sort of recognition. “ Immanuel Kant? The German
philosopher? ”
“ I know who he is, ” I said, gripping Torin ’ s arms as he scooted us to the edge
of the platform. My toes hung precariously over the wooden plank.
“ I think if you look at this
experience in that light, you ’ ll
leave with more than just $600 in your pocket after you ’ ve put in your six weeks. ” Torin tugged me closer to him and
hiked one leg around my waist, readying to push off with his other. All the
blood rushed away from my brain and left me lightheaded and disoriented, and I
wasn ’ t
sure if it was from the fact that I ’ d
soon be sailing to my possible death, or the reality that this guy ’ s warm body was pressed so closely to
mine.
“ I don ’ t know if I want more than these six
weeks, ” I whispered, pulling a long breath through my nostrils. I was sure he heard me,
but if he did, he ignored it as we slid off the platform and sped down the
length of the wire, the fringe of the forest whirling past at dizzying speed
until our feet met the ground below after just a few seconds of free-fall.
I
pressed up on trembling legs, and when Torin ’ s arms stayed wrapped across my body,
even after he unclipped the hooks from the rope overhead, I knew without a
doubt that all I wanted was for this experience to be that means to an end. I
didn ’ t
need more family members — between
my own and Lance ’ s,
I had an abundance already. I had enough blaring TV stations to have my own
cable company.
And
I honestly didn ’ t
even need any more friends. All I truly needed was the money. Even if it wasn ’ t one for Torin, this whole
experience really was just a way for me to get from point A to point B.
Unfortunately,
it might be a bit easier to make the journey had I been assigned a different
partner.
CHAPTER FIVE
The
blare of the bugle jolted me out of slumber and my body reacted instantly,
popping up vertically at the startling sound of the wakeup-call horn. As things
would have it, the reality that I ’ d
tucked myself into a bunk bed last night took a moment to make itself known,
and when it did, it was in the form of warm blood spilling down my forehead. I
reached up toward my hairline and felt the thick gash resulting from the
contact with the metal bed frame hovering overhead. Crap. That was going to
leave a mark.
I
found some Kleenex in the adjoining bathroom and held it to my head as I
dressed and got ready, but the blood quickly seeped through the folded over
sheets, staining my hands. Though I hated to admit it, this was going to need
some medical attention.
There
was a map on the inside of the door and I located the medical quarters on it.
From the looks of it, I figured it was just next to the Rec Hall. I knew where
that was, probably the only place I actually could find my way to. Slipping out
of my pajamas and into cut-off jean shorts and a light green t-shirt, I started
to make my way that direction.
It
was another cool June day and I wondered if this temperature wasn ’ t actually unseasonable, but just how
it was in the woods. It sort of felt like home, how the peninsula always stayed
chilled despite the rest of California ’ s
tepid temperatures. But it was about the only part of this whole camp thing
that reminded me of home, and even that was a significant stretch.
When
I got to the medical room the door was already propped open with a brick and I
could hear hushed voices on the other side. They were talking about test
results and counting out months until the holidays, and I didn ’ t want to interrupt them because it
felt a little like intruding. But the blood that tinged the handkerchief pressed
to my forehead didn ’ t
leave me much of an option. I rapped on the door with my knuckles, hating that
I had to break into their conversation all because I was a clumsy mess.
“ Come on in, ” a friendly voice answered as loud
footsteps echoed across the ground. The door stretched open
philosopher? ”
“ I know who he is, ” I said, gripping Torin ’ s arms as he scooted us to the edge
of the platform. My toes hung precariously over the wooden plank.
“ I think if you look at this
experience in that light, you ’ ll
leave with more than just $600 in your pocket after you ’ ve put in your six weeks. ” Torin tugged me closer to him and
hiked one leg around my waist, readying to push off with his other. All the
blood rushed away from my brain and left me lightheaded and disoriented, and I
wasn ’ t
sure if it was from the fact that I ’ d
soon be sailing to my possible death, or the reality that this guy ’ s warm body was pressed so closely to
mine.
“ I don ’ t know if I want more than these six
weeks, ” I whispered, pulling a long breath through my nostrils. I was sure he heard me,
but if he did, he ignored it as we slid off the platform and sped down the
length of the wire, the fringe of the forest whirling past at dizzying speed
until our feet met the ground below after just a few seconds of free-fall.
I
pressed up on trembling legs, and when Torin ’ s arms stayed wrapped across my body,
even after he unclipped the hooks from the rope overhead, I knew without a
doubt that all I wanted was for this experience to be that means to an end. I
didn ’ t
need more family members — between
my own and Lance ’ s,
I had an abundance already. I had enough blaring TV stations to have my own
cable company.
And
I honestly didn ’ t
even need any more friends. All I truly needed was the money. Even if it wasn ’ t one for Torin, this whole
experience really was just a way for me to get from point A to point B.
Unfortunately,
it might be a bit easier to make the journey had I been assigned a different
partner.
CHAPTER FIVE
The
blare of the bugle jolted me out of slumber and my body reacted instantly,
popping up vertically at the startling sound of the wakeup-call horn. As things
would have it, the reality that I ’ d
tucked myself into a bunk bed last night took a moment to make itself known,
and when it did, it was in the form of warm blood spilling down my forehead. I
reached up toward my hairline and felt the thick gash resulting from the
contact with the metal bed frame hovering overhead. Crap. That was going to
leave a mark.
I
found some Kleenex in the adjoining bathroom and held it to my head as I
dressed and got ready, but the blood quickly seeped through the folded over
sheets, staining my hands. Though I hated to admit it, this was going to need
some medical attention.
There
was a map on the inside of the door and I located the medical quarters on it.
From the looks of it, I figured it was just next to the Rec Hall. I knew where
that was, probably the only place I actually could find my way to. Slipping out
of my pajamas and into cut-off jean shorts and a light green t-shirt, I started
to make my way that direction.
It
was another cool June day and I wondered if this temperature wasn ’ t actually unseasonable, but just how
it was in the woods. It sort of felt like home, how the peninsula always stayed
chilled despite the rest of California ’ s
tepid temperatures. But it was about the only part of this whole camp thing
that reminded me of home, and even that was a significant stretch.
When
I got to the medical room the door was already propped open with a brick and I
could hear hushed voices on the other side. They were talking about test
results and counting out months until the holidays, and I didn ’ t want to interrupt them because it
felt a little like intruding. But the blood that tinged the handkerchief pressed
to my forehead didn ’ t
leave me much of an option. I rapped on the door with my knuckles, hating that
I had to break into their conversation all because I was a clumsy mess.
“ Come on in, ” a friendly voice answered as loud
footsteps echoed across the ground. The door stretched open
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