“All right, that looks done to me. Thanks for the help guys, we couldn’t have done it without you!” Louis exclaimed, looking up at the towering bonfire. The pyramid of wood stood twice as tall as the man, even standing a foot off the ground on the amphitheater stage.

“So who’s gonna get to light it?” Mark asked, throwing another handful of sticks into the base.

“Oh can I do it? Pleeeeease!” Will piped up, bounding around from the backside of the firepit, Fred and Steve echoing him as they piled up behind him.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s gonna be whoever Jay saw working the hardest.” Louis replied, a sly grin on his face.

“It’s definitely gonna be me then!” Zeke said, wiping the dirt from his palms.

“No way, I carried twice as much firewood as you did!” Kevin challenged. Zeke scoffed, but didn’t reply.

“What do you think, Brian?” Oliver asked.

“I’d say Jay’s probably gonna light it, right Louis?” Brian replied, grinning at the staff member. Louis chucked, shrugging back at him.

“Possibly. Might also be Chris or Mike. This one’s one for the history books, they might want their picture there in the archives instead of leaving it to someone who might trip headfirst into the bonfire in excitement.” Louis teased, pointedly staring at the younger boys in the group who exploded into excited chatter..

“No way!”

“I wouldn’t!”

“That’s not fair, we did the work!”

“We should ambush them and light it ourselves.” Brian's ears pricked up, and he stood from the stage platform, clapping his hands together.

“Right, none of that. We’re here to have a good time and follow the rules. There will be no ambushing the Camp Director while he’s lighting the bonfire we worked to put together in front of the whole camp.” He stated. Disappointed groans broke out around him

“Looks like you got this group well in line. In any case, that’s all I had for you for work. Go on and enjoy yourselves for the rest of the afternoon, and I’ll see you at the campfire tonight!” Louis waved as he picked up the remaining tools left in the amphitheater, whistling a jaunty tune as he exited beneath the lashed wooden gateway at the entrance.

“All right, so what do you all want to do for the rest of the afternoon?” Brian asked, the rest of the boys naturally circled around him.

“Steve and Will and I are going paddleboarding!” Fred said, the other boys nodding along.

“Did you bring your swim trunks with you?”

“Yep, towels too, we’re all set!” Steve replied as Will ran over to the pile of backpacks on the benches, grabbing three of them and tossing them to Fred and Steve as he returned.

“Anyone else want to go to the boathouse with them?” Brian asked, looking over the rest of the group. Each of the other boys looked at each other before Zeke spoke up.

“I’ve got to go to the rifle range. I’ve got a bet going with Luke in the other cabin about who can get the most bullseyes. He’s up by three right now, but he’ss planning on going to the Craft Shop this afternoon so I have a chance to overtake him.”

“Sounds like a plan, anyone else for the rifle range?” The other boys all raised their hands, and Brian grinned as they turned to grab their backpacks from the pile. “Rifle range it is then. We’ll drop off the paddleboarders first, and then head that way, sound good?”

“Brian, the boathouse is right around the corner, you don’t need to walk us there.” Will groused.

“Of course we don't need to, you’re old enough to go to the boathouse yourselves. But if the rest of us didn’t go that way, we wouldn’t get to check out the girls at the beach on the way, right?” Brian replied. “Mark’s been talking to that blonde from Ursa Minor, we wouldn’t want to have him miss that, now would we?”

“I’ll have her number by the end of the week, mark my words.” Mark replied solemnly, running a hand through his dark hair. The other boys hooted at him as Brian picked up his own backpack.

“All right, all right. Let’s get going before all the good spots are taken, yeah?”

Brian led the group out of the amphitheater towards the main field, the younger trio quickly racing ahead as they cleared the treeline as they beelined towards the boathouse. The other four clustered around him, chatting amiably and ribbing Mark over his crush, who was doing an admirable job at fending off their teasing with good-natured, straight laced confidence.

Brian breathed in the warm, mountain air, an easy smile on his face as the others followed in his wake. Despite only having a week each summer for the past three years at the camp, Brian could see why his uncle loved it so much. It was, no pun intended, a breath of fresh air from the suburbs surrounding Chicago. Brian was glad he had been able to convince a few of his friends from back home to come out to the camp with him this year, and from the way Mark and Oliver got along with the other boys in their cabin, he was sure they were enjoying their time away from the city as well. Mark’s steady confidence and Oliver’s enthusiasm had engaged them with the younger cabin-mates as quickly as he had hoped, and between the three of them, they were able to make the most out of their short week at the camp.

Mark peeled off from the group, leaning up against the fence bordering the beach as Zeke and Kevin wolf-whistled at him. He ignored them as the blonde from Ursa Minor, wearing a turquoise bikini got up from tanning and walked over to him, a smirk on her face.

“Well I’ll be damned, he might actually get that number after all.” Oliver muttered. Brian looked at him as he stared, dumbfounded as Mark and the blonde girl flirted.

“You should see if he could get her to introduce you to one of her friends.” Brian suggested. Oliver whipped around, wide-eyed.

“No way man! I’d just make a fool of myself.”

“You already do, Ollie. You know how good a wingman Mark is. Remember how easy he hooked George up with Tina? We all thought it couldn’t work, yet in came Mark, smooth as can be, and within minutes, they were all over each other.”

“I just wish I knew how he did it. Never seen two people so different get together like that.” Oliver replied, twisting a lock of his orange hair between two fingers.

“Just part of Mark’s charm, I guess. Now get over there, see if he can work some of his magic for you.” Brian shoved Oliver towards Mark and the blonde girl, who both looked over at the sudden movement. Oliver wavered, looking back at Brian. Brian winked and nodded, and after a second, Oliver straightened, turned and walked towards the fence. After a moment, Mark slung his arm around Oliver’s shoulders, and within moments the three of them were chatting away.

“You think that’s gonna work?” Zeke asked. Brian smirked.

“Just wait for it. Give Mark about two minutes.” Brian laughed Zeke fumbled for his watch, obviously trying to see if he could prove Brian wrong.

“No one’s that good, Brian. If he’s so good, why aren’t you over there with them?” Kevin asked.

“I’ve got my heart set on a girl back home. Besides, summer flings aren’t really my style.” Brian replied.

“Oh? What’s she like?” Kevin asked.

“She’s-”

“Woah! No way! Look!” Zeke interrupted. Looking back at the trio at the fence, Zeke and Kevin watched wide-eyed as the blonde turned, waving for one of her friends, a tanned brunette in a red bikini who sauntered over to join Mark and Oliver at the fence.

“See what I mean? Mark’s got a way with words. Bet you both 5 bucks they both end up with phone numbers by the end of this conversation.”

“You’re on!” Kevin replied.

“You think he could do it for us too?” Zeke asked.

“I wouldn’t push it. Mark doesn’t know you guys well enough to work his magic. Ollie and I’ve been friends with him for years, so he knows how to be a good wingman with us. You guys, he’d have to make it up, and it might not go so well. Last time he tried, the guy ended up with a black eye from the girl.” Zeke and Kevin winced, suddenly not so eager.

“You think he could, I don’t know, teach us what he does?” Kevin asked.

“You could ask, but I’m not sure even Mark really knows how he does it. Just comes naturally to him, I suppose.” Kevin sighed, looking a bit forlorn. “So Zeke, who’ve you got this big bet against again? You think you’re good enough to win?”

“Luke, from cabin 3. He says he’s practiced with his dad’s rifle, but from what I’ve seen, he must not practice much. The targets he’s shown me so far don’t have very good grouping. I just need to dial in my aim and get a good session in and I should have it in the bag.” Zeke replied.

“Sounds like a plan to me. What’s the bet on?”

“Whoever wins by the end of free time tomorrow gets the loser’s desserts for the rest of the week.”

“That’s just tomorrow night and friday.” Zeke replied.

“It’s an extra two desserts, and from what I’ve heard, the Friday night dessert is an ice cream sundae bar, so if i win, I get two.” Kevin said.

“Friday night is always ice cream sundaes. Good bet, Zeke. Luke won’t know what hit him.” Brian fist bumped the younger boy.

“Look!” Brian and Zeke looked up, as Mark and Oliver turned away from the fence, waving at the girls as they headed back onto the beach. Zeke and Kevin practically vibrated as the older boys drew closer.

“So? What’s the verdict?” Brian asked. Mark smirked, gesturing towards Oliver.

“Mark’s a genius.” Oliver breathed, even paler than normal, his freckles in stark contrast to the rest of his face. He held his hand up, revealing a small scrap of paper clutched in it, messy handwriting clearly visible. Zeke and Kevin’s jaws dropped.

“No way!”

“Get out!”

“Told you, Mark’s got the magic touch.” Brian said, high-fiving Oliver who barely put any force into it, his free hand getting knocked backwards. “So, who are the lucky ladies whose numbers you’ve managed to wrangle?” Brian asked, gently steering Oliver towards the path to the west, towards the rifle range.

“Victoria graciously introduced her friend Jessica to Oliver. Turns out they have a shared interest in photography, and it just so happens they both brought their cameras to camp. Jessica was interested in Ollie’s gear, and they’re going on the Lakeside Trail hike tomorrow to compare their cameras.” Mark replied. “Meanwhile, Victoria and I have a date with a sunfish tomorrow, the wind is supposed to be pretty good, so we’re going to take a trip around the lake.”

“Going to impress her with your sailing skills? Smooth move, getting her to yourself on a small sailboat in the middle of the lake.” Brian grinned.

“What can I say, it’s a gift.” Mark shrugged.

“You’ve got to tell me how you do it, man!” Kevin breathed, stars in his eyes as he looked up at Mark.

“Me first!” Zeke pounced, the two younger boys scrabbling over each other.

“You good, man?” Brian asked. Ollie moved as though in a daze, letting Brian guide him without any resistance. Oliver shook his head slightly.

“Just...Can you pinch me? I’m not sure this is real.” Oliver breathed. Brian laughed, clapping him on the back.

“It’s real, buddy. Come on, lighten up. You look like you’re about to keel over.”

“Don’t tempt me, I just might. What am I supposed to do? I’m gonna totally make a fool out of myself tomorrow without Mark there! You think I could convince him and Victoria to come with us on the hike instead?” Oliver pleaded, looking back at Mark as he fended off the two younger boys bouncing around him.

“Ollie, at some point you just gotta take a leap of faith. Relax, you’re going on the hike to do some photography. Compare cameras and shots with her. Don’t worry about trying to figure out if you want to marry her. That’s what the second date is for.” Brian joked. Oliver blushed.

“It’s not a date, we’re just-”

“Watch out!” Brian turned, just as someone collided with Kevin as the trio turned the corner where the path split towards Draco. Kevin and the girl who has shouted slammed into the dirt path.

“Oh crap! You okay?” Oliver asked, retracing some of his steps to reach the fallen duo. Both of them groaned, turning themselves over as they sat up.

“I think so, just a few scrapes.” Kevin replied, checking his knees and forearms. Brian stepped closer to the girl and held out a hand to her.

“You alright there?” He asked. The african-american girl looked up at him, an embarrassed frown on her face.

“Think so. Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” She took his hand, Brian helping her off the ground as she checked herself as well.

“Watch where you’re going, you could’ve hurt someone.” Zeke fumed, hovering close to Kevin. Brian shot him a warning look, but the girl rounded on him.

“Look, I said I was sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to run into anyone. It was an accident.” She replied, a biting edge in her voice as she ran her hands through her short, dark hair, getting the dirt out.

“You don’t sound very sorry to me-”

“That's enough out of you, Zeke. She apologized, and there’s no need for that kind of back talk.” Brian interrupted. “Sorry about him, he runs on little more than pure sugar and adrenaline, so he can stick his foot in his mouth sometimes.” A corner of the girl’s mouth turned up.

“I know how it is, my little brother’s the same way. Zoe.” She stated, holding out her hand again. Brian smiled, taking it.

“Brian. You, quite literally, ran into Kevin, and these two are Oliver and Mark.” Brian pointed each of them out.

“Nice to meet you. I’ll see you around I guess, I have to catch up with my cabin at the rifle range, they just finished asking about that stupid snake and now I’m late.”

“You’re going to the range? So are we. Zeke’s got a bet with another guy over who can get the most bullseyes this week.” Brian replied.

“Oh, that's cool. Dad wants me to get in some time on the 22’s they have here before letting me try out his 30-30 for deer season.”

“You hunt?” Oliver asked. Zoe looked back at him, a single eyebrow raised.

“Dad got me into it a few years ago. I’ve been bow hunting with him since junior high, but I want to try something new. Something wrong with that?” She challenged, a hard glint in her eye. Oliver raised his hands.

“No! Nothing wrong. I just haven’t heard of many girls who like hunting.” He replied. Zoe shrugged.

“You’re not from a local, then. Pretty much everyone in my class goes hunting with their family, boys and girls.”

“Hey, no offense meant. Just surprised is all. We’re from near Chicago, first time up in the mountains. Except Brian, he’s been coming here a few years.” Oliver replied. Zoe turned back to look at him.

“Haven’t seen you around before, and I’ve been coming the whole summer every year since Junior High. Locals get a discount.”

“Must just not have crossed paths. I only get to come for a week, so if we did meet, we probably just never connected.” He shrugged. “Shall we?” Brian gestured down the path.

“Oh! Right. Let’s go. Hopefully the other girls haven’t taken all the good spots.” Zoe replied. Zeke scoffed lightly from behind, and Zoe turned to look at him. “Got something to say?”

“Not to you.” Zeke muttered, looking away. Zoe stopped, facing him directly.

“You got something to say, spit it out.” She demanded, hands on her hips. Zeke looked angry, a red flush to his face that Brian was taken aback by.

“Girls and guns don’t mix. You should leave hunting to the men.” He stated, an angry shake in his voice that Brian had never heard before. Zoe crossed her arms, a sneer slashing across her face.

“Oh really? And who are you to tell me what I can and can’t do, boy?” She stressed, looking down at him.

“Everyone knows girls can’t shoot. Y’all shouldn’t even be allowed near the range.” Zeke blustered. “One of you is gonna get someone hurt, mishandling your gun or-”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Brian interrupted, finally shaking out of his shock. “Argument is over, you both need to-”

“Both? All I hear is this little brat spewing this misogynistic crap, and you’re telling me to shut it? Screw you too, asshole!” Zoe shouted, rounding on him.

“Now hold on, that wasn’t-”

“Yeah, go on and get back to the kitchen, where you belong!” Zeke shouted.

“Real original there, trailer trash. You learn that from daddy?”

“At least I know who my dad is, you dirty nig-”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP RIGHT NOW, ZEKE!” Brian roared, turning on the younger boy, silencing him. His hands shook as his blood pressure suddenly skyrocketed, a red haze overtaking his vision. His mouth twisted in an ugly snarl as he stepped closer to the younger boy. He barely noticed as everyone else took a step back. “Ezekiel, so help me god, you are going to apologize to Zoe right the fuck now, or else.”

The forest echoed much too loudly in Brian’s ears, the seconds stretching on as Zeke looked between him and Zoe, the wide-eyes look slowly disappearing and being replaced by a harsh, ugly grimace.

“Forget it. Racist little shitstains like him won’t apologize, even if their lives were on the line.” Zoe’s voice was low and cool, an undercurrent of ice. The fire in Brian’s head raged as he looked back at her.

“You shut it too, insulting him isn’t going to do any good.” Brian fumed. Zoe snorted, rolling her eyes.

“I’ve seen this play out way too many times already, he’s not going to budge, so why should I? I’m not the one who hates other people for being black, or female. Likely got that from his parents. Where you from, E-zeke-iel, Tennessee? You sure your parents aren’t cousins or something?” Zeke lunged, and Zoe laughed as Mark, Oliver and Brian all intercepted him, grabbing onto him. “Hit a nerve there, did I?”

“Zoe, just go!” Brian shouted, trying to keep Zeke from squirming out of his grasp.

“You’re right. I should go. You obviously have this situation under control, so I’ll leave you to it. Take some time to get his head on straight, before someone else does it for him.” Zoe mocked. Brian watched as she raised both hands and flipped them off before turning and running down the path as fast as she had first appeared. After a few moments, Brian let go, and Zeke stumbled as the resistance Brian was providing suddenly disappeared.

“Zeke, what the fuck was that?” Brian asked, his heart still pounding harshly in his chest. Zeke looked back at him, his eyes full of fire.

“You heard that bitch, she’s fucking crazy!”

“What I heard was you throwing a match into gasoline and getting burned for it. You’re a piece of work, you know?” Brian retorted.

“I’m a piece of work? You heard what she called me!”

“You deserved it with that garbage coming out of your mouth.”

“Yeah, well fuck you too. Shoulda known better from a city boy, you’re all hot air. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“Not when you’re being racist. You seriously gonna drop the n-word and think that’s okay? Jeezus.” Brian rubbed at his face, trying to ease the tension building behind his forehead.

“She started it-”

“And I’m finishing it!” Brian snapped, his temperature skyrocketing as his last nerve frayed. “You’re done, this argument is over. I don’t want to hear another fucking peep out of you, and by god, if I do, I’m hauling your ass right to the Director and asking him to boot you out of camp, because my god, I’ve never heard such a young fucking kid turn out to be such a little shit! She was right, and you need to learn right from wrong, or my god, someone’s going to come along one day, and you’re gonna piss off the wrong person with your backwards, 18th century bullshit.” Brian raged. He pulled Zeke close to him by the neck of his shirt, the blood boiling in his veins.

“Brian-”

“Not now, Mark, I’m just warming up. I’m-”

“Brian. Let him go.” A new voice broke through the red haze in Brian’s mind. Brian looked up, to where Oliver, Mark and Kevin had stepped aside on the path. An older man stood there, his grey hair tied back into a ponytail, a frown breaking through his salt-and-pepper goatee. Dark eyes behind thick glasses were hard as stone, and Brian felt his stomach drop.

“U-uncle Xavier.” Xavier stepped towards the two boys, and Brian instantly released Zeke’s collar. Xavier looked between the two of them for a long moment, the sounds of the forest around them seemingly fading away.

“I just spent my whole morning in my role as Operations Director trying to figure out how a rattlesnake ended up in one of our cabins, and was looking forward to something less stressful. And then I hear shouting and yelling from halfway across the north cabin sites, and what do I find? My nephew, looking like he’s ready to beat the tar out of a younger camper.” Xavier stated, his voice as dark as his eyes. Another moment of uncomfortable silence passed as Brian’s brain stuttered to a stop. Xavier sighed as he looked between the two.

“So, who’s going to explain to me what’s going on here?” He rumbled.

No one spoke as the wind rustled through the leaves. There were no words to say.