Camp Kumoni : 67 | The Final Chapter

Printer-friendly version
Camp Kumoni
By Anistasia Allread
Edited by Nick B


Half way home, the bus pulled into a rest stop.

“Okay, you have twenty minutes to use the facilities,” a counselor informed them.

Erika looked at the other girls around her. “I need to start changing back.”

Samantha and Tricia nodded.

Erika grabbed her duffle and entered the ladies restroom with Tricia and Samantha.

     
sunlitforest.jpg

Chapter 67
Final Chapter
 
Erika dressed in a long white cotton skirt and her lavender camp shirt. She stepped out of the shower area and joined Katie as they walked back up to their cabin.

“That was really cool, what you did for Dani last night.” Katie beamed down at her.

“She deserves it.” Erika smiled back, “How was your night with Scott?”

“Wonderful.” Katie blushed.

“I take it you didn’t beat him up. Did you two kiss?”

Katie turned bright red and smiled.

“Well, it looks like you ended up getting your summer wish.” Erika took Katie’s hand, “Katie has a boyfriend.”

“He lives kind of far away,” Katie said, but we’ll try and get together a couple of times a month.”

“And there is always e-mail, texting and calling.”

“Yes, though cell phones don’t really work where I live, I’m too far out in the boon docks for cell service.”

“Well, I’m happy for you, Katie.” Erika gave her hand a squeeze.

The model squeezed it back.

When they entered the cabin, they set to work packing up all their clothing, and other items. They left the hangers in the closet, hoping that next summer’s campers would appreciate them.

Once she had all of her girl clothes in, she piled her boy clothes on top then sat on the edge of her bed and watched her cabin mates one by one, trying to memorize their faces. It was hard to believe that just a few weeks ago she was terrified of these sweet, wonderful girls. Now she couldn’t imagine her summer without their warmth, friendship and love.

She took her duffle bag and looked through it again, making sure it was all there.

“I’m sure going to miss you girls,” Phoenix stated watching them all finish up. “You all have grown so much this summer.”

The girls just looked at one another in silence, not knowing exactly what to say or how.

“Well, shall we get some breakfast?” she suggested breaking the awkward silence.

The Columbine girls, all dressed in their lavender shirts walked down to the dining hall which was a little more subdued than it usually was.

Of course, Sheila out did herself. She made Belgian waffles with strawberries and cream to go on top. As always, there was a table that contained muffins, fruit and cereal.

“So, do you know how much weight you lost?” Dani asked Krystal between bites.

“Thirty pounds.” Krystal replied sheepishly.

“Wow, that is great!” Erika exclaimed.

“Rachel you should open a camp for losing weight,” Phoenix smiled. “Krystal that is absolutely incredible. That averages out to be three pounds per week. Even if you continue to lose half of that a week, over the next few months, no one will recognize you next summer.”

“You should tell Sheila when you’re done with breakfast.” Rachel smiled. “She’ll want to know.”

Phoenix brought out a paper and pencil, “Okay, I want each of you to write down your email address, phone number and mailing address if you know it. I want to send you and your parent’s pictures and keep in touch with you.”

“Um, could you not send pictures to my parents?” Erika asked, “Dad wouldn’t understand and mom, probably wouldn’t like it.”

“I’ll send them to just you then.” Phoenix agreed, “You can decide whether or not to show them.”

“Thanks.” Erika smiled.

Director Hobbs cleared her throat loudly catching everyone’s attention. “Everyone, I just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful summer. Did you all have a good time?”

A cheer went up with applause.

“Okay,” she continued after the din died down, “You’ll have an hour or so before the buses come. The counselors and I will have a list of what buses you should be on. Please have all of your baggage down at the parking lot in half an hour. Okay, let’s get going people.” She dismissed them.

The Lavender Ladies got up and walked up to the cabin. They talked about everything except for their leaving. They spoke of not missing the hot weather, of the scariness of the storm. They talked about skinny dipping at midnight and how good ice cream tasted after that swim. They laughed about the pranks that they pulled on Oak cabin. Phoenix was shocked, but laughed along with them.

Erika gathered up her suitcase and duffle, looking around the place that she had called home for the summer. She took a deep breath in taking the scent of the dusty cabin mixed with the lake, a bit of pine and even a musky whiff of moss.

“What are you doing?” Rachel asked.

“Memorizing the smell of the cabin,” Erika explained.

“Why, Whatever for?”

“I’m memorizing the smell of the cabin.”

“You can do that?”

“In a way, yes. I heard about a blind woman who was taken to her elementary school fifty years after she had last been there. They didn’t tell her where she was going, but when they took her into her old classroom, she knew exactly where she was, just by the smell.”

“Is that true?” Katie asked doubtful.

“I’ve heard the same thing.” Phoenix nodded.

Erika watched as each of the girls closed their eyes and took a deep breath in through their noses.

Phoenix broke the spell. “Okay girls let’s get down to the parking lot before Hobbs has a fit.”

Erika followed Rachel down the trail with Tricia beside her. The parking lot was already filling up with campers. Several buses were parked in a line.

The girls from Columbine stopped and piled their luggage in one spot. Dani walked up to Erika. “I’m going to miss you, Erika.” She started to get teary eyed, “I won’t ever forget what you’ve done for me.”

“What did I do?” Erika asked.

“Well...” She began. “You helped me to become less self-conscious in the beginning and…..You made me camp Queen last night.”

“You were always Queen in my book, Dani. I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

The two girls hugged one another tightly for a long moment. When they released, Katie was there.

Katie embraced Erika, “You make a great girl.”

“And you,” She stated. “make a great friend. Take care, Katie. And please write.”

“I will,” Katie promised.

Katie released Erika and embraced Samantha. Rachel came up and stood before Erika looking her up and down.

“I don’t understand it, but I’ll just go with it.” Rachel smiled. “It was rough at times, but I’m glad you were one of my cabin mates this summer.”

“Thank you, Rachel.” Erika smiled. “I’ll miss you too.” Erika held her arms out and Rachel stepped forward and the two embraced.

“Let me know how everything goes with your dad and with your sports,” Erika told her.

“I will.” Rachel released her and stepped over to Samantha.

Phoenix directed Katie on to one bus then helped Dani to another, then went over to the remaining girls.

“Well, at the beginning of summer, I told you that I wanted to see you all be ‘reborn’ and grow. I think I’ve gotten my wish. You are all beautiful, wonderful girls and I feel proud to have been your counselor.”

“One question before I go.” Rachel looked at Phoenix.

“Sure, Rachel.”

“You said that you knew about things that were going on in the cabin even when you weren’t there. You seemed one step ahead of us all along–how?”

Phoenix smiled. “I’d like to say that it was my superior intellect and reasoning, but in truth and please don’t be mad at me… I had a baby monitor under my pillow.”

“Argh.” Rachel slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead then turned and climbed the steps up on to her bus.

“Okay.” Phoenix looked at the five remaining. “It looks like you are all going back on the same bus.” She wrapped her arms around Samantha and whispered something in her ear as she gave her a hug, then moved to Erika. “You are a good, smart, wonderful person, no matter who you choose to be. I’m so happy that you were to stick it out during those first rough weeks. You don’t know how many times I wanted to jump in to your rescue.”

“Thank you, I think.”

Erika followed Samantha onto the bus. Samantha passed to the rear of the bus and took a seat near a window. Erika sat one seat behind her. One by one, Krystal, Victoria and Tricia joined them; Tricia sat in the seat next to her.

The bus slowly pulled out of the parking lot, the campers waved out the windows to friends and counselors who waved back.

“How long do we have before we get home?” Erika asked.

“A few hours, why?” Victoria inquired.

“My mother said I had to leave Erika behind and come home as Eric,” she said looking down at her white skirt and sandaled feet.

The girls talked about the things that they learned at camp, the memories that they would always treasure and what they wanted to do when they got back home.

Half way home, the bus pulled into a rest stop.

“Okay, you have twenty minutes to use the facilities,” a counselor informed them.

Erika looked at the other girls around her. “I need to start changing back.”

Samantha and Tricia nodded.

Erika grabbed her duffle and entered the lady’s restroom with Tricia and Samantha.

Erika put the duffle down next to one of the sinks and turned on the tap. She splashed water all over her head and combed her wet tresses out, then slipped into one of the toilet stalls.

She slipped out of her skirt and gaffe, other than taking a shower, or her day off, it was the first time she had freed her genitals since the first week of camp. She decided to keep wearing her panties–boxers would just seem too weird at this point–and pulled on a pair of jeans. She slipped her Lavender shirt off over her head, removed her bra and replaced it with her Ramones T-shirt. She took off her sandals and slid her feet into her converse tennis shoes. Eric stuffed Erika’s clothing into the duffle and waked out to anxious friends. “I’ll have to do the rest on the bus.”

Once on the bus, Eric handed his duffle to Tricia. “Could you pull out the nail trimmers?”

A moment later, Eric was clipping his acrylic nails down to a masculine length. He then took an odorless acetone and scrubbed the polish off them. He didn’t know what to do about the thickness of them. He’d just have to let them wear off naturally or find something at home that would help eat away the acrylic and glue.

“Could you find a small bottle with a brush applicator?” He instructed Tricia. “It’s in the side pocket.”

He took the bottle from his friend and began applying it to his chest at the edges of her breast forms. With what was left of his fingernails, he began scraping at it. Once he had a free edge, he began pulling the breast forms away from his chest.

“Ouch, doesn’t that hurt?” Victoria asked.

“A little, but not too bad. I’ve had to do this about every ten days so that I could wash my chest, then reapply them, so I’m kind of used to it.”

With one breast form free, he handed it over to Tricia to stow in her duffle.

“Can I see that?” Victoria asked.

“Sure. You might want to wipe the back off first, it’s kind of icky.”

Tricia used the Lavender shirt to wipe the back of the form off, while Eric worked on the second one.

Victoria held it in her hand, feeling the weight and texture. “It’s kind of creepy in a way.”

“How?” Eric asked.

“I’m basically holding your breast in my hand. Something that has been a part of your body all summer; I just think it is a bit creepy.”

Eric looked at her strangely, and then worked on freeing his other form.

“Okay, now I need to get rid of this make up.”

Tricia pulled out some wipes and some make up remover. Eric scrubbed his face, especially around his eyes to remove all traces of mascara and eye shadow. He had Tricia check his work to make sure he got most everything, and then took a brush to his hair. He brushed it all back and put an elastic around it securing it in a more masculine fashion.

“Don’t forget your earrings.” Krystal observed.

Eric removed the hoops that Samantha had loaned him and handed them to her.

“Keep them.” She waved her hand.

Eric put packed them in a side pocket for safe keeping.

“I miss you already.” Samantha bit back tears.

“I’m still here,” Eric replied.

“I know, but you’re now a brother, when a few minutes ago, I had a sister. Can’t I mourn the loss of Erika?”

“I guess.” Eric shrugged. In his heart he was missing Erika too.

“I miss her as well.” Victoria wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Not you too.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m still the same person.”

“I know, it’s just that we grew so fond of Erika.”

“Either way, Eric or Erika, I like you.” Tricia squeezed his hand and smiled.

“We need to get together for school shopping or something,” Samantha stated looking at the other girls.

“Slumber party at my place?” Tricia suggested.

“Do you even know where you live yet?” Victoria inquired.

“It doesn’t matter. We should have a slumber party.”

“I’ll have to run it by my mother, and perhaps by that time my shrink,” Eric sighed.

“I need to see if I can get some money for a new wardrobe.” Krystal smiled at Samantha.

The bus pulled into an elementary school. Several vehicles were parked waiting for the bus, parents stood on the side walk or on benches nearby. Eric looked for his dad, and found him leaning up against his truck talking on his mobile phone.

“My sister’s here,” Tricia exclaimed. She waved out the window.

“My mom’s here,” Samantha stated.

“So are both of my parent’s,” Krystal added.

“Mine will be here in about twenty minutes.” Victoria looked at her watch.

The bus came to a stop and the doors opened.

“Hold on!” the counselor called over all the noise. “Make sure you get all of your things off the bus.” She skipped down the steps and waited just outside the doors for everyone to unload.

Eric picked up his duffle and shuffled off of the bus along with everyone else.

He was a few feet away from the bus when he was enveloped by Samantha. “Thank you, Eric. Thank you for coming to camp with me, for putting up with my issues. Thank you for helping with that incident with Josh.” She started crying, “I can never thank you enough for talking to me about Summer, for explaining what truly happed.”

Eric wrapped his arms around her. He held her tight, enjoying her touch, but not as a hopeful lover or a love sick puppy, but as a friend. “You’re welcome.” He paused. “You know, I have now walked in your shoes, I’ve seen what it is to be a girl. I won’t say it is easy, but I’d take it any day over being the plague. Thank you for going to camp with me.”

Samantha pulled away, smiled and wiped tears from her eyes. “Call me,” she ordered then turned to greet her mother.

He was just about to head off across the parking lot to his dad when another set of arms wrapped around him. “You are so wonderful, Eric,” Tricia said. “I hope you figure out what you need to figure out. I’ll be waiting for you.” She lifted her chin and sought out his lips. Her sweet kiss turned into a more passionate one. Eric’s groin had no difficulty rising to the occasion.

She pulled back after a little nibble of his bottom lip. “Call me when you get home.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I can,” He promised. He glanced over at his dad who was still on the phone but waved to him with a smile.

Krystal gave him a squeeze. “I’ll need your help to see that I continue losing weight,” she told him.

“You won’t need me, you’re doing fine on your own, but I’ll be here just in case you do.”

“I’m sorry about being so mean to you at the beginning of camp,” Victoria hugged him next. “If I don’t see you shopping or at the slumber party, I’ll see you at school. I’ll even eat lunch with you.”

“I’ll understand if you don’t.” Eric released Victoria picked up his baggage and walked over to his dad.

“…I don’t care how it gets done, just see that it is done,” His dad demanded of the person on the phone. “We are on a tight schedule.”

Eric tossed his stuff in back of the truck and got in, carefully avoiding too much of his father’s gaze.

“I’ve got to go now,” his father said. “I’ve got to drive my son home from summer camp.” He hung up the mobile and started up the truck. “It looks like you learned a little bit about women this summer,” his dad observed with a sly smile.

“You can say that again.” Eric leaned his head up against the window and watched as his friends disappeared behind them.
 

* * *

 
And thus ends the tales of Camp Kumoni. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it, seeing your comments, arguments votes and corrections. ;)

 

Anistasia Allread

 
Finis

 

up
223 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

Heyla I came in midstream

Heyla

I came in midstream but I did want to congratulate you on completing a wonderful story. Nicely done.

-r

-a

Not Sure What To Say

Wonderful story. Thank you for the Christmas present of the final episode. So sad to have to become a boy again, yet so much hope for the future (four really good friends, counseling, what will likely be his mother's support). Great story telling.

Awww.

Thanks for this bittersweet Christmas present. My eyes are not completely dry.

In many ways it felt a lot like the actual end of camp feels, with all those really close relationships and you don't know if they'll be real back in the real world.

Thank you for the great Christmas Present...

Piper's picture

It was just 5mins after midnight here, and whilst I've already opened some Christmas Cards, and Christmas presents, this was the FIRST present I opened on Christmas Day.

Your wonderous wordsmithing has managed to keep me entertained for months, and helped me keep a happy thought in my head durring some of my deepest depressions yet.

I hope you decide to write the Sequel or Continuation story that you alluded to as a possibility previously, and I hope you have a Wonderfully Joyous Christmas, and a Blessed New Year.

-HuGgLeS-
-P/KAF/PT/The one that's happy about the present, but still slightly sad that the story is over... At least for now :)




"She was like a butterfly, full of color and vibrancy when she chose to open her wings, yet hardly visible when she closed them."
— Geraldine Brooks


Re - great Christmas Present

I agree with Piper, this is a wonderful Christmas present. It's just after midnight as I finish reading this.
Thank you for a wonderful yet challenging adventure.

Now, if no body objects I have a bunch of presents to wrap for my grandchildren, this is perhaps the last time I'll have that privlige. Wish me well.

Huggs & Giggles
Penny

I object!

Piper's picture

I object! I object! I object!

I object to a lot of things... But why would anyone object to you wrapping presents? Unless it's keeping you from writing in which case I really do object!

-HuGgLeS-
-P/KAF/PT




"She was like a butterfly, full of color and vibrancy when she chose to open her wings, yet hardly visible when she closed them."
— Geraldine Brooks


OK, Where we go now?

AA: So where are you going with this now? You can't leave us hanging wondering what happens to Eric/Erica now that he's/she is back home, can you??? Your Friend! Richard PS: Also: Merry Christmas to you and family!

Richard

Sequel?

This was a wonderfull story. I really enjoyed it.
I am looking forward to the sequel!
Hilltopper

Gina_Summer2009__2__1_.jpgHilltopper

Thanks for the wonderful present

...now don't forget Valentines, oh and Easter and birthdays, you get the idea, we'll miss this crew a lot!

Beyond Camp Kumoni

Thanks for giving us Camp Kumoni. It was a pleasure reading. I hope th New Year bring a new story about Eric/Erika.
May Your Light Forever Shine

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Bravo

This has been the best serial to appear since Home Alone. My congratulations to you for your efforts. Looking forward to see more about Erica.

Love,

Paula

Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.

The Coda
Chapterhouse: Dune

Paula

Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.

The Coda
Chapterhouse: Dune

Thanks for the story

This has been one of the best and I appreciate the work you put into it and the patience you had with discussions.

Thank you!

Thanks ...

Thanks for this wonderful story. Reading it has been a pleasure, and I hope you'll continue to update us on Eric/Erika, will you? I just can't imagine now Eric living as before. Impossible. And, how far will Eric/Erika take the crossdressing thing? We'd like to know :)

Thanks again.

Mildred

Love It

I love it all, soo cute, soo pretty * blush * #^__^#
And now I going to read again, for my heart content

I really really hope you write a Sequel
Even if not, I hope you write others storys for our heart content ^__^

By Yuki-chan


Sorry my poor english, i am from Brasil >_<

By Miri-tan


"People don't change. They may want to. They may need to. But they simply don't." House M.D


Sorry my poor english, i am from Brasil >_<

Thank you

I have really enjoyed reading this series and wonder if you it will continue in a new light. Thank you.

Huggles,

Winnie

Huggles,

Winnie
Winnie_small.jpg

Not everyone is TG

Eric had a wonderful experience that allowed him to experience life another way. Hopefully the social skills he gained can carry over to his life as a male. We all wish that Eric could just become Erica and the ones we love would be fine with it but it just ain't so.

If Erica does come back...well I am fine with the judgment of the author. It is however the "road less taken".

Excellent writing AA.

Gwen

Lovely Wrap-Up!

Wonderful, mature ending to a story about one very fine summer.

Plenty of hooks left for a follow-up story, but I think this was clearly the best part of any continuing saga. Loved the oblivious father ("Nod, nod! Wink, wink! That camp sure taught you a lot about wooing the ladies!") The biggest attraction of a follow-up story would be dear old Dad suffering a melt-down, and that wouldn't be half as much fun as this story already was. Or would it? :)

Well done, Anistasia! You have certainly accomplished the ol' "always leave them wanting more!" And you did it while writing an insightful, intelligent, heroic, and romantic tale.

Wonderful story.

Like many people I am sorry that it is ended.

I am sure I am in a large company of friends looking forward to a follow up to celebrate the coming year.

Merry Christmas to you and to all you hold dear, and may the good lord hold you in the palm of his hand forever.

I totally enjoyed this.

Anistasia,

Thank you very much for sharing the fruits of your creativity with us.

This is one of my favorite stories, and it is definitely my most favorite type of storyline: wherein a boy takes a journey/adventure into world of girls/women, and returns again - wiser, yet not particularly worse for the wear.

I am content that the story ends here; nevertheless, I would eagerly download a sequel should you ever chose to write one.

I look forward to your next work; in the meantime, I shall have to turn my attention to "Healing A Princess".

With warm regard,
Deni

That was a good and sweet

That was a good and sweet ending to the story. It was a lot of fun and an interesting ride. I am going to miss the characters as the continuing transformation of Eric/ Erika would be a fun read, especially seeing how the girls help him survive high school and remain sane.

A lovely job. Thank you for writing it.

Heather

We are the change that will save the world.

Heather

We are the change that will save the world.

Wonderful Slice of Life

terrynaut's picture

That was a wonderful sampling of summer camp. I almost felt like I was there, like I was one of the girls. It was a wonderful feeling. *sigh*

Eric's sampling of life on the other side of the gender divide was nice too. I related so well to so many of the issues. Stories like yours really are good therapy.

Thanks very much for everything and good luck in the Terry Awards. :)

Hug

- Terry

Kudos

Despite the fact that many are saying the story is not really finished or needs an immediate sequel, I want to offer my deepest thanks for finishing this story. If you had known back fifteen months ago that this story would go through 67 chapters, (a little better than one a week!), would you have started it? I hope so, and I am really thankful that you kept at it and finished it. Too many stories get bogged down and are abandoned by authors who don't want to deal with it anymore. I think that there should be a special award for completing a serial, such as the "Golden Spike" that was use to declare completion of the trans-continental railroad. I know you could have added more. That forest fire was a plot device that never was used, for example. However, I'm satisfied, and I know others are too. Thank you for sharing your talent with us all. Have a Happy Holiday season.
Avid Reader

A great finish

AA
This was a wonderful finish to a great story.
I have waited sometimes impatiently for each wonderful installment of this story.
Sometimes you made me chuckle and others you had tears in my eye's. You write a wonderful story where each character comes so much to life. And you made us feel like we were right there at camp too.
I would love to see what happens to Eric/Erica and her new friends like many others.
But you picked a great place to finish the story.
((((((hugs))))))
Always
Patti

Both happy and sad

After reading this last chapter, I've mixed feelings. I'm happy to have had the priviledge of reading this wonderful story, but also a bit sad it's now over. As expressed by a few others, I do hope you can find the time and inspiration for a sequel, but even without it, this is a masterpiece.

I guess 1000 reads in the first day and tons of replies speak for themselves in that regard.

Hugs,

Kimby

Hugs,

Kimby

Thanks a million

it was a very lovely tale and I really enjoyed it. Thank you very much.

I am curious to what will happen next. But I don't want you to feel pressured, after all the lot of us here are certainly able to fill in some kind of future to our hearts content, with ample experience in the tricky gender chaos curiosity ways. Not that if you happen to feel like writing some more about Eric/ka we would turn down the opportunity to compare our views with your take on it. Au contraire. :)

Many thanks though for this nice holiday camp experience.

Jo-Anne

A wonderful ending to your

A wonderful ending to your story about Eric/Erika. Hopefully there will be more about his/her journey thru life. It would be such fun to see him/her at the girl's slumber party and just being able to be open to whom ever he/she is. Thanks you for a great story. J-Lynn

Camp Kumoni: Finis

Oh what a wonderful story. I will miss all the characters, but hopefully there are some who will continue in Eric/Erica’s story. A sequel, on how the “Plague” developed would be wonderful. I look forward to reading more of your works, they are so entertaining!!!

Loved this from part one onwards...

And would love to see a new story but even without it this is one of the best stories on the net. I would like to suggest a dead tree format version which I would endeavour to purchase.

Thanks.

JC

The Legendary Lost Ninja

Okay, it's over!

I've looked forward to the end of this story. I wanted to see what the further reactions Eric would have to face with mom and dad. It looks like dad still is unaware. Oh well, there is still plenty of room for a sequel story to examine the further trials of 'The Plague'.

Bottom-line: Top notch story, good work.

--CoyotePuma

I am a grain of sand on a near beach; a nova in the sky, distant and long.
In my footprints wash the sea; from my hands flow our universe.
Fact and fiction sing a legendary song.
Trickster/Creator are its divine verse.

--Old Man CoyotePuma

I am a grain of sand on a near beach; a nova in the sky, distant and long.
In my footprints wash the sea; from my hands flow our universe.
Fact and fiction sing a legendary song.
Trickster/Creator are its divine verse.

--Old Man CoyotePuma

this CANT be over!!!!

kristin's picture

I have SOOO enjoyed your writting! This however...BEGS to be continued! We need to see Erica happy in real life, not just at camp. You left the tricia thing hanging... Eric needs to move on from the "plague"...She SO deservies to be happy! Reguardless, you are a true artist and I thank you for all you have given us! Hugs, Kristin Nichols

kristyn nichols

Very Good, I Hope for a new story with these characters...

sonai67's picture

Greetings Anastasia;

Very well done story, Loved every chapter as you posted them. I can not express my feelings well enough to say anything other than Well Done Girl... I love the story plot and line, and the interaction of all the characters together... I do hope we can find more of these characters in a possibly new story? I would love to find out what will happen in Eric/a's life back in school and if s/he continues to be with Trisha, and what will become of he/r friendship with Samantha. Or, how he/r new friendship with Victoria will blossom in school. Will s/he still be the Plague, or will s/he be able to find a new person to emerge from the shell of the plague...

May the Goddess bless your decision. And Hope to read more by your hand, and mind soon...

Your Fan

Sonai67

P.S. Thanks for all you wonderful effort in this story, it has been a great reading experence...

Sonai67

*sighs*

Eric's dad seems like - no, I don't really know him, so I won't pre-judge. The phone conversation COULD be innocent. *sighs*

I'm glad the other girls still care for her - hopefully they'll be able to remain friends. I DO wonder how things'll go with the shrink... AND the mom...

Nice conclusion, pieceful (mostly) with many things tied up.

I'll admit to being envious to Eric's experience!

Thank you,
Annette

Thank you Anistasia!

KristineRead's picture

Anistasia,

First off, thank you Camp Kumoni, I have very much enjoyed reading this story, it easily belongs on my list of top stories, and in fact IS one of the few in my favorites.

I actually read the conclusion a few days ago, but have been under the weather so was not up to writting a more detailed comment, so now that I am feeling better, here goes.

This has been a wonderful journey for Eric. While we do not yet know what will happen in the future, Eric now has a summer's memories of what life could be to hold onto. Hopefully his new friends will be able to band together as they did as cabin mates to stand up to the rest of the school. Prior to this summer, Samanatha and Victoria were individuals that had no support to stand up to what they clearly knew was wrong. Now they have each other, and possibly Tricia and Krystal to join in. Having such beautiful female friends will not hurt Eric's reputation, particularly Tricia as his girlfriend, should he decide to be Eric.

Victoria can help simply by pushing to have some of Eric's artwork published in the school paper. His work is really very good, and such recognition can go along way to gaining some respect for him.

Eric has also grown, and I don't believe he will be as willing to be stepped on as Eric, as he had been. Will he miss being Erika? Was this time simply an escape, and one that will ultimately be remembered fondly as "my summer as a girl," or will in time Eric decide that something was found that he/she did not realize was missing before? That is of course a story for the sequel that we all look forward to.

Anistasia the story of Eric/Erika and her friends at camp has been a well crafted, loving tale. Filled with suspense, and adventure, fairly mild suspension of belief, and just a cast of characters that I came to love, occassionally get angry with, and really wish I could meet some day.

Thank you so much for sharing this story with us at BCTS!

Well Done!

Hugs,

Kristy

Anistasia

What a warm and wonderful story. It gave me many hours of
great and thorough enjoyment. Thank you, Anistasia. I
don't think I'll ever forget this one.

Love,
Sarah Lynn Morgan

So It's Over, For Now...

An excellent story. (The ending was a little more straightforward than I expected -- somehow I figured that Erika would show some subtle or passive resistance in the end.)

I don't have any feel for what Eric's father knows, but if therapy's in the offing I doubt that he's as ignorant of Erika's camp presence as he seemed to be (to other commenters, anyway). That "I don't care how it gets done" line could presage anything from a forced intervention to some sort of action in connection with school registration that everyone's going to regret.

(Don't forget: although obviously Mom's biggest shock would have been seeing her son as Erika, it's also the first that she knew of the extent of his "plague" status in school. Whatever she told her husband about Erika (or didn't), Mom almost certainly would have told him that she'd discovered that school officials had done nothing to prevent Eric getting severely bullied on school property last year.)

Eric

Dad's Phone Call

I'm not interpreting Dad's partially-overheard phone call as any part of the plot at all. I think it's just there to illustrate his character for us. He's having an alpha-male business conversation while waiting to pick up his son. Just being commanding towards someone at the office, for business reasons. It's the dad-in-suit scene from "Father Knows Best," or an approximate equivalent thereof. Nothing to do with Eric or his adventures at all, as far as I can see, about which he is clearly as oblivious as ever!

*snicker*

Wow

I just read the last handful of chapters and it was a great read. I should have been working, but I had to keep going...

The ending was perfect, with that line from his father.

Great job, Anistasia. It was a wonderful story, and now I get to start reading the sequel!

Big hugs, congrats, and compliments!

Kaleigh

Camp

I can't remember when, make that if, I read such a beautiful story before!
It took several days but it was worth every moment!
I can't wait to read the sequel!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A satisfying series

laika's picture

with a well executed finish, loved that droll concluding snippet of conversation with the clueless Dad. Memorable characters, endearing scenes, the camp itself brought to life thru descriptions; Lotsa spills and chills as Erika barely missed being discovery time & again in ways that stretched credibility in places but never violated logic entirely ...... and the sequel you've started seems promising, Mom's ultimatim, the return to school and the big question of who Erik/a is really. Yee-haw!
~~~hugs, Laika

journeys end?

anistasia just want to tell you how much i enjoyed your story,erica,s journey fom plague to princes s has left me in tears on more than one occasion, keep up with your writing girl you have a great talent. .huggles kirri

Awsome

Great story, thank you so much for sharing this with us.

One of the best stories I've

One of the best stories I've read on a long time, and I'll be reading everything else by Anistasia next.

Camp K...

I finally had the opportunity yesterday, to read Camp Koumoni. I read it from start to finish. It is hard to describe the experience. I will try... It was great, it was amazing, it was wonderful... I will have to go to a thesaurus for more adjectives. It also had me run thru a box of tissues. I cried, I smiled, I laughed and I cried some more, over the couple of hours, I dedicated to reading this story. The charactters were so well developed, you could speak with them. There was tension, there was mystery and most of all there was joy. There was the real cammeraderie of friends, maybe not at first, but over time... the type that lasts. I am sure there are many who have read this story,who would gratefully have substituted themselves, for one of these characters, especially Erika. I can only empathize, with a small part of what Eric went thru, but I hope he has the opportunity, to be himself. I will be reading the sequel today, and I know, I will not be dissappointed... Love, Mary.

Wow!

The more stories I read on this site, the more I am amazed at what brilliant storytellers all the authors are.

This story has been no exception - I've managed to read my way through it's entirety in the last week (probably shorter - haven't yet worked out how to grab exact dates/times from Firefox's history) and have been on the same emotional rollercoaster as all previous readers and commenters.

The 'revelation' affected different girls in different ways - each had their own strategy for coping / dealing with it. Some strategies seemed slightly arrogant and possibly vindictive, but over time they're getting used to looking beyond the physical appearance of Eric/ka to the person within - which will no doubt evolve further once back in 'the real world'.

It'll be interesting to see where the characters 'lead' the sequel. Obviously Eric will have to start out in boy mode, but it's almost inevitable that the girls will find occasions for Erika to re-emerge - even if only temporary at first. However, before anyone starts drawing comparisons to Maddy Bell's "Gaby", remember that this is a different group of characters, with different personalities, backgrounds and circumstances, on a different continent to the Bond clan. So although there will still be 'boy dressing up as a girl - and passing stunningly', the circumstances and emotions of all those involved may be different (for a start, Eric has already spent over 2 months living as a girl 24/7!)

On a side note, it'll be interesting to see if any other stories on this site are credited with a brief cameo (c.f. "Bike" and Charlotte's Tale hiding in this story).

Anyway, time to log out, get some rest, then start demolishing "The Princess and the Plague"...
And when I get a bit closer to 'real time', I might actually start joining in the individual chapter comments...

 
 
--Ben


This space intentionally left blank.

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

camp kali

I enjoyed your story very much would like to see more about eric/erika stories after the camp cause this story made me laugh cry angry and embarrased during read it in the story it asked what type of house I would say a modern with a pyramid roof cause she has artist hand but the wisdom of old souls

<strong></strong>Michelleptucker

This story had me bound for

This story had me bound for the last few evenings, sharing joys and worries and adventure and crises. Now I feel like I just got home from camp, I miss them already and don't know what to do with myself. Thanks for a wonderful time!

I like the comfortable style of your writing and that your characters have well-developed individual personalities. They fought for their growth and the events seemed to emerge from their interaction rather than happening to them. There were some inconsistencies in the day/days leading up to parent's day but events quickly got on track again. Well done.

Next

I’m so glad I don’t have to wait for the next part.

hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna