berries in the basket.
Max scoffed, slightly disappointed. He hoped for something more interesting than that. "I knew we were wasting our time. Come on, guys, let's go." he turns to leave with Nikki and Neil following on the trail. "Have fun with your poisonous berries, shithead!" Max called out, giving a sarcastic wave behind.
"Woah! Watch the language there, little fella."
Max stopped, still as a rock.
That cold feeling started coming back, and his mind swims.
"Wh...what did you say?" he turns his head to "David", who eyes him from the side.
"Your language. It's not appropriate for someone your age." the man answered in an innocent but firm tone.
"Yeah, it's nothing he hasn't said before." Nikki pointed out.
"Are you okay, Max?" asked Neil.
Max hesitated before snapping back to reality. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Let's go."