p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"Chapter One/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I work as a facilitator for Stonewall camp. Well, I will. This is my first year doing so. I must corral the kids into three groups: green, blue and red. Each group has different deadly "activities" to suit their age, or, rather, their size. Smaller children are easier to pick off, so they are put in a group separate from older, stronger kids. I've heard it's a fairly easy job-the kids are all clamoring to get in, so we don't have to deal with any nervous outliers. All this past year, I've helped develop cleverly gruesome traps with my coworkers, such as Archery Class (getting shot to death), Freestyle Swimming (being forced underwater to drown), and the tamer Lights-Out (releasing carbon monoxide at midnight). I have to say, I'm proud of my efforts. And don't knock my idea of fun-don't we all do weird stuff for entertainment?/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"A text wakes me up on my first day on the job. It's from my favorite coworker, Josh Jacey./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""hey squirt. exciting day huh :)"/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I roll my eyes. My name is Penelope, but Josh insists on calling me Squirt since I'm the youngest member on the team./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""yeh super exciting" I reply. My eyes drift to the brand new gray uniform hanging in my closet. I slip it on. It's much comfier than it looks, and the shiny chrome nametag gleams even though the lights in my bedroom are turned off. I adjust the brim of my plain gray cap and head into the kitchen. My mom is already awake and cooking breakfast./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Oh, you look great in that uniform," she gushes, wrapping me in a giant mom-hug. "I'm so proud of you! Only thirteen and already Stonewall's camp facilitator."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I wince. My mom doesn't know about "the secret", and, to be honest, I haven't felt inclined to tell her. She doesn't need to know anyway. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right? Besides, Stonewall's entire reputation depends on the secret being kept./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I eat carefully so as not to dirty my only uniform. I need to make a good impression if I intend to keep my job. I climb into the car as soon as I am /spanfinished. Don't want to be late! My mom starts the engine and we take off. The car ride seems to drag on forever. I can't wait to get to the camp entrance. When we finally arrive, I hop out of the car without even saying goodbye. No time to waste. I sprint past Josh. I'm not late yet, but I have no desire to be, so talking will have to wait. Ten, fifteen, almost thirty minutes pass before kids start filing in. About fifty children crowd around me, all pushing to get inside first./p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Settle down," I say. Gentle, but when that doesn't work, commanding. "Settle down."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"The kids follow me into a room covered in Stonewall Camp: The Movie posters. There are three bins on the far side of the room holding green, blue and red beanies, respectively./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Younger kids first," I shout above the clamor. "Come getcher green hats."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"In all the excitement, the bins get knocked over. Colorful beanies litter the floor./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""All right, fine. You're all here anyway. Grab your hats and make it snappy." I grunt, trying to hide my irritation. "Everybody got a beanie? Yes? Good. Greens this way, Blues that way, Reds over here. Go, go, go! Go have fun!"/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"Well, I'll be having fun, at least. Enjoying the rest of my summer-not to mention my life. Suddenly I feel a hand on my arm. A green-beanied camper gazes up at me./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Aren't you coming?" he asks. "You can come. Just put on a red hat and come on."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"His big, ignorant eyes meet mine. He can't be older than six./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""I'm Leilan. Maybe if you come, we can be friends."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I shake my head. "No, that's okay. I have a job to do."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I don't have the heart to tell him what he'll encounter in a matter of hours, that it won't be fun. So I lie./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""I'm sure you'll have fun. Now, scoot."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"Whatever. I don't even know the kid, so what difference does it make? I nudge him through the green door and prepare for the next wave of campers./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I work as a facilitator for Stonewall camp. Well, I will. This is my first year doing so. I must corral the kids into three groups: green, blue and red. Each group has different deadly "activities" to suit their age, or, rather, their size. Smaller children are easier to pick off, so they are put in a group separate from older, stronger kids. I've heard it's a fairly easy job-the kids are all clamoring to get in, so we don't have to deal with any nervous outliers. All this past year, I've helped develop cleverly gruesome traps with my coworkers, such as Archery Class (getting shot to death), Freestyle Swimming (being forced underwater to drown), and the tamer Lights-Out (releasing carbon monoxide at midnight). I have to say, I'm proud of my efforts. And don't knock my idea of fun-don't we all do weird stuff for entertainment?/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"A text wakes me up on my first day on the job. It's from my favorite coworker, Josh Jacey./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""hey squirt. exciting day huh :)"/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I roll my eyes. My name is Penelope, but Josh insists on calling me Squirt since I'm the youngest member on the team./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""yeh super exciting" I reply. My eyes drift to the brand new gray uniform hanging in my closet. I slip it on. It's much comfier than it looks, and the shiny chrome nametag gleams even though the lights in my bedroom are turned off. I adjust the brim of my plain gray cap and head into the kitchen. My mom is already awake and cooking breakfast./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Oh, you look great in that uniform," she gushes, wrapping me in a giant mom-hug. "I'm so proud of you! Only thirteen and already Stonewall's camp facilitator."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I wince. My mom doesn't know about "the secret", and, to be honest, I haven't felt inclined to tell her. She doesn't need to know anyway. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, right? Besides, Stonewall's entire reputation depends on the secret being kept./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;" /p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I eat carefully so as not to dirty my only uniform. I need to make a good impression if I intend to keep my job. I climb into the car as soon as I am /spanfinished. Don't want to be late! My mom starts the engine and we take off. The car ride seems to drag on forever. I can't wait to get to the camp entrance. When we finally arrive, I hop out of the car without even saying goodbye. No time to waste. I sprint past Josh. I'm not late yet, but I have no desire to be, so talking will have to wait. Ten, fifteen, almost thirty minutes pass before kids start filing in. About fifty children crowd around me, all pushing to get inside first./p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Settle down," I say. Gentle, but when that doesn't work, commanding. "Settle down."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"The kids follow me into a room covered in Stonewall Camp: The Movie posters. There are three bins on the far side of the room holding green, blue and red beanies, respectively./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Younger kids first," I shout above the clamor. "Come getcher green hats."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"In all the excitement, the bins get knocked over. Colorful beanies litter the floor./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""All right, fine. You're all here anyway. Grab your hats and make it snappy." I grunt, trying to hide my irritation. "Everybody got a beanie? Yes? Good. Greens this way, Blues that way, Reds over here. Go, go, go! Go have fun!"/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"Well, I'll be having fun, at least. Enjoying the rest of my summer-not to mention my life. Suddenly I feel a hand on my arm. A green-beanied camper gazes up at me./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""Aren't you coming?" he asks. "You can come. Just put on a red hat and come on."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"His big, ignorant eyes meet mine. He can't be older than six./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""I'm Leilan. Maybe if you come, we can be friends."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I shake my head. "No, that's okay. I have a job to do."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"I don't have the heart to tell him what he'll encounter in a matter of hours, that it won't be fun. So I lie./span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none""I'm sure you'll have fun. Now, scoot."/span/p
p class="_04xlpA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body" style="font-family: 'YADmhDODAgY 0', _fb_, auto; -font-size: 40.9603px; -line-height: 1.4; line-height: 57px;"span class="WdYUQQ text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"Whatever. I don't even know the kid, so what difference does it make? I nudge him through the green door and prepare for the next wave of campers./span/p