Chapter Four – I'm Going to Regret This
"Courtney?" Bridgette asks timidly, entering the cabin.
"What?" Courtney groans. She has head face down in her pillow, still feeling mortified from the spectacle she made of herself at lunch.
"Chris asked me to come and get you. He's announcing what our afternoon activity is," Bridgette explains.
"I don't want to do an afternoon activity, I want to stay here and die," comes Courtney's muffled response.
"I understand," Bridgette says. "But I mean… do you actually have any feelings for Duncan? I mean, other than hatred?"
"Of course not!" Courtney asserts, turning over onto her back and sitting up.
"So then, it doesn't matter what he says. If you stay here, people will start to think it's true. Besides, Chris said the activity is going to be really fun," Bridgette tells her. Courtney sighs.
"I guess you're right." She gets up reluctantly and follows Bridgette back to the dining hall where everyone is waiting. It's probably her imagination but Courtney feels like everyone is staring at her.
"Okay campers! Great news! Today's afternoon activity is a hike into the mountains followed by camping in the woods!" Chris announces with a huge grin. His audience, however, are significantly less enthusiastic about the announcement. No one says anything so Chris continues. "Everyone has to carry their own backpack which will be filled with everything you need. There's going to be two separate expeditions, so people on that table," he points to the table closest the door, "you'll be with Chef, and people on the other table, you'll be with myself and Blaineley. I mean, Ms O'Halloran." Chris corrects himself. "Your packs are outside, let's go!"
"I wonder if there's any food in this pack…" Owen says as he hoists it onto his back.
"We just ate lunch," Noah reminds him, rolling his eyes.
"It's a shame Harold is in the other group, then all us boys could have been together!" Owen says, ignoring Noah's comment.
"I'm just glad Sierra's in the other group!" Cody shudders. "Who knows what she'd do to me in the middle of the night in the middle of the forest…"
"And Gwen's in this group, am I right?" Owen says, nudging Cody suggestively. Cody winks and grins.
"You know it! And hey, Izzy's in this group too… she's freaky. When was the last time you guys…"
"Let's just go!" Noah sighs. The three guys trudge after Chef.
"Wait for me guys!" Beth calls, hurrying after them. Technically she's a part of their group of friends but the boys are always forgetting about her. Heather sticks out her foot and Beth immediately trips over it.
"Oops!" is all Heather says before stalking off after Chef, followed by Lindsay and Gwen.
"Are we going to be in these groups for the entire week? Because I have some serious issues with the people in this group," Courtney informs Chris.
"Well then you're going to have to sort them out! That's the idea of this camp, dearie!" Chris replies. Courtney huffs and drops back to walk with Bridgette.
"Thanks a lot for making me come out of the cabin for this!" she scowls.
"I'm sorry, Chris said it was going to be fun!" Bridgette apologises. Courtney rolls her eyes.
"Hey, Harold, stop hitting yourself!" Duncan says, grabbing Harold's arm and hitting him repeatedly in the face with his own hand.
"Whyyyyyy can't I be in a group with Cody! This isn't fair!" Sierra whines.
"Oh my god, Katie, look at these delicious blueberries!" Sadie gasps.
"I love love love blueberries!" Katie gushes.
"Oh my god, me too!"
"I reckon I could do at least fifty push ups with that boulder over there on my back, what about you Eva?" Tyler asks. Eva grunts.
"Hey Chris," DJ asks, "are there…" he gulps, "snakes in this forest?" Chris grins evilly and nods.
"Like, how do we know the way back, eh?" Ezekiel asks Geoff.
"Yeah, this is going to be so much fun!" Courtney says sarcastically.
Beth decides to start up another round of ninety nine bottles of beer on the wall, joined by Izzy.
"Go and talk to her, dude!" Owen urges. Cody nods and takes a deep breath before walking over to Gwen who is trailing along behind Heather and Lindsay, not paying any attention to their frivolous conversation.
"Hey, Gwen, what's up?" Cody asks.
"Uh… hey Cody… not much…" Gwen responds, surprised that he's talking to her. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Oh no, I just wanted to chat to you," Cody grins.
"Um… okay," Gwen steps away as he sidles up to her.
"So, did you fall from heaven? Because you are out of this world!" Cody winks. Gwen cringes at the horrible pick up line. Heather whips around.
"Your time is up here, freak," she snaps.
"But I was just…" Cody starts.
"Get lost, you creepy little maggot!" Heather demands. Cody runs back to Owen and Noah hurriedly. "Oh my god Beth, shut up you nerd, you're driving me insane!" Heather screeches and Beth and Izzy cease their singing. "Ugh, he is so vile. No need to thank me Gwen. Maybe you should go and talk to Trent!"
"Alejandro is supposed to be finding out whether he likes me or not," Gwen reminds her.
"Ugh, as if you can trust anything he says!" she glances over to where Alejandro, Justin and Trent are walking together. Just as she does Alejandro looks over and catches her eye. He winks so she pokes her tongue out and goes back to talking to Lindsay.
"Oh I totally understand," Justin is saying, "you can't just put anything in your body. If it isn't natural then it's just no good. I can't believe how much processed food some of these people eat."
"It is horrifying. And of course you have to work out everyday, or really there is no point working out at all," Alejandro agrees. "I think Courtney probably agrees with this philosophy also," Alejandro hints.
"Uh, why would I care what Courtney thinks?" Justin shakes his head.
"I think she might like you, what do you think of her?" Alejandro asks.
"Wow, I mean, obviously she's attracted to my amazing good looks, like everyone else. I've never thought about her that way. She's not as good looking as me, but I guess she is basically the most attractive girl here," Justin muses.
"You think she is the most attractive girl here?" Alejandro asks.
"I'd say it's between her and Heather," Justin decides.
"Right, but you don't want Heather," Alejandro laughs nervously.
"Why? Do you want her?" Justin asks.
"No! No, no. Not at all… Courtney is much more attractive than Heather, so that's why you should ask her out and not Heather. Not because of any other reason or any feelings that you think I might have, because I don't," Alejandro grins awkwardly. Justin raises an eyebrow at him suspiciously before remembering such things can give you wrinkles.
"Hey guys?" Trent interrupts their conversation. "What do you think of these lyrics…" he clears his throat, "Sometimes I wonder if you know I exist, if we were together all your problems I'd fix. You're the light in the dark, you're the inspiration that sparks all these beautiful words that come to me when I think about you. But you always look left when I'm looking right, I wish I could see you in the pale moonlight. Maybe if we looked up at the same time, you'd see how much I want you to be mine," Trent sings.
"Beautiful, my friend. It's about Gwen, no?" Alejandro guesses. Trent immediately turns bright red.
"What makes you say that?" he asks. Alejandro shrugs.
"You two would make a lovely couple. I think maybe she likes you too," Alejandro suggests.
"Do you really think so?" Trent asks, glancing over at her.
"Are we there yet?" Owen puffs.
"No!" Chef yells. "If you ask one more time I will make you run there so quit your whinging!"
"I'm sick of all these bugs! Can we have some insect repellent up in here?" Leshawna complains.
"If you look in your pack, maybe you'd find some, insteada bothering me with all your insignificant problems!" Chef snaps.
"Hey Owen," Izzy whispers, swinging down from a tree and landing on his shoulders. "You know what the woods are really good for?"
"Uhh… playing hide and seek?" Owen guesses.
"No silly! Although this one time I did have a great game of hide and seek in the woods! I was hiding and the RCMP was seeking! I won obviously! But anyway, the woods are really good for…" she lowers her voice, "the horizontal monster mash!"
"Oh!" Owen giggles.
"You know what really promotes team spirit?" Chris muses. "Team names. I'm going to name this team the Killer Bass!" he decides.
"But we aren't competing against each other, how are we teams?" Harold asks.
"None of your business! Now, set up your tent. Also set up my tent!" Chris chucks his pack at Tyler who promptly falls backwards. "You also need to start a fire and find some food."
"Did you just say, find food?" Eva glares angrily. Chris nods.
"Isn't there food in our packs?" asks Geoff.
"There's food in my pack. But not yours. So you better get a move on if you don't want to go hungry!" Chris claps his hands to get them moving.
"Chris, we can't starve the kids," Blaineley tells him.
"I'm not starving them. They just have to use their wilderness survival skills!"
"They don't have any survival skills! Most of them have probably never even been camping!" Blaineley says.
"Well, they need to learn and there's no time like the present!" Chris sits down on a log and stretches out his legs to watch the kids do all the work. Blaineley sighs and plops down next to him.
"Have you got any vodka in there?" she asks.
Courtney starts dividing the group into smaller groups to do the four jobs Chris has assigned them.
"Duncan, Ezekiel and DJ, you three can go and find food," Courtney commands.
"But what about the snakes?" DJ squeaks nervously. Courtney rolls her eyes.
"I don't know why you automatically think you're in charge of everyone. What if I don't want to go and find food?" Duncan protests, folding his arms.
"I was a CIT! I have real camping experience so I'm the only one who has any idea of how things should be done!" Courtney snaps.
"So why don't you go and find the food?" Duncan suggests.
"Because I need to stay here and supervise the other tasks! And I want you as far away from me as possible! Plus, those other two idiots couldn't find food on their own if it came out and bit them on the nose!" Courtney rants. She suddenly realises her last sentence was dangerously close to a compliment. "Not that I think you'll be much better, but can you just go already, before we all starve?"
Duncan rolls his eyes but he trudges off into the woods, followed by DJ and Ezekiel. Courtney gets Tyler, Eva and Sierra to put up Chris's tent, Katie, Sadie and Harold to build the fire while she, Bridgette and Geoff put up the student tent.
"Chris and Ms. O'Halloran's tent looks a lot bigger than ours," Courtney complains.
"It probably has heating and cooling too," Bridgette jokes, hammering in a tent peg.
"Wow, you pitch a tent like a guy!" Geoff compliments, impressed.
"Uh, excuse me?" Bridgette says.
"Er, what I meant was… you're like…" Geoff tries to explain himself.
"Geoff, shut up, you're making an idiot of yourself!" Courtney interrupts. Geoff looks embarrassed as he hammers in the last tent peg. "I think Geoff likes you," Courtney whispers to Bridgette. Bridgette rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, it's kind of obvious." Bridgette replies.
"Well, do you like him?" Courtney asks. Bridgette shrugs.
"He is kinda cute and he's a pretty nice guy… but he's always saying really dumb things! Is he like, a bit simple?" Bridgette asks.
"I don't think so. He always seems intelligent enough when I talk to him… maybe it's just you." Courtney muses. Bridgette gives her a worried look.
Duncan, DJ and Ezekiel arrive back with the "food". DJ is carrying a rabbit, Duncan has nothing and Ezekiel has a pine cone.
"Just as I suspected, you are in fact COMPLETEY USELESS!" Courtney yells when she sees what they've brought.
"Relax, princess! I've set some traps, we've just got to wait till some poor unsuspecting animal walks into in and then we can kill it and eat it!" Duncan looks rather proud of himself. Bridgette looks a little queasy.
"Aren't there any berries or something we could eat? I'm a vegetarian," she says.
"Ohh! Katie and I saw some blueberries on our way here, maybe we could go and find them again!" Sadie offers.
"Oh my god, Sadie, that's exactly what I was thinking!" Katie agrees.
"Fine, off you go!" Courtney waves them away.
"Eeee!" the girls screech excitedly as they run off into the woods.
"Think they'll find their way back?" Duncan asks.
"Doubtful," Courtney responds.
"Okay guys! Now that you've set up, it's time for some camp stories!" Chris says, sitting down by the fire. Everyone follows his lead till they are in a circle formation around the fire. "Now, I'm going to tell you the story of the Murderous Butcher who killed seven people on this island…"
"Where are Izzy and Owen?" Heather demands.
"They went to get firewood," Gwen tells her.
"It's been over an hour!" Heather grumbles. Cody giggles. "What's so funny?" Heather narrows her eyes.
"Uhh… I don't think their really getting firewood… if you know what I mean…" Cody giggles some more.
"Ugh, that's disgusting! Now I suppose I'll have to do it!" Heather groans.
"You don't have to do it just because they are, I mean I doubt anyone here would want to have sex with you anyway…" Alejandro says.
"I didn't mean have sex, I meant get firewood!" Heather snaps. The boys all laugh. Heather huffs in frustration and stomps off into the woods.
"Maybe someone should go with her," Gwen suggests.
"Well I ain't following her! I'd be happy if she got lost and didn't come back!" Leshawna declares. Beth nods in agreement.
"I'll go!" Lindsay offers.
"Uh, maybe it's best if you don't go Lindsay," Alejandro says, knowing Lindsay would just get lost trying to find Heather. "I will go." He heads off in the direction that Heather went.
"Heather!" he calls. There's no answer. It's completely dark out now and he can hardly see a thing. He swears under his breath in Spanish as he steps on a stick that flicks up and hits him in the face. "Maybe I should have let Lindsay go," he says to himself. He ducks swiftly under a branch that seems to appear out of nowhere and as he turns to look at it he crashes into Heather, causing her to drop all the firewood she's been carrying.
"Thanks a lot Alejandro! Did you follow me out here just to make my job harder?" Heather says, annoyed. She crouches down and starts picking up the wood she'd dropped. Alejandro stoops to help her.
"I'm sorry," he says.
"No you aren't! Ow!" Heather drops all the firewood again and brings her finger to her mouth as she has just pricked it on a piece of wood.
"What's wrong?" asks Alejandro.
"I think I got a splinter," Heather says, squinting at her finger.
"Here, let me see, I have excellent night vision," Alejandro boasts.
"You just crashed into me, and I'm a lot bigger than a splinter," Heather points out.
"I wasn't watching where I was going. Just let me have a look?" Alejandro asks.
"Fine," Heather sighs, pointing her finger at him. He grabs her hand and holds her finger above his eyes. After staring at it for what seems like an eternity he finally brings her hand back down and looks at her face, illuminated by the full moon above.
"I can't see anything," he admits, but he doesn't let go of her hand. Instead her entwines his fingers with hers and pulls her a little closer, sending an electric current through her veins.
"Perhaps you can have another look when we get back to the others," Heather whispers.
"Do you think that will help?" Alejandro asks, his voice low and rough.
"I have no idea…" Heather replies huskily. Neither of them really have any clue what they're saying, both too busy thinking about whether or not the other will lean in just a little further so that their lips might touch. They both start at the sudden noise of someone crashing through the underbrush and they turn to see Izzy and Owen approaching. Izzy and Owen stop in their tracks when they notice Alejandro and Heather.
"Oh sorry!" Owen apologises. "Were you two…?" he begins, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Ugh no! Of course not!" Heather denies as Alejandro says "Definitely not, you are mistaken." They quickly jump away from each other.
"Help me with this firewood would you?" Heather demands of Owen and Izzy before bending down to scoop up the wood once again.
"And he stabbed that family to death, at this very camp. He was never caught and some people say he is just biding his time till he strikes…. AGAIN!" Chris finishes dramatically and everyone gasps in terror. Chris laughs hysterically at their reaction and they all relax slightly.
"Oh as if!" Courtney says. "That story is so fake, who would be scared by something so lame?" she rolls her eyes.
"Oh, come on, princess, I saw you jump out of your seat. You were terrified!" Duncan laughs.
"I was not! Why would the butcher just suddenly snap like that, it doesn't make any sense!" Courtney says scathingly.
"Camp does funny things to people," Chris says mysteriously. "The crackle of the campfire, the shadows in the trees, the isolation, the lack of civilisation. It's enough to drive a person mad…"
"Oh, right, I'm so sure. Can we do something else now?" Courtney says, changing the subject.
"I'm staaaaaarving!" Sierra complains.
"Yeah, Duncan, where's the food at, dude?" Geoff asks.
"I guess I should go check the traps?" Duncan says apprehensively, looking out into the dark forest. "Uh… anyone want to come with me?"
"You wouldn't be scared of a little Murderous Butcher, now would you?" Courtney says sweetly.
"Of course not! But if I caught something big I might need some help," Duncan reasons.
"Well I'm not helping you kill any innocent animals!" DJ refuses.
"I'm with DJ!" Bridgette agrees.
"Totally, me too!" Geoff says, just to agree with Bridgette.
"I'll help you Duncan! You could probably use my mad skills," Harold offers.
"How about no, Dorkahontas. Anyone else?"
"Someone needs to go and find Katie and Sadie as well. They've been gone a while…" Bridgette recalls.
"Oh my god, you kids are horrible at decision making! Tracksuit and Bitchface go with Mohawk. Blondie and Nerdy go and find the Idiot Twins!" Chris orders.
"Uh, Chris…" Sierra says.
"What?" Chris snaps.
"Those aren't their names," she informs him. Chris sighs in annoyance. "Just go already will you? And don't," he adds, seeing Courtney has opened her mouth to protest, "bother arguing!" Courtney shuts her mouth and purses her lips. She gets up and starts towards the forest.
"Well, hurry up, you two!" she says to Duncan and Tyler. Bridgette and Harold head off in the opposite direction, in search of Katie and Sadie.
Once they're out of sight of the camp, Duncan pulls out a cigarette and lights it up.
"You're smoking?" Courtney accuses.
"Yeah, so?" Duncan shrugs. "Do you want one?"
"No! Smoking is a disgusting habit! You really should quit, don't you know smoking kills?" Courtney warns.
"I didn't know you cared!" Duncan says with a roll of his eyes.
"Ugh, I don't! But I don't want to breathe in your second hand smoke, it's just as bad if not worse for you than actual smoking!" Courtney informs him aggressively.
"Sucks to be you. Want one Tyler?" Duncan asks. Tyler shakes his head. Courtney huffs in frustration and hits the cigarette out of Duncan's mouth and onto the ground. "Hey! Was that really necessary?" Duncan complains.
"Whoa, look guys!" Tyler says, alerting Courtney and Duncan to where a wild boar is stuck in one of Duncan's traps. The three of them stare at it nervously.
"Now what?" Courtney whispers.
"We have to kill it," Duncan whispers back.
"How?" Tyler whispers.
"One of you needs to distract it while I stab my knife into it…" Duncan tells them.
"Duncan, that knife is so not going to be big enough to kill a boar! We should go back to the others for back up. Maybe Chris has something we can use," Courtney says.
"Don't be such a wimp! We can take down this baby on our own," Duncan assures her.
"You better not get us killed," Courtney warns. "Or maimed in any way." Duncan ignores her.
"Tyler, take off your jacket and wave it in front of the pig. Boars are attracted to red flags," Duncan commands.
"That's bulls! And you'll just make it angry! This is a horrible plan!" Courtney protests. Duncan continues ignoring her and waves at Tyler to do his bidding. Tyler gulps and unzips his jacket to reveal a white t-shirt.
"I always wondered what he wore under there," Duncan muses. Courtney raises an eyebrow at him. "Not that way!" Duncan rolls his eyes. Tyler stands at a safe distance from the boar and starts waving his jacket to get the boar's attention. Duncan approaches the boar, circling around behind it so it won't see him coming. He motions for Courtney to follow him.
"What? I'm not going near it," she says.
"We might need to overpower it, two people is better than one," Duncan reasons.
"I'm going to regret this," Courtney says under her breath as she follows him. The boar is currently straining at the rope binding its foot, trying to get at Tyler who is still waving his red tracksuit jacket. Duncan gets up close to the boar, brandishing his pocket knife, then stabs it in the back. Apparently this is the motivation the boar needs to pull a little harder, as it wrenches itself free, snapping the rope and charging at Tyler.
"Uh oh…" says Duncan. Courtney puts her hand to her forehead and shakes her head.
"Aaaargh!" screams Tyler as the boar gets closer to him.
"Run you idiot!" Duncan yells. Tyler remembers he has legs and turns to run, only to immediately trip over his own feet. Duncan and Courtney both cringe as the boar bowls into Tyler, flattening him into the ground.
"Well, I hope you're happy now!" Courtney yells, turning to Duncan. "You've killed Tyler!"
"Oh don't be such a drama queen, he isn't dead!" Duncan retorts.
"So that makes it okay to put another person's life in danger? He could be seriously hurt! I can't believe you got me to go along with this idiotic plan, I knew it was a horrible idea!"
"Uh, Drama Queen…" Duncan interrupts, looking behind her.
"I'm not finished! Now we're going to have to CARRY Tyler back to camp, without any food, and explain to Chris and Ms O'Halloran…"
"Seriously, the boar…" Duncan tries again.
"… what happened, and…"
"…IS CHARGING AT US!" Duncan yells.
"What?" Courtney turns to see the boar running at them at full speed. Duncan slams his body into her, knocking them both to the ground, but thankfully out of the way of the boar, which keeps running into the forest, still wielding Duncan's knife in its back.
"You're a maniac," Courtney says to Duncan from where she lies underneath him, breathing heavily.
"I believe I just saved our lives," Duncan replies. "I think you owe me a little gratitude." Courtney looks up at him, suddenly very conscious of the proximity of their faces, and the heat she can feel from his toned body on top of hers.
"Thanks," she murmurs.
"You're welcome," Duncan replies. He glances down at her lips then brings his eyes back to hers.
"You can get off me now," Courtney whispers.
"Mmhmm…" Duncan responds vaguely. Courtney licks her lips and Duncan brings his face slightly closer to hers, and Courtney's breath catches in her throat. Both their hearts race as she closes her eyes and opens her mouth ever so slightly.
"Guys…" Tyler moans. "I think I'm dead." Duncan groans and rolls off Courtney. Courtney breathes out before opening her eyes.
"You aren't dead! You're fine." Duncan calls, standing up. Courtney also stands up and brushes herself off.
"Did we catch the boar?" Tyler wonders.
Duncan and Courtney manage to carry Tyler back to camp, walking in silence the entire way.
"What happened to him?!" Blaineley shrieks when she seems them.
"He's fine. He just got run over by a boar a little bit," Duncan explains, dropping Tyler on the ground.
"Did you at least catch the boar?" Chris asks. Courtney shakes her head sadly.
"Well, at least we found the berries!" Bridgette says. The only other person who looks even slightly happy is Geoff and it's only because he's using his hands as a bowl for the berries and Bridgette is eating them.
"I hope your hands are clean man," says Duncan. Geoff nods, smiling idiotically. Duncan rolls his yes.
"I'm going to bed," Courtney and Duncan say in unison. They look at each other in surprise.
"Oh, you go," says Courtney, blushing.
"No you can go…" Duncan says.
"Uh… why don't you both just go? We're all sharing a tent, you're allowed to sleep at the same time!" Eva snaps.
"Right," says Courtney, turning and heading towards the tent, refusing to look at Duncan. Duncan shrugs and follows her. Both of them think back to the moment in to woods, wondering if they'll pick up where they left off. Of course not, Courtney thinks, you just imagined the whole thing. You don't want to kiss him.
"I'm tired too, eh? I'll join you guys," Ezekiel says, totally oblivious to the tension between the two that everybody else seems to notice.
Not like she'd let you near her again anyway, Duncan thinks, she acts like she's untouchable.
Courtney breathes a sigh, although she's not sure if it's relief or disappointment.