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“Absolutely not.”
“You kinda do.”
I smiled. “That’s because I’m excellent at making people think.”
That got a little laugh and he started towards the cabin, his crush and their friend giggling and whispering about other ghost stories along the way.
But then Trevor turned and smiled. “Goodnight, Alvin.”
“Night, kid.”
They disappeared between the trees and I stood there for another moment. Just me, the dying fire, and the goddamn cursed lake. Camp Dix had ghosts all right. Not real ones. Probably? But memories were close enough.
A door slammed somewhere behind me, and I looked over at the boys’ cabins, then smiled. Darius was likely all cozy by now, while I had nothing but free time on my hands. And…
Tucked inside my duffel bag was something I’d purchased three towns away, specifically because I was a mature adult capable of making mature-adult decisions. A Jason mask. Technically, a cheap hockey mask but beggars and choosers and whatever. I’d bought it two days before entering this madhouse. I hadn’t known exactly what I intended to do with it.
That was a lie. I absolutely knew. I just hadn’t decided when. Tonight, though? It felt right because as Daddy always said: God gave us free will.
And then apparently expected us not to abuse the privilege.
Twenty minutes later, I was crouched behind a tree wearing black sweatpants, a black hoodie, gloves, and a plastic hockey mask. I looked ridiculous to myself but I felt incredible.
The woods were quiet except for insects and the occasional creak of branches overhead. Until they weren’t.
You see, Darius had a habit. Every night before bed, he walked away from the cabin to take a piss, because using the bathroom fifteen feet away was too civilized for him.
Tonight was no different. The cabin door opened and I ducked farther behind the tree.
Darius stepped outside. Gray sweatpants. No t-shirt. And—tut-tut, shame-shame—no flashlight.
Naturally, the man who spent his entire childhood afraid somebody might discover he liked boys had zero concern about being murdered in the woods.
He walked past me not knowing a thing, and I bit the inside of my cheek. Do not laugh. Do not laugh. Do not fucking laugh, you fantastical fag.
He disappeared several yards into the trees and I waited. Ten. Twenty. Thirty seconds. That had to be enough to empty a liter of Diet Coke from your bladder, right?
I wasn’t much into piss play so after another ten seconds, I finally stepped onto the path. A twig snapped underneath my shoe and Darius froze. I froze too because I scared the fuck out of myself.
His head turned. “The fuck? Alvin, is that you?”
I nearly choked. Why the hell was Alvin his first guess? I stayed still.
“Who’s there?”
I slowly stepped from between the trees, and Darius looked at me.
“No.”
I tilted my head.
“Nope.”
I took one step towards his shaking, angry form.
“Fuck no.”
Another.
