02 Be Careful Where You Hide Your Diary

The first day of camp went fine. Our tour with the surly Fairy Authority, who I learned was the only non-upbeat fairy of the bunch when the other groups started asking about it, lasted until just after my normal lunch time. I learned that I was the tallest of our little group in an embarrassing moment when the tour guide landed on my head. She protested that I was “the highest one up!” when I asked her to get off. That led to each of the boys, and then Diane, standing beside me to see where they ranked.

Adam, despite his gym-going, turned out to be a centimetre shorter than Quince. The difference between James and myself was shorter than that, and Diane was proclaimed to be a perfect average by the little Authority. Somehow, it was the least awkward interaction we had that day.

I was already feeling drained when we made it back to the cafeteria to find one of the walls had opened to reveal a connection to the kitchen. A serve-yourself buffet had been placed in between, and I ate more than usual. Then came the actual camping activities that we had come for.

Our camping organisers had thought up numerous ways to torture the not-so-athletic among us, and it kept me busy if nothing else. The schedule was organised to accommodate paired rotations, and that was where the whole D1, D2 thing came in. Each activity had been partnered with another, and we would swap after ninety minutes or so. The hikers on the hiking trail would swap with an obstacle course, and vice versa. That’s what I found myself doing on the first day. They were also joining the Ds with the Is, then mixing that up with each block.

With the way things worked out, our partnered groups would often linger at the starting areas while we finished up. I found Stephanie waving at me like we knew each other, and checked to see if anyone was behind me before waving back.

All in all, the schedule seemed random, but was easy to keep track of when it was all written down. Which it was. It was in the papers Ms Coolomn had handed everyone, but the others didn’t seem to think so. I found everyone expecting me to know where we were supposed to be going and with who when I woke up on the second day, which was fine.

I just wished it was more fun than it was.

The period we spent kayaking really highlighted that.

It was spring, but the water was still cold. On our tour, the fairy guiding us had told us the river flowed from the north, where things were colder, and told us to stick our hands in to feel the lack of heat. The guidebooks they gave us weeks before agreed with that, yet somehow I was the only person who showed up in a wetsuit.

I found it was difficult maintaining confidence as I walked up late to the waiting group wearing a red and blue wetsuit. Diane was wearing a white one piece of all things, which I supposed was the most reasonable thing I could expect a popular girl to wear. The cut of the piece meant she had no cleavage, but with the size of her assets there was just no hiding them. At least it wasn’t as obnoxious as the other girls we’d been grouped with, who were wearing bikinis.

She was standing half apart from the three boys when I approached, possibly to give me a spot to easily join in. Tony and Quince were wearing board shorts with rash shirts, and so didn’t look that different from normal, just waterproofed on top of being clothed. Understandable for Quince, but I had expected Tony to take the opportunity to show himself off like James was.

That latter of the three boys was clearly soaking in admiration from the hushed whispers of the girls from the other group. He was also “trying” to play it down, eagerly and boisterously talking and making jokes with the two other boys while a wide grin was spread across his face.

“Ah, there you are straggler,” a voice called out, intercepting me before I could actually join up with my group. It was the kayaking instructor, one of the employees that had residence at the camp, who I might have thought lived here permanently if I was ten years younger. He was also the only other one here dressed in a wetsuit, though his was short sleeved. “I apologise, but I asked everyone to pair up before your teammate told me you were missing.”

“Ah,” I said as intelligently as I could. That had me left out again, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “That’s probably fine. I’ve done kayaking before.”

Who spoke up for me? The question lingered in my mind, but I kept it there.

An amused smile briefly touched the camp instructor’s face. “I can tell.” He turned and clapped his hands, getting everyone else’s attention. Or at least making the two girls at the back quiet their whispering. “All right! In your pairs, we’re going to retrieve the kayaks from the shed and line them up on the bank there. One kayak between two people, then go back for a second one since we have enough for everyone here. They are wet, the last group just got done putting them back twenty minutes ago.”

The host of students watched the teacher as he put his hands on his hips, and the moment stretched out.

“What are you waiting for? Go!” That was enough to get everyone moving.

I lingered behind the group, unwilling to go into the shed where the kayaks were when the press of people was also in there. Diane came up beside me when the boys went ahead of us.

“James has decided to pair with me,” she told me. With that level of direct eye contact, she was definitely angling for something, but I couldn’t figure out what.

“That’s good,” I settled on saying, quickly following it up with, “that way he can do all the heavy lifting for you.”

Not that kayaks are particularly heavy. But I decided not to say that. Sometimes the best way to keep your foot out of your mouth was to just keep it shut.

Diane looked up, consideration clear in her expression. “That’s true. The pairs are mostly for labour in this activity.”

“And if he gets too close in the water, you can just shove his kayak away with the paddle,” I said.

Diane nodded in agreement, humming ponderously. “That will do, then.” And she walked forward towards James and said something to him. Whatever it was had him grinning and flexing his arm like a comical body builder. They were among the first to figure out how to carry the kayaks using the handles attached to the fronts and ends of the things.

As for me, I just carried mine to the water on my own. They weren’t that heavy.

The class went as most introductory lessons do. Once all the kayaks were lined up we were made to sit in them and practise how to use the paddle before finally putting the kayaks in the water and paddling around. It took some time for everyone to get launched, and I was among the first.

My mother and father had each, independently, taken me kayaking a few times over the past years, and that gave me the skill to paddle circles around the newbies. I even got into it and made a few unhelpful remarks to the effect of, “Just paddle correctly.” Then I laughed at their played up frustration before relenting and actually being helpful. I was going to give Diane that treatment, but I think she saw me give Quince advice and was actually good enough that I couldn’t justify it.

She also got the hang of pushing other kayaks away, I noticed. When she did it to James, he seemed to make a game of getting close enough to do the same back before Diane pushed him away again. He didn't manage a victory before the instructor moved the lesson along.

First we went downstream, to where there was a weir. The riverbed rose enough that our kayaks would get beached before going over it, and our sister group were loitering there. That meant Stephanie was there too, and she waved again with that self satisfied smile on her face.

This time Diane actually was behind me, but I still waved back. Just in case, I kept the return wave small and easy to miss. Nobody else noticed, I was pretty sure, but Stephanie seemed satisfied.

After that came rowing back up the river to have the class related discussions about water safety and so on. Our instructor also waved at the other half of D group, but declared they would be a distraction. To promote engagement, he made it a race, which was resoundingly successful.

Just not with me. The racing spirit apparently decided not to visit me as I watched all the other kayaks splash their way back up the sluggishly moving river. I wasn’t really sure why the melancholy hit me so hard then, it just did, and I leaned back in the kayak to look up at the split canopy above me.

After thinking about it, I had an answer. Or a best guess.

It went back to Alison, who I was doing my best to not think sour thoughts about. She was the only person I could really call a friend. I was no social animal, despite my joking and fun earlier. Showing off. Making jests with what were essentially strangers, even though I could name each of them. It didn’t come easy to me. It didn’t scratch my itch.

That was the wrong metaphor, actually. It didn’t feed me like it fed all the others. The connection just wasn’t there. What was just water to me was a sugar stuffed, heavily carbonated energy drink to them.

“I’m not enjoying this,” I admitted quietly to myself.

“Yo, Donna!” A loud call from James roused me from my thoughts, and I quickly wiped away the water that had been splashed on my face. “You think that’s enough of a handicap!? ‘Cause I’m not sure if I can respect that flex!”

Reminded that this was a race, I began rowing. Not like I was racing, because I obviously wouldn’t win. The fact that I arrived at the end point before James did make me crack a small smile though

__________

Like everyone else, I spent a lot of time looking forward to the short breaks around lunch and dinner so I could spend some time in the communications circle. The only problem there was how the magic circle in question was only so large. When I finally got changed from the kayaking session we’d been doing, I arrived late to find it entirely crowded. There were three tables and two benches in the thing, and only one of the tables had space.

It was also the table where Stephanie was sitting, so I let Diane go ahead and fill the empty spot there. The situation was much the same later in the day around dinner time, and it was frustrating because it was so predictable.

They were all teenagers. Of course they were going to hog the data spots, that’s what I wanted to do as well. And of course the boys would lie down on the benches, taking up far more space than they needed. They were curled up on their sides with towels wrapped around them, still not changed from the water activities they were just done with. It irked me that multiple of them had apparently had their friends go and get their phones for them, rather than just having a shower and getting changed.

I ended up going back to the dorm room before everyone else, well before curfew. Of all the things I could’ve been doing, I found myself writing in my diary. It was slow going, and I switched to my fake when I heard other people start coming back to the dorms. The stuff I wanted to write could start some drama starring me if anybody found it, so I was restraining myself from putting those thoughts to paper. I found myself blinking away tears then. But the tears didn’t spill, so that was fine.

“Oh, that’s a nice ruse.”

A voice made me snap my head up. I didn’t find anyone until I looked at the bunk above mine and found one of the tiny Authorities.

I shoved my clothes over the cover of my real diary. “What are you doing in here?” I asked after a moment passed.

“What am I doi- The bed’s free!” Fairy Authority exclaimed and smacked the metal railing of the top bunk with her stubby fairy arm.

“That’s…” It was true. The other two girls that weren’t Stephanie or Diane had taken the bunks above the two girls. They’d been talking about modelling contracts when I fell asleep last night. “Aren’t you too old to be bunking with teenagers?”

“Feh. I was born yesterday, I’ll have you know. If anything it’s you who’s too old to bunk with me.”

But we had been here first… “Right,” I said instead of buying into whatever her game was.

“So what are you doing with that bait and switch, huh?” the fairy asked. She was the surly one because of course she was. “What is it you hope to achieve?”

“Um…” I checked the door and found no one there. “I guess it’s insurance.”

“Insurance how?”

“Misdirection then. If… somebody starts trying to make rumours about me from my diary, I’ll just reveal the fact that I have a real and a fake one.”

“And how will that help you?” Fairy Authority asked. She hopped up to sit on the railing of the bunk.

“If the rumour is bad, then people will think it’s from the fake diary. Maybe not everyone, but enough to cast doubt.”

“What if the rumour is flattering?”

I blinked. “Then… that’s fine? So long as it’s not giving me credit that somebody else should have or anything like that, I don’t really see a problem with it.”

“That’s not very humble,” Fairy Authority said after a moment.

“I’ve seen where humble takes you, and I’d rather not go that way,” I said. I moved back onto my bed and leaned against the wall before cracking open the fake diary. “And besides, I enjoy making stuff up for the fake. It’s relaxing.”

Fairy Authority zipped down from her perch and landed next to me. “Permission to sit on your shoulder?”

I gave her a look of surprise, then shrugged. The issue I took with the last time she landed on me was that the little fairy hadn’t asked. She took that as acceptance and alighted herself on my shoulder while I did my best not to hunch them. The fairy was far lighter than I expected, but then again, she technically wasn’t even real. Just a simulacrum. Her stubby legs were kind of ticklish.

“So what’s this really about?” I asked as I started to write fake thoughts about the events of today. I started by describing how Diane totally responded to me saying hello at breakfast, and playing up the enthusiasm with which she had responded. The only consideration was whether or not to put in the mention of a smile. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen her make one.

“Who says this really needs to be about anything?” Fairy Authority responded with her surly tone. She had done something with her volume to make her voice not be grating from being so close to my ear. Magic, I was willing to bet.

“Me,” I said. “I’m going to write in here how Quince was a respectable gentleman to me today and how I might be nursing a crush on him without outright saying it. Tony’s going to have a mention of his abs, even though he wore a rash shirt for the water parts of today, and I’m going to recount some of James’ jokes and say they’re funny.” I gave the fairy some side eye. “This is my fake diary.”

“What fake thoughts are you going to be thinking about Diane?” Fairy Authority asked with a grin on her tiny face.

I pointed at the sentence gushing about the way Diane said “Hey Donna.”

“That feels a bit much, but I will concede the point.” Fairy Authority dropped to sit cross legged on my shoulder where she crossed her arms. “There’s always at least one like you.”

“Loners?” I asked, deciding to just move on and not mention a smile.

“If that’s the word you want to use, yes. But it’s different. Case by case.”

“So on the sliding scale of loners, I'm far enough along that you feel obligated to do something?”

“More that there are always things from outside the camp that’s really none of my business weighing on the minds of people like you. People who aren’t having a conversation that they really should have,” Fairy Authority said. “I learned you’re friends with Alison, and I haven’t met an Alison.”

I stopped writing. “She’s having fun,” I defended.

“Mm,” Fairy Authority admitted. “But you’re not.”

I considered mentioning being one of the standout kayakers, but changed my mind. Too many words needed to put context to that one. “I was having some fun with my diary before you interrupted,” I said instead. The prop was right there, after all.

“You know, I’m supposed to be supporting and stuff so that everybody has a good time and there aren’t any meltdowns. I’m starting to think it would be pretty awesome if someone pushed you past breaking point and got a real dressing down from you.”

I turned to look at the fairy who was pushing her tiny glasses up her face nonchalantly. “Is there a defect in the spell that made you? All the others are all…”

“Sunshine and smiles?” Fairy Authority finished for me. “Yeah, they are. And no, there’s no defect. I’m the part of Authority that’s tired of having to do this work, so I’m acting out. You wouldn’t believe how much acting I had to do to convince the others I was good for this one to one we’re having. Even one vote against me and my working privileges would be revoked, and that would be boring. Just think of all the drama I can stir up!”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t expose my diary.”

“We can pinky promise, then.”

I let out an uncharacteristic giggle. She said it so seriously, like that would be enough.

“What? Pinky promises with magical girls are binding,” Fairy Authority said. “I’m serious.”

“Sure you are,” I agreed, doing my best to hide the sarcasm. There was no way that was true.

“Then how about this?” She stuck out her stubby arm. “I hereby pinky promise not to expose your secret fake diary, which I think is funny, and will make me giggle a few times in the future when I think back on it.”

“Don’t talk about my real one either,” I added.

“Done.” Fairy Authority shook the point of her arm at me. There was no hand or fingers there. “Now are we gonna pinky promise or what?”

I put my pen down, but hesitated.

This was ridiculous, and I was saying that while being stuck in a massive dome that repelled invisible radio waves and a magical construct was sitting on my shoulder waving its pointed arms at me. It was just… There was a whole extra level between that and an unseen force that followed people around to make sure they stuck to their agreements. I knew first hand how shrewd people could be about finding loopholes.

“I might start calling up the real Authority about this and get blabbing if you don’t shake my pinky,” Fairy Authority said, shaking me from my thoughts. “Come on, what’s the harm?”

I rolled my eyes and decided to at least humour her. I placed my pinky near the simulacrum, and the width of my finger was about half the length of her arm. She slapped my fingertip with her tiny fairy arm and moved it up and down. It kind of felt like when my cat was playfully batting at my hand, and then a tiny trio of pink magical circles spun into and out of existence above where we were touching, arranged like a heart.

“There ya go,” Surly Fairy Authority told me. “Now I can’t rat you out if I change my mind. You’d have to let me, meaning I would have to get down on my hands and knees. Real Authority would have to as well if she got any ideas.”

“Huh.” I didn’t feel anything different or strange making that agreement. Or that pinky promise, I supposed. “What happens if you tried to-”

I stopped talking when the door was slammed open and three girls came through. Two of them, Diane and Stephanie, actually slept in this room. The third was a hanger-on that normally spent lunchtimes with that group when school was in.

“There’s something in the water, right?” Stephanie was asking as she brushed past my bed. “There has to be. I’m still itching all over my tits.” She looked bedraggled, and the first thing she went for was a comb.

“Maybe,” Diane allowed as she moved to her corner of the room. “I wouldn’t know since I didn’t fall face first into the river when I was successfully catching crickets.”

“You said you had my spare concealer?” the other girl asked, clearly just here for the makeup Stephanie had brought in place of actual entertainment.

I looked back to my shoulder to find it empty. Even the sensation of having a tiny fairy simulacrum sitting there was gone, probably having considered her mission a success since she made me laugh at least once. I shrugged off the strange feeling at the sudden departure and allowed myself a tiny smile at the thought of Stephanie slipping and falling into the shallow part of the river. I’d heard about it happening, but hadn’t believed it until now. Genuine sympathy for her would go well in my fake diary, I thought. I almost got that far before I realised somebody was standing in front of me.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

It was Diane. She waited for me to look up at her eyes before starting to talk. “You should know that the vote changed. Day five is going to be shooting and archery.”

My eyebrows fell. She was talking about the block where groups could choose what they wanted to do, since there were more time slots for activities than there were activities to do at this place. Previously, group D2 had wanted to do the obstacle course in the forest again, and I’d voted for that as part of three to two with the two votes going to the shooting range. James and Tony had been with me, so one of them must have flipped.

“Alright,” I said. “And that’s definite?”

“Why is it a big deal?” Diane asked, already half turned back to where Stephanie and the other girl were chatting.

I closed my fake diary and scooched off the bed, then opened my luggage and started rummaging through until I found the application paper we were supposed to hand in tomorrow morning. My hands were full, and I predicted a need for a replacement, so I stuffed my diary away before standing up and handing Diane the completed application paper.

“You can tear that up,” I told her after she took it. “It’s useless now. Who changed their mind, by the way?”

“James,” Diane responded, looking at the paper with uncertainty. “I didn’t realise how much this worksheet needed.”

“It’s an application, not a worksheet,” I told her as I walked backwards towards the door. “We could just spend that time slot with free time, messing around in the gym or something. But if the boys want shooting, we’re going shooting.”

I closed the door before Diane could ask another question that I’d need to answer. When the door didn’t open to reveal an ice queen trying to follow me, I let out a deep sigh. And I had thought we were closer after actually exchanging words earlier. But I didn’t let that bog me down, there was an application I needed to fill out, and only so much time to do it in.

“And that’s fine,” I said to myself

When I got back to the dorm I found our room had emptied again. My fake diary was gone too. Nobody owned up to taking it by the time the lights went out.

Sleep didn’t come easy. I ended up finally shutting my eyes well after the other girls had all dropped off.

__________

Day three of Camp Elysium Lux saw us playing hockey of all things in the morning, then doing shooting and archery in the afternoon. I learned why Diane had initially voted in favour of this activity for our free slot when she scored multiple bullseyes immediately after picking up the BB gun. She gave me a strained smile when I told her she made it look easy.

The shooting range had this metal helmet set up as the farthest target, and it made a tinking sound whenever someone landed a hit, which was what counted for a bullseye. I think I only managed to make it tink five times in total. A lot of the rest of the time was spent standing around as Tony and James swapped the model gun between them while Quince tried to get a word in edgewise. Typically the boys would all have a go before reverently passing it to Diane. Then Diane would give it to me and everyone else would remember I was there.

It wasn’t anything I wasn’t used to. Especially after two days of already dealing with it. At least for archery I got a target all to myself over on the side. I even started hitting the target circle after the instructor for it got around to giving me basic instruction.

Then came the mid camp bonfire.

“Where are you going, Donna?”

The question was from Diane, and came as a surprise for me. She had asked when I was leaving the cafeteria, and I didn’t realise that I’d been walking as part of a group until then. Quince and Tony had already finished their dinner, having clicked the most out of the little group called D2, even though I’d thought that Tony would prioritise indulging in his camaraderie with James. We had all been tasked with finding a stick for marshmallows in between food and the fire, so they’d inhaled their dinners and all but ran out the door side by side.

They made quite the pair. I was happy they were enjoying themselves so much, and their banter about things I didn’t understand was a decent distraction.

As for me, I had come to the realisation that with so many people still eating and the rest out looking for sticks, this would be a good time to use the data area. I really wanted to call Alison.

“The outdoor lounge,” I responded honestly after getting over my surprise.

Diane lifted her chin a little, but kept looking at me. “There aren’t any sticks on a concrete courtyard.”

I blinked, not getting it. “I’m… I’m not looking for sticks.” I pulled my phone out from my pocket and raised it up. “There’s a call I want to make.”

Please just accept what I’m saying and leave me alone. I’ve been waiting days for this.

“Why don’t we head over to the campsite then?” James asked. Diane and I both jumped a little when he spoke up. Apparently this was a conversation for three. “What? Donna’s got things to do. She’s just trying to get rid of us.”

You jackass. I didn’t even realise this was a group conversation. All I was trying to do, was make a fucking phone call!

My face got all tense, and I had to take a calming breath.

“I don’t mind,” I said stiffly. “Besides, the site of the fire is in the forest. What better place to look for sticks?”

Diane gave me an even look while James grinned and shot me a wonky wink. “Then I will see you at the campfire,” she allowed and turned to go.

“Thanks Donna! You’re way smarter than I thought!” James called over his shoulder, but I ignored him.

“Uh…” I watched them walk off. As I did, I realised that James was wearing a hoodie while Diane was wearing… considerably less. Nothing slutty, but nothing too warm either. They walked out of earshot as I was debating speaking up about it,

That left me free to finally make that phone call.

I felt strange, taking a seat at what was ostensibly just one of those octagonal tables found in nature reserves everywhere. My purpose there was an exact opposite to the whole nature thing, since I was calling Alison, but that wasn’t all. I’d been expecting a change in the way I was treated all day, what with somebody having my fake diary, but nothing had happened.

It was starting to make me paranoid. More than once I found myself watching to see if anybody was giving me furtive glances. There was a constant tightening in my stomach that nothing, not even the elation of landing a bullseye with a bow and arrow after forty minutes of trying had been able to shift.

Alison was my lifeline, and she didn’t pick up after the first ring like she normally did. I did the math as the second ring started. The concert Alison had gone to was supposed to be a two day event. Ruby Song, or whatever her name was supposed to be, was performing one night, and then the ad I remembered seeing mentioned another magical girl slash pop star performing the next. Even if Alison had gone to the other girl’s performance, that would’ve been yesterday.

It didn’t explain why she didn’t pick up the phone before I was sent to voicemail. I felt a bit stunned as her cheerful pre-recorded voice told me to leave a message.

“Uh, hey Alison,” I said, then cleared my throat when I realised how shaky my voice was. So she wasn’t at the phone right now, that was fine. Alison’s life didn’t revolve around answering my calls. “I finally got some time in the communications circle to make this call. But your phone must be out of power or something, so I’m sad I missed you. Anyway, things are fine here. About to go and collect a stick for marshmallows. The campfire, you know?

“I should really get to that. Hey, leave a message or something?” I almost sobbed. “I don’t know when I’ll get in here again, where there’s data. Normally it’s full of the drama queens, so I avoid it. But yeah…” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Hope to talk to you soon, Ali. Until then…”

I ended the message and put my phone down. The attempted call had left me feeling numb.

“Drama queens, huh?”

I jolted at the voice of Stephanie coming from right beside me. She chuckled at my reaction as she slunk into the seat next to me and delicately rested her chin on her palm. There was an odd smirk on her face as she looked right at me.

It irritated me. This made three in five minutes, and it was difficult to not show how frustrated and emotional I was feeling.

“Yeah, I can take that title,” Stephanie continued. “I can set up some good drama right here, right now.” She leaned closer. “Can you believe there hasn’t even been any good fights from the couples here yet?” She leaned back. “But I do suppose they got split up with the shuffle. Need proximity for friction, after all. They’re all just yearning for each other and escaping together now.”

“Look,” I requested. “I’m sorry about what I said if it offended you.”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Then…” I couldn’t think of any topic I wanted to broach. Or elegant ways of saying goodbye. So I just stood to go instead.

Stephanie put her hand on one of mine before I could get my legs out from under the table. “Don’t go just yet, I want to trade.”

I hesitated, then sat back down. “Trade for what?” Stephanie’s hand was cold.

Thankfully, she lifted her hand and raised a single finger. “One stick,” she said, smiling. “For one secret.”

“I’m not interested in secrets,” I told her. “Giving or taking. So no. Sorry and find your own stick. Don’t go too thin, or it’ll snap and burn.”

“Aw.” Stephanie sounded a touch forlorn, and it was hard not to marvel at the ease with which she changed her emotions on display. “But I wanted to save some effort and spill the beans about your friend Diane. Are you sure you don’t want to even consider it?”

“My friend?” I shook my head and thought about it, just in case something was playing with my thoughts. Nothing was, since I was a decent person and had no inclination of taking a deal like that.

“No,” I said. “And I’m not trying to be rude, but we don’t really… talk much. So…” I stood again. This time she didn’t stop me. “Bye.”

“Donna, are you enjoying this camp so far?” Stephanie asked as I walked away in the direction of the forest.

I spun but didn’t slow. “This camp is fine.”

“I speak girl, you know?” Stephanie said, giving me an odd look.

“Yeah?” I responded. “That’s fine too.”

She let me have the last word, and I spun away so that I was actually facing the way I was going. There was a stick somewhere that I needed to collect.

The campfire I was going to was actually going to be the first of two. Another was slated for tomorrow night since gathering fifty people around a single fire was a far simpler task than a round one hundred. Still a big ask, but more doable. In any case, it was going to happen at a clearing that the camp had specifically for that sort of fire. Fairy Authority had shown all of us on the tour.

I had two sticks in hand, one that was thick but tapered quickly, and another that was possibly too thin to hold over a fire. The decision was easy to make, and I threw down the thin one when a cold chill spread from my stomach.

When I looked around I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. My search had taken me far from the floodlights of the camp’s buildings and towards the forest’s edge, but I could still see groups of other teenagers in the dwindling light of the evening. They all seemed unconcerned. Nobody was looking around like I was.

A cold thought occurred to me, and I looked up.

Camp Elysium Lux was far enough away from the city that light pollution only mattered on the part of the horizon that happened to be above the city. Here, when you looked at the sky, you could see stars with stunning clarity, even before night had properly fallen. My eyes roamed the darkening sky, making up odd shapes to remember from the pinpricks of light that I could see.

One oval-like shape I’d made up from a circle of stars near the horizon broke as two of the lights dimmed to darkness at the same time. Then the fading blue of the sky darkened as well, and not just over those two stars. A line of black faded in, diffused against the blue already there, and shot off to the right. I followed it go around with my eyes, spinning as it outlined a massive part of the sky, enough to engulf the entire camp, and less than a second later it connected back with the start.

The black visually pulsed, and then it all went away, come and gone in less than ten seconds. Even those two stars came back. The only indication that anything was different was a sourceless cold that was spreading throughout my body.

I started running back to the camp.

“Veil!” I shouted. “Starbane veil!”

All I got was people momentarily stopping what they were doing and looking at me. None of them were people I was on speaking terms with. Quince was there, lingering on the edges of the lounge with a stick already in hand, but he was just a part of my group.

I pointed up at the sky when I got close, my other hand on my knee as I panted. “The sky went dark! Starbanes! Veil! Did anyone else see that!? Can someone start a siren or something!?”

The lack of response was worrying me. Had I really seen something? The sky didn’t actually look any different, the black circle had vanished and now there was no indication that anything was wrong.

Oh no. Please don’t let this be a hallucination. I’d have an actual breakdown if I realised I was seeing things on top of everything.

Thankfully, there was a crackle before Quince could speak up and cast doubt on me. He was wearing an expression like someone relishing in ratting someone out.

“Camp Elysium Lux, please pay attention,” Authority’s voice rang out through the camp grounds. “A starbane veil has been detected forming above a significant portion of the camping grounds. Please put down all non-essential items and proceed to the gymnasium. Do so swiftly. The earliest breach is estimated to be twenty minutes away. Again, please proceed to the gymnasium, and know that help is on its way.”

“Told you,” I panted when Authority’s message ended. Saying those words had never felt so vindicating.

“Man, this is so lame,” a nearby boy commented as he started walking in the direction of the Gymnasium. Quince came my way with a pinched look on his face. His stick was long and sturdy enough that he was using it as a walking stick.

“Donna, how did you know?” he asked after getting close enough.

With my breathing finally back under my control, I straightened up and gestured vaguely. It was awkward, because I was still holding my sturdy stick. The thin one had snapped during my run over. “Uh,” I said when I remembered he’d asked a question. “I got a bad feeling, then I looked up. There was a black circle around the camp. The stars were going out.”

“Were they?” He looked up, far more calm than I felt right now. “Oh, so they are,” he commented after a moment. I looked up too, just in time to notice a particularly bright star dim. “That’s spooky.”

“Did you see the others?” I asked as I started moving towards the gym, feeling awkward because I wanted to move faster. Everyone knew that the words “Starbane” and “Veil” were a dangerous combination that was normally accompanied by a death count, but they were all moving at reluctant teenager speed. Quince fell in step a short distance to my side, limiting me to that speed as well.

“Tony wandered to the other side of the gymnasium in the search of greater sticks, so we’ll probably be second there of our group,” Quince told me. “Did you see where the other two went?”

I shook my head. “The communications circle was free, so I split to use it. I think they were going towards the site of the bonfire.”

Worry crept over Quince’s expression. “Ah. They might be a while then.”

I found myself looking at the stick in my hand. Why was I still holding this?

“Keep that,” Quince said when he saw what I was looking at. “It’s a good stick. A little lacking in length, but sturdy. The tip might break off from repeated use and make it shorter, but there’s no reason we can’t pass the time by repeatedly whacking our sticks against each other.”

The hand holding my stick fell to my side, but held onto it. I… “Whenever you open your mouth like that,” I started slowly. “I can’t tell if its some kind of sex thing. It always feels like it is.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

“No!” I shook my head, then felt a sudden stabbing of guilt. Then I quashed it. This wasn’t the time. I looked to find Quince’s expression neutral, then looked away towards the gymnasium. “You’re free to do whatever with whoever. Just not me.”

“Message received,” Quince said, sounding sad. “But we will be sleeping by each other for several hours tonight.”

Was he trying to guilt me? He was totally trying to guilt me. That wasn’t going to happen. “Stop creeping me out, please.”

We made it to the front entrance of the gymnasium where Ms Coolomn had recently arrived, looking more dishevelled than I’d ever seen her. “Miss Vitale, Mister Carr,” she said when she saw and recognised us. It took a moment for her to go from one to the other. “Head inside and find your groups. Mr Caltraz should be going inside soon to designate areas for each group, and some of the Authorities are helping out.”

“Do you want some help?” I asked before I could think better of it. Stupid habits. I was cringing inside before I finished vocalising the word “help.”

“Oh, I’m just saying that to everyone who comes past,” the teacher deflected.

“We should go inside before we block the entrance,” Quince said. He raised a valid point, since I’d just come to a stop in the doorway.

I considered both points, then moved to the other side of the entrance to Ms Coolomn. “You go ahead Quince. I’m worried about Diane and James.”

“Fair,” Quince said, and went inside without any more fanfare.

I planted my stick in front of me and flashed a smile at Ms Coolomn before we were distracted by the next of the campers coming for shelter.

“Stephanie,” I said with surprise after delivering the message to two groups that had come by. “Weren’t you just in the lounge? You should’ve been here sooner.”

“I wandered away a bit,” the pretty blonde responded with a shrug and a smile.

“Huh. Then go ahead and wander inside. Find your group. Mr Caltraz should be designating areas for each group.”

“Thank you for the directions.” She went by her word and wandered past with an unhurried meandering walk. I turned away, but there was a tugging at my sleeve.

“What?” I asked upon turning around. It was Stephanie, of course.

“I’m just wondering, do you ever wear short sleeves?”

My eyebrows drew together. “Yes. Why?”

Stephanie met my eyes for a few seconds before releasing my arm and backing away. “Just wondering.”

“Weirdo,” I muttered as I turned back. I quickly homed in on one of the people I was looking for. James’ brown head was sticking out over another group that was walking this way from the forest. They must have been the ones that went to the bonfire early. “James!”

The guy’s head perked up at my voice, and he sped up when he saw me beckoning him.

“What’s going on?” he asked on arrival. “You being a teacher’s pet?”

“Not the time,” I told him, making my disappointment plain. “Quince and probably Tony are already inside. Did Diane end up going with you to the forest?”

“Did di-” he repeated, then scoffed. “No. No she didn’t.”

Something about the way he said that made me narrow my eyes. “Well… Head on inside and find the D2 area. Mr Caltraz is doing a headcount shortly.”

“Sure thing, TP,” he said dismissively as he brushed past.

“Do not call me toilet paper!” I shouted after him.

“It means “Teacher’s Pet!”” he called back. I felt my grip on my stick tightening and looked back over the barely lit fields visible from the front of the gymnasium. There weren’t many people still making their way over, and Ms Coolomn had started dealing with the big group from the forest while I was talking to James.

“You should go ahead and let Mr Caltraz know you’re here,” Ms Coolomn told me while there was a short break. “I have things under control here.”

“...Okay,” I said reluctantly. Diane still hadn’t passed, but maybe she had come in through a side door. I’d know for sure when I joined with the rest of D2.

“Donna from D2,” I said when I was passing Mr Caltraz. He looked a bit more together than Ms Coolomn, and was operating a tabled which probably had a roll on it.

“Donna,” he repeated. “You’re area is-”

“I see it,” I cut in, since I had clearly interrupted what he had been doing. He nodded and turned away. As for me, my blood chilled with a sense of foreboding as I joined the three boys sitting under the magical glowing “D2” sign.

Diane wasn’t there, obviously. I took some time to look across the court to where the D1 sign was, just in case Diane was gossiping with Stephanie or something, then widened my search when it didn’t immediately turn up a pasty big boobed brunette.

“Donna,” Quince turned my attention to him. “Did you find her?”

“No, I didn’t find Diane,” I said, then looked at the reactions of the other boys. Tony was looking at me with concern and was holding a stick perfect for roasting marshmallows by his side, while James was looking away. My eyes narrowed at him again, but I didn’t have anything more than a suspicion.

“That’s not good,” Quince said, stating the obvious.

“Hey,” I said abruptly, looking at Tony. “Can you do me a favour and give me your stick?”

“My stick?” he repeated, then held it out. “Sure, why?”

“Just a hunch,” I admitted, then took the stick. “Thanks. Be right back.”

Two sticks in hand, I crossed the court to where Stephanie was listening to two girls complain about how they left their phones in their room.

“Excuse me,” I said, and the complaining girls didn’t even look my way. Stephanie did, but that was my aim. “This isn’t like me, but I’m hoping you’ll reconsider that deal.” I proffered both sticks. “A stick for a secret.”

“Out in the open?” Stephanie asked. “Oh my.”

“Diane isn’t here,” I said. “Any clue to where she might be would be appreciated.”

“Really?” she asked, sounding a little disappointed as she delicately reached out to take Tony’s stick. “I like this. Good weight. A bit long for me though.”

I waited and let her do her thing, waving the stick around and inspecting it from every angle. Eventually she nodded and smiled.

“Come close,” she said, beckoning me closer. I rolled my eyes but obliged. “Diane acts cold because it makes it easier for her to say no to guys, but she still has trouble saying it directly,” Stephanie whispered into my ear.

I backed off and frowned. “That’s what you were trying to tell me?”

Stephanie shook her head. “That secret is different. The one I just shared is the one you wanted from me now. But really, she’s quite nice underneath.”

I nodded and turned that over in my head. “Thank you, Stephanie,” I said even as I felt my resolve harden.

“Oh, this will be lovely,” Stephanie commented as I spun and bellowed.

“James!”

The boy in question flinched. Everyone around me quietened whatever they were talking about as I stalked back across the court.

“Where is Diane, James!?”

“I- I don’t know,” he stammered. I’d never known this boy to be so off kilter. I became more certain.

I turned to the crowd around us. “Somebody help me!” I pointed at James. “Did anybody see this idiot go to the campfire with Diane!? Put your hand up if you did!”

Almost immediately, three hands went up.

“Thank you!” I turned back to James, who was standing like a deer struck by headlights. That wouldn’t get him mercy from me, I got closer and jabbed a finger at his collarbone. “You got the bright idea to confess to Diane, didn’t you?”

“What? No!” he tried to claim. It was a weak defence, too desperate.

“I’m sorry!” I faux apologised, piling volume back on. “Clearly it’s too soon for love! You asked her out and were shocked when she told you no! Am I wrong!?”

“You’re…” James trailed off when he saw everyone watching. “Fine! I asked her to see a movie with me after camp and you know what? She didn’t even answer!”

“Did she say anything?” I demanded.

“Oh come on. Don’t make me say it.”

“Fine! I won’t! But here’s what I think happened,” I backed off a step and breathed before continuing at a volume closer to normal speaking levels. “You asked her to the movies. She looked at you, said “don’t follow me,” and walked further into the forest to get away from you. Probably to the obstacle course, which is far into the trees, and out of range of the speakers! Do you have anything to say about any of that!?”

By the time I was finished, James’ eyes had gone wide. Wider than an innocent guy’s eyes would’ve.

“Oh God,” he said, his voice raw.

That was all I needed, I slapped him. Hard.

“I…” He stopped talking before admitting he deserved that. Pity. He was missing out on building a character to match his muscles. “She ran off.” The softly spoken words made me stiffen and turn back to him. I’d been about to make my way back to the front to keep an eye out. This situation had charged me with an energy that somehow refused to be quelled, but those three words were like a cold bucket of water to the face.

“I just asked it real casual like. She’d been putting up with me, so I thought I had an actual chance, y’know. Next thing I know she was running off, in the direction of the river, snapping twigs and almost running into a tree. We were near the tree course at the time, and I heard the announcement after that.”

He looked at me then. “Do you think she heard it?”

It was like the eyes of the universe moved to look at me. Really, it was all the other unhappy campers, but the weight of it made me take a step back. Then another. I looked up. There were a bunch of Authority fairies in the room, and the one for D2 was sitting on the sign that had been magicked up for us. She was looking right at me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she would do.

The real Authority. Not this little fragment.

Well known facts flowed into my brain like a tidal wave. Starbane veils took around twenty five minutes to fully form from start to finish. Once formed, the area under the veil would be cast in darkness and starbanes would start invading. Even the weakest of starbane forms would mercilessly kill an average human. I was an underage girl, and would probably have less favourable chances. The same was true for Diane.

At the same time, the camp wasn’t that large. I could run from here to the obstacle course in less than ten minutes. There and back would probably conclude half an hour after the veil started forming, but that didn’t guarantee starbanes would drop into existence on my return path. Once I joined up with Diane there would be two of us, offsetting the calculus of fighting a starbane, and I wasn’t unarmed because I had a stick.

All in all, it would be risky. I could very well die if I did try and rescue Diane, but doing so could guarantee both of our lives. Otherwise, she would die, and it had to be me because nobody else here was moving. It could be that I was assuming things, and Diane was just late. If so, we’d encounter each other as I rushed to save her, and we’d both return before the veil finished forming.

My painfully beating heart quelled as I set my resolve. Yes, it was potentially suicidal, but I couldn’t just do nothing.

Enough time had passed that most people were distracted by heckling James or whispering to each other. There were one or two shouts as I started running, one which I recognised as from Quince, but nobody caught me as I sprinted past Mr Caltraz, Ms Coolomn, and back out onto the ground of Camp Elysium Lux.