Chapter 1

783words2026-02-06 07:23

The van rolled to a dusty stop on the gravel path, its engine sighing in exhaustion from the long journey. Outside, the sun hung high and hot, casting golden beams across the seemingly serene grounds of Camp Churchill. The place was nestled deep in the woods—too deep. Trees stood like silent giants around the perimeter, watching, judging. The entrance sign, once vibrant, now creaked on its hinges, one of the letters faded to a ghost.
Inside the van, Zee adjusted her glasses with one finger, her dark skin glowing under the sun’s kiss. Patches of lighter skin peeked out like moonlight through a night sky—her vitiligo. She was used to the stares, the whispers, the assumptions. But out here, she hoped maybe she could be invisible again. Just another camper. No expectations, no labels.
Her parents unloaded her bags, handing them to a cheerful counselor in a green shirt. The counselor beamed with a wide American accent.

“WELCOME TO CAMP CHURCHILL, NEW CAMPERS!!” the loudspeaker blared, almost too cheerful for the tension that crawled up Zee’s spine.
She gave a weak wave to her parents, whispering goodbye, then followed the counselor to the assembly area. Her mind wasn’t here. It had already wandered, scanning the place. Every cabin looked... wrong. Not in design, but in energy. She didn’t know how to explain it. Her gut just knew. Something was off.
“Hey, I’m Aida. I’ll take you to your bunk, Zee,” the counselor said, smiling as if nothing was wrong.
They stopped at Cabin 21. The number looked freshly painted—too fresh. Like something had been covered up.
Zee stepped inside. The place was a disaster. Clothes strewn like someone left in a hurry. Bedsheets twisted. Drawers half-open. The air smelled faintly of old wood, mildew, and... something else. Something metallic.
She immediately began tidying up. It soothed her. Cleaning gave her control in a world that rarely offered it. As she stacked the last pillow, the door creaked open and two boys entered.

One was tall, dark-skinned, with a crooked smile and hands buried in his jeans—Lucas. The other, equally tall, with a buzz cut and a warm presence—Ben.
“Damn, did a tornado go through here?” Lucas joked, eyeing the now-neat room.
"It looks better than it did," Ben added, impressed.
“I arranged it. I just... don’t like dirt,” Zee said simply, pushing her glasses up again.

Lucas whistled, dropping his bag onto the bed. “Remind me never to argue with you. Neat freak and fast hands? Dangerous combo.”
Zee gave a half-smile. “I’m Zee.”
“Lucas. And that’s Ben.”
They settled in, the three of them like awkward puzzle pieces forced into the same frame. She hesitated.
“So… it's okay for a girl to bunk with two guys?”
Lucas shrugged, his smile lingering longer than it should’ve. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Zee tilted her head, teasing. “Just letting you know—I know karate.”
They both laughed, the tension breaking like glass.
Ben grinned. “Good to know. I’ll sleep with one eye open.”
Lucas added, “Guess I’ll hide the snacks too.”
But her mood shifted. Her eyes darkened slightly as she scanned the cabin again.
“This place… it feels wrong.”
They quieted.
Lucas tilted his head. “Wrong how?”
“I can see things. Sometimes glimpses of the future. And all I saw when we drove in... was blood.”
Ben blinked. “You're serious?”
Zee looked him dead in the eyes. “Dead serious. And you don’t believe me.”
Lucas opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.
“You want to believe me,” Zee whispered, “but your logic won’t let you.”
Lucas stared at her. Something shifted in his eyes. Respect. Fascination. Fear?
Ben crossed his arms. “You saying you read minds now?”
“Only if I want to. I usually don’t—it’s rude.”
Ben laughed nervously. “Can you read mine now?”
“If you don’t say your thoughts in your mind, I can’t hear them. So yes… you can block me.”
Ben closed his eyes and focused.
“...It's working. I can’t hear anything,” Zee admitted.
Lucas leaned forward. “So… you choose to turn it off?”
“Because people deserve privacy. Even when they’re scared,” she said, eyeing Ben softly.
They were quiet a moment longer before she broke the silence.
“But I’ll teach you something too.”
They leaned in.
She smirked. “It’s called a hug. Now get over here.”
They laughed and came in for the group hug. Lucas lingered just a second longer than Ben. Zee felt it.
His heartbeat. His breath. The way his arms wrapped tighter, warmer.
He smelled like something wild. Like sweat and pine and something unspoken.
When they pulled apart, Zee’s heart beat just a bit faster. She caught Lucas watching her when he thought she wasn’t looking