Survival Camp

April 23, 2012
Monday
Early Evening

About twenty minutes ago the sun dropped behind a mountain ridge in the far away distance. Luckily, about ten minutes before the sun set, CC managed to get a small flame going with the use of Skip's sunglasses. He passed the flame to me and I used it to make a pretty good fire get going.

Now I was stoking the fire, using a long, skinny and smooth stick to poke around the rest of the burning wood.

Everyone had finished building their tents and we were all sitting around the campfire. It seemed like we were all getting along, but I could also tell everyone was eyeing each other up and down; sizing everyone up.

"So..." CC started, breaking the tension that had been building, "How do you know how to build a tent and a campfire so well?" he asked as he looked over at me. I noticed the others look up at me as well. I realized CC's question seemed to be on everyone's mind.

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's no biggie. I'd always go camping with my parents every summer when I was younger. My Father made sure to teach me how to do most things when it comes to camping...Except fishing, I don't do that." I replied as I slightly shivered, but not noticeable enough for someone to question it.

"That's cool." Andy said as he smiled a beautiful smile.

I sighed as I leaned back on my hands, "Yeah, it was. But I haven't been camping in five years and I really miss it."

Warner let out a rude chuckle before he asked, "What, your parents get tired of having to deal with you when you went camping so they stopped taking you?"

I shook my head, "No, my parents were killed in a drive-by five years ago... It just didn't feel right to go without them."

"Oh shit, I'm sorry." Warner apologized as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I shrugged again, "It's okay, you didn't know. It's not exactly something I introduce myself with."

I received a few chuckles about what I said which caused me to smile a bit even if what we were talking about was grim.

"So if your parents are gone who's your guardian?" June questioned.

"That would be my Uncle... My lame ass Uncle." I replied.

"Why's he a lame ass?" Tiffany questioned as she quirked an eyebrow up.

"Uhh there's too many reasons to count. But some that come to mind are he treats me more like a roommate than his niece, he makes me come up with half the rent every month, he makes me cater to his beer-loving friends whenever they come over, and clean up after him all the time." I listed.

"Sounds like Cinderella problems if you ask me." June said as she rolled her eyes.

"Does not." Tiffany interrupted, "How exactly do you come up with half the rent?"

"Uhm, a Girl Scout Cookie scam?" I replied.

"A Girl Scout Cookie scam?" Andy questioned.

I nodded.

"How does that work?" he asked again.

"The very simple way of going door-to-door, getting the money up front, and never delivering the goods." I answered.

Tiffany smiled, "Been there, done that. It brings in a lot of money."

"So you're a thief." June said, thinking she had pegged me and destroyed my innocence.

I shook my head, "No, I've done what I have to do so I don't get kicked to the curb. There's a difference."

"No there isn't." June said.

"Yes there is." Tiffany argued.

"Fine, then explain the difference to me." June said as she crossed her arms. Before Tiffany or I could reply, June rudely prompted, "I'm waiting..."

Tiffany heaved a sigh and said, "Tara needed the money for rent. I took people's money because it was fun."

Andy smiled, "See? Difference."

June shrugged her shoulders and muttered, "Whatever." before she focused on her manicured nails.

Everyone around the fire was quiet after that. But we stayed quiet for so long it started to get awkward. I, for one, couldn't stand awkward silences so I started up a new conversation.

"So...what are we supposed to be doing in this correctional program?" I asked.

Everyone remained quiet.

"Has anyone here attended this program before?" I asked again.

Everybody shook their heads at me.

"I've been in Scared Straight programs before but this is just weird." Warner admitted.

"This could be some kind of boot camp." Ashley suggested.

Tiffany shrugged her head, "Trust me, this isn't any boot camp."

"Well what about military scho-" Ashley started to suggest, but Warner interrupted him.

"Don't even finish that sentence. I've been to a military school as well. This isn't one of them. There's no school here." Warner said.

June glanced over at Warner, "How many correctional programs have you been in?" she asked.

Warner wracked his brain for a moment before he replied, "It'd be quicker to tell you the ones I haven't been in."

"Are we supposed to believe this is an unconventional program?" I questioned.

"I guess so." Andy said slowly.

"Why do you ask that?" CC asked back.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Unconventional programs usually mean unconventional forms of punishment."

"What kind of punishments?" Andy asked.

"I don't know. Like the kind of things you see in the news or as some rumor that just doesn't sound true." I said.

Skip groaned, "Well this little adventure has been fun and all, but I'm ready to go home." he said, totally left fielding our conversation.

Jake raised an eyebrow, "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Skip smiled, "I say we steal the bus keys away from that pair of drunks."

Andy shrugged his shoulders, "I'll try anything once."

The others around the fire all agreed too and we began to form a plan.