by Sara Schoen
The two criers from the back of the bus followed me outside; there faces still tear stained and red-nosed. They annoyed me more than Grease-head did.
“Hi ladies,” a slim yet muscular woman said as we all stood in a semi-circle holding our bags. Just looking at her made me want to groan. Dressed in spandex shorts that showed off her toned legs and a loose-fitting t-shirt with the words, “Get Fit or Die Trying” emblazoned across the front she looked like the type of girl who woke up at 6am every day to go on runs. That was the type of girl I hated.
Her chestnut brown hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and there was a genuine smile on her face. “I’m Kelsey, as some of you may already know,” she added, giving Grease-head a wink. “I’m the camp director here. I’m going to show you all to your cabins and let you set your stuff down and then we’ll take a tour of the camp. How’s that sound?”
Almost as fun as sticking a fork in my eye, I thought, hefting my bag up higher on my shoulder. The straps were digging into me uncomfortable, making me wince.
“Need help with that?” Kelsey asked, stepping toward me with her hand outstretched to take one of my bags. There was a glint in her brown eyes that I could quite put my finger on.
I nodded slowly as I handed her a bag. Was this a trap? Was she going to take the bag and throw it like a javelin at my stomach and then laugh until I cried? I wasn’t sure, but I was willing to take the risk. Anything was better than being forced to carry both bags for who knows how long.
Kelsey took the bag easily, her smile never faltering. Not even when I didn’t say thank you. She just slipped the bag over her arm and proceeded to lead us to our cabins. If I didn’t know how heavy that bag was I would’ve thought it was empty considering how light she made it seem.
As I trudged along behind my fellow campers and Kelsey, I eavesdropped on the conversation she was having with Grease-head. Apparently her name was actually Peyton. I learned this just a few moments before I learned that she was my roommate for the duration of the summer. Peyton was talking to Kelsey as if they were old friends and had asked who she was rooming with. Lucky for me—not—Kelsey had pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and, after looking at it, said, “Looks like you’re staying with Abby Montgomery.”
I actually groaned. Thankfully neither Kelsey nor Peyton heard me, and if they had they did a good job of pretending they hadn’t. Only a few paces behind the two weepy girls from the bus, I finally let out a tear of my own. My anger at being here had finally become too much to bear and was bubbling over the surface. I let another tear fall from my lashes before I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands. For the first time since I found out I was being sent to summer camp, I actually tried to look on the bright side. At this point I was willing to do anything to keep myself from dissolving into a puddle of tears. I didn’t need anyone here thinking I was weak when that wasn’t the case at all.
I sucked in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp mountain air. The sun was shining down through the trees that surrounded us, warming my skin everywhere it touched. I thought about the lake I had seen during the bus ride. I had always loved swimming. Maybe being near the lake and getting to swim wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe Peyton will end up becoming my best friend and we will laugh at the fact that I hated her instantly and nicknamed her Grease-head. Maybe I’ll like it here so much that I’ll cry on the last day of camp and make plans to return next summer. That thought brought a smile to my face. In fact, I actually laughed out loud.
Yeah, like that will ever happen.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to the authors of the Escape from Reality series for joining me on this journey. I’m honored to have been the first book and to help lay some of the ground work for this little town. A special thanks to Taylor Henderson and Erin Lee for starting the town with me. Without your excitement, we wouldn’t have been able to do so much in that one weekend to see this take off the way it has. I’m excited to see where this series goes and to add to it along the way.
Another thank you to Will and my family. Your support has been vital to me over the years and aided in my healing. You guys are my Escape and I can’t thank you enough for being there when I needed you most. Thank you.
Characters from upcoming books:
Becca and Allison: PHAT by Taylor Henderson (book 2):
www.facebook.com/AuthorTaylorHenderson
Caroline: Greener by Erin Lee (book 3):
www.facebook.com/gonecrazytalksoon
Deacon: Break Free to Deceive by Rose Silverstone (book 4):
www.facebook.com/rosesilverstoneauthor
Mama Sandra: Fly Away Little Bird by E.S. McMillan (book 9):
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010665918656&hc_ref=SEARCH
Chase and Skye McKnight: Ripple Effect by Sara Schoen (book 26):
www.facebook.com/authorsaraschoen
Characters mentioned from other books:
Jackson: Covert Operations (Guarded Secrets Series) by Sara Schoen
Kayden: Rebellion Project by Sara Schoen
Linkin: Project Revolution by Sara Schoen
About the Author
Sara Schoen is a Biology major at James Madison University who was born and raised in Northern Virginia. She has been an adamant writer since she was young, and now enjoys reading, ghost hunting, and traveling. She hopes to have readers find solace in the worlds and characters the creates and in some cases, provide a cautionary tale. Sara plans to continue writing and explore various genres in the future.
Social Media Links
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorsaraschoen
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/SaraNSchoen
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9790618.Sara_Schoen
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