Their campground area formed a reversed U-shape: counselor cabins along the top, camper cabins down each side, with a fire pit and open area in the center. In the open area were logs to sit on and enough space to accommodate tables or other temporary equipment. The Camp Pride group wasn’t large enough to fill all of the cabin space available, so they would use the extra space for storage or guests.
Joshua climbed the steps leading to the first cabin and stood on the porch. He tossed a set of keys to David and another to Trent. “The cabin number is on the keyring.” Then he turned and placed the keys to Cabin One in Colin’s hand.
“Should I carry you over the threshold?” Colin asked, turning the key in the lock.
Joshua shot him an amused look, then trailed him inside. He dumped his suitcase on the bed and sniffed. The air inside the cabin felt damp and carried the stale scent of mildew. He turned toward Colin, about to ask him to open a window, when a sharp, frightened shriek erupted from outside. “What thehell!” Joshua blurted out. He spun toward the sound and was nearly knocked off his feet by Colin’s mad rush to get to the door.
“Stay here!” he ordered as he flew past, but Joshua followed close behind him, clutching the back of his jacket.
“Wait, Colin! Wait!”
On the lawn in front of their cabin, Jeff stood next to a highly agitated Nate, who was pointing back at the cabin he and David were going to share. “Itattackedme!”
Colin grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. “What the hell happened?” he asked. “Where’s David?”
Nate gulped in a shuddering breath, still pointing. “He’s in there!”
“Whatwasit?” Joshua asked, then frowned as Colin bolted into the cabin. “Goddammit, Colin!” he sputtered, then wheeled back to Nate. “Nate! What the hellwasit?”
“I don’t know!” Nate cried. “It was big and furry, and it tried to bite me.”
Joshua moved to follow Colin but had only taken two steps when both he and David appeared on the porch. They were yelling and waving towels, shooing something ahead of them. Joshua yelped and took a quick step back, then heard Jeff Kerry burst into laughter as a small animal skittered down the steps and headed straight for Nate. For a moment, Nate and the tiny creature froze, staring into each other’s eyes. Then theybothlet out a frightened squeal and bolted in opposite directions.
Nate cowered behind one of Cabin Two’s porch pillars.
“It’s a raccoon,” David told his husband, grinning. “Ababyraccoon. And it didnottry to bite you. It tried to getpastyou when you scared the living hell out of it.”
Colin was standing on the porch behind David, laughing so hard he could scarcely breathe.
“This isnotfunny, Colin!”
“What in the almightyfuckis going on here?” Trent asked, climbing the porch steps. “Do you need help?”
Colin grabbed Trent’s arm and pointed back into the cabin. “Raccoon,” he gasped out. “Babyraccoon!”
Trent shook his head and turned to Nate. “You can stop hiding. The baby raccoon has fled back into the woods.”
“Are you sure that’s theonlyone?” Nate called from his hiding place behind the porch pillar. “Maybe there’s a wholefucking familyliving in here!”
Colin and Trent exchanged an amused glance, then turned to enter the cabin. “Stay outside, Nate,” Colin told him. “Trent and I will look for family members.”
“Critters! We’ve gotcritters!” Joshua spouted. “Lord god, what’snext?”
David snickered and moved to Nate’s side. “It’ll be OK,” he murmured, hugging Nate against his chest. “The big, bad hunters are on the job.”
Nate shot him an aggravated glance. “That doesnotfill me with confidence!”
After just a moment, Colin and Trent meandered back to the porch. “This house is clean,” Trent remarked, referencing a line fromPoltergeistas Colin chuckled beside him.
“Fine!” Joshua said, gesturing to Colin. “Now get your butt over here and checkourcabin!”
“Never fear,” Colin boasted, flexing his muscles. “If there’s anything in there that’s not supposed to be there, Ishalldefeat it.”
“Ours is fine too,” Jeff told them. “I checked for furry things and found none.”
“You and Davy won the big prize,” Trent told Nate, grinning.
“Oh,veryfucking funny!” Nate grumbled, creeping out from behind the pillar to peek into the cabin. “Oh, man, David!” he whined theatrically. “I want a Holiday Inn Express!”
