18. Chapter 18
Chapter eighteen
“Don’t even say the word.”
Wes, Cassandra, and the kids roasted hot dogs over a campfire for dinner, then made popcorn in a large cast-iron Dutch oven, adding caramel and marshmallows. Both Wes and Cassandra passed on the sweet popcorn and munched on chips instead.
When it grew late and the fire was the only light, they told ghost stories.
The boys far outnumbered the girls, and they enjoyed the girls' gasps, over-the-shoulder glances, and sharp intakes of breath.
Wes had heard most of the stories over the years, or versions of them, but he enjoyed watching the kids' reactions.
Even Cassandra jumped at one of the endings.
She glanced at him, then pointed. “Don’t say it.”
“Are we a little freaked out?”
“No.”
He laughed as he held up a crooked finger. “Beware the man with the hook.”
“I’m ignoring you.” She turned her attention to Robby, who was telling the final story of the night.
When the story was over, with the girls all thoroughly disturbed by the graphic ending, Wes stood. “Okay, time to crawl into those sleeping bags.”
The kids all grumbled, and one spoke up. “It’s still early, man.”
“It’s nearly eleven. At camp, you’d be in bed already.”
“Can we at least talk a little?”
“As long as I can’t hear you.”
There was more mumbling, but the kids slowly got up from their perches around the fire and headed to their sleeping bags to settle down for the night. They took several minutes to rearrange, with the girls sticking together, though not too far from the group. By 11:30, it was quiet.
Wes and Cassandra had stayed by the fire, and he nudged her, then whispered. “The kids are all in bed.”
Cassandra yawned. “I’m ready, too.” She leaned in close to him. “Can I sleep next to you?”
“Sure. Just not next, next to me.”
“Of course.”
The fire had burned down to coals and was safe to leave, surrounded by rocks and bare ground.
Wes and Cassandra set up their sleeping bags at the edge of the trees, a proper distance apart yet close enough to hold hands.
They talked for a few minutes about the plans for tomorrow, then both drifted off to sleep.
“Mr. B!”
Wes opened his eyes to find Robby leaning over him. “What’s wrong?”
“They’re sick.”
“Who?”
“Everyone who went with Emily on the hike.”
Wes sat up. “Sick how?”
“Stomach ache, yacking up, and well, it’s coming out the other end, too.”
“All five of them?”
“Some worse than others. It just hit all of a sudden.”
Wes got out of his sleeping bag and put on his jacket.
Cassandra sat up. “What’s going on?”
“Some of the kids are sick.”
She got up too, and they went with Robby to where the kids had settled down for the night. The acrid smell and the sound of retching from a nearby bush stopped Wes, who put a hand to his nose, then glanced at Cassandra.
She grabbed his arm. “Goodness.”
“Yeah.” The flushed faces of the kids curled up in the fetal position snapped Wes into action. The boy who had been in the bushes staggered back to his sleeping bag and dropped onto it. Wes moved closer. “Robby, light a couple of lanterns.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Who isn’t sick?” Five kids raised their hands. “Okay, you five are going to move to the beach with Robby.
Robby handed him a lit lantern. “You don’t need me to help with these guys?”
“No, Cassandra and I can handle it. You’re in charge of the rest of them. Stay by the canoes and try to get some sleep.”
“Yes, sir.”
Robby and the five healthy kids picked up their sleeping bags and headed for the beach. Wes went to Emily, who was in distress but not vomiting.
He knelt beside her. “Did you guys eat something while you were on your hike?”
Her distress turned to fear. “Um…some berries.”
“Emily, you know not to eat anything that hasn’t been identified and proven safe. What did they look like?” She shrugged, and he coaxed, “Emily?”
“Small purple berries. They kind of look like blueberries.”
He sighed. “Elderberries.”
“We saw deer eating them, and a rabbit.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re safe for humans.”
She started to cry. “I’m so sorry. Did I poison all of them?” She lowered her voice. “Are they going to die?”
He put a hand on her shoulder. “No. They just might want to for a few hours.”
Wes stood and went to Cassandra. “I’m guessing you have more experience than I do with sick kids. Any suggestions? Do I need to go for help?”
“Across the dark lake in a canoe?”
“Whatever I need to do.”
“Let’s not go there yet. I thought people made pies out of elderberries.”
“They do. They’re safe to eat after they’ve been cooked. But raw, you get…this.” He looked around at the kids. “What can we do for them?”
“We need to keep them hydrated.”
“Okay.”
“Just little sips of water every twenty minutes or so.”
“Will they keep it down?”
“Hopefully.”
“Okay. I’ll get some water bottles.”
“And paper cups.”
Wes went to the supplies and got a few bottles of water and six paper cups. Cassandra filled each cup with a few sips of water, then began handing them out. “Drink this.”
Most of them didn’t want to, but she was insistent, and after a few minutes, they’d all had some water.
Wes stood in the middle of them. “At first light, I’ll send Robby back to camp. Coach Porter can bring the boat and get you all back.”
One of the girls looked at him. “Are you going to call our parents?”
“Yeah. I think camp is over for the six of you.”
Emily held up a hand. “I’ll be fine, Mr. B. I want to stay.”
“We’ll see how the next couple of hours go.”
When the sun finally came up, it was a welcome sight. The vomiting had slowed, but it hadn’t completely stopped for some of the kids. All of them were still suffering from stomach cramps and were exhausted. Wes went down to the beach to talk to Robby.
Robby was asleep, and Wes knelt beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Robby?”
Robby startled, then sat up. “What? What happened?”
“Nothing new. Did you get some sleep?”
“Yes, sir.” He rubbed his face and yawned.
“I need you to take a canoe back to camp and let Coach know what’s going on. Tell him to bring the runabout to the island to pick up the sick kids.”
“Are they still sick?”
“Yeah. Not quite as bad, but they still have a way to go.”
“You want me to go now?”
“Yes. Sorry. I know it’s early, but we need to get these kids back.”
“Yes, sir. I can do it.”
“Who is the strongest with a paddle in this group?”
“Um…Ross, I guess.”
“Get him up and take him with you.”
“Should we come back with Coach?”
“No. We’ll need the room in the boat.”
The boys got ready to go, and then Wes saw them off, keeping an eye on them until they were too far to see. The four remaining kids on the beach woke up and climbed out of their sleeping bags.
“I’m sorry we had to cut the trip short, but once Coach Porter comes and takes the other kids back to camp, we need to follow in the canoes.”
“What about the hot springs?”
“That’s not going to happen. I need to get back to contact the parents. I’ll make it up to you, though. You can stay on the beach or come back to the clearing. If you stay here, stay close to the canoes. No wandering off. I’ll have Cassandra bring you breakfast.”
They seemed to accept that the overnight was over and began packing up their things. Wes left them and returned to the clearing. He yawned as he approached Cassandra, then stumbled over a slight bump in the dirt.
“Dammit.”
“I think we’ll both need a nap before this day is over.”
“Maybe, but first we need to get these kids back to camp, and I need to contact their parents.”
“Are you going to insist they come pick them up?”
“I’m going to strongly suggest it. I don’t know how long this is going to last, and we’re not really set up for it.”
“I agree.”
One of the kids jumped up and ran past them toward the bushes. “Definitely sending them home.” He sat on a stump. “Can you bring the kids on the beach something to eat for breakfast?”
“Sure. How about you? You should eat.”
He looked at the six kids. “After watching this all night, not really hungry.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat a hot dog again.”
Wes held up a hand. “Don’t. Don’t even say the word.”
A little over an hour later, Wes heard the outboard motor approaching. He went to the beach, and Lester slowed as he drew near, then shut down the motor as the small boat's nose slid onto the shore.
“Heard you had a bit of a rough night.”
“Yeah. We’ve got five sick kids and one sick counselor.”
“Damn.” Lester stepped out of the boat. “It’ll be tight, but we can get them all in the boat.”
“Good. I don’t think they’d do well on a forty-five minute canoe ride.”
“Let’s get them loaded up.” Lester followed Wes to the clearing, then stopped walking when he saw the campers. “Good Lord Almighty.”
Wes addressed the kids. “Your ride is here. We’re going to get you to the boat and back to camp. You’ll be lying in a bed in no time.”
Wes, Lester, and Cassandra got them all to the boat, then Lester headed back to camp with them. When they were out of sight, Wes turned to the remaining campers.
“We need to load up the stuff they left behind and put it in the canoes. We’ve got six canoes to get back, and only seven people, so all but one of you will be manning a boat by yourselves. We’ll stay close together and take it as slow as we need to.”
One of the boys held up a hand. “We’ve got this, Mr. B.”
“I know you do.” He turned to Cassandra. “Are you okay in a canoe by yourself. Ellie will need to double up with someone.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.” He turned to the girl, who looked a bit distraught over the night’s events. “Ellie, you can ride with me.”
Her whole body relaxed a fraction. “Thank you.”
“Alright. Let’s get going.”