AN: Well, I had a great time at Prom and I'm ready to get back to work! I have another chapter handwritten and ready to be typed, but it might be next week before it goes into the computer. I didn't see any pressing questions in the reviews so I'll let you get right to the story! It's a little choppy, but I was trying to combine "mini chapters" As always, read, review, and enjoy!
"I have called all of you counselors and teachers here tonight because I fear we have a small problem here at camp," Principal Delmas began, addressing the group. "It has been brought to my attention that students have been leaving their cabins in the middle of the night without escort. While we are in an extremely safe area, there is still the chance the students will get lost or injured. To solve this problem, the school board and I decided the best course of action is to have our most trustworthy camp staff patrol the campgrounds at night. Each pair will monitor the grounds for an hour and a half before the next two take over."
At this point, the principal pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket. "Tonight Isabelle and Darryl will go first, monitoring from 6:30-8 p.m. and meet up here at the mess hall where they will switch off with Yumi and Theo, who will patrol from 8-9:30. Then it will be Ulrich and Odd from 9:30-11. Mrs. Hertz and Jim from 11-12:30, Mr. Mather and Mr. Caventro from 12:30-2. Mr. Hyonin and Mrs. Rankly from 2-3:30. Nurse Dorothy and myself from 3:30-5 and Ari and Dirk from 5-6:30. If you notice anything suspicious, report to me immediately." Principal Delmas looked over the camp staff, pleased to see that none seemed to openly oppose the new security measures. "I thank you all for your assistance and bid you goodnight." Delmas walked from the front of the mess hall to the door, knowing it would soon be filled with hungry students. Even though supper was served earlier than at Kadic, 5:30 was still late enough for their appetites to be whetted. A few of the other camp staff members left, also. Principal Delmas wasn't the only one who realized it was almost time for supper. Odd's stomach let out a loud complaint, and the boy rubbed it and grinned.
"Time for supper!" Odd jumped up and got in line – first as usual.
"What's the matter, Yumi? Aren't you hungry?" Ulrich asked her quietly.
"Not really…." Yumi shoved the plate away from her and sighed, propping her head up on her hands. For once, Theo was missing, claiming to have tomorrow's class to prepare.
"What's wrong?" Ulrich persisted, hoping to get a straight answer from her.
"I just don't feel like eating," Yumi snapped, then recoiled from Ulrich and looked down at her plate. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"Now that you mention it, I'm not that hungry either." Ulrich stood and dumped his plate in the trash, then left the mess hall.
"It's pretty quiet out there for now," Isabelle said, removing the ponytail holder that had captured her long, blonde hair. The newly released tresses tumbled down her shoulders, and she sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "I caught one of the younger girls trying to sneak out around 7, but nothing else since then." Darryl nodded in agreement and, true to his nature, said little.
"Did you guys stay together or split up?" Yumi asked.
"We stayed together at first, then split up later," Isabelle answered. Yawning, she made her way to the door. "Odd and Ulrich will relieve you two at 9:30. Good luck."
"Thanks," Yumi said as she, too, headed for the door. Theo and Darryl followed the girls, exchanging a good-natured nod as they parted ways.
"C'mon, Yumi." Theo turned and started walking to the first cluster of cabins. She obediently followed him, and Isabelle and Darryl left to return to their cabins and get some well-earned rest.
"We're finally alone now." Theo stopped and caught Yumi by the wrist as she walked past. "Let's finish what we started last night."
Before Yumi could protest, he has pulled her close. She trembled in his embrace, knowing it was futile to try to escape. A sob nearly escaped her lips as his mouth pressed down on hers.
"You go check the cabins, I'll look around the lake," Theo said as he released Yumi. Finally, Yumi's control shattered, and she turned away so he wouldn't see the tears that streaked her face. Mistaking her lethargic movements for reluctance to leave him, he called back to her as he set off. "Don't worry, I'll be back for more."
Yumi wrapped her arms around her stomach, as if to ward of unseen blows. Her shoulders were hunched, and her back shook with silent sobs. I can't go back…. I won't go back to him. I don't think I can stand another ten minutes him kissing me.. If I would have pulled away, he would have gotten mad and hurt another one of my friends. I don't know that he hurt Jeremy, but I'm pretty sure it was him. I don't know what to do…
"Yumi, is that you?" The door to cabin 7 creaked slightly as it was inched open. Yumi instantly identified the whisperer as Odd and stepped closer to the cabin as he eased his way out.
"Where's Theo?" he asked.
"Over by the lake." Yumi tried to wipe the tears from her face before Odd could notice, but the blond boy chose tonight to be observant.
"Something wrong, Yumi?" His hushed tones barely carried to her ears.
"It's nothing," she replied, the lie now coming naturally. In an attempt to distract him, she introduced a new conversation. "What are you doing up so late?"
"Just waiting for my turn to patrol with Ulrich. He's sleeping but I decided to stay up and listen to some new music Jeremy downloaded for me before we came. It's some good stuff, do you want to listen?"
"No, I should get back to checking the campgrounds. See you in a little while." Yumi walked around the edge of the forest.
Theo flopped down on the sand by the lake and stretched. Yumi'll check everything, I'll just wait here for her. The brown-haired boy laid on his back with his hands under his head. Had the night been clear, he would have been able to see a twinkling expanse of stars. Now that he was away from town, the peacefulness of the area started to settle in on him. His home life started to fade from his mind, and gentler thoughts reigned.
After twenty minutes of serenity, he became restless. As always, his hand ventured into his left pocket and touched his knife for reassurance. Tonight, he was alone and bored. Pulling the knife from his pocket, he admired how the occasional ray of moonlight played across the steel and ivory of the handle. In one swift, practice movement, he clicked the blade open, flipped it into the air, judged the correct time to catch the spinning blade, and recaptured the seemingly-living blade. Another flick of his wrist found it buried point first in the sand ten paces away, after it split a leaf cleanly down the center. Theo gave a small grunt of satisfaction as he stood up and went to retrieve the knife.
Once he polished the blade on his shirt until it fairly glowed, he closed it and laid back down on the sand. To pass time, he tossed the closed knife from hand to hand, putting a spin on it every now and then for variety.
"Theo?" Yumi had crept up on him while he was focused on the blade. He quickly tried to put it in his pocket, but unbeknownst to him, he had only gotten it partly in, and it had fallen out onto the sand. The movement of his body getting up partly obscured the knife, tiny grains of sand covering most of it.
AN: Ok, before any of you are going "AHH YUMI GOT RAPED!" Stop. She did not. That was the reaction when I ran this chapter by a few people. No one has been raped. I don't think anyone will be. Calm down. I will let you know if she did. For now, she has just been kissed and she does not like it. Now I'm going to get back to doing what I do best. Please leave a review before you leave, thanks!