I couldnt sleep that night. I kept having nightmares about my mom. About the coffin from the challenge. Everyone turning their backs on me after the show is done. I would wake up in a cold sweat, gasping for air after falling asleep for only a few moments.
When the sun came into the cabin i gave up on sleep and waited for the others to get up. After another hour or two, everyone was up and getting dressed.
"Luna are you alright?" Bridget asked me as i pulled my shirt over my head. "You look sick."
I gave her a small smile, "I just didnt sleep to well that all." I ran a hand over my face. "Ill be fine."
She gave me a side glance, "Does it have anything to do with Duncan?"
I couldnt help but laugh a little. "No. I just got alot on my mind." i lied.
"I can see that." she crossed her arms at me smiling. "But i know it has something to do with Duncan to." Her smile turned to a sad one after i looked at her straight faced. "Want to talk about it?"
I looked at her. I wanted to tell her everything, about my mom, Duncan, my nightmares. But i couldnt pull my self to tell my story. "Im okay, really." I didnt want anyone to feel sorry for me. She looked at me with a straight face now, not beleaving my lie as we walked out of the cabin. "Bridget, you should be smiling, Geoff could be falling in love with it." i smiled at her.
Her face became red as she smiled. "Shut up."
We fallowed the team down to the beach, and i couldn't help but steel a glance over at Duncan as he walked with Dj and Geoff. He was smiling as he talked, laughing at something they said. Im guessing he could feel eyes on him cause he turned to look behind him. I quickly looked away as Gwen started to walk with us.
"Alright Bass, Gophers," Chris called out as everyone got to the beach. "Today's challenge is a true summer camp experience, a canoe trip. Youll be paddling your canoes across the lake to Bony Island!" He tried to make it sound scary, but i didnt seem to bother anyone. "When you get there you must Porto your canoes to the other side of the island," he pointed at the mad.
"Which is about a two hour hike through treacherous dense jungle."
"We got to pour what?" Geoff asked scratching his head.
"I said Porto." Chris says more slowly still not getting thru to him.
"He means we have to walk our canoes dude." i say holding back a laugh.
"Oh." he says feeling slightly stupid.
"When you arrive at the other end of the island youll build a rescue fire that will be judged by me, The first team to paddle home and return their canoes to the beach is the winner of invincibility." when no one moved or said anything Chris yelled making me jump. "Move campers Move!"
Everyone started to run but stopped for a moment ask Chris says, " Oh, one more this i should mention. Legend has it if you take anything off the island youll be curse forever!"
"Yea a cursed island!" Owen cried out. "WHOOO!"
I yawned out a chuckle as passed him patting his back, "Owen you keep me going sometimes." i say causing him to laugh.
As we all walked down to the sand Duncan was waiting at the bottom not to far from Geoff who was waving a Bridget. I felt panic start to take over as i stop on the steps. Duncan looked up at me and started to come up them.
"Luna!" Bridget called in a panic voice. "Be my partner?!"
I let out a sigh and smiled at her as i ran past Duncan. "Differently." i say grabbing her arm. Once we were at our canoes we put on our life jackets. I tossed mine down in the canoe after a moment getting frustrated.
"You ok?" she asked be confused.
I was so tiered i could get mine to snap on. "I dont need one, i can swim." i say a little fast.
She smirked at me and laughed a little as we pushed our canoe into the water and jumped in. After a few minutes everyone else had their's in the water lined up. Duncans pulled up next to ours and i fought not to look at him, but i could feel his eyes burning into me.
"On your marks, get set, paddle!" Chris calls out firing a shot into the air. Everyone started to paddle as i can see Bridget doing the same to Geoff as i was doing to Duncan.
"Everything ok with you and Geoff there Bridge?" i asked as we Paddled.
"Oh my god Luna it was so bad!" she started. "I come back from brushing my teeth and i noticed something bulging under my covers! When i lifted them there it was!" she says telling me about the heart frame. . .bowl . . thing he made her.
I laughed, "AWW how cute!" i teased.
"It gets worse." she turned to me. "On the back was an inscription that said, 'i hope you think of me when you drop loose change into this'."
"Oh Bridge, he likes you." i teased again. She splashed water at me. "I think its cute. Not my style but hey."
We laughed together as we started to Paddle again. We were about half way when my eyes started to drift close making me jerk awake. I was so tiered it was hard enough to even paddle, but much harder when fog started to block our view.
"Just keep going straight!" i called out as we tried to avoid the rocks. Once we were on the sand the other team started to lift up their canoes and started to run. When i tried to get out of ours i was so out of it my foot caught the side making me trip foreword.
"I got ya!" i hear as i slam into someone chest. I looked up to see Duncan looking down at me. I quickly pushed off him.
"Thanks, sorry about that." i says. I turned a little to fast to walk away, making me dizzy and stumble.
"Hey are you okay?" Duncan asked grabbing my arm to keep me standing. I pulled away from him and walked away, more confidently.
"Im fine Duncan." Once i got next to Bridget we lifted the canoe and started to run with the rest of the team.
As we ran we passed the other team, but soon after seemed to have gotten lost. My arms started to shake holding up the stupid canoe and my breathing hard.
"Which way do we go?" Geoff asked from ahead.
"Left maybe?" i suggested.
"I dont know im feeling the right."
"The right trail is wider." Bridget points out making Geoff smile at her.
"What are you looking at?" she asked him. making him smile harder.
As we walked Duncans team started to walk closer to ours making me nerves. I could feel my whole body start to shake. I felt like my body was going to give way any moment, but thankfully Geoff dropped to the ground.
"Oh thank god!" i whispered to my self a little to loudly as we dropped our canoe.
"Ow my leg! Im down im down!" he called out holding up his leg. "Oh its so unfair! Why does this have to happen now! WHY WHY!"
"Geoff!" Bridget calls running over to him as i slump against a tree, soon sliding down it to sit on the ground. Everyone looked down to help Geoff, and the next thing i knew i fell asleep.
All i could see was another coffin sitting there in a dark room. A force was pushing me twords with no matter how hard i tried to move away. I didnt want to see inside i didnt want to be forced to deal with this alone. Wake up, WAKE UP!
I gasped as i felt a hand on my shoulder shaking me lightly. Panic speed through my body and tried to slap the hand away, only to be caught by another hand.
"Shh hey its ok its just me." Duncan says looked at me confused. I looked around finding my self back in the woods. I looked at the others who where lifting Geoff on one of the canoes.
I tried to calm my breathing as i looked back at Duncan. "Sorry. . I . ."
Duncan let me go as i looked away from him. "Lu, whats going on?"
"Nothing im just a little tiered." i said as i tried to stand, but once on my feet i started to slump back to the ground. Duncan grabs both of my arms before i could fall.
"Dont lie to me." He lifted his hand up to my forehead. "You burning up Lu."
"I said i was fine." i bit at him. Once i knew i could walk i pulled out of his hold and started to walk back to help Bridget with the canoe.
We finally got back to the other end of the Island but to no surprise the other team was already making a fire. "Come on guys we can do this." i smiled at my team as we all started to chip in. As we started to get a pile going i looked around for something to start it, but then Duncan bent down next to me.
"I got this babe." he says as he pulled out a lighter, starting a fire. I smiled as i tried to help the fire grow more and more. After some time everyone started to bring more wood, but the fire still wasn't big enough.
"I think we need to make it bigger guys." i say looking a DJ.
"You all heard the woman lets get some more wood." he calls out in support. As we all turn our backs i hear Bridget scream.
"How are we suppose to get back now!?" turning around i could barley see our paddles burning, like my anger did.
"Harold you Dumb Ass! Im going to use you as a paddle!" i yelled at him making him jump. I normally didnt lose my temper like this but with the lack of sleep and Duncan i couldn't hold much more in.
"Whoa there!" i felt Dj grab my arms as i started to walk twords Harold.
Before i could protest a lard explosion scared everyone.
"We have out camp fire winner!" i could hear Chris from above.
After that we were able to put the canoes in the water. We didnt know what else to do since dumby over here burned the paddles, Izzie did give us an idea and Dj got over his fear and started to push all the canoes back to camp. As he started to push he got faster and faster, making me lose my balance when my head started to spin. Yet again, Duncan was there to catch me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me to him. I looked up at his face and he just looked at DJ cheering him on. When i tried to move away from him he tightened his grip and forced me back against him. We started to pass the other team in only a mater of minutes going to an unreal speed. And because of that speed when we got to the shore we hit it so hard that we all went flying. Duncan pulled me closer to him taking the fall for the both of us as Chris called out,
"The bass are the winners!" everyone cheered as i pushed off of Duncan. He didnt say anything and nether did i. As i started to walk away Duncan grabbed my hand.
"Lu talk to me." he demanded.
"Duncan im tiered i just want to go sleep . . ." i said not looking at him.
"Why? Why are you so tiered?" He asked me as everyone started to walk away.
I felt my frustration get the better of my. "Duncan now is not a good time ok." I grew more and more tiered by the minute as he held me there. I was surprise when he let me go.
"Im hear if you need to talk you know." he said as he walked away from me. Taking a breath i walked slowly in the back of the group back to the cabins. Once inside i hear something brake.
"Oh no." i said seeing Bridget dropping her gift from Geoff.
"Got any glue?" she asked me picking up the pieces.
"Not on me." i said as i smiled at her. "Thought you didnt want to waste time on it?"
She smiled at the now broken heart. "Maybe i will."
"Come on lets go get some glue." i said to her. I wanted to sleep more then i want to get glue, but she was becoming a really good friend, and i wanted to help. As we walked we found some glue in the craft hut and started to walk back when,
"Luna." Chris calls a few feet away. "I need to have a word."
"Ill see you back at the cabin." i told Bridget as i started to walk to Chris. Even in the dark i could see he was frowning. "Whats wrong?" i asked getting worried.
"Its your mom. She was admitted in the hospital." all the color in my face must of drained.
"What . . . wait, why?" i whispered out feeling my gut turning.
His face softened a little. "She got a little light head and went to get looked at. Nothing to bad."
It felt like something had been sitting on my chest, but only lifting slightly. "She ok?" i asked
He nodded. "I just thought you would have liked to know. She sounded fine over the phone. I think she just got a little tiered."
He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Everything is ok though."
I gave him a fake small smile. "Thank you for telling me Chris."
He smiled at me as i started to walk away. I didnt know where i was going to go.I didnt want to go back inside where everyone would be able to see how bad i am. I had to keep blinking trying to stop tears from forming. I went to the tree i normally try to hind under and placed my forehead against it. Tears kept trying to form and my breathing started to get get heavy, making it harder to fight the tears.
I could hear foot steps come up from behind me, and i didnt have to turn around to know who it was thankfully. "Duncan please, not right now." i whispered out.
He didnt say anything but i felt his hand rub up and down my arm. Goose bumps started to form under his touch and i felt like the tears were getting stronger. After another second he finally spoke, "Lu look at me." When i didnt move he lightly grabbed my arm and made me turn around. When i looked at his face, at first it looked like he was slightly angry and confused look, but when i stopped blinking and a tear fell, his face softened. "Whats wrong?"
I dont know what came over me, tears started to pour out and i could fell my arms start to shake, next thing i knew, "Its my mom." He looked at me then started to rub my arms up and down. "She . . . She's not doing to good . . she's got a tumor thats getting bigger and im not there to help her." i cried out. He kept rubbing my arms as i went on. "I cant sleep with out thinking about her going thru this alone, and im hear playing stupid games. What if something happened while i was here. Knowing if something happened she would be alone. I . . . I would be left alone . ." at that point Duncan pulled me into his chest hugging me tightly. I cried for, i dont know how long. It felt nice not having to hold everything in for once.
"Im here." he simply said rubbing my back. I pulled out from his chest and out of his reach.
"Dont do that." i said wiping my eyes. "Dont say that when everything is a game to you."
"Lu It-" i cut him off.
"I dont want to play your little flirting game."
"but-"
"Im not-" This time i was cut off.
"You dont know how i feel Luna!" he half yelled at me surprising me. My eyes went wide, when he then grabbed the sides of my face and pulled out lips together.