Show Them What it Means To Be Alive

seasons change with the break of a lifetime

A soft, irritated groan escaped Melanie Fisher’s lips as she shifted her legs around in the car seat for what seemed like the eighty-third time. Practically being born without the skill of patience, Melanie was never one for long car rides. Especially when she'd almost rather remain in the car than arrive at the destination in the first place.

She thought about complaining to her mom, but she knew her mother would have nothing of it. After all, as far as Melanie was concerned, it was all her fault. Her mother and father's decision to spend the entire summer in Europe was what led to Melanie inevitably spending hers in camp in the middle of nowhere. The brunette sighed, pulling her favorite sweatshirt over her head and curling up into one of the many positions she had previously been in. She'd given up on moping and decided to rest - if her cabin-mates were anything like the girls she went to school with, she was going to need it.

*

Melanie's attempt at rest proved fruitless as she was soon jolted awake to a shaking car, signaling they were passing over a dirt road; most likely close to her camp. She awkwardly climbed over the center console, and fell with a light ‘thud’ into the passenger seat. Her mom smirked, knowing all too well that Melanie had two left feet.

Melanie glanced out the passenger window, studying what she assumed to be her camp. From what she could see, there were two circle shaped lakes that joined at the center, pretty much forming one. One half was clearly used for swimming, as she noticed paddle boats, a dock, and a few abandoned blow-up pool toys floating around. The other half of the lake was surrounded by small wooden cabins: a set of five or so on one side, and the same mirrored onto the other, connected by a small bridge at the center of the lakes.

As the car continued to bump up and down, Melanie pulled down the mirror by the window. She pulled out her bun, lightly tousling her caramel colored hair, which due to the long car ride had reverted back to it’s natural loose curls.

Melanie smiled a bright grin at herself that hardly reached her blue-green eyes. She took notice of how even more freckles dusted her soft cheeks and nose than since when summer started a mere two weeks ago. Although Melanie was slightly annoyed by the fact she freckled rather than tanned, it was for the most part a feature she had grown to embrace.

Almost immediately after she pushed the mirror back up, the car came to a gradual stop.

“We’re here!” Melanie’s mom sang in a way it seems all mothers do
“Thank fuck,” she sighed, at this point not caring about anything. She revoked her thoughts from before - her hatred of car rides had now outweighed her lack of enthusiasm for the camp.

“Melanie Hazel Fischer! I will not tolerate that language from you!” The teenager was scolded for her slip-up. For the most part, Melanie had learned to keep her mouth shut around her parents.

“Good thing you wont have to, since you’re just leaving me here!” Melanie rolled her eyes as she climbed out of the sleek black car. She tripped slightly over her own feet at first, as the long car ride had made her forget what it felt like to stand up straight.

The check-in process was filled to the brim with faked smiles.
Without any exchange of words, Melanie’s mom took it as her cue to leave as they reached the small cabin.

Melanie glanced around, declaring it ‘decent’ for a camp cabin. She was sure she’d be getting sick of it by the second week, however. She saw three bunk beds in the front room, and two in the back, making there room for ten campers. From the level of noise coming from the tiny cabin, she assumed the first nine had already arrived.

Melanie sat on the one bed left, which luckily (considering her slight fear of heights) was a bottom bunk. She began to put her sheets and pillows down, making the thin mattress livable. Melanie had pretty much never made a bed before, and she was sure anyone who looked over in her direction could pick up on it. She lifted the corner of the mattress up in order to tuck the sheets under it, but ended up hitting her head on the bunk above her. She recoiled as she cursed silently to herself, rubbing the soon-to-be bruise on her forehead.

“Hey,” A brunette smiled as she poked her head down from the top bunk, obviously taking notice of Melanie’s trouble. “I’m Kara. We’re bunk-mates!”
“I’m Melanie,” She graciously returned the smile. “and I guess we are”

Since then, Melanie had given up on making her bed and instead climbed into the top bunk with her new friend. Kara had launched into a full-fledged story about the camp. Apparently she’d been going here since she was little, along with her boyfriend and his friends, who she went to school with back in Maryland. She told Melanie to remind her to introduce them later, which Melanie was sure she’d forget.

“…so it kind of sucks I can’t be in their cabin since they’re guys,” Kara continued, “But I mean, I guess it’s okay since I see them the whole school year, and mostly all day during camp. And plus, I have you to keep me occupied when we’re stuck in the cabin!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I your last choice?” Melanie fake gasped, eliciting giggles from the both of them. She wished life really was as carefree as they had made it seem.

The conversation carried on into the night, including talk about their hometown, friends, and everything else their mile-a-minute chatting could bring up. Eventually, Melanie was so tired she couldn’t sustain a conversation anymore. She climbed into her lower bunk as her eyes drifted closed, dreams filled with thoughts of what tomorrow would bring.