- Splash! Katie jumped into the lake in a cannonball formation. The water slapped her face as she entered the freshwater. Fish dived out of the way with tiny strokes of their fins. Katie opened her eyes under the water and made out colorful pebbles, not very distinct, but the vividness was pure. She soon ran out of breath and swam to the surface, making sure not to get am mouthful of water as others splashed water around. It was a sunny day, but hints of gray clouds were far away, behind the wall of evergreens.

Camp Root was the perfect place to be over the summer. Especially if you’re helping. Katie put on the camp’s neon-green volunteer t-shirt and khaki shorts over her swimsuit after drying off. She was late. Again. Over at the snack bar, she calmed the clamoring kids. Bending over the counter, she asked the chubby boy what he wanted.

His grubby, freckled hand help out $2 as he pointed to the candy bars stacked up neatly beside me. “I want 4 of those.” “Okay,” I answered, reaching for 4 of the bars. I took the money, gave him back 25 cents, and answered the screaming kid that wanted the Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum. Quickly, I took his 25 cents and nearly chucked the gum at the screamer.

A small girl with neat brown hair handed me her dollar and took the fruit snack she wanted herself. I wished at that moment that the others were more like her.

The last people to get snacks before it was their bed time were twins. 2 girls who seemed quite bratty. As usual, I was right. Each girl pointed to a different choice and argued. When they finally picked, they wanted to one at the bottom of the stack since it was the most un-deformed. Go figure.
When all the little campers went to bed, Lillian walked it, sweat being mopped up by a white towel. “Have fun with all the little boys and girls?” she teased. Lillian was my best friend and worst enemy at the same time. She talked me into this nightmare (even though, at times, I actually enjoy the camp).

Her full name is Lillian Mabel Leann Gray, and she is the most hyper, active, annoying, useful, caring person in the world. Her almost-platinum blond hair is the envy of our high school. She plays soccer (which she teaches at camp here), flute, and a lot of other usually-geeky-activities-that-seem-really-cool-once-you-know-her.

She stood next to me as I locked up the shop and we began our night rounds. Yup, we had to make sure all the bad kids and good kids were ready to sleep, sleeping, or readying themselves to sleep. Fun, I know! Not. They always argue! They want to stay up a little longer! Their hair has to dry perfectly before they sleep! She’s still in the bathroom! So she can’t brush her teeth!

Annoyed, I left that cabin, walking into mine that I shared with Lillian. I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, changed to a clean t-shirt and sweat pants, and finally fell asleep before Lillian came in to hog the bathroom.