Cabin Nine [[Revised Edition] Under FURTHER Revision]

Three

Nine Years Old

Jack and I are in Cabin Nine again and Hunter is our counselor again. This year feels like a repeat of last year. I was even stuck between Klein and Mark on the way over. They ignored me this year. I don't know why they calmed down. It might be because Mark's parents got divorced. Not that I really tried to talk to them. I already know they don't like me.

I don't need them anyway. I don't need anyone. I have Jack. I don't see him very often but I tell him everything.

Jack doesn't tell me everything, though. He forgot to include me in his prank. He always does one on the first day. He always includes me. It kind of hurts, but I guess it makes it a lot funnier to watch.

Jack filled Hunter's pillowcase with shaving cream. So when Hunter lets his head smack down like he always does, it explodes everywhere. Hunter makes a fuss over getting a bunch of shaving cream in his ear and Jack spends the night without blankets like he did last year. That's the most severe punishment Hunter is allowed to deliver as a counselor. If he didn't love pranks, he might've sent Jack to Jason's office for a real punishment.

I think this time it's worse than last year. I'm cold even underneath my blankets and wake up several times because of it. I finally get the resolve to offer Jack one of my blankets but he's not in his bunk. I find him sitting on the front porch of the lodge.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

He looks up sharply. "Oh, it's you," he says, relaxing back into his seat on the swing. "I got cold so I came out here to warm up."

That makes sense. I think the air conditioner went crazy. They replaced it over the summer and I think this one might be broken too, just in the opposite direction.

He scoots over and I sit next to him. We stay out there for a long time. It's just nice. I think Jack doesn't like the silence or maybe he doesn't like that I sat down without asking him, but he's itching to say something the whole time. It must not be as important as it seems, because he never says anything.

Tuesday is weird. Jack keeps starting sentences and then stopping when I look at him. He keeps his distance all day but I finally corner him by kicking Freddy out of a canoe and taking his place. Jack tries to protest, but this happens to be the one and only time anything athletic works in my favor. I shove Freddy out of the canoe, push it into the water, and jump right in before Jack can make a sound of protest.

"What do you keep trying to say?" I demand.

"Nothing," Jack says quickly.

"Dude, just spit it out. It's obviously bothering you."

He looks away.

"Jack." He doesn't reply, so I keep saying his name in different voices. I've been working on my Spongebob characters but it's been harder since Mom banned cartoons.

He finally responds when I attempt to do Elmo.

"Fine!" he snaps. I flinch so hard that the boat rocks. "I'm moving."

My heart drops to the bottom of the lake and sinks into the mud.

"What?" I sputter, unintentionally whispering.

"I don't know where to. My parents won't tell me."

"Well, bug them until they do! Will you still come here? It's already an eight-hour drive."

Jack gives me a defeated shrug. That makes me want to stay positive despite the feeling of drowning. I can barely breathe, but it must be worse for Jack.