Fandom I K N O W A P L A C E \\ Camp Camp Roleplay // 1x1

[TarantulaHawk]

"Ooh, I need your love babe, guess you know it's true."

There she sat, resting on a small wooden bench. Her ankles were crossed, feet donning a pair of red and white sneakers. Because of her height, they swung aimlessly while crossed. Her feet couldn't exactly touch the ground. She wasn't even a child. She was a full-grown adult and she couldn't even touch the ground when she sat down. How embarrassing for her. All the same, her fingertips carefully slid across the chords to her ukulele, her pale blue nails gleaming against white strings and an even whiter wood.

"Hope you need my love, babe, just like I need you."

She was going through a rough patch, of course, hence the reason she had a little bowler hat next to her, flipped upside down with a little sticky note attached to the brim that said 'tips are welcome' on it. She had come to Sleepy Peak with a one-way bus ticket from Seattle, her hometown. She wanted nothing more than to be back in the city where she could walk along the pier and explore the underground, talking with people from all over the world. She had been a tour guide for a while, but was a jack of all trades kind of girl, really. She had been all sorts of things once she finally got her life together; a cook, a waitress, a librarian, a taxi driver, an accountant and a few other things she tried to forget about.

"Hold me, love me, hold me, love me."

She giggled mid-lyric, a little breeze ruffling her white skater skirt - the folds danced playfully across her thighs, revealing a little bit of pale skin before the skirt settled once more. Even though she wished to be back in the city, she had to admit that Sleepy Peak was kind of... Unique. She hadn't been out of the big city in many years and she liked nature. She liked how slow and quiet the town was. Sort of. She was still pretty much broke because not many people walked by her. In fact, it had been a solid fifteen minutes since she saw a car drive through the town. As she continued to strum, she looked at the bowler hat with a little frown. A nickel, three pennies, and a paper clip. Maybe it wasn't the fact that she was in the middle of nowhere. Her frown got a little deeper. Was she really that bad?

"I ain't got nothin' but love, babe, eight days a week~!"

 

[Pilot-66]

The bell above the door chimed as David shouldered his way out of the General Store with a dozen wooden planks held awkwardly under one of his arms. In the back of his mind, he knew this wasn’t going to be anywhere near enough to cover all the repairs that needed to be done, but…at least this was a start! Once he took those first few steps, he was sure he’d have Camp Campbell up and running like new in no time. Beaming at the thought, David marched up to the Camp’s station wagon and started to load the wood into the back of the vehicle. The old car’s suspension let out a low metallic groan as he piled the last of the planks behind the back seat. David grimaced a little, being extra careful as he lifted the station wagon’s tailgate back into place with a hope and a prayer. When the old girl held together, he grinned to himself and brushed his hands free of sawdust before resting his fists on his hips and standing back to admire his work. Yeah. He had this whole thing under control.

"Ooh, I need your love babe, guess you know it's true."

The counselor blinked when the distant melody interrupted his thoughts. Dropping his hands back down to his side, he turned and glanced up and down the town’s main street. Was that coming from one of the shops? That was strange…usually the only music around here came from Muffin Tops, and well, this tune didn’t exactly fit their…uh…“style”.

Curious, David tucked the car keys away into one of the pockets on his vest and wandered down the street, following the gentle strumming to the small “park” at the town’s edge. He paused on the street corner when he saw the stranger sitting on the bench, plucking chords on her ukulele and swinging her feet in time with the tune. A passing breeze ruffled through his auburn hair as he studied the mystery musician. He didn’t recognize the woman, which was odd…since Sleepy Peak was the kind of small town where everyone knew each other (and they didn’t exactly get many visitors this far out), but that unfamiliarity didn’t stop a smile from lighting up his face as he listened to her sing the rest of the chorus.

When she’d finished, he clapped his hands in applause despite there being no one else around to join in him in the gesture. “Wow, that was great!” He piped up with enthusiasm as he approached her, though he slowed a bit when he realized that he’d kind of just appeared out of nowhere. “Ah, sorry. I couldn’t help but hear from down the road—but boy, you’ve got some talent! It’s not every day I run into someone else who plays. What a treat!”

The camp counselor came to a stop beside the bench. Spying the note–and feeling a pang of guilt at how empty the collection hat was–David pulled his wallet from his back pocket and dropped a ten into the bowler hat for the song before turning his attention back to her an exuberant grin, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here before have I? Well, if no one’s beaten me to it yet; Welcome to Sleepy Peak!”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

The young woman practically leaped out of her own skin when she heard the enthusiastic applause from someone. She really hadn't been paying attention to anything but herself and her ukulele, so she didn't notice the male in front of her approach and listen. She felt sort of rude for not noticing that someone else was there. However, the feeling of being rude faded away when she heard his genuine compliment and smiled a little bit.

"Hey, thanks," her smile was only a tiny bit wary, a really bad habit but she knew that she needed to break before interacting with other people in the small town - old habits died hard, however, and she knew that, "glad you liked it."

He seemed friendly enough for her to be able to get along with and not be afraid of but she always seemed to have a little bit of a reservation when it came to men and women honestly she was reserve when it came to almost any person regardless of their gender. She was never really lucky enough to interact with people who didn't have something out for her or didn't eventually turn on her somehow.

Her eyes widened as she watched him put in a ten dollar bill and blinked, incredulous. "Wow, uh, thank you."

Honestly, she knew she probably should have asked if it was right that he put in a full ten dollar bill instead of a one dollar bill, but she needed the money more than she needed to be honest. It was yet another old habit that would likely never die even if she worked on getting rid of it. So, she stayed silent as she looked at him. Speaking of honest, he seemed like the most honest person she was going to ever encounter. His smile was so warm and almost more welcoming than his actual welcome to Sleepy Peak.

"I just got here this morning, so you definitely haven't seen me around," she chuckled a little, reaching up to tuck some dusty blonde strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail back behind her ear, "but thanks for the, uh, welcoming."

She was a little bothered by how much she had to say 'thank you', but knew that was just going to happen the more people she interacted with. With a little sigh, she looked at him, pale amber eyes looking both tired and curious. She was exhausted, even though she didn't show it very obviously. She was tired her entire life, really, so it wasn't a new thing to her. So tired, even, that she didn't know just how tired she actually was anymore.

 

[Pilot-66]

Despite already wearing a grin from ear to ear, the lanky counselor somehow managed to perk up even more as he listened to the young woman explain her recent arrival to Sleepy Peak. So she was a newcomer! He felt his spirits lift at the news. If the town was starting to draw a crowd–or even just this one woman–then maybe this place was finally starting to get back on the maps! He’d always known it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the world discovered this little piece of paradise (and they couldn't have noticed it at a better time for the Camp's sake).

When she thanked him for the greeting, David had to pry himself away from his hopeful thoughts with a slow shake of his head, “No, no. The pleasure’s all mine! I can’t begin to tell you how good it is to see a new face around here!”

Realizing he hadn’t properly introduced himself, he snapped to attention. “Oh, shoot! Where are my manners?” He reached up, adjusting the yellow bandana around his neck self consciously before clearing his throat and piping up again with a bubbly energy that completely contrasted the quiet exhaustion clinging to her, “The name’s David! I help run—or, uh, I guess now I kind of solely run–the Camp Campbell Summer Camp out by Lake Lilac!"

It still felt…weird…to say that out loud, but with Mr. Campbell gone and Gwen off finally conquering the corporate world, it was true. It’d just be him and the quartermaster opening up the Camp this year.

“I’ll probably be in town a few more times before the fun kicks off tomorrow, so if you see me around and need directions or anything, just give a shout! I know this place like the back of my hand~” David gave his arm and enthusiastic swing to really sell the offer before resting his hands back on his hips. He studied her quietly for a moment, his grin faltering just the tiniest bit when he thought he noticed a dull glaze in the stranger’s amber eyes, or…maybe it was just fatigue from her journey out here?

Shaking off the observation, David let his smile spread back across his face in full force before he ventured, “So, if you don’t mind my asking, what brought you out here? Oh! Was it vacation plans? Boy, did you pick a great spot if it was. This whole county is covered in the best hiking trails!”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

He was so... Genuinely happy and kind. It was odd to experience a stranger who was like that. Of course, not every stranger was an absolute monster or anything. But not every stranger would give ten dollars to a random person and explain everything they did. He was the good sort of stranger that she had never really gotten the chance to interact with. The pure kind. It almost made her feel slightly uncomfortable, actually, realizing that there were strangers like him out in the world.

At his introduction, she was honestly taken aback at just how much energy this man had. She chuckled lightly, smiling a tiny bit as to not seem rude, "Nice to meet you. I'm Abby."

One thing stuck in her mind about his introduction. He stumbled a little bit when he talked about being a camp counselor. She had to applaud him mentally for that one, especially doing it alone. That had to be hard. She knew that kids those days could be pretty awful and she could barely imagine being around children much to begin with. There was a time in her past when she wished to be around many children. She seemed to stop, her smile fading a tiny bit at the thought. But then, seconds later, she shook it away and smiled at David.

"Awesome," his exuberance was honestly a nice pick-me-up, even though it wasn't much of one for her, "I might take you up on that. I'm not very good with directions."

She could only remember the number of times she had gotten lost in Seattle, the place where she was born and where she had lived for many years. It was both embarrassing and more likely than anyone would have thought, had they never been to the city. It was crazily busy there and she almost always was out until dark because of it. She remembered wandering the streets at night when she was a teen. She remembered the smell of salt water faint in the cool, yet muggy, air.

Her gaze snapped back to him, much more attentive when he asked exactly why she came out there. For vacation? She almost scoffed at the idea. She barely had enough money for food. No, that wasn't the reason she came to Sleepy Peak. But what could she tell him? The real reason was not something she would honestly share with a stranger. Running away from things was not a good look, was it?

"I just came here for a while," she fabricated the lie with a shrug of her shoulders and a forced, but content, smile on her lips, "needed a change of scenery for once."

 

[Pilot-66]

Abby.

He turned the name over in his mind a few times to make it stick. It didn’t take him long–he’d gotten pretty good with names over the past few years–but he had noticed how quickly she had stilled and gone quiet during the conversation’s lull, her gaze turned away as if she was distracted with something a million miles away from here.

Feeling strange about making such mental notes on a person he’d only just met, David straightened his posture and mirrored Abby’s expression when she turned back to him with a grin painted on her lips. “Oh, I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much about directions. That’s the beauty of a small town, you’ll learn it in a jiffy! But it’d be my honor to give you the grand tour.”

She seemed to tense a little when he questioned her destination choice. For a second, he almost considered telling her not to worry about it, but before he could, she settled into an answer. It wasn’t exactly the ‘this-place-is-all-the-rage-back-home-and-I-just-HAD-to-come-see-it-for-myself-before-the-crowds-get-here~~’ answer he’d been secretly hoping for, but…it wasn’t completely a bust either.

“A little getaway, huh?” David dropped his hands from his hips and turned his head to look at the blue and green hues of the mountain range behind them, his expression and shoulders easing as he studied it—making his grin suddenly look a lot more natural despite being more subdued, “Well, this place won’t disappoint you there either. There’s nowhere else like it.”

He brightened again before turning back towards Abby and the town. “Now let’s see! What sort of things would a visitor find most useful?” He lifted a finger to tap against his chin as he squinted over her shoulder and down the road, “Well, there’s really only three main roads. Main street goes through the middle of town. It’s got the General Store, the Bank, and Lester’s Electronics. The road to the west is Plain street. That’s where the bar and the hardware store are. East is where you came from aaand…oh! Duh! You’ll probably need a place to stay, right?” After all, he didn’t see any camping or backpacking supplies with her, so he doubted she was planning to make camp anywhere. “That’d be on Main street next to the–ah, wait, that place closed last year after the bears, uh…” David winced a little at how that sounded out of context but did his best to just breeze past it as candidly as he could.

“I guess there’s really not anywhere to board in town, but there’s this great little cottage inn about fifteen miles to the north! I pass it all the time on the way to the camp. I’m sure they’d probably have a spare bed for you. Shouldn’t be more than a twenty-minute drive from here.”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

She listened very carefully to his directions, doing her best to memorize the stores and which direction they were located in. She was right when she had guessed that it was much smaller than the average town that she could have visited, but that was perfectly fine with her. She didn't want a large and extremely populated town. And when he mentioned having a place to stay, it was true that she didn't have a place to stay and the thought of sleeping outside sort of made her sick. She didn't have that many belongings. What she had on her person was a small bag, and it was placed below the bench that she sat on. She had a toothbrush and toothpaste, a couple changes of clothing, and some other things that weren't really important at the moment. But that was all she had.

Mentally, she came back to the conversation at the right time when he mentioned a cottage that was a short drive away. She didn't have a car and had come to Sleepy Peak by bus, but that was fine. She'd just double the drive time - it would take her forty minutes to get there on foot.

"That's all good stuff to know," she nodded, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "thanks."

Her mind was in another place, and she was thinking of the places that she could possibly get a job at already. A general store would probably hire her. Maybe not a bank - she had been an accountant once, but illegally. The electronics store? Maybe. If she was lucky, she could convince the owner to hire her. The hardware store could work too, and she'd go apply at the bar as a last resort. She liked to stay away from alcohol.

"Well, you look pretty busy," she said after a moment, glancing over to the car where he had stuffed the boards inside, "so I'll let you go about your business."

 

[Pilot-66]

“Oh! Yeah…” David looked back at the Campbell station wagon parked on the roadside when Abby reminded him of it. He hadn’t exactly forgotten the thousands of things he needed to do back at Camp, but he’d certainly let himself get side-tracked speaking to her, though she seemed to be trying to polite excuse him now. Not wanting to overstay his welcome, the camp counselor took a step back towards the car and broadened his smile. “Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Abby! I’m so glad you decided to visit us. I just know you’ll find what you’re looking for out here! Have a GREAT trip!” He lifted a hand in a short wave before spinning on his heel and heading back to the parked car, tossing a final farewell over his shoulder as he went, “Don’t be a stranger!”

It didn’t take him long to reach the car. He was still wearing a smile as he pulled the car door open and slid into the driver's seat, but the expression started to wear as he turned the keys in the ignition. He glanced back at Abby in the rearview mirror as the engine finally rumbled to life. Something nagged him about that distance in her eyes and quiet hollow pauses. Fleeting as those moments were in her, they were…familiar…he realized upon catching his own reflection in the mirror.

David tensed and glanced away from the mirror, drawing his hand away from the keys and hesitating for a few seconds. After a moment, he shook his head, chasing the thoughts away as he made himself put the car in drive and grab the steering wheel. He was just reading too much into things again, he was sure of it! She’d probably be just fine. Nothing this mountain air couldn’t help with anyway!

For some reason that still didn’t completely quell the concern that had crept into the back of his mind. He did his best not to let it show as he pulled out onto the street and started back towards camp, giving her a last friendly wave from the window as he passed by.

-

Thankfully, the rest of the day kept him pretty busy. He did his best to repair weak piers and patch rotten spots on the cabins back at camp. It was only the tip of the iceberg, but he’d at least managed to get all the bare minimum repairs done by the time the setting sun had cast an orange glow over the lake.

Now–six hours after his initial visit–he was on the road again, traveling back into town with a list of tools that’d be found missing in the Camp’s supply shed during his day’s work. It was pretty late for a supply run, but this was going to be the last chance he had to grab things before the kids showed up. What he couldn’t get today he’d have to trust the quartermaster to gather later (which was always... sort of a gamble.) So, back on the road he was!

A few of the shops were already starting to go about their closing routines when he pulled into town, so he was quick to park outside the hardware store and hurry along inside. He caught himself glancing out of the shop’s windows whenever he passed by them, always quietly hoping to see their visitor enjoying one of the shops or at least looking a bit more comfortable in the tiny town.

 

[TarantulaHawk]

Once David had finally driven away, she decided that it was probably a good idea to try and locate some of those businesses and see which ones were hiring. She looked kind of out of sorts, but there was really nothing she could do about that. Occasionally between businesses she would stop and look at her reflection in the mirror of a window and try to fix herself a little bit, but there really wasn't much that she could do. She was clean, for now, but that wouldn't last very long considering the fact that she was homeless. There was no gym in Sleepy Peak, and therefore she had no place to sneak into and shower. She would just have to hope her paychecks would be enough for her to rent somewhere cheap.

But then she began to wonder what paychecks would even come. She was denied from the hardware store and the electronic store, both of the people who owned it said that they didn't need to hire anyone else. The bank ended up being the same way, but they were a little more forceful about the issue. She had a feeling it was just because she was carrying a bag of her belongings in one hand and her ukulele in another. It was obvious that she didn't have a place to be anytime soon. The general store wanted her to come back another time, as they didn't have applications ready. That left her with only the bar as an option for immediate hiring. It was the last place she wanted to be. She tried her hardest to stay away from alcohol and the people who consumed it. She didn't want to be dragged into that sort of mess.

Abby was feeling... a mixture of emotions that were making her sick. Or maybe she was just hungry. She hadn't eaten that day, after all. So, instead of heading to the bar, she went back to the general store and bought herself a pre-made egg salad sandwich (which seemed... honestly risky to consume) and a big bottle of water. Of course, she had bought them not because she wanted water or a possibly expired sandwich, but because they were the cheapest options and she had to conserve her money. As she plopped down onto the sidewalk outside of the store, she pulled the remaining money out of her bag and counted it twice.

Six dollars and sixty-seven cents. She had six dollars and sixty-seven cents to live on until she was hired somewhere. Abby was starting to feel her anxiety setting in. Her heart was pounding and her stomach churning. What happened if she ran out of money? Would she have to resort to playing her ukulele for dead-end tips? She hurried to unwrap the sandwich and took a large bite, large tears beginning to form in her eyes. Then, her nose wrinkled up a little as she swallowed her bite.

"Yeah, that's definitely expired."

 

[Pilot-66]

Inside the hardware store, David double-checked his list to ensure he’d gotten everything before rolling his shopping cart up to the counter. He exchanged the normal pleasantries with the sales-clerk, though like most people in Sleepy Peak, the cashier wasn’t much of a talker. At least, not until he was scanning some of David’s final items. “Might wanna start lockin’ your car, David. Been a vagrant around here askin’ bout jobs all over town. Feh, like we’ve got the business to spare out here,” The man scoffed at the thought, “Looked skittish. She might get desperate and go to trying to break into easy marks like that shitty wagon of yours.”

“Wha–?” David drew his head back slightly, studying the man for a moment before turning to glance out the window while the rest of his items were being scanned. As if on cue, he saw Abby pushing her way out of the general store and taking a seat on the sidewalk. He felt his shoulders sag a little under the weight of his vest as he watched her turn change over in her palm, her face looking pallid and drawn even from this distance.

So…her get away obviously wasn’t the happy kind.

He stared through the window for a few more seconds before turning his head away again, looking down at some unimportant spot on the checkout counter. He supposed, in the long run, none of this was really any business of his, but…

David finished up at the hardware store as quickly as he could then headed back outside towards the station wagon. Sleepy Peak’s streets were just small enough for his parking spot to only be a few feet away from the general store’s doors and he arrived just in time to hear Abby’s queasy realization over her sandwich. He grimaced. Well acquainted with the General Store’s fast and loose take on expiration dates.

He shook it off quickly though, putting on his best friendly smile and clearing his throat a little to announce himself so as to avoid startling her as he strode up alongside the parked station wagon. “Ah, yeah I….probably should have warned you about Mr. Harold’s understanding of fresh. Heh, Sorry about that.”

The lanky counselor’s face lit up with realization as he piped, “Oh, I know!” He set the bags of tools and supplies down next to the car opened one of its doors. He pulled a pizza box out of an insulated carrying case sitting in the passenger’s seat. “I picked this up about fifteen minutes ago, so it should still be warm. My co-counselor and I always used to start every summer with an order from Pizza Bros. She’s got a new job now–but gosh darn it, how could I break a camping tradition?” He set the pizza box down on the hood of the station wagon and turned to her with a grin and shrug, “I was just gonna throw out what I couldn’t eat back at camp but it seems like a waste now. Help yourself!”

With the offer out, David pulled the station wagon’s tailgate down with a protesting squeak from the hinges and started loading the tools into the back of the car. “I was actually hoping I’d run into you again soon, Abby! I wanted to ask you something–if that’s alright?”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

Again, her skeleton just about jumped right out of her entire body. She was not used to people actually talking to her and she tended to keep to herself, even in the city. She didn't really make an effort to talk to other people unless she knew them very well, but she knew that in a tiny town, she was going to have to break that habit because she'd never get anywhere if she didn't. So, she blinked away her tears and looked up to see none other than David. He seemed to pop up everywhere in Sleepy Peak. She'd never get used to a small town. It was strange how the same person could be literally everywhere and you could run into them anywhere and likely everywhere.

"Eh, not a big deal," she sighed, chuckling a little as she re-wrapped the sandwich and looked at it, almost dejectedly, before looking back up at David, "I've eaten worse."

She admitted that lightly, as if it was a moldy snack or something she ate a long time ago by accident. That was not the case. She had eaten plenty of things from all kinds of places that had food that was not good to be ingesting anymore - restaurants, quick stops, trash cans, abandoned food on benches in the park; you name it and she probably ate it. She was thankful for having a hardy stomach, honestly, or else she probably would have been dead or in the hospital by that point.

Whoa, Abby, that was dark. Reel it in, babe.

The voice of her conscious was right. That had been pretty dark and it was not the time to be thinking like that. She shook her head after a moment and then looked at David. She was confused as he set the items he had purchased down and opened the door to his car. She watched as he pulled out a box of something that she quickly recognized as pizza. The smell hit her nose and she was almost drooling as she got up off the ground, brushing off her skirt. He was an absolute saint, honestly. Though she was sort of suspicious. What sort of people gave random strangers free food?

"Thank you," Abby completely ignored the weird feeling in her stomach from being so disbelieving of his ridiculously and genuine kindness and grabbed a slice of the warm pizza, "honestly. I don't think I could have eaten the rest of that sandwich."

As she took a bite of the pizza, a smile grew on her features. This time, it looked actually happy. Just for a moment, anyway, then it faded a bit as she chewed the pizza. She gave the nasty egg salad sandwich a sideways glance. She was going to be taking it with her anyway. She knew that food couldn't be wasted and she would eat it when she got hungry enough. She took another bite of the pizza, a little smile appearing at he taste of something that was actually different than rotten egg and stale bread.

She looked back at him at the right time, it seemed, because he had some sort of question for her. Abby remained silent as he asked, loading the things he bought into the back of the beat-up station wagon he seemed to be driving around faithfully; seemed dangerous, but she wouldn't judge him for it. After a moment, she swallowed the bite of pizza and looked at him carefully. What was he going to ask? Her stomach dropped and she held the slice of pizza doubtfully in her hand, eyes almost... Shifty. She didn't like questions. She had grown to realize that most of them were not the kind she would answer honestly, and despite the fact that she did so constantly, she hated to lie.

"Uh, yeah," she shrugged after a moment, reaching up with her free hand and adjusting her bangs a bit, "what do you want to know?"

 

[Pilot-66]

“Well, I know it’s a little out of the blue, but…” David hefted the last tool bag into the station wagon with a huff of effort before standing straight and brushing his hands off, “Do you have any experience working with kids?”

The red-haired man took a moment to close the tailgate again…or he tried to anyway. It took a couple of attempts to finally coax it to shut all the way and he did his best to look as natural about the ordeal as possible as he spoke, “I was thinking…you need a place to stay while you’re out here, right?” He tried to touch on the matter as vaguely as possible.“Well, Camp Campbell offers all of its Counselors residency for the summer months in addition to bi-weekly pay and in-house meals.”

When the station wagon’s old trunk finally shut, David stepped around to join her at the side of the car, his expression alight with enthusiasm as he spoke, “And I can guarantee you it’ll be the perfect change of scenery like your searching for. Nothing around for miles but the great outdoors and Lake Lilac’s best waterfront property!” He swung a hand out to his side, gesturing to the jagged silhouettes of the mountain ranges surrounding them as if to try and sell his point, “And Camp Campbell prides itself on being the most diverse camp in the nation, so every day is something new and exciting!” David turned back to her, back straight and chest puffed out with unabashed pride as he lowered his arm again. “Now, normally, I don’t like to brag, but it seems like Camp Campbell is the PERFECT place for you!”

After giving it his best pitch, David let himself lean back on his heels as he settled a bit. He was quiet for a moment, listening to the distant hum of crickets welcoming the approaching night before he spoke up again. “Plus, with everyone else gone this year, I could probably use the help…” The statement was earnest, and though he still spoke with a smile behind every syllable…that last part wasn’t easy to admit. Nor was it painless to say. His green gaze fell down to the cracked sidewalk for just a brief moment before he picked himself back up and shook off the leaden feeling trying to settle on his shoulders.

When his eyes lifted again, he looked back to Abby, studying her in the dim fluorescent glow of the General Store’s outer lighting. It was the first time he noticed just how wary she looked. He shuffled a little self-consciously where he stood before deciding it best to add, “Uh, only if you’re interested, of course…???”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

Again, she was quiet. She didn't have much experience with children. Then again, she was never really given the chance. She only knew how to handle babies, and she had only ever handled one, anyway. But she needed the job and it came with a place to stay, which also meant showers and he mentioned food. And she would get go-weekly pay, which she could save up on for when the camp closed for the rest of the year so she could get an apartment or something small somewhere. She knew it likely wouldn't be much of a paycheck, but she was fine with that because she wouldn't have to spend extra money on a place to sleep and food to eat. That would make her life almost a million times easier.

She glanced at him after a moment, noticing how his gaze fell for a moment and then came back up. He was struggling alone, it seemed. She could only imagine how difficult it would be to manage children on top of whatever else he was doing. Repairs, maybe? She gave the tools and such a sideways glance before looking back to David. And she knew that helping him out would only be fair, considering that he told her directions for the town and gave her a hot meal. She just didn't know if she could do it.

But then again, she had no choice. Abby needed a job. She had no home, no job, no car and barely enough money for another meal, maybe two if she really scrounged the town for scraps. Eventually, she would be pretty gross with the lack of showering and her clothes were bound to be ruined sometime. She only had two changes of them, after all.

After a moment, she let out a soft sigh and then pushed a smile onto ger face, "Well, I've never worked with children, but how hard can it be? I'll give it a shot."

Abby extended her hand, smile staying in place, though a little worried. She was scared half to death in the back of her mind, but she was trying to ignore it. She needed a job and any job would do. She had to get a foothold in somewhere because she'd be damned if she fell down to the lowest she had been again. She promised herself that she would never ever touch rock bottom again and she was determined to keep that promise.

"But first," her eyes darted to the pizza box and she giggled, sheepish and embarrassed, "I need another slice."

 

[Pilot-66]

David did nothing to interrupt the brief silence that followed his offer. He just kept quiet, letting Abby mull the choice over for a while, but she didn’t seem to need too long to consider her options. She accepted it on the spot. Not a single question asked. “Really?” He felt his back straighten as he perked up, though he was quietly hoping her swift acceptance was more a sign of her being a go-getter than it was an act of sheer desperation…but either way, at least there seem to be something Camp Campbell could offer her!

His grin widened and his eyes lit up with a new vigor as he enthusiastically reached out to shake the hand she’d extended to him to seal the deal. His shake was firm but steady despite his obvious excitement, work-worn rough hands not at all matching his bubbly exterior, “That’s GREAT! I just know you’re going to love it! And don’t you worry, Abby! I’ve been doing this for years now. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. You’ll be Camp Campbell’s second-best counselor in no time!”

Releasing her hand, David followed her glance back to the pizza box on the hood of the car and gave a chuckle at her one caveat before they talked any more business. “You’re right! No sense in letting it get cold.” He rounded the side of the car and took a slice from the box, hoping if he joined her she wouldn’t sound as abashed about the whole thing. Once he had a piece, he turned the box to her to encourage her to take as much as she liked.

​

He leaned against the station wagon, unable to keep a grin off his face as he chewed over a bite of pizza. He couldn't help it. A new face for Camp Campbell? Heck, maybe even a new friend? He finally felt like he was beginning to take a few steps forward instead of stumbling around in the dark over this whole thing. Sure, he still had weeks and weeks of hard work ahead of him--not to mention the months he'd already spent waging legal battles just to get the camp doors open tomorrow--but...he was really starting to feel it now. He could do this.

He had to.

“You know,” David finally broke the silence as he finished his slice, “From what I heard from you earlier today, I’d say you already fit in more than you think. You’d be great at campfire songs. The kids would love it! I should you warn you though, I’ve never lost a good old-fashioned campfire sing off.”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

"Well, that's good," she nodded and she laughed a little, trying to loosen up a bit, "I need to learn everything I can and good thing I'll be learning from the number one counselor."

She honestly had no idea what she was getting into. She had seen brochures for summer camps before, and as a kid, she always wished that she could have gone to one. However they were usually very expensive and she hadn't really had a stable enough childhood to even think of going to things like that. And she had never really worked with children, or even been around them as a child herself. Of course, she had gone to school and it was a public school, but there was more than just one and she never really bothered to get attached after she began to bounce homes. She never made friends or integrated with her own peers.

She did her best to try and push the thoughts of her childhood to the back of her mind as she grabbed another piece of pizza and took a large bite. She never really had expensive food, and she highly doubted that this pizza was expensive, but it was probably one of the better things she had eaten in a long time. It was warm and the cheese was gooey. It was greasy to the touch, but not that she really cared.

At his comment about her being counselor, Abby raised an eyebrow. "You think? I hope I'll be decent, at least."

She really hoped that she could keep up a happy act in front of a bunch of children. She didn't really have high hopes for that, but she knew that if she forced herself to pretend for long enough, she would possibly start to believe that she was actually happy. That's what she had to do at her other jobs, so why wouldn't this one be any different?

"Ah, don't worry about me," she said awkwardly, with a little smile, "I won't be challenging anyone to anything."

She was fairly passive, which meant she wasn't going to be getting in the way of anything, if she could help it. And with the idea of staying in the background in mind, she took the final bite of her third slice, finishing off the crust. She felt full for once. She placed a hand on her stomach and realized just how not used to the feeling she was.

 

[Pilot-66]

“Absolutely! It takes a little while to learn the ropes, sure, but I think you’ll do great!”

David gave a quiet chuckle at Abby’s sheepish reassurance that she wouldn’t be issuing any challenges during her time at the camp. “Don’t worry about it. I was just kidding~ Besides, even if we DO get into any competitions, it’s all for just fun around here!” He reassured, his every word and gesture wreathed in his typical sunny smiles.

He polished off his last slice of pizza then turned and fished a few paper napkins out from under the pizza box that the two of them had emptied. He took a few for himself and offered the rest to his new soon-to-be new co-counselor. He wiped his hands clean then pressed away from the station wagon with a new spring in his step, “Well, we should probably start heading to the camp soon! It’s about an hour out from town.”

The redhead paused a moment to pick the empty pizza box off the hood of the car and walk it over to the trash can in front of the general store before turning back towards Abby and the vehicle. “Hmm, it’ll probably be too dark by the time we get there for me to give you a proper tour, but I promise to make it up to you during orientation tomorrow! We’ll just worry about getting you settled and getting your employment paperwork filled out and filed tonight. Should be a breeze!”

David stepped out into the road, walking around to the driver’s side door as he pulled the station wagon’s keys from his vest pocket with a soft metallic clatter. “So, think you’re ready to head out?” He asked, peering at her from over the top of the car—a feat that proved harder than he’d expected given her diminutive height, “Or did you need to grab something else while we’re out here?”

“Of course, you’re always welcome to take the old camp-mobile here out and about later if you want or need anything from town.” He assured, reaching out to faithfully pat the top of the old green station wagon. “I know it’s not much, but as long as you don’t trust the fuel gauge and keep it under sixty, she does fine.”

 

[TarantulaHawk]

She was almost amazed at how he was just bursting with energy and that every single word he said seemed to end on some sort of positive note. He was an optimist, and she could tell that it wasn't going to end. But honestly, she didn't mind half as much as she thought she would have. It was sort of inspiring and it made her feel a little more uplifted, a little more ready to go.

Carefully did Abby take the pizza wrapped in the napkin from him, smiling slightly. She knew she was going to eat it later. Maybe she'd actually get the guts to waste food for once and throw away the nasty sandwich she had tucked away in her bag. It was rare for her to ever think of wasting food because she had become accustomed to making sure that she had food at all times - she rarely got a chance to eat regularly anyway, so she had to conserve every little bite she possibly could.

Abby blinked when he mentioned getting to the camp, and for a minute, she completely forgot what she had even been talking with him about. But that was right. And he said orientation was the next day? Good Lord, he was cutting it close when he asked for her to help, wasn't he? But she didn't mind. Honestly, spending a night in a bed and doing paperwork for a while sounded strangely relaxing.

"I'm ready, yeah," she nodded and then shook her head as she approached the car, trying her hardest to look over the car at him as well - he was taller, but she was small, "and I think I've got what I need."

She nodded when he told her about using the car for errands, or 'camp mobile' as he called it. It worried her to drive something so iffy, but she didn't worry too much about it like someone else might. She had honestly driven worse before and public transportation could be just as unreliable sometimes as an old station wagon; she had plenty of experience with both.

After a moment, she carefully opened the door. Well, okay, yanked open the door because it was sort of stuck. She blew a few jostled bangs out of her face and chuckled as she got in. All she had was her ukulele inside of its extremely beat up case and her tiny, black drawstring bag that held her clothing and a few other miscellaneous items that she needed and didn't really need, but wanted to have on her person - wasn't like she could store them elsewhere, anyway.

 

[Pilot-66]

“O-Kay then! Let’s hit the road!” David answered in an almost sing-song voice when Abby assured that she was ready to go. He spun the car keys around in his hand with enthusiasm before wrestling with the lock on the driver’s side door. Eventually, he got it open and slipped into the driver's seat, taking a moment to lean across and unlock the passenger’s side door for Abby before putting the keys in the ignition.

He turned his head to watch her struggle with the stuck door for a moment before finally coaxing it open. He gave a short nervous laugh. Alright, so…maybe the camp-mobile was just a tiny bit overdue for a tune-up, but he was sure it was fine for now. The old wagon had held up without any real trouble all week while he ran errands between town and camp. He’d just add the wagon to the list of things to work on over the summer. He gave her a moment to get herself and her things–surpsingly few as they were–settled before he turned the key in the ignition. Begrudgingly, the engine sputtered to life and they started down the road.

The drive was as long as he promised. David did his best to make the trip interesting, pointing out local landmarks and sharing personal favorite views as they wound around long uphill stretches of road—every detail he shared as spirited as the last. The sun had set by the time they pulled onto a dirt road leading off into the woods.

“Here we are!” David piped as they passed under a faded wooden archway that was almost so sunbleached it couldn’t be read. He drove them another half mile up the dirt trail until the Camp’s log cabins came into view. The car’s headlights swept over the old buildings, revealing their age and the fact that a few were looking a little more loved than others. He wished they’d have let him start work on all this sooner so he could have more done before the kids got here, but…ah well! He had the whole summer ahead of him. “Oho man, I can’t wait for you to get to see this place in daylight. You’re gonna love it!”

He drove a little further into camp, eventually pulling up and parking next to one of the smaller buildings, “And this is the counselor's cabin, which also doubles as it’s office and HQ!” David killed the engine and pushed the driver’s door open, the distant chorus of frogs and crickets from the lake instantly filling the quiet night air once the drone of the engine was gone.

“Let me just get it unlocked for you!” The redhead spoke over his shoulder as he stepped out of the car and hurried up to the door with his keys. Once it was unlocked, he pushed the door open and flipped on the lights before welcoming her inside with a wave.

Inside, the cabin was small but reasonably furnished for multiple people to share. Two twin sized beds sat on opposite sides of the room, a nightstand and a dresser sitting on either side of the beds. A long wooden table with four chairs around it sat in the middle of the cabin as if to divide the single open room into two even halves. A single bathroom stood behind a half-closed door in the back. Despite its cramped nature, it was obvious the place had been cleaned up recently, the smell of fresh linen and cleaning supplies occasionally wafting over the rich aroma of the cabin’s oak walls.

 

[TarantulaHawk]

The drive was obviously nice, as she hadn't really been in an actual car in a long time. And she loved the stories that David shared and how excited he was to point things out that others probably could have cared less about it. She had to admire his exuberance and it gave her a little more energy, something she felt like she didn't have on a daily basis. Though, most of that could have come from sleeping at bus stops and not eating regularly. But besides that obvious point, she was glad to be going somewhere where she didn't have to worry about food or a place to sleep or just a place to exist in general. It made her feel like she was actually worth something. Like she would have people who would know her name and maybe even enjoy her being there. Hopefully. She knew David seemed to, but kids could be nasty.

When they pulled underneath the archway to the camp, she strained to see the name. He had already said it, Camp Campbell, but she was sort of shocked to see the sign so... Old. It had obviously not been touched up on for years. But despite her wariness of the camp's age, she looked around and listened to what David had to say about it all. He loved the place and she could tell that much. And as she got out, she could understand why.

The silence was deafening, but the little things made up for it - how peaceful it was, the crickets chirping, and the sound of their footsteps crossing the ground as they headed to the smaller building they parked by. And when she looked up into the sky, she saw all the stars and for a moment, all she could do was stare. She lived in the city, and more often than not, a star actually was an airplane.

When he unlocked the door and flipped on the lights, she had to smile. It was cramped, for sure, but there were beds and a bathroom and everything she needed to survive and the idea of surviving comfortably for once was both amazing and surreal.

"This is perfect." She nodded to herself and then looked at David, "I mean, perfect for like, two people for a summer. I like it, is what I'm trying to say."

It was obvious that she was growing nervous. She knew how to fill out paperwork and she knew the ways to get around questions that asked about her education and previous work history, but it still made her uncomfortable to fill out paperwork.

 

[Pilot-66]

David closed the door behind them and then quickly busied himself with turning on a few lamps around the cabin to give them a bit more light before turning and looking at Abby. He grinned to himself as he watched her take in the cabin, happy to see what looked like a genuine smile spreading across her lips. It wasn’t often he showed a new hire around and they instantly fell in love with the place. Usually, counselors needed a little time to really see the charm of it, but Abby seemed to take to it like a duck to water. His chest swelled with pride. He’d KNOWN Camp Campbell would be a great fit for her. When she called the place perfect, his green eyes lit up, “Isn’t it?!” He chimed along in agreement, the grin on his face broadening so much it almost made his face hurt.

He forced himself to settle down a little when Abby started to stumble a bit through her words. He was ecstatic over her enthusiasm–and he’d have been happy to gush about the place with her for the next few hours given the chance–but…maybe it was a bit too much excitement for one day.

“Alrighty! Let’s get you settled in then.” David tried not to sound too ecstatic as he turned on his heel and walked over to the right side of the cabin where he’d already unpacked his things. Much like Abby, he didn’t have much with him…just a few changes of clothes that he’d already folded and put away in his dresser, a hiking backpack, and the battered old guitar that he picked up and set carefully on the edge of his bed so that he could reach the lower shelf of his nightstand.

He pulled a clipboard and pen out from the nightstand’s shelf and walked back across the room to set it on the middle table. “I’ll let you fill out the first half. It’s all just the usual stuff,” He assured pulling a chair out for her and giving her a confident grin, “The second page goes over pay rate and vacation time, third is regulations and—oh! Right! We’ll have to get you a uniform!”

David left Abby alone with the paperwork for a moment as he strolled over towards the bathroom and pushed the door open to reveal it had a tiny laundry room tucked away behind a linen closet door. An aged washer and dryer sat huddled together inside the tiny alcove of a room. Fresh towels and a couple of cardboard boxes sat on wire shelving above the machines. David pulled down one of the boxes and brought it back into the main room, setting it down on the table’s edge. “Here we go! These are just special t-shirts we wear so the kids, visiting parents, or…heh, I guess eventually….inspectors can find us more easily.”

It dawned on him in that moment that the first evaluation of the camp was due in only a couple of weeks after opening. His fingers curled around the edge of the box, but he shook off the tension as soon as it’s settled on him. That was fine! With Abby here to help him keep an eye on the kids, it’d be easy!

“So! What size would you like?” David bounced back with a grin.

 

[TarantulaHawk]

Abby took to the left side of the room, placing her bag down on her bed and alongside it, her ukulele case. It was covered with stickers, different locations and places that she had lived when she was young. She even had a sticker for Seattle on it. Maybe she would eventually get one for Sleepy Peak. It was sort of a weird hobby, collecting stickers. Especially when she was homeless ninety percent of the time and she could be using that money for things like food, but playing her ukulele couldn't be her only hobby. She had to have other things to do, or she felt like she would probably go insane.

When David set the paperwork down on the table, she abandoned her bag and ukulele case on her bed and sat down in one of the wooden chairs - it creaked slightly in protest, but she did her best to ignore it. The place look old and she had a feeling her suspicions were right. Everything was going to make weird sounds. Carefully did she pick up the pen and let out a soft sigh as she began to fill out the paperwork in a surprisingly neat script handwriting.

Abigail Leanne Morris - She had no idea why her parents named her that and she would probably never figure it out. Female - she knew she had been one forever and never doubted it. Phone number - Abby paused. She had to leave it blank. She had no phone. she continued filling out the paperwork just like that, and realized, once she was finished, that most of the paperwork was left blank. For a moment she nervously stared at it. However, David asking for her shirt size was a welcome distraction.

"Uh," she stalled for a moment, then responded softly, "medium, please."

Most of the clothing items she had were too big for her. Because when she was on her own, she never bothered to focus on size. And it wasn't just because she hated how skinny she was. It had been a habit since she was young, just a precautionary measure. And her habits would likely never die.

"Oh, and I finished the paperwork." She said after a moment, grabbing the clipboard and awkwardly offering it to him.

She had left so much more blank than her phone number and she knew what would probably stand out the most; having no emergency contact information and never having even finished high school.

 

[Pilot-66]

“Can do!” David gave a cheerful nod, opening the cardboard box up and digging through the selection of shirts to pick out a week's worth of medium ones. They seemed a bit large to him for someone her size, but he’d never debate whatever made someone comfortable. He set them down on the table next to her as he found them, each of the folded green tees wrapped in its own plastic bag; clearly having never been worn before. There was still a dozen more like it left in the box when he’d finally finished unpacking her supply of shirts. If there was a bright side to getting so few applicants out here, this was it…he supposed. They never ran short on supplies!

He started packing the leftover shirts back into the box, only glancing up from his task when Abby let him know she’d finished the application. “Great!” He boasted, setting aside the box for a moment as he pulled out one of the chairs and took a seat. It too creaked in complaint under his weight, but he hardly even registered the noise, having long since gotten used to camp’s age showing around every corner.

The redhead took the clipboard from her and turned it over in his hands. He skimmed the basics first, as he was required to, though…it didn’t take him long. No address. He’d been expecting that after what the clerk in the Hardware store had told him about her desperately scouring the town for work. He hadn’t mentioned it then and he wasn’t going to now. He was a little surprised by the lack of a phone number in this day and age where everyone seemed to be attached to their devices somehow. He’d met people with a phone and little else before, but…that was no problem! The job didn’t require one and there was hardly any reception out here anyway.

He felt his eyes pause over the empty space under emergency contacts, though. He felt the weight of the thin paper application double in his hand and move up his arm to settle in the pit of his stomach–much like it had last year when he’d read Max’s papers. Funny how a blank space could carry so much weight…

A part of him wanted to say…something of comfort, but…what? And to a stranger no less. He had nothing, but, maybe all this was enough—a fresh start! He’d just have to make sure he did everything in his power to ensure it was a good one! What could go wrong? This place was perfect for new beginnings! And heck, maybe by the end of the summer, she’d even have a few new names to fill those blanks with.

“Looks like you’ve got a pretty extensive work history!” David eventually spoke back up with all his usual pep and positivity as he smiled at her, “That’s going to work perfectly here! We’ve got a pretty…broad curriculum, so the more flexible the better~”

The lanky councilor looked back down to the clipboard and signed off on a couple of the documents. “A couple more things—I know you’re not supposed to ask a woman her age but, eehh, legally I have to ask you to confirm that you’re a US resident and that you’re eighteen or over.” Even though the question was required and he was fairly sure of the answer, he hoped the exchange wasn’t too awkward after she’d handed him the papers with her incomplete schooling record.

“Aaaand, lastly…I…uh, Mr.Campb–I mean–the former camp owner’s hiring requirements are still in effect until a lawyer comes so to help me rework things,” David set the clipboard back down in front of her and flipped through to the appropriate page. He leaned back in his seat and reached up to scratch at the back of his head as he looked down at the table top, “so I…kinda have to ask you to sign at the bottom of this page to waive your rights to sue in the event of injury, poisoning, animal mauling, or death while under contract.” At least this part of the process he was used to being a little awkward.

 

[TarantulaHawk]

She carefully ran her fingertips over the plastic bagged t-shirts. It was going to be weird wearing a change of clothing that wasn't something she had owned since... Forever, really. But maybe it was time for a change. She looked at the tree logo with a little smile. It would look pretty cute with the pair of jeans and sneakers she had packed away.

She realized that while she was spacing off about her clothing choices, she had missed much of what David said. Though she came back in the perfect time, because he asked about her age. "Oh, yeah, I'm over eighteen. Been over nineteen for a couple years."

And then she found herself a little concerned at the idea of signing something, which she would never do unless she absolutely was sure she had to. But she knew she needed the camp job. She had to take it because if she didn't, she would regret it and be homeless and she was tired of being that way because she wanted a bed, a shower, and actual food. No one would be able to blame her for that.

"Y-Yeah, of course." She nodded, shaking, but an agreement all the same.

She carefully grabbed the pen again and scrawled her signature. She never learned cursive and she wasn't good with writing anyway, so her signature was sort of sloppy and barely legible. She wrote much better when she was able to print her letters instead. After a moment, she put the pen back down and smiled a little bit up at David, though it was awkward and sort of unsure.

"So, do we need to do anything else tonight?" She asked curiously, laughing ever so slightly, "Or are we just gonna chat? I don't want to be rude, but I really need to shower. I'm kinda... Gross."

She really wanted to shower and change into something more comfortable than her skirt and flats. It would be the first time she'd have a chance to wear her more casual clothes in ages and the idea made her happy.

 

[Pilot-66]

It’s just a bunch of legal stuff, really. Nothing to worry about! ​

​

David lifted his eyes from the table and thought about throwing out his practiced reassurances, as he often had when Mr. Campbell left him to hire new help, but he stopped himself short and settled his gaze back down on the documents on the table. Somehow that old song and dance just made the whole thing sound worse, and…well…​

​

He’d just make sure that the strange clause was the first thing to go whenever he was able to update the camp’s hiring practices.​

​

David took the pen and the clipboard back from her when she’d finished adding her signature. He flipped to the back page and added his own name to the documents, assuring that she was old enough to work a full forty hours a week (and probably more, since working with kids kind of meant you never got off the clock) without legal issue and that she’d complied with all of Camp Campbell’s policies so far.​

​

When she spoke again, the redhead looked back across the table at her and grinned, “I’ve got a few more pages to finish up here, and I’ll have to get a copy of all this to you tomorrow, but other than that we’re all done!” He leaned forward in his seat, his spine straight and eyes bright as he boasted, “You’re now officially a Camp Campbell counselor! That means this place is as much yours as it is mine, so you do whatever you need to feel at home!”​

 

[TarantulaHawk]

She sighed in relief, but smiled as well, "Awesome. Thank you so much for offering me this job. Seriously."

She needed the job more than anything and she had been expecting a dead end when she came to Sleepy Peak. Without him, it would have likely been one. She would have been homeless, she could have starved to death. But at the same time, when she looked at David, she felt like it was something more than luck that he had run into her. It felt much stringer than luck and the idea made her both happy and sort of worried. That sort of thing had happened with someone else a long time ago. Maybe it would end up better that time.

She forced the growing worry and fear in the pit of her stomach away and,smiled at David, doing her best to make it genuine. "Okay. I'm gonna take a shower real quick. Be back out in a bit."

She was almost excited to pull out her black leggings and baby blue shirt with fluffy, almost painted-looking clouds all over it, along with her cheap pink razor and her shampoo. She was quick to almost skip to the bathroom. It was very cramped and for a moment, she wondered how the hell people dealt with rooms this small. After pondering for a moment, she reached into the shower and turned the water on and then stripped down and got in.

Abby took her time, letting the lukewarm water (it wouldn't get hot for some reason) wash over her figure for a little while before squirting the cheap coconut shampoo into her palm and scrubbing it roughly into her hair. She loved smelling like coconut. It was her favorite scent and one of her favorite foods and drinks. Coconut water could keep her happy for many hours. When she was done scrubbing and rinsing the shampoo in and away, she quickly shaved what she needed to and then turned off the water.

The air was freezing and she shivered, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her. It was scratchy, but better than standing there without anything to keep her warm and dry her. After a moment, she looked into the mirror. Personal neglect was sort of obvious - slightly yellowed teeth, very light bags under her eyes, and skin missing on little places of her lips from where she had chewed it off. And as she looked down toward her neck, she saw the edges of the tattoo between her shoulder blades - the lettering curled up ever so slightly onto her shoulders themselves, reminding her that the past was still there.

She quickly averted her eyes and got dressed, leaving the bathroom in record time.