The air was cool and crisp as Emiliana stepped off the bus and took in her surroundings.
The journey took up to 5 hours and thankfully, all of that was over. She set her luggage down and did a quick stretch, cracking her waist left and right.
She looked around and her eyes were pleased with the environment. She was surrounded by towering pines that rustled in the gentle breeze. The sound of a nearby creek trickled through the forest, and the smell of wood smoke hung in the air.
Emiliana wore a simple blue tank top, white shorts, and a pair of Jordan sneakers, ready for a summer of outdoor adventure. As she made her way toward the check-in desk, she felt a familiar presence. She turned her head and saw him.
Him? Wait, him?!
She looked at the figure approaching her with surprise all over her face.
Jace stood tall and confident, with a charming smile on his face. He wore a black fitted t-shirt that showed off his toned biceps, a pair of red athletic shorts, and a rugged backpack slung over his shoulder.
"Emiliana!" Jace called out, making his way over to her.
"Jace," Emiliana replied, her heart racing.
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, same reason as you are,” He said as he took out his hands to give her a handshake. He looked into her eyes still revealing his overly white set of perfectly arranged teeth. “Who would have thought?”
Emiliana made an effort to smile lightly as her hand met his. They exchanged a handshake.
“Oh if so, that’s cool” At least she thought “Uhm, I’m exhausted and I would like to rest for a while, we would talk later in the day. Pleased to meet you.”
Well, she wasn’t actually.
She turned and collected her pass from the receptionist at the desk and walked past him in the opposite direction as she didn’t wait for a reply from him.
Jace shrugged and went ahead to his cabin.
Emiliana got to hers. The cabin was a cozy log structure, with a small porch and a set of bunk beds inside. Emiliana dumped her bags on the lower bunk. The cabin smelled of fresh pine and was impressively clean.
Emiliana changed into her camp T-shirt and shorts that she had earlier collected at the receptionist’s alongside her pass. She was excited to explore the camp. As she made her way through the camp, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had often.
This was too early for this, she thought.
She noticed that Jace was everywhere, always in her line of sight. He was leading a group of campers on a nature walk, chatting with the camp director, and joking with other staff members.
Emiliana couldn't help but feel drawn to him. This was a guy she once had a thing with back then. She wondered if he still felt the same way. Well, even if he did, she didn’t think she was ready for that all over.
She decided to push her feelings aside and focus on enjoying her summer at camp. But little did she know that her feelings for Jace would be tested unplanned in ways she never imagined.
Emiliana spent the first few days at camp participating in different activities such as rock climbing, canoeing, and archery. She met new friends and enjoyed the fresh air and the beautiful scenery.
One day, she was walking back to her cabin after dinner when she saw Jace sitting on a log by the campfire. His face was illuminated by the orange glow of the flames. Emiliana hesitated for a moment but then decided to approach him.
"Hey," she said, taking a seat next to him.
"Hey," he replied, his voice deep and soothing.
They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the crackling of the fire. Then, Jace spoke up.
"I'm sorry for being so awkward when we first saw each other," he said, looking at her with sincerity in his eyes.
"It's okay," Emiliana replied, smiling softly.
“I think I should be the one apologizing for that instead.”
Jace turned his gaze back to the fire, and Emiliana noticed how the flames danced in his eyes. She couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction.
He hasn’t changed. He looked even better.
She pushed the thought away and focused on the conversation.
"How have you been?" Jace asked.
"I've been good," Emiliana replied, "just busy with school and stuff."
Jace nodded and the conversation trailed off. They sat in silence once again, enjoying each other's physical company. Emiliana noticed that Jace kept stealing glances at her, and she wondered if he felt the same attraction she did.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the forest. They both jumped, and Emiliana looked around nervously.
"What was that?" she asked, her heart racing.
Jace stood up and walked toward the edge of the clearing. He peered into the dense trees, trying to identify the source of the sound.
"I'm not sure," he said, turning back to Emiliana. "It could just be a branch falling, or maybe someone's chopping wood."
Emiliana nodded but was skeptical that it was just that. She remembered the strange feeling she had when she first arrived, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign of trouble to come.
As they stood there, a group of campers walked by, laughing and joking. Jace greeted them warmly, and Emiliana watched as he effortlessly slipped into his role as a counselor. She felt a pang of jealousy, wishing she could be as confident and carefree as he seemed.
"Hey, Emiliana, are you okay?" Jace asked, noticing the distant look on her face.
Emiliana snapped out of her thoughts and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired from the journey, I guess."
“I thought you had your rest”
“I guess a need more.” She said with a wry smile.
Jace nodded, and they said their goodbyes. Emiliana walked towards her cabin, her mind filled with thoughts of that day’s event.
As she entered her cabin, she was greeted by the sight of her bunk bed and the smell of freshly laundered sheets. She unpacked the remaining contents in her bag into the neat wooden huge cupboard that stood at a nice corner in the room.
She wanted to change into something more comfortable, so she searched through her clothing and found a nice flowery loose gown. She changed into it and lay down on her bed, feeling the weight of the day catching up with her.
But even as she closed her eyes and tried to relax, she couldn't shake off that feeling still and wasn't sure if she was ready for what the summer had in store for her.
She slept.
Emiliana woke up early the next morning, feeling restless. She had dreamt of Jace and this time, the dream was more vivid than ever. In the dream, they had been walking through the forest, hand in hand, with the sun setting behind them.She had felt happy, content, and safe with him. But then, as they reached a clearing, he suddenly pulled away from her and disappeared into the darkness.She woke startled. “What was that even about?” she thought to herself a bit angry.She shook her head, trying to clear the image from her mind. She couldn't let herself get distracted by her feelings for Jace. She was at camp to have fun, make friends, learn new skills, and put the past behind her.She took a nice cool shower and creamed her body with her nice set of body lotion, she takes good care of her skin and it’s no wonder she has such even completion smooth, glowing skin.She got dressed in a mini skirt and tank top with a pair of sandals and headed to the communal area where breakfast was bei
Emiliana and Jace set off on a nature walk, enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. The sun is shining down on them, casting a warm glow across their faces as they explore the woods together. They chat and laugh as they walk, their conversation flowing easily between them.As they walk deeper into the woods, Emiliana feels a sense of adventure that she hasn't felt in years. She's always been a bit of a daredevil, and being in the great outdoors always brings out the best in her. She jumps over fallen branches and climbs up steep hills, feeling alive and free.Jace seems to be having just as much fun as she is. He matches her energy and enthusiasm, and she can't help but notice how handsome he looks with his messy hair and the sweat on his brow.As they come to a clearing, they stumble upon a beautiful waterfall. The sound of the rushing water is peaceful and calming, and Emiliana feels her heart skip a beat as Jace turns to her."Isn't this amazing?" he says, his eyes fixed
"Who's there?" she calls out, her heart racing.There's no answer, but the figure moves towards her, and Emiliana realizes with a jolt that it's Jace. He's holding something in his hand, and as he approaches, she sees that it's a map."Look," he whispers, holding it up so she can see. "I found this in the woods. It looks like it leads to a secret spot."Emiliana looks at the map, feeling a thrill of excitement. They both know that they shouldn't be out here, but the temptation is too strong to resist.“Gosh! You scared the hell out of me”"But let's go anyways," she says, taking his hand.They set off into the woods, following the map. They climb over fallen logs and wade through streams, and finally, they reach a small clearing. In the center of the clearing, they find a large stone slab with strange markings on it. Emiliana's curiosity is piqued, and she starts examining the markings, trying to decipher them. Jace looks around the clearing, his eyes scanning the surroundings."Somet
The next morning, Emiliana woke up with a heavy heart. She tried to shake off the disturbing events of the previous night, but the memory lingers like a dark cloud hovering over the camp.Emiliana rubs her eyes and stretches her arms. She feels the soreness in her muscles from the long hike the day before. She takes a deep breath and looks around the cabin. The morning light filters in through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room.She took her bath and dressed up, then went to Jace’s cabin immediately.Jace is already up, sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand. He looks up and sees Emiliana coming toward him. "Good morning," he says, smiling weakly when she got to his doorstep. His door was widely opened.Emiliana nods, still lost in thought. She enters and sits down next to him and pours herself a cup of coffee. She takes a sip and sighs. "I can't believe what we saw last night," she says.Jace nods, his expression serious. "Yeah, it was pretty messed up."T
Emiliana and Jace step outside the cabin later in the day, still feeling uneasy from their conversation with the camp director the other time. The sun is setting, casting an orange and pink glow over the trees. Emiliana shivers, even though it's not particularly cold. Jace notices and takes off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders."Thanks," she says, pulling the jacket tighter around herself."No problem," Jace replies. "Do you want to take a walk or something? Maybe clear our heads?"Emiliana nods and the two of them start walking down the dirt path that leads deeper into the woods. They don't talk for a while, both lost in their thoughts. The birds are chirping, but otherwise, it's quiet. The only sound is their footsteps crunching on the gravel.Eventually, Jace speaks up. "That was weird, right? What she said about the camp?"Emiliana nods. "Definitely. And the fact that she didn't answer any of our questions. I don't like it."They walk a bit farther before coming to a clea
Emiliana and Jace walk back to their cabin, their minds racing with thoughts of what they had just heard. They didn't say a word to each other as they walked, both lost in their thoughts. When they finally reach their cabin, Emiliana collapses onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling."We have to be careful," she says, breaking the silence. "We don't know who we can trust."Jace nods, sitting down next to her. "I know. But we have to do something. We can't just ignore this."Emiliana sits up, determination in her eyes. "You're right. We have to find out what's going on. But we have to be smart about it."Jace nods, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?"Emiliana smiles back at him. "Yeah, we do."The two of them spend the rest of the night going over everything they know about the camp and the people who run it. They try to make sense of the information they have, but it's all so confusing. They know they need more information if they'
The next morning, they woke up early and reminisced over what happened last night, telling how they enjoyed each other.They made love that morning again but in the shower.After they had taken their bath and got dressed, they head to the lake.They sit down in the same spot as the night before, waiting for the journalist to arrive. Emiliana's heart is racing with anticipation, and she can feel her palms getting sweaty.Finally, the journalist emerges from the trees, her eyes scanning the area before she approaches them."I've been doing some digging," she says, sitting down next to them. "And I think I might have found something."Emiliana and Jace lean in, eager to hear what she has to say."I managed to get my hands on some documents," she continues. "They're from the camp director's office. And they're pretty damning."Emiliana feels a chill run down her spine. "What do they say?"The journalist takes a deep breath before continuing. "They're financial records. And they show that
Emiliana, Jace, and the journalist work tirelessly for days, compiling evidence and trying to find a way to expose the camp director's embezzlement scheme. They spend long hours going over financial records and talking to parents of campers, trying to piece together the full extent of the director's wrongdoing.One afternoon, Emiliana and Jace decide to take a break and go for a walk around the lake. The journalist stays behind to continue going over some records.As they walk, Emiliana feels a sense of calm wash over her. The lake is calm, and the trees rustle gently in the breeze. Jace takes her hand, and they walk in silence for a few moments, enjoying the peace.Finally, Jace breaks the silence. "Do you ever think about what life would be like if we hadn't come here?" he asks.Emiliana thinks for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I mean, I'm glad we're here now, and we're doing something important. But before we got here, I was just...existing. I wasn't living, you know?"