“Come cuddle?” Tricia asked from her cot. With out pausing, Erika changed course and padded over to the blonde’s cot. It would be easier to fall into Tricia’s bed than it would be to climb up into her own. She lay down and pulled the covers over her. Tricia turned in bed and spooned with her. “What’s wrong with you?” Tricia asked.   Camp Kumoni By Anistasia Allread Not Edited

---

Camp Kumoni 61

“Erika,” Tricia barely breathed into her ear, “Let’s go.”

Erika wiped the sleep from her eyes and peered through the dark around the cabin. She couldn’t really see the other girls, but she could hear their deep steady breathing. Erika silently slid out of her covers and as carefully as she could slid out of her bed. Tricia stood facing the others looking for signs of them waking up. She picked up her shoes and tip-toed to the door where she stopped to listen to Phoenix’s breathing. It was deep and steady, with a slight whistling as the air was forced though her nose.

The two girls slithered through a small crack in the opened door and ever so slowly closed it behind them. Softly, they stepped down the stairs and across the path to the shadows of a tree before pausing to slip on their shoes.

Erika put a hand up to stifle a large yawn and looked sleepily at Tricia. The blonde girl looked immaculate even just rolling out of bed. Her hair looked as if it was recently brushed to a shine, her eyes lacked the puffiness or dark circles that any other person would have at this time of the morning.

“You sure about this?” Erika asked in a hushed whisper.

“You said you wanted to learn in private, when else can we get away to do this without anyone knowing?

The two girls slipped through the trees and walked amongst the trees. The forest at this time of night took on an eerie, almost magical quality. Shadows seemed to virtually come alive. The full moon unobstructed in the sky, pushed its silver light down through the branches of the towering giants and bathed the forest floor in a mystical, pearlescent light.

Tricia guided them to the small clearing that they had previously used and took up a pose. “Let’s see how much you remembered about the waltz.”

Erika lightly placed one hand on Tricia’s shoulder and took up her hand.

“One, two, three. Quick, quick, long, one, two three.” Tricia counted, then stepped, guiding Erika through the moves of the dance. “Good, you are doing very good.” Tricia smiled. “Now let’s start adding to it.” She leaned her weight in one direction. Erika sensing her shift was unsure how to proceed. Tricia began turning in a circle, forcing Erika to revolve around her. She lost contact with Tricia’s shoulder, but regained it quickly.

“Nice. Let’s try that again,” Tricia was still moving in a box step.

She turned again, this time Erika, ready for it, kept pace with her and used Tricia as an anchor for her momentum.

“Excellent.” Tricia smiled with approval.

She continued the waltz, throwing the sudden turns in every so often and even sometimes back to back.

“Now let’s teach you to spin,” Tricia kept the basic steps going.

It took about ten minutes and several falls before Erika could spin on cue.

“Now, we’ll put it all together.” Tricia instructed.

The two girls set off dancing around the small forest glen, spinning, swirling and twirling.

Eric had never understood why girls liked to dance so much, they would dance with each other when a male wasn’t available and at times they would even dance alone. Guys were too self-aware and seemingly clumsy; they didn’t dare risk their manliness trying to dance.

In this moonlit glen, with this pretty blonde, who’s hair sparkled silver in the moon’s wash, Erika began to understand the attraction girls had to dancing. Dancing was an outlet, a way to move their bodies in ways that not only pleased the male on lookers, but pleased themselves just as much.

To have their hair free flowing and caressing their backs as it whipped around the sides of their heads to tickle their cheeks. To give up all control to one they trusted to twirl them carefree around a dance floor as they swayed their hips.

Erika could just imagine how her dress would swirl around her legs. How the soft fabric would brush against and feather against her thighs as she turned and moved, flowing to the music, teasing her with soft caresses.

The music this night was just as wonderful, if not more magical than she believed the music at the dance might be. A soft breeze blowing through the tops of the trees caused branches to knock together in a clacking sound, while the bowing to their trunks groaned like a bass. The crickets although silent in their immediate area, could be heard rubbing their legs together, trying to attract a mate to their individual song. The tufts of grass, and dead leaves whispered as their feet pranced around it, their breathes, and giggles creating a melody that could rival many a composer.

Erika felt alive, like something long dormant was awakened. A sadness that shrouded everything was cast off. Even Summer hadn’t been able to make Eric feel this heady, this jubilant, this alive. Carefree was too small a word to describe this feeling, heavenly to cumbersome

Tricia caught up in the moment, spun too tight. Erika lost her balance and couldn’t let go of the blonde. They tangled limbs as they fell to the soft forest floor, giggling, embracing one another, embracing life.

They lay in that jumbled mess for a time, their breathing ragged from the exertion. Erika found herself looking into Tricia’s porcelain face, her soft features, her beautiful bottomless eyes. Tricia smiled up at Erika, a soft smile a knowing smile. Erika, eager to feel this girl’s warmth, to feel her satin skin and velvet lips, dipped her head closer and lightly touched her lips to Tricia’s.

Tricia wrapped her arms around Erika’s neck and pulled her closer, drawing her to her chest, pulling her deeper into passion.

* * *

The alarm snapped on, bringing Erika to consciousness.

“Aaaahh.” She complained, wrapping the pillow around her head and burrowing deeper under the light blanket.

“Come on, Erika.” Samantha urged. “We have a busy day; we start the Camp Olympics today.”

“Leave me alone. I’m exhausted.” Erika groaned.

“Come, on, we need to get a move on it.”

“I’m not feeling well.” Erika whimpered.

“What’s wrong?”

“Head ache. Let me sleep until it’s time to shower, please.” She begged.

“Tricia’s not feeling well either.” Phoenix joined the two. “Here take these.” She handed Erika two Aspirin pills. “If you’re not feeling better after the shower, I’m going to send you to the nurse.”

Erika took the two pills and buried her head again. Silence descended upon the cabin as the rest of her cabin mates left. A pressure in her bladder forced her up and to the bathroom.

Erika squinted against the light as it pierced the bathroom window, flooding it in bright light. She finished, washed her hands and headed back to her bed.

“Come cuddle?” Tricia asked from her cot.

Without pausing, Erika changed course and padded over to the blonde’s cot. It would be easier to fall into Tricia’s bed than it would be to climb up into her own. She lay down and pulled the covers over her. Tricia turned in bed and spooned with her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Tricia asked.

“Sleep deprivation headache. You?”

“The same. It was worth it though.”

“I think so.” Erika agreed.

Tricia hugged Erika tighter as they drifted off to a place, not quite asleep, yet not awake.

“We need to get up.” Tricia began to rise. “I hear them coming.”

“Oh, to sleep.” Erika sighed. She swung out of Tricia’s cot and gathered her shower bag and towel. She slipped on her flip-flops and waited by the door for Tricia. The two walked out of the cabin as the other Columbine girls approached.

“Feeling any better?” Phoenix asked.

“A little.” Erika relented. What she really needed was another few hours of sleep, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. This was the first day of the camp Olympics.

“Let’s see if breakfast will help lift those headaches.” Phoenix suggested brightly.

Breakfast was French-toast, fruit and bacon. The clamor in the dining hall was not helping with Erika’s head ache one bit, but she did find that the food was assisting in raising her blood sugar and giving her energy.

“What is first on the event’s calendar?” Rachel inquired of Victoria.

“Basketball.”

“Great, we’re screwed.” Rachel threw her hands up.

“Hey now!” Phoenix admonished, “Just because we start out weak, doesn’t mean we’ll finish weak. Basketball is our worse game, but we can make up of it in kick ball, and in softball.”

“We might even be able to get a few points in Volleyball.” Katie smiled.

“All but two of us are good swimmers,” Dani added, “Non swimmers are excluded from that competition, so we have an advantage there because the rest of us are very strong swimmers.”

“Okay, I get the point.” Rachel conceded.

“We have also won the weekly cabin point totals three weeks this summer.” Phoenix added. “I heard Hobbs talking about awarding points to each cabin that has won that.”

“Will she be taking any away for bad behavior?” Rachel huffed.

“She isn’t like that.” Phoenix shook her head.

The Lavender ladies left the dining hall and headed for the basketball court.

* * *

By the time they headed to lunch, the girls of Columbine cabin had won only one of the four basketball games that they played. Sweaty, tired and hungry, they sagged at their table in the dining hall.

“You don’t have to be as strict with your diet over the next few days.” Rachel told Krystal. “We’re going to be running ragged, and burning off much more than we can put in our mouths.”

“You are looking great, Krystal,” Tricia complimented, “Have you reached your goal?”

“We haven’t used the scales all summer,” Rachel informed them. “I’m curious, but pounds don’t always mean your gaining or losing. I think dress size is a better way of telling how much weight you have lost. Krystal has been dieting, but she has also been working out and building muscle, so she may not weigh a lot less, but as you can tell, her clothes are much loser on her.”

“Daddy is going to have to buy you a new wardrobe before school starts.” Victoria smiled.

“Oooh, if you do get to get a new wardrobe, you can take me with you.” Samantha got excited.” We can get you all kinds of cute clothes for school, for pretty cheap too.”

“We’ll see.” Krystal smiled at the attention.

“You’ll just have to keep this up while you’re going to school.” Rachel said. “Join a gym or maybe try out of the soccer team.”

“Our soccer team could really use that leg of yours.” Samantha agreed.

“What’s next on our schedule?” Rachel asked.

“It looks like the rope course.” Victoria frowned.

“Is the rope course part of the Olympics?” Katie asked.

“Yes,” Phoenix nodded, “They have a couple of timed events, one is an individual event where the best time through the course wins a point for their cabin. One is a team event where they average all of the individual events to get a point, and the last one is a team event where you all have to get through a course together the fastest. At least that’s how I think I heard they were going to do it.”

“What about me?” Katie asked nervously.

“I think you will be counted out, like the non-swimmers are.” Phoenix explained.

“We have Erika,” Rachel beamed, “So we have a pretty good chance at getting the individual point.

“Great,” Victoria growled, “I’m going to be the one who keeps us from getting one of the team points.”

“Not necessarily.” Tricia pointed out. “There are others who are in the same boat as you are.”

“What’s after the rope course?”

“We start the canoe races.” Victoria informed them.

“Then, free time?” Dani asked.”

“Having Derek withdrawals, are we?” Rachel teased.

Dani stuck her tongue out at the athletic girl. “Jealous.”

The girls of Columbine left the dining hall and proceeded over to the rope course. Skyler greeted them all with a smile.

Erika scanned the course and discovered that Skyler had spent the past few days re-configuring the course.

“I thought I’d give you a bit of a challenge.” He said behind her.

“Will you talk us through it at least?”

“It would be too difficult otherwise.”

Once the girls were all harnessed up and had their helms and gloves on, Skyler led them around under the different parts of the course and explained what they would all be doing. “You get one practice run, and then we time you. Who wants to go first?”

Rachel gently pushed Erika forward.

“I guess I’m being volunteered.” Erika shot Rachel a dirty look.

Erika clipped in and began the course, she shouted down helpful hints to the others as she quickly learned the route. Once they all had a turn going through the course once, Skyler brought out two digital timers.

“You can be my back up.” He told Katie. He quickly showed her how to start, stop and clear the stop watch and watched as Erika clipped in on the first obstacle.

Spending the summer mornings jogging, doing sit-ups and push-ups really paid off, before she knew it, Erika was through the course. All though she was flushed and panting, she felt confident in her time.

“Excellent!” Skyler exclaimed, “I think you might have the course record. You are only the third cabin to come through, but I think you may have set the goal for everyone including the boys.”

Once everyone had gone through that course, Skyler led them through the trees to another course. This one had a single rope spanning a muddy creek bed.

“You have three minutes to look over this course from here,” Skyler instructed. Once the three minutes is up, I will start the clock on this challenge. Everyone except Katie has to be through the course and clipped in to that green rope before I’ll stop the clock. Anyone falling into the creek may climb out the other side, but I’ll be deducting twenty seconds from your time.” He looked at each of the girls. “Your three minutes starts now.”

Erika’s eyes began following the course’s direction and obstacles. She hadn’t realized she was also talking her way through it aloud until Dani asked a question about reaching a certain part of the course.

“We’ll have Rachel or Krystal right behind you, they can boost you up.” Erika dictated.

She continued her verbal study all the way through the finish.

“I don’t know if I can do that one across the ditch.” Victoria bit her lip.

“Don’t try then.” Erika told her. She looked to Rachel who looked questioning at her. “It would take you longer than twenty seconds to cross it anyway. It would be more beneficial to take the loss.”

Rachel nodded agreement. “You can just climb down into the creek, run across and climb back out; You too Dani. If you think you are going to have trouble, just skip it.”

Dani nodded understanding.

“Thirty seconds left.” Skyler announced as he made his way over to the finish line.

“Erika, you go first, and talk us through it as you go.” Samantha urged.

“Skyler? Can Katie count out seconds for us?” Erika called out.

“What do you mean?”

“Can she count out how long it’s taking us to complete a certain part of the course?”

“Skyler thought about it for a moment. “Sure.”

“Katie,” Erika had everyone’s attention. “When I begin the creek crossing, I’d like you to call out how many seconds it takes for me to cross it, okay?”

Katie nodded.

“If it takes longer than fifteen seconds, I think you all should skip that obstacle.” Erika looked at the others. Tricia smiled while Samantha just nodded. Rachel had a frown. “Don’t try and prove yourself, Rachel. If we can get a better time by taking the penalty, it will just prove that brains are better than brawn. The boys will all be trying for it and slowing themselves down.”

“Alright.” Rachel relented. “If you can’t do it in twenty, none of the campers can.”

Skyler began counting down from ten. Erika clipped into the safety line on the first part of the course and readied herself.

“Go!” Skyler yelled.

Erika raced through the rope maze, up bridges, across looping steps, and down knotted rope loops with which she had to swing over to grasp the next loop. When she got to the creek crossing, she called out to Katie and began making her way across the single span of rope, the only obstacle that didn’t have a clip in safety line. She was just over half way across when Katie called out that it had been fifteen seconds. She then heard the other girls call back to one another to skip the creek crossing.

Erika finished the course and clipped in to the green rope and turned to watch her cabin mates as she panted for breath.

One by one, the Lavender Ladies jumped down into the creek bed, took the ten steps to get across and clambered out in ten seconds. Samantha clipped in second, followed by Tricia, Krystal and Rachel. Phoenix followed Dani so as to give her a boost to ropes that might be out of her reach. Last on the course was Victoria. The race was up to her now.

“Come on, Victoria!” Rachel screamed. “Come on, you can do it!”

The rest of the cabin, including Phoenix joined in, encouraging her to make her way through the obstacles as fast as she could.

She sprinted towards the creek, not bothering to approach the rope. She was a step away from the edge when she suddenly tripped and fell forward.

Everything seemed to shift into slow motion as Erika watched Victoria dive face first over the edge and down into the creek bed. Her long dark braid flailed about like a rope reaching out to catch something, anything. Her feet flipped straight up in the air and then, with her momentum continued over, causing her to somersault down into the creek.

“Oh my God!” Krystal exclaimed.

Victoria lay sprawled motionless at the bottom of the creek bed.