The days ran together since the helicopter landed and the medical crew checked me into Metropolitan Hospital. Surgeons diagnosed x-rays. Nurses monitored charts. And I got a steady diet of pureed foods, juice and gelatin. Although I did get to watch as much television as I wanted.

My bones healed, the stitches dried up and I learned more details of that night in Scarlborough. The white hat kid—-his name was Joseph I learned—-was filled with as much rage as painkillers, but my desperation dragged him into the oncoming truck. Had he let go or had my t-shirt not tore away in his hand, the results may have been different.

Dad arrived on the day of my release. Word traveled slowly to wherever he was hiding, but he came back the second he learned of my condition. The police had arrested the other two connected to the white hat kid, allowing my dad to come back without risk of our safety.

“How’s it going?” he asked, sneaking into the room and smiling cautiously.

“Better,” I said.

Kaylee shuffled into the room. An unfamiliar frown was on her face. Dad rested his hand the top of her head. She had spent the last ten days sleeping in Aunt Helen’s basement on her own. She asked if she could go back to Camp Chokochakee. They said no.

Half way into the car ride home, dad turned down the radio to tell us he had a job offer somewhere on the coast, near where my sister and I were born. Kaylee cheered.

“I’ve got all out stuff packed,” dad continued. “And I thought a celebratory dinner would be nice.”

Kaylee cheered again. I didn’t. I was happy we were going home, but knowing what was destined for the menu, I was more concerned with ways to discard the dreaded corned beef. And this time, I’d shut the garage door.

I woke up to the rhythmic chopping of helicopter blades. My arms and legs couldn’t move, and I tried blinking away the cobwebs. A voice rambled on beside me. Shifting one eye to the left, I saw a rotund woman with curly red hair.

“…and my three cats, John, George and Ringo, are always getting into the trash, even if I double bag it,” she continued.

I coughed and tasted blood.

“He’s awake!” she yelled to the cockpit before leaning into my face. “Hey there, I’m Amy. You’ve been in an accident and we’re flying to Metropolitan Hospital. Do you remember anything?”

With all my energy, I rolled my head back and forth.

“Okay. Well, we’ll get you up to speed, but you’re in rough shape. I won’t lie.”

I arched my neck up, but lightning shot all through my stomach and chest. I cried in agony.

“That’s why you’re strapped down, bud.”

“Kaylee?”

“Is that your sister?”

I nodded, barely.

“She’s fine,” she said, patting my hand to comfort me. “Can’t say as much for the other kid you were with.” The white hat kid. I could feel the tension slip from the corners of my mouth. My heart beat a little easier. And I fell back asleep.

My heart went back to that day at the lake. I felt Kaylee squeeze my hand as the scowling kid wearing the white hat seared his angst into our faces. The business relationship between he and my father was obviously strained, and after the last few dramatic weeks he was boiling with revenge.

We stood motionless in the gas station doorway, hoping he didn’t recognize us. Kaylee told me later she tried to look invisible.

“Where are your parents?” the cashier squawked, his bottom lip swollen with chewing tobacco. The white hat kid looked at us for an answer. His eyes were glazed, and there was a deliberate grind in his jaw as he leaned on the counter for support.

“I think they’re mute,” the kid joked.

“We’re waiting for our dad,” Kaylee responded.

“Your dad?” The cashier chuckled, looking back at the clock on the wall. “Little late for kids to be out.”

“What’s your dad look like?” the kid asked. It seemed his sensors had shaken away the cobwebs. He stood up straight and scrutinized us a little more, as our colorful t-shirts felt as if they were glowing.

“You from the camp?” the cashier asked.

“Yeah,” I answered quickly, “but she got sick and we had to go home. We were told to wait in town.”

The white hat kid bangs his fist on the counter. “I know you!”

Every drop of blood fell to my shoes. I grabbed Kaylee and ran us out the door. With both hands, the kid threw every item on the counter into the air. Bits of gum and breath mint packages pelted the glass window.

“Where’s your dad is right!” he bellowed. We ran as fast as we could to the road. There was really nowhere to go. The kid’s speed was matched by his fury. He charged us like a bull, tackling us to the ground. “Oh no you don’t. You tell me where he’s at or I’ll kill you.”

I tried my best to pull away, but he had half of my shirt clenched in one fist. With the other arm he wrangled my sister.

“I’ll feed you to my dogs!”

Kaylee screamed. “Let go! Let go!”

I dragged him to the road. There were headlights getting larger from down the road. I yelled for help and my head went blank. All light disappeared. My ears rang with soft sirens, and my thoughts went back to mom. She was whispering to me, but I couldn’t make out the words.

We washed ashore behind a woodcarving and taxidermy shop. It had an old boat launch that was overgrown with weeds and sloped down to the river. It jutted out enough for me to snag the oar into the mud and pull us from the now idling current. Safe for now.

It was still very dark out, and with my two hours training on orienteering I had no idea what time it was. Kaylee and I walked up to the road, lugging our suitcases. Aunt Ellen would be mad at us for getting them so dirty, but I wasn’t planning on her finding out.

“I thought dad was here,” Kaylee grumbled.

“He’s down the road.” I didn’t know where he was. He certainly wasn’t in the state and he wasn’t showing up any time soon. I had to come up with something to explain or she’d lose it. I’ve seen my sister get mad before and I also saw the hole in the wall after the tirade. She didn’t have a wall this time. Just me.

Traffic was scarce, and the wind was stirring, making the whole town feel ghostly. As we reached the sidewalk, we were surrounded by a battalion of hand-carved lawn decorations, from a six-foot-tall bear fighting an eagle to the butt of some grandma tending to her flowers.

“This way,” I said, waving Kaylee to follow.

Scarlborough wasn’t more bigger than a bird’s nest, and half of the buildings were empty or falling apart. The lone sign of life was a gas station at the end of the street. Its lights glowed white hot in the darkness, but there were vehicles parked in front; an old pickup truck and one that looked like a police car.

As Kaylee and I got closer, we could see two people sitting inside the station. The guy behind the counter had his hat on backwards and was pointing around in different directions. In my mind, I worried that Camp Chokochakee had sounded the alarm and word had reached town already. He was telling his customers the story of a couple kids who just weeks ago were mildly enjoying dinner at home with their father, but then this happened and that, which took them here and there. And now here. So keep your eyes out.

I stopped and looked at the truck a second time. It was just a rusty jalopy, not some truck the camp owned. And the police car. It wasn’t even a police car, just a taxicab painted over with white and black and patches of Bondo.

“Is dad here?”

“We’ll see,” I said, walking us to the front door. We clanged the bell of the front door upon entering, and they turned to look. The cashier and the infamous white hat kid.

The front of the canoe clunked from side to side as I strained every muscle to stay in the center of the river. Kaylee held onto the crossbars of her seat, looking back at me for some kind of answer.

“Don’t like this, Kevin.”

“Just hang on,” I said.

We passed the old landing site where the counselors held their secret parties. The current picked up energy. It felt like we’d been hooked by a giant trout fisherman and now he was reeling us in. I wasn’t sure how much farther town was, but my arms were starting to tire. A bend in the river rose up and hurled us into spray of trees hanging over the shore. Kaylee screamed. A branch had knocked her sideways, and I dropped the oar to catch her with both hands.

“Where’s dad?” Kaylee cried.

“We’re going to see him.”

She didn’t even respond after that, just cried in my arms, as I watched the river gulp down my oar.

“You have to get me the other oar, Kaylee.”

She shook her head, balling up with her face covered. I stepped over the center bench using a branch to support myself and keep the canoe from tipping. My fingertips barely reached the handle, and I flicked it towards me. The standing water beneath it helped push it into my free hand.

The river was daunting now, with its torrential black soup sliced by golden slivers of moonlight. The opposite shore appeared miles away, but I focused on it rather than the water and pulled the canoe into the center again.

“I’m scared,” Kaylee confessed.

“So am I.” I plunked down on the center bench and flicked the oar with determination. Right. Left. Hold. Left. Right. Later, my jaw would ache from clenching my teeth for so long, but it took that kind of focus to keep us in line. And I could see the faint lights of Scarlborough waving us into safe harbor.

Pete and I snuck out thirty minutes after lights out. Again, he bounded across the dark field like a rabbit, while I followed carrying the soft-sided suitcase that Aunt Ellen gave me. This night was better than before. The moon sat up higher above the tree line, and I was more familiar with the route to the canoe launch. I dropped my bag at the river and turned back. Pete snapped his fingers at me.

“Hey, what’s this?”

“It’s my suitcase.”

And before he could ask another question, I was off to get my sister. I had only been to the Hootah cabin once since we arrived, so finding it in the dark was sure to be difficult. Except across the way, a small shadow sat on the porch of a cabin. It was Kaylee, sitting on her suitcase, looking up at the stars.

“Psst,” I whispered for her attention. She looked and stood up.

“Kevin?”

“Shhhh,” I whispered loudly and motioned for her to come. She picked up her bag and walked calmly to me.

“We see dad tonight?”

“Yep,” I said, “but we got to go now.”

“Okay.”

I took her bag and grabbed her hand. We hurried back to the canoe launch but stopped about fifty yards away. A tall masculine figure hawked over Pete. I could see his bony little legs shaking as the person chastised him. The man put his arm around Pete and walked him back to the camp. As they passed a corner flood light on the far end, the person was unmistakable. Jimmy Sunglasses but without his shades, and he wasn’t happy.

“What’s going on?” Kaylee asked.

“Shhh,” I whispered. “We’re going, but we have to be quiet.”

“Okay,” she whispered in return.

I grabbed the handle of her suitcase and the knot of her wrist and rushed her to the canoe. My suitcase was still in the shadows, so I tossed both of them into the vessel and pushed it to the water’s edge.

“Get in.”

“I don’t want to,” Kaylee whined.

“You want to see dad?”

“Yeah.”

“Then get in.”

She did, but the faint droning cry indicated her uneasiness about doing so. She stepped to the middle of the boat, I gave two strong shoves using my shoulder for leverage and we were off. And only a few steps in the water, so my shoes didn’t get soaked. I held the oar to the water like a rudder and let out a deep breath of relief. The frogs croaked, the crickets squeaked and the wind rustled about the leaves. And I felt safe for the first time in weeks, coasting on that river. So long as I didn’t hear banjo music.

Dinner was where the scheming began. Pete sat across from me, shoveling the lumberjack dinner down his throat.

“How do we make it into town?” I whispered.

“Not by walking.”

I scanned the room for my sister. She was surrounded by her fellow Hootah cabin mates, who were congratulating her for something. As Pete choked down his mashed potatoes, I watched the group start singing to her. I couldn’t make out what, but she was the center of their attention.

“By the river,” Pete mumbled.

“What?”

“Take a canoe,” he said, “river goes right into town.”

“Oh.”

“Are you listening to me?”

“Hang on,” I said as I weaved my way through the dinner tables to my sister. The encircled entourage had finished their song with a round of applause. I peeled the girls away to reveal Kaylee smashing a cupcake into her mouth.

“Where did you get that?” I asked.

She grinned as usual, her mouth packed with cake and icing. “It’s my birthday.”

“You’re birthday is in October.”

“Shhhh,” she said as bits of cake spit out her teeth.

“Well, we’re meeting up with dad tonight.”

“Really?” Her eyes blew up, cheeks puffed with excitement.

“Yeah, so pack your bag,” I said. “I’ll come get you after lights out.”

“Yay!” she shouted, taking another healthy bite of her cupcake. I smiled. My sister always managed to ignore all the bad stuff my father brought about us. And with all the friends she was making at camp, I almost didn’t want to bring her with me.

“Happy birthday.”

Lumberjack Day at Camp Chokochakee was living up to its name, beginning with ten-ton breakfast they were serving. Flapjacks, sausage and bowls of potato and corned beef hash. My father would be excited. I’d have an easier time finding raccoons to feed out here.

And all through the morning, I could feel Jimmy Sunglasses watching me. Whenever I looked over, he’d give me the same malicious grin.

Later that morning, we moved onto wood chopping. A man clad in the hackneyed red plaid shirt and bushy beard wielded a huge double-bladed axe. His sidekick held a toothy single buck with an ornate wood handle. They showed us all about chopping, cutting and sawing. While we were mesmerized by the stereotypical lumberjacks, the counselors walked up to Jimmy, whispered something to him and he either nodded or shook his head no. He saw me watching him.

During our mid-afternoon break, Pete and I talked about the stuff we saw the night before.

“You think the counselors know everything about us?” I asked.

“Only what’s in our applications,” he said. “Why, you got some good dirt?”

“Me? No. I’m just saying.”

“Not you. Everyone knows about you.”

“What? What do they know?”

“Hey, my Tochoco buds.” Jimmy Sunglasses surprised us, smacking us on the back. “Five minutes, and we’re headed to cider milling.”

One last pat on my back filled me with panic. It didn’t help that he also did the pointing at the eyes gesture. His to mine, mine to his.

I turned to Pete. “You want to sneak out again tonight?”

Pete laughed. “Oh, yeah.”

“Good.” I had my bag mentally packed. I only needed to find my sister.

No wonder Jimmy Sunglasses wore those shades all the time. He was hiding the glaze of contraband prescription medicine and late night drinking. I thought he could be trusted, but now he was one person removed from the threat to my father. Possibly me and Kaylee too.

Clang, clang, clang. His clipboard sounded the wake-up for Tochoco cabin. Everyone rose to get dressed. Except me. I sat in the top bunk, hoping he’d ignore me.

“Kevin,” he spouted to the room.

I lay motionless, faking as if still asleep.

“Where you from, Kevin?”

My nerves felt like electric guitars. I sat up slowly.

“Huh?”

“I asked where you’re from?”

“Umm.”

“He’s from Hodgkins,” Pete spoke up. My heart froze. What was he thinking? Why did he want to know where I’m from? Did he see us out at their secret spot? Does he know about my dad?

“Pffft. Hodgkins?” Jimmy sauntered towards my bunk. Slow, deliberate steps.

“Yep,” Pete answered. Thanks, Pete.

“I don’t know how they raise kids in Hodgkins, but at Chokochakee we get up on time. We get to breakfast on time. We do everything on time.”

He hovered over me. His sunglasses were so black in the shadow of the cabin that I couldn’t see his eyes at all. His eyebrows were angled sharply down. His mouth was pressed tightly together.

“You deaf, dumb and blind?”

“No.”

“No?” He grins. And the next thing sent me flying. The shocking sonic explosion of an air horn two inches from my face. HARRRRR! My arms and legs snapped to life, sending the blanket into the air. I felt as if a wall of noise shoved me out of my bunk, as I plummeted to the floor.

“Nope. Not deaf. Dumb, maybe. But not deaf. Now get dressed. Time for breakfast.”

Pete and I steadied the canoe down the river. The clunks of the water hitting the sides felt like thunder in the quiet night air, but we maintained our stealth. An orange glow flickered on the trees ahead.

“We’re here,” Pete whispered.

With a couple more paddles, we coasted to the open beach. The bow carved into the sand, and I quietly jumped over the side, pulling the vessel up the shore. Then Pete laid his oar down and stepped out as well.

“Now what?”

Pete just pointed to the firelight. We acted like cat burglars, creeping low to the ground and well in the shadows. The closer we got, the louder they got. Music poured into the air. Guys and girls laughed between the sounds of cans opening. Ka-shuck. Ka-shuck.

“So what? They’re drinking beer,” I whispered to Pete.

“Just wait.”

Wait is what we did, while the mosquitoes flitted about our legs. Pete began to shiver. He shorts were still wet from jumping into the river.

“I saw Claire take off her top once,” Pete said, “She was really tanked.”

“Who’s Claire?”

“The annoying perky one you met when you first got here.”

“Oh, yeah. Her.”

“What was that?” one of the girl counselors shouted.

“I don’t know,” a guy responded, walking in our direction. My face was getting warm. My arms tingled. I took a step back, but Pete stopped me. He shook his head to reassure we were safe.

“Probably a raccoon or something,” the guy said, scrambling back to his inebriated fawn. Then someone unexpected showed up.

“Yo, yo,” the voice said from the road trees on the other side of us. A white hat bounced up and down in the darkness.

Jimmy Sunglasses, the very own Tochoco cabin counselor marched to the sound of that voice. “Alright, it’s about time!”

“Shut it, toad.” The white hat walked into the firelight. I saw the same posture as that kid from the lake that got my dad arrested. Only this time, he had on a hooded sweatshirt. “You got my money?”

“Yeah. You got the meds?”

“Course I do.”

And with the snap of two hands together, a brown paper bag was exchanged for a white one.

“You want to stay for a beer?” Jimmy Sunglasses asked the hood.

“Nah, I’m just trying to lay low out in the Podunk, not celebrate.”

“Yeah, I heard some shitbag ratted you out.”

“Pssh. Payback’s coming, man. Besides, this camp gives me the creeps.”

All the counselors laughed. I looked over at Pete, who was beaming with excitement. “I told you this was good,” he said. My stomach didn’t agree.