Camp Kumoni : 42

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Camp Kumoni
By Anistasia Allread
Edited by Alexis
     
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Camp Kumoni 42

“You’re staying? Really?” Erika imitated the high pitched squeal.

“Mom convinced dad to let me stay a little longer.”

“That’s great. What happened?” Katie smiled, digging for more info.

“Well as Erika was leaving there was the hug fest.” Samantha sighed. “Parents can be so over dramatic. Then we sat and talked a bit. Mom and Dad, really wanted the details on what exactly happened. I think my Dad is going to get a Lawyer and see if there is a case.” She paused. “They then asked me several times if I wanted to stay or go? If I felt safe here? If I was being pressured to keep what happened quiet? Did I like the girls in my cabin? Was Director Hobbs being proactive? Who my counselor is? That kind of stuff.”

“What did you tell them?” Victoria inquired.

“That I’d rather stay here at camp, than be home alone for most of the summer.”

“So when are they going to check back in on you?” Erika bit her inside lip.

They said that when they come up on ‘Parent’s Day’, they will decide if I will be going home or not.”

“Parent’s Day? What’s that?” Erika looked from Samantha to Tricia and Victoria.

“It’s the day when our parent’s come and spend the afternoon with us.” Victoria explained. “They see the crafts we’ve been doing, witness our various swimming, riding, climbing, and boating skills and how nutritious our meals are.”

“Our parents come here?” Erika looked to be in a panic. “To this camp?”

“Yes, of course, where else would they go?” Victoria rolled her eyes.

“You’re putting me on, right?” Erika’s face was white.

“No.”

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit!” Erika cursed.

“Your parents don’t know about this, this,” She lowered her voice to a whisper “About you being a girl?” Victoria scanned Erika’s body up and down

“No.” Erika’s head flopped to the towel.

“You know, there are some parents who can’t come.” Katie stated.

“Not with my luck.” Erika mumbled into her towel. “Do the parents know about ‘Parent’s Day’?”

“I believe they’re told about it in the camp brochure and then they are invited as well.” Victoria bit her lip in thought. “At least that is what I remember reading the brochure. I only skimmed through it.”

“Aaaarrrrrgggg!” Erika screamed in to her towel.

“We’ll work something out.” Samantha tried to make her friend feel better.

“We’ve got two weeks to figure out something. Besides, you don’t know if your parents are even coming.” Tricia encouraged.

I’m sure, if there is a ‘Parent’s day’, my mother will be coming.” Erika wanted to cry. “I need to go for a swim.” She stated suddenly and jumped up, kicking a bit of sand onto the others towels. “Anyone coming?”

“I’ll go.” Katie volunteered.

“I guess a bit of algae infested water won’t do me too much harm.” Tricia grimaced, then smiled.

“Samantha?” Erika invited.

“No thanks, I’d like to soak in some rays first.”

The three girls waded into the warm lake water. Once up to their thighs, they dove in. Long smooth graceful strokes took them out to the dock. Katie with her long limbs reached the ladder first and hoisted herself up. She adjusted her top and reached a hand down to assist Erika up the ladder.

Tricia followed and made sure that her top was secure before turning to the other two. “Now what?” She raised an eyebrow.

Erika looked around. “Let’s go off the high dive.” She grinned.

Katie looked up at the platform and shuddered.

“Oh, sorry Katie, I wasn’t thinking. We don’t need to do that, we can just dangle our feet off the dock.” Erika winced at her error.

“No, go on ahead, I’ll watch.” Katie insisted. “Really, don’t let my being chicken keep you two from having fun.

Two boys ran past them and scampered up the ladder to the platform. The first one ran out along the length of the board, bounced on the end and did a cannonball into the lake with a ku-splash.

“Come on, Tricia.” Erika smiled. She took to the ladder as the second kid jumped off with a ku-sploosh. droplets from the displaced lake flew into the air.

Erika stood up on the platform and looked out back at the lake shore, butterflies danced in her chest. Things sure looked like they were a long way down from up here. She spotted Samantha and Victoria who were shading their eyes from the sun’s glare. Erika lifted a hand and waved. Samantha waved back.

“Well?” Tricia asked as she waited at the top of the ladder. “Are you going to jump, or should let you crawl back down the ladder?”

“Hold your horses.” Erika called back. She walked out towards the end of the board, bouncing a little bit to feel the flex in the board. She then walked back to the platform and took a couple of deep breaths.

She took a few quick steps, bouncing towards the end and shot up and out over the lake. She grabbed her knees and pulled them to her chest, as she rolled slightly back and made impact with the water with her lower back. The noisy chatter and hollering of the campers was immediately silenced to a dull roar as she was engulfed by the warm water of the lake. As soon as she felt her momentum slow, she opened up and kicked to the surface.

“That was great!” Katie shouted at her after her head broke surface.

“Dude, a girl totally kicked your cannonball.” One of the boys teased the other.

“Not bad.” Tricia called from the platform.

Erika smiled and with only a few powerful strokes, make her way to the ladder. She turned in time to see Tricia bounce on the end of the board, and sail into the air. Tricia sailed head first out over the water, her arms out at her sides. At the last moment, she tucked her head forward and brought her hands in front of her executing a beautiful swan dive.

Erika was in awe at the grace and beauty of her friend. She climbed the ladder to stand beside the towering Katie.

“That was incredible.” Erika looked at their new cabin mate in a new light.

“I was on the dive team at my last school.” Tricia shrugged.

Erika looked at the platform and watched as one of the boys did a spinning cannonball.

“You want to go again?” Tricia invited with a smile.

“And embarrass myself?” Erika looked forlorn.

“This isn’t a contest.” Tricia reminded her. “Guys compete all of the time, girls can just have fun and enjoy one another.”

Erika let that sink in for a moment. “Okay.” She headed for the ladder.

“Can you dive?” Tricia asked.

“Yeah, but not like you.”

“Try a forward flip.”

“What do I do?” Erika paled.

Tricia quickly talked her through the steps and waited on the ladder as Erika surveyed the lake again.

She took a deep breath and ran out to the end of the board, bouncing a foot from the end and swinging her arms and tucking her head as she kicked her feet up. The sky and lake traded places for a moment as she spun feet over head, the world righted itself as she neared the water. She over rotated a little as she hit the water, not quite accomplishing a belly flop. Her legs and arms stung a little as she kicked her way to the surface and looked to Tricia on the platform.

“A little over rotated.” Tricia called back, “But very good for a first time.”

A giddiness and warmth spread through her body at the praise from the pretty blonde. Erika swam out of the way and watched as Tricia bounced on the end of the board. As she leapt into the air, she kicked her feet out while rotating her head and arms back. When she was approaching vertical with her head down, she straightened out and dropped like an arrow, hardly making a splash in the lake.

“Brava!” Katie shouted from the dock as Tricia’s head broke surface.

“You are incredible.” Erika tread water waiting for the blonde.

“Not good enough to win state.” Tricia sighed.

“You went to state? In diving?”

“I took fourth.” Tricia sighed. “I was supposed to go again this next year and give them a run for the gold, but we had to move. Again.”

“Well, our diving team sure could use you.” Erika accepted Katie’s hoist onto the dock.

“We’ll see.” Tricia said. “Let’s see what your school has to offer.”

“I’m the wrong person to ask about that.” Erika grimaced. “Talk to Victoria or Samantha about things our school has to offer.”

Erika found herself atop the platform looking out over the lake again. The thump, thump, thumping of the chopper was nearing. She looked the direction from which it was coming and made it out, a dark dot emerging from the smoky haze that still filled the sky.

Erika loped down the length of the board, bounced in the air, arched her back and head back as she kicked her feet in the air. She heard and felt a sharp crack on the back of her head. A blackness filled with stars swam before her eyes as she felt her body, suddenly change direction. She then felt a stinging impact across her back followed by a soft floating sensation as she submitted to the darkness, welcoming its promise of no pain.

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Comments

Oh, that's just not fair!

An ending like that from a mostly easygoing (with a few panicky moments) chapter is just not RIGHT!

All's Fair...

...in love and war and the story of Camp Kumoniwanalaya!

With Erika cold-conked on the noggin, should we now call it Camp Kumoniwanalayaout?

Luckily, Katie is a strong swimmer, and strong, too. Recruiting the two boys to help fish Erika out shouldn't be any big trick, either. Hopefully, she won't be in long enough to try breathing any of the water. I wonder who will get to do the mouth-to-mouth if she does?

Just as soon as I get a breather....

then .... Wham!!! Erika tries to do a 'jack-knife' or a back dive. Not realizing she did not get out far enough.... I shudder the thought....No!!!

Hello Anistasia!!! ^___^ -D

You really know how to wind us down then wind us right back up. So what do we have? Another cliff hanger!! That's what we have! Now we are going to speculate like crazy what is going to happen next. Obviously Tricia will jump out into the water retrieve Erika and bring her back to the dock with Katie's help. I will stop there and just wait until the next chapter. We will try to keep from biting our nails as we hang on the edge of the dock while we wait for the good news. We will pray that it is not a serious bump on the head. It will probably sting harder than getting your back slapped by the water on a bad dive.

Well take care until next time. I think I am getting a headache now just thinking about this. I will sleep in, relax, clean up the apartment a bit. Do some grilling on this July 4th and enjoy the day as much as possible.

Rachel

WOW!! Camp Kumoni !!

You sure know how to give us thrills in every chapter!!! From the good news from Samantha to the end of the chapter, you have us enthralled with the drama. We pretty much know what's going to happen now, but what will Director Hobbs attitude be if she discovers Erika's secret? Will Erika be sent to the E.R. [A&E]? Maybe Liberty will pay Erika a visit.
May Your Light Forever Shine

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

So this is where

So this is where it all comes out into the open; the whole camp will now know about Erika. If Erika thinks it was bad before, wait until she sees what happens when people knows she is trans; she barely made it pass her cabin mates.

If the author is going there

If the author is going there, I hope she takes this real. She opened the can of worms with the last paragraph, so it is only fair to the readers to follow through. We know some of the things that are going to happen, because we know how things are in life. We know Erika is not going to stay in the girl's side of the camp, there has already been the attempted rape so the mindset is in place. Erika will not be allowed to use the girl's toilets, or showers, there are just too many girls at camp to allow this to happen. Of course Erika's first trip will be to hospital, and once she recovers (assuming the author didn't kill her off), back home. The good side of all this is Erika will not have to worry about parents day.

I hope it does not end that way

It would be such a loss if that story ended like that.
I hope there is a way things work out.

hugs

Holly


It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.
by E. E. Cummings

Friendship is like glass,
once broken it can be mented,
but there will always be a crack.

A lot of questions

I had a lot of questions when Marcie and Tricia starting diving. The preceding chapters had the camp stressing safety as a big issue and rightly so. Diving from an high board can be serious and a potential for accidents. I can not see this camp just allowing any camper to climb and dive off of a high board. Two, we know a lifeguard is on duty with the campers swimming and diving. So this accident will be observed, the lifeguard is already on the way to Erika. Erika suffered a blow to the back of the head and there is the possibility of spinal injuries as her head was smacked back with the force of her body and then hitting the water. She will be taken to hospital for an examination, possibly a CAT scan, to make sure that she has no serious problems.

Unless the author is writing from the cuff, we know what is coming. Anything less will be a disservice to the readers.

Really

I had a friend die from a blow to the back of his head at the base of his skull. Seemingly a minor blow, he hit his head on a kitchen cabinet. He shrugged it off at the time, but unknown to him he was bleeding in the skull and was later found dead in his home. So this is not the sort of injury to ignore.

KJT

"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Depends on the way the injury is received

You have to remember, that this is a rural area. The camp, and then the town nearby are neither going to have the facilities to do an in-depth medical examination if it seems okay. They don't have the equipment to look deeper into it if things seem to be alright. I grew up in a rural area, and I smacked the SHIT out of my head too many times to count. The reaction if I was able to regain consciousness in short order was the doc checking for concussion, asking me some basic questions, giving me some Tylenol and sending me on my way.

Besides... (and this is not to you, Karen) since when does a CAT scan require fully disrobing and probing around to figure out that the genital area is a prosthetic?

When the camp sends Erika to

When the camp sends Erika to hospital, they will remove her clothes, and in this case she is only wearing a swimsuit.

This is a camp, the camp will be worried about possible lawsuits and such things, they will not just give her a pain killer and send her on her way. This isn't someone smacking their head at home. And unless the lifeguards were snoozing, they saw Erika get hurt.

There are helicopters coming and going, so Erika can be lifted to the nearest hospital. BTW: the breasts can be consider prosthetics, but not the gaff.

Depends on the gaff, really

And from the description given, I'd think it was the false-vagina type.

Marcie?

Erika - the main character in Anistasia Allread's story Camp Kumoni is not the same as

Marcie - the main character in Kaleigh Way's story Marcie & the Amazons

But that could have just been from reading the two one after the other.

Now to address your concerns. The campers allowed in the lake had to PROVE themselves the first couple of days. There is a lifeguard on duty, and there are many strong swimmers nearby, as well. You're making assumptions about a smack to the back of the head, as well. Small towns or rural areas (such as the rural area a camp would be in nearby the small town we've already seen) would not have the CAT available. First, they would try to revive her by the lakeside. Where her friends that are in the know would be there to steer things away from discovery. Second, if unable to revive her, the nearest ER would be the destination -- which would also be full of refugees that got too close to the forest fire and there would NOT be an in-depth examination of below-the-waistband for a head injury. Third if she didn't revive in the ER, then, yeah, there'd be a problem as they'd have to call parents and such immediately for permissions for things. If there is nothing serious but a concussion, the parents would be called to inform them not to worry, as in EVERY camp I've ever attended (or been counselor at) the Camp Director is in loco parentis in case of minor emergencies -- a concussion is a minor emergency.

Now... your other issues... A disservice to the readers? To this point, she has covered things in a mostly realistic way. There are points in which disbelief must be suspended, but guess what... it's a flippin' story! If the story isn't going your way it's wrong? "Anything less will be a disservice to the readers," sounds rather... ultimatum-ish to me. I didn't like the reactions of some of the cabinmates and thought at least one was quite out of character, but it's NOT MY STORY. I'm not in these characters' heads -- the only one who has that honor is Anistasia. Stop trying to be a bully.

FWIW

You are correct, of course, this is Anistasia's story to write. It's a measure of how caught up the readers are that we are debating what could happen to Erika.

But, speaking as somebody with some experience in the public safety sector (I'm a former nationally-certified First Responder), allow me to point out that the presence of the fire crews in the area means a dramatic upgrade in the availability of well-trained, experienced paramedics and EMT's. While it's not 'common' for wildfire fighters to be seriously injured on the job, it happens, and any major response is going to include several well-trained medical crews. And any EMT worth his or her pin is going to whip out the stethescope and listen to Erika's lungs and heart, especially since she undoubtedly ended up in the water after striking her head. It isn't difficult to figure out that the chest you are trying to listen to is sporting false breasts, and once the questions start . . .

Oh, yeah, medical evacuation by helicopter to a Level One Trauma Center (with state-of-the-art medical technology) is extremely likely if the injuries are deemed serious by trained medical responders on the scene. I have called in a few in my day.

Karen J.

For a dramatic example of how tragically things can go wrong:

http://forestry.about.com/od/forestfire/ss/s_canyon_fire.htm

"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

you said it...

"... if the injuries are deemed serious by trained medical responders on the scene."

If they aren't, then it won't. What I'm pointing out is that almost everyone seems to be ABSOLUTELY certain that this will get Erika caught. Why even mention the Parents Day as the spectre of future issues if this is what gets Erika outed?

Difference in outlook

You're saying it won't, I'm saying it could. Anistasia isn't saying. :-)

KJT

"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Hmmmm....

If Erika gets directly evac'ed by the chopper, without intervention by the camp staff, is it possible that some kind soul might keep her secret for her? Besides that, hospitals and such have certain obligations to patient confidentiality.

Erika - the main character

Erika - the main character in Anistasia Allread's story Camp Kumoni is not the same as

Marcie - the main character in Kaleigh Way's story Marcie & the Amazons

OOPS!

Not being a bully

I am not being a bully, I am being a critic, and that is what the comments are for. Calling me a bully on the other hand....

For swiming, not diving.

"The campers allowed in the lake had to PROVE themselves the first couple of days" They had to prove they could swim, they were not trained for diving. In fact, Erika couldn't dive, she did a "cannonball" the first time and then admitted that she didn't know how to dive. Erika should not have been diving from the high board; it had to be somewhat of a high board because Erika looked down and thought it looked much higher from above looking down than it did from below looking up. She had two lessons from another camper, not a trained counsellor. Erika was told how to do a dive, screwed it up a bit, was told how to correct her mistakes and was starting to do the second when she ended up hitting her head.

Losing consciousness in public

... is opening a can of worms? How so? Are they going to not only strip her because her head is injured (which would be weird) but probe around in the "bottom" prosthetic she has on to figure it out? I don't see how this is an automatic discovery at all. Could you work through the logic there, for me?

You keep on about how it's, "... only fair to the readers to follow through..." and below you speak of a "... disservice to the readers..." like you're AFRAID she'll come out okay. The story may come out to be a tragedy. It may come out to have a happy ending. But guess what?

In either case...

It's not for YOU to decide. That decision is Anistasia Allread's. Hers and hers alone. She knows the characters and the setting better than any of us by default because they're her creations. She may or may not know where she's going to take the story from here, but don't presume to tell her how it HAS to go. Stop being a bully.

No, getting seriously hurt,

No, getting seriously hurt, because she will be examined. The breast forms are easy to dismissed, she is very flat chested for her age and very self conscious about her lack of mammary glands. However, having a penis instead of a vagina is a bit harder to dismiss.

not fair!!!

Thats soooo cruel.

There I was happy Samantha got to stay and all seemed well.
Then Erica is going for those jumps and I'm worried with her luck some thing will happen but am relieved it all went well and she did quite fine.

But no you could not leave it at that. You had to make us suffer, get Erica hurt and then leave us hanging. Some of the authors here are so sadistic.
If only the story was not so good that you could just let go. But again no you also have to write so fantastically capturing than we can't even let go even if we get white knuckled hanging there.

Please do not keep us hanging too long Anistasia and thanks for this wonderful story.

To all US-Americans happy 4th of July :)

to all other - have a great weekend

hugs

Holly


To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else,
is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight.
Never stop fighting!
By E. E. Cummings

Friendship is like glass,
once broken it can be mented,
but there will always be a crack.

Ouch...

Now, I've seen a guy bang his head on the platform, and go on to win olympic gold (Greg Luganis), but somehow I don't think that's where you're going with this story.

Now, knocking herself out - that's SURE to bring her 'condition' to the attention of the staff I'm thinking... Sounds like our protagonist will have to deal with her "issue" sooner, rather than later. I'm wondering how you'll handle it.

Thanks,

Annette

I Wonder If This Is One Of Those Cases

jengrl's picture

I wonder if this is one of those cases where she lands awkwardly and damages her male organs? They would then have to do surgery on them and force Erica into being a girl permanently. The important thing is that she is okay. I guess everything will come to light about her biological sex. I hope her parents will be open to the possibility of having a daughter and the camp will put their concern for her well being before any thoughts about the masquerade. I guess that would be too much to ask for, but we can always hope.

Jenn

PICT0013_1_0.jpg

Concerned about that direction

With Erica's feelings about Samantha, I don't see Erica becoming fully a girl any time soon.

Why not? Evidently there is

Why not? Evidently there is some lesbianism between the two because Erika is very much a girl at camp and so is Samantha. In fact, I am wondering if when Eric comes back Samantha finds her attraction to Eric to be very weak, or nonexistent. She was attracted to the jock type and Eric is no jock type. Of course it is obvious that Samantha is bisexual. Erika is a lesbian, Eric... I guess would be classified as heterosexual; the whole sexuality thing should be tossed out the window and we should just love who we love regardless if they are women, or men.

A serious injury means

A serious injury means parents are notified!

Danger, Wilhemina Robinson! Danger!

We Are Forgetting One Thing About Erika

She now has the breast forms and gaffe from Sasha. They are supposed to be realistic. So now will be a good time to see just how realistic they are. And maybe Sasha has a few friends in the E.R. [A&E} that can help.
May Your Light Forever Shine

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

parents day

laika's picture

I don't think Erica is going to be outed just yet. We have just been introduced to
the "Parents Day" dilemna, which seems good for a whole lot of dramatic tension
in the chapters ahead. So I think she will either talk her way out of having to
go see the nurse, or the nurse will prove to be surprisingly transgender-savvy.
But whatever happens, it's a great series, a neat bunch of girls in Columbine
cabin, and it's sweet to see Samantha and Erica growing closer like this.
Fun stuff, Anistasia!
~~hugs, Laika

Dodging bullets

The parents day is indeed a dangerous bullet to dodge, but so could be this episode.
All things considered, I don't see Erika escaping this a lot longer. With luck you can
dodge one or two bullets, but it looks like they're using an automatic weapon now.

Hugs,

Kimby

Hugs,

Kimby

Ordinance

Geesh, not to mention the mines and grenades!

Erika should be feeling like a bunny that just wandered onto the rifle range about now.

dreams

I think a visit from Samantha's sister would make a better dream.

Jennifer, GOOD idea, maybe I'll stea... be inspired by it

A major motivation behind the whole transform Eric into Erika for camp scheme was Samantha wanting to know why her sister killed herself. She knows most of it now but probably not all.

The dead sister in one or both of their dreams could be a powerful influence on the story.

John in Wauwatosa

P.S. My Joanie has a very bad day, dreams of her mother and what Mom things of her …Hum?

P.P.S. Jennifer, feel free to make more suggestions to AA I can … appropriate.

P.P.P.S Karen, I assume the forest fire was that awful one in Colorado where many died even with the portable survival shelters. All this tragedy to save homes for the rich in the mountains, where they never should have been built. I choose life over property any day. If lives have to be risked purely to save property, let it burn.

I hear the Texas sportscaster who is credited with the phrase, “The opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings,“ recently died at the age of 83.

John in Wauwatosa

Camp Kumoni

The big advantage of rereading this story again years later is that the next chapter after such a big cliffhanger is already there. ;-)

Martina

Uh oh

She might get outed from this.

hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna

oh crap

not good!

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