I am angelgirl3137, and I'm posting these chapters for the real writer of
the story. I am so sorry that I haven't posted this chapter sooner. I was
on a long vacation, and I haven't been able to update. I am very sorry. I
hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
CHAPTER THREE
It was settled.
Abby was now on her way to Camp Green Lake. A ridiculously long and hot bus ride to the middle of nowhere, with nothing and no one to accompany her on the long journey, except for an indifferent driver and guard and her violin.
Abby almost didn't dare speak, but she wasn't one to be patient for too long. "Are we almost there?"
Not that she was anxious to get there or anything, she just couldn't bear the suspense! She had been sentenced to go to a place that she knew absolutely nothing about, except for the name: Camp Green Lake. But names, as well as appearances, can be deceiving.
"About another five minutes or so," the guard said.
Abby was sweating so much, that she thought it would be nearly impossible to get unstuck from her seat. There had been nothing but holes on either side of the dirt road for miles now. And, as far as
Abby could see, there was no lake around, and nothing was green.
"Here we are." The guard walked back to Abby's seat to undo the handcuffs as the bus came to a halt.
"Thank goodness," Abby said under her breath as she slowly stood up, letting her jeans peel off the seat.
Eleven hours was way too long to be sitting down.
She picked up her case, which had been resting on the seat opposite her, and walked off the bus to see a large group of boys and girls, all up into their teen years by the look of them, gathered around the bus. Abby lifted her hand to set her glasses back on her nose as she blinked several times. She wasn't used to crowds, and she had never been too fond of talking in front of class at school either.
A mean and surly looking man walked, slowly, up to Abby.
"This is our newest camper!" he yelled for everyone to hear. "Abby LeVert! She has been assigned to B-Tent!"
He paused to let everyone get a good look at Abby before speaking again.
"You can go now!" he said, and that was it.
Everyone moaned and picked up their---
Shovels? Abby thought. She tried to piece everything together. It wasn't working until she remembered the holes. Abby moaned too. She didn't have to be told to know what the general idea was: Holes. They would be digging holes every day.
"Follow me," the man said.
So Abby followed him and listened as he talked.
"My name is Mr. Sir."
Abby found his name slightly amusing, but no longer possessed the energy to laugh.
"You are to call me by my name, nothing else---"
"Yes, Mr. Sir," Abby said in a tired voice.
Mr. Sir turned towards her. "You're a fast learner," he said. Then he turned back and kept walking.
He led her into a small, air-conditioned office.
Yes! Abby thought. That feels so good!
A woman was already in there. She was tall with black hair and a long neck. She was wearing a bright pink tank-top and jeans. Even though she was lanky, and didn't look remotely . . . impressive, she gave off a certain intimidating air.
"This," Mr. Sir said, indicating the woman, "is your counselor. She'll show you your tent."
Mr. Sir then left the office.
"Hello, Abby . . . Levert, is it?" The woman smiled. It wasn't exactly a friendly smile, but it wasn't menacing either.
Abby nodded.
"French, are you?"
"Uh, I think my ancestors were."
The woman nodded. "I thought so. My name is Carrie Hensley. But, to you, I'm Miss Hensley."
Abby nodded to show that she understood.
Miss Hensley nodded back. "Each day, you will dig one hole, five feet deep and five feet in diameter. Your shovel should be used as your measuring stick. If you find something, you are to report it to me, Mr. Sir, or any other counselor. You will then get the rest of the day off as well as some other rewards. You will be needing these."
Miss Hensley pulled out something orange from a closet.
"What are they?" Abby asked.
"These," Miss Hensley said, handing them to Abby, "are your suits. One is for work, one is for your free time after you've dug your hole for the day. Laundry will, honestly, be washed not-so regularly; but it will be washed. And, I believe that is all.
"I'd like to leave you knowing that I don't wish for you nor anyone else in this camp to start any trouble for any reason. It will do everyone more harm than good."
Miss Hensley glanced down at her watch. "You are most certainly too late to start a hole today so you may go hang out in your tent or the Wreck Room, if you wish, until lights out which is around eleven to twelve o'clock. Pretty much anytime you feel like hitting the pillow. I'd advise you abide by the saying 'early to bed and early to rise' because you're going to need rest if you don't want to wake up tired."
"When do we get up in the morning? Is there a schedule?"
"You wake up at four thirty in the morning---"
Abby didn't say anything, but her eyes were about the size of tennis balls when Miss Hensley announced this bit of unwelcome news.
"---lunch is brought to you by either Mr. Sir or Mr. Pendanski along with fresh water every two or three hours. Dinner's whenever your hole is finished.
"There are signs outside to help you find your way."
Miss Hensley opened a door at the back of the office, leading outside. "Girls' side of the camp is out here, but you will be digging with your boy tent-mates as well as your girl tent-mates.
"You can go now."
Abby walked out of the office. She was headed towards B-Tent with her two orange suits and violin in hand, but---
"One more thing, Abby!"
She turned to see Miss Hensley's head poking out from behind the office door. "Tomorrow, try to get the smallest shovel!" She winked before disappearing behind the door.
After making sure the coast was clear, Abby walked into B-Tent and changed into her orange suit, which made her look the size of a toothpick. It swallowed her whole!
Not being able to stand the heat after fifteen minutes, Abby decided to check the Wreck Room out. She grabbed her case, not trusting anyone enough to leave it in the tent.
As soon as she stepped in, Abby thought that she might be able to stand B- Tent's heat better than she could the Wreck Room's smell. It was a mixture of sweat and perfume. Not a nice combination.
At least it's empty right now, she thought. I can practice my music in peace!
She set the case on top of the scratched-up pool table and unlocked the latches and undid the Velcro. Abby opened it up to see her slightly dusty but shiny and beautiful wooden instrument. She lifted it gently out of the case and put the shoulder rest on. She laid it down on the pool table so she could take care of her bow next.
Abby took out the bow and tightened the hairs on it. Then, she took the rosin out of her box to make the bow's sound finer.
Once it was ready, Abby made sure it was in tune.
G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A. Still in tune!
Abby decided she'd play her mother's favorite first. She needed the music for that though. She unzipped the flap on the outside of her case. Reaching inside, she pulled out all of her music. Something caught Abby's attention, though, as it fell out of the flap and fluttered down to the floor, wrong side up. Abby bent down and turned it over and smiled. It was a picture of her and her mother, laughing, smiling, in some now far-off land.
Abby laid the picture down and picked up her violin again. She flipped through the music until she found Spring. It was a very joyful piece with lots of high notes and dynamics. Abby's mother had been joyful and also dynamic.
She lifted her bow to play the song. She didn't stop playing until---
Creeeak.
The Wreck Room door had been opened. Abby turned to face the person or cause of the door opening.
It had been a boy, a bit taller than Abby, not by much though. His skin wasn't white, but it was light, and was stretched tight across his bones (like Abby's). His head was covered with curly, brown locks. His face was . . . not sad, not angry, just calm.
"Hello," Abby smiled her wide, toothy smile.
The boy said nothing.
Abby was about to give up hope for a response. She started to turn back around, but---
"Hi."
Abby whipped back around to face him again. She walked over to him and offered her hand.
"I'm Abby. Abby LeVert. You probably heard outside, but---"
He didn't take her hand. Abby lifted it up to move her glasses back on her nose, uncomfortably.
"My name's Hector," he finally said. "But everyone here calls me Zero."
"Do---Do you like that name?"
Zero didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to the pool table. Abby followed.
Abby didn't want to call him by a name he didn't like, so she was going to try out his real name. "Well, Hector," she precariously said. "How do you like Camp Green Lake?"
Silence.
"What's that?" Zero asked, pointing to the violin Abby was holding.
"This? This is my violin." She held it up. "I've been playing since I was seven."
There was a pause in which neither said anything. Zero just stared at Abby and her violin, eyes seeming to expand.
"Do you want to hold it?"
Zero's eyes widened even more. He nodded.
Abby stepped up a little closer to hand it to him. She was amazed at how gentle he took it, like he already knew how to handle something so fragile. Their hands accidentally touched as Zero took it. Although they had both noticed it, no one said or did anything to indicate that it had happened.
Zero held it in two hands, firmly, but not too firmly, grasping the handle, while the other hand held the base.
"I heard you," he said.
"What?"
"When I came in."
It took Abby a second to figure out what he was talking about. "Oh, the music?"
Zero nodded. "It was . . . beautiful."
Abby smiled. "Thanks."
The door creaked open again. A swarm of boys came pouring in. Two slumped over to the sofa, while five more walked over to the pool table. Zero and Abby cleared out of their way as one of the bigger boys roughly pushed Abby's violin case off of the pool table.
"Hey!" Abby shouted. "Watch it!"
The boy turned on her. "What you say to me?"
Abby suddenly realized how tall and muscular the boy was. "Um, nothing."
"That's what I thought." And he turned back to the pool table.
"Here." Zero handed Abby her violin back. Then he bent down to pick up her case.
Abby gratefully grinned as he carried it over to a safer spot for her.
"Thanks," she said. "You really didn't have to---"
"I know."
There was a moment of awkward silence in which the two of them just shuffled their feet as they stared at each other.
"Well," Abby got down on her knees, "I guess I should put this up."
Once the instrument was back in its case, Abby stood.
"I'll just be going now," she slowly said. "It was nice meeting you, Hector." She held out her hand one more time.
Zero took it, but didn't say or do anything else.
"Well, bye," Abby said softly. And she left the Wreck Room.
As she headed back to her tent, she solemnly promised herself something: if it was the biggest accomplishment she'd ever make at Camp Green Lake, if it was the last thing she ever did, she was going to make Zero smile.
CHAPTER THREE
It was settled.
Abby was now on her way to Camp Green Lake. A ridiculously long and hot bus ride to the middle of nowhere, with nothing and no one to accompany her on the long journey, except for an indifferent driver and guard and her violin.
Abby almost didn't dare speak, but she wasn't one to be patient for too long. "Are we almost there?"
Not that she was anxious to get there or anything, she just couldn't bear the suspense! She had been sentenced to go to a place that she knew absolutely nothing about, except for the name: Camp Green Lake. But names, as well as appearances, can be deceiving.
"About another five minutes or so," the guard said.
Abby was sweating so much, that she thought it would be nearly impossible to get unstuck from her seat. There had been nothing but holes on either side of the dirt road for miles now. And, as far as
Abby could see, there was no lake around, and nothing was green.
"Here we are." The guard walked back to Abby's seat to undo the handcuffs as the bus came to a halt.
"Thank goodness," Abby said under her breath as she slowly stood up, letting her jeans peel off the seat.
Eleven hours was way too long to be sitting down.
She picked up her case, which had been resting on the seat opposite her, and walked off the bus to see a large group of boys and girls, all up into their teen years by the look of them, gathered around the bus. Abby lifted her hand to set her glasses back on her nose as she blinked several times. She wasn't used to crowds, and she had never been too fond of talking in front of class at school either.
A mean and surly looking man walked, slowly, up to Abby.
"This is our newest camper!" he yelled for everyone to hear. "Abby LeVert! She has been assigned to B-Tent!"
He paused to let everyone get a good look at Abby before speaking again.
"You can go now!" he said, and that was it.
Everyone moaned and picked up their---
Shovels? Abby thought. She tried to piece everything together. It wasn't working until she remembered the holes. Abby moaned too. She didn't have to be told to know what the general idea was: Holes. They would be digging holes every day.
"Follow me," the man said.
So Abby followed him and listened as he talked.
"My name is Mr. Sir."
Abby found his name slightly amusing, but no longer possessed the energy to laugh.
"You are to call me by my name, nothing else---"
"Yes, Mr. Sir," Abby said in a tired voice.
Mr. Sir turned towards her. "You're a fast learner," he said. Then he turned back and kept walking.
He led her into a small, air-conditioned office.
Yes! Abby thought. That feels so good!
A woman was already in there. She was tall with black hair and a long neck. She was wearing a bright pink tank-top and jeans. Even though she was lanky, and didn't look remotely . . . impressive, she gave off a certain intimidating air.
"This," Mr. Sir said, indicating the woman, "is your counselor. She'll show you your tent."
Mr. Sir then left the office.
"Hello, Abby . . . Levert, is it?" The woman smiled. It wasn't exactly a friendly smile, but it wasn't menacing either.
Abby nodded.
"French, are you?"
"Uh, I think my ancestors were."
The woman nodded. "I thought so. My name is Carrie Hensley. But, to you, I'm Miss Hensley."
Abby nodded to show that she understood.
Miss Hensley nodded back. "Each day, you will dig one hole, five feet deep and five feet in diameter. Your shovel should be used as your measuring stick. If you find something, you are to report it to me, Mr. Sir, or any other counselor. You will then get the rest of the day off as well as some other rewards. You will be needing these."
Miss Hensley pulled out something orange from a closet.
"What are they?" Abby asked.
"These," Miss Hensley said, handing them to Abby, "are your suits. One is for work, one is for your free time after you've dug your hole for the day. Laundry will, honestly, be washed not-so regularly; but it will be washed. And, I believe that is all.
"I'd like to leave you knowing that I don't wish for you nor anyone else in this camp to start any trouble for any reason. It will do everyone more harm than good."
Miss Hensley glanced down at her watch. "You are most certainly too late to start a hole today so you may go hang out in your tent or the Wreck Room, if you wish, until lights out which is around eleven to twelve o'clock. Pretty much anytime you feel like hitting the pillow. I'd advise you abide by the saying 'early to bed and early to rise' because you're going to need rest if you don't want to wake up tired."
"When do we get up in the morning? Is there a schedule?"
"You wake up at four thirty in the morning---"
Abby didn't say anything, but her eyes were about the size of tennis balls when Miss Hensley announced this bit of unwelcome news.
"---lunch is brought to you by either Mr. Sir or Mr. Pendanski along with fresh water every two or three hours. Dinner's whenever your hole is finished.
"There are signs outside to help you find your way."
Miss Hensley opened a door at the back of the office, leading outside. "Girls' side of the camp is out here, but you will be digging with your boy tent-mates as well as your girl tent-mates.
"You can go now."
Abby walked out of the office. She was headed towards B-Tent with her two orange suits and violin in hand, but---
"One more thing, Abby!"
She turned to see Miss Hensley's head poking out from behind the office door. "Tomorrow, try to get the smallest shovel!" She winked before disappearing behind the door.
After making sure the coast was clear, Abby walked into B-Tent and changed into her orange suit, which made her look the size of a toothpick. It swallowed her whole!
Not being able to stand the heat after fifteen minutes, Abby decided to check the Wreck Room out. She grabbed her case, not trusting anyone enough to leave it in the tent.
As soon as she stepped in, Abby thought that she might be able to stand B- Tent's heat better than she could the Wreck Room's smell. It was a mixture of sweat and perfume. Not a nice combination.
At least it's empty right now, she thought. I can practice my music in peace!
She set the case on top of the scratched-up pool table and unlocked the latches and undid the Velcro. Abby opened it up to see her slightly dusty but shiny and beautiful wooden instrument. She lifted it gently out of the case and put the shoulder rest on. She laid it down on the pool table so she could take care of her bow next.
Abby took out the bow and tightened the hairs on it. Then, she took the rosin out of her box to make the bow's sound finer.
Once it was ready, Abby made sure it was in tune.
G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A. Still in tune!
Abby decided she'd play her mother's favorite first. She needed the music for that though. She unzipped the flap on the outside of her case. Reaching inside, she pulled out all of her music. Something caught Abby's attention, though, as it fell out of the flap and fluttered down to the floor, wrong side up. Abby bent down and turned it over and smiled. It was a picture of her and her mother, laughing, smiling, in some now far-off land.
Abby laid the picture down and picked up her violin again. She flipped through the music until she found Spring. It was a very joyful piece with lots of high notes and dynamics. Abby's mother had been joyful and also dynamic.
She lifted her bow to play the song. She didn't stop playing until---
Creeeak.
The Wreck Room door had been opened. Abby turned to face the person or cause of the door opening.
It had been a boy, a bit taller than Abby, not by much though. His skin wasn't white, but it was light, and was stretched tight across his bones (like Abby's). His head was covered with curly, brown locks. His face was . . . not sad, not angry, just calm.
"Hello," Abby smiled her wide, toothy smile.
The boy said nothing.
Abby was about to give up hope for a response. She started to turn back around, but---
"Hi."
Abby whipped back around to face him again. She walked over to him and offered her hand.
"I'm Abby. Abby LeVert. You probably heard outside, but---"
He didn't take her hand. Abby lifted it up to move her glasses back on her nose, uncomfortably.
"My name's Hector," he finally said. "But everyone here calls me Zero."
"Do---Do you like that name?"
Zero didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to the pool table. Abby followed.
Abby didn't want to call him by a name he didn't like, so she was going to try out his real name. "Well, Hector," she precariously said. "How do you like Camp Green Lake?"
Silence.
"What's that?" Zero asked, pointing to the violin Abby was holding.
"This? This is my violin." She held it up. "I've been playing since I was seven."
There was a pause in which neither said anything. Zero just stared at Abby and her violin, eyes seeming to expand.
"Do you want to hold it?"
Zero's eyes widened even more. He nodded.
Abby stepped up a little closer to hand it to him. She was amazed at how gentle he took it, like he already knew how to handle something so fragile. Their hands accidentally touched as Zero took it. Although they had both noticed it, no one said or did anything to indicate that it had happened.
Zero held it in two hands, firmly, but not too firmly, grasping the handle, while the other hand held the base.
"I heard you," he said.
"What?"
"When I came in."
It took Abby a second to figure out what he was talking about. "Oh, the music?"
Zero nodded. "It was . . . beautiful."
Abby smiled. "Thanks."
The door creaked open again. A swarm of boys came pouring in. Two slumped over to the sofa, while five more walked over to the pool table. Zero and Abby cleared out of their way as one of the bigger boys roughly pushed Abby's violin case off of the pool table.
"Hey!" Abby shouted. "Watch it!"
The boy turned on her. "What you say to me?"
Abby suddenly realized how tall and muscular the boy was. "Um, nothing."
"That's what I thought." And he turned back to the pool table.
"Here." Zero handed Abby her violin back. Then he bent down to pick up her case.
Abby gratefully grinned as he carried it over to a safer spot for her.
"Thanks," she said. "You really didn't have to---"
"I know."
There was a moment of awkward silence in which the two of them just shuffled their feet as they stared at each other.
"Well," Abby got down on her knees, "I guess I should put this up."
Once the instrument was back in its case, Abby stood.
"I'll just be going now," she slowly said. "It was nice meeting you, Hector." She held out her hand one more time.
Zero took it, but didn't say or do anything else.
"Well, bye," Abby said softly. And she left the Wreck Room.
As she headed back to her tent, she solemnly promised herself something: if it was the biggest accomplishment she'd ever make at Camp Green Lake, if it was the last thing she ever did, she was going to make Zero smile.