Chapter 3 #2
While his campers sucked on lollipops, David ran over the day’s agenda. “Make sure you have your camp buddy with you at all times. If you’re caught wandering alone, you can count on getting your butt smacked.”
“You do know that regardless of that warning, that’s likely to be the very first thing they test you on, right?” Master Derek asked.
“Counting on it,” David said. “I figured it won’t take too many rounds of ass-reddening before teams start consciously looking out for each other in more ways than one. The more eyes keeping watch, the safer everyone is going to be.”
“Smart man.” Derek chuckled. “Let’s just hope your hand holds out.”
“Don’t need it to.” David stooped to return the lollies to his pack while pulling out the handle of a paddle only far enough for both Travis and Derek to see. “I come prepared.”
Travis slapped him on the back and then made a show of interlocking his fingers and flexing them as if preparing for a round of spanking.
David clapped his hands and instructed the group of registered campers to say their goodbyes to any Bigs or fellow Littles not attending the camp. “Once you’re done, form two lines and let’s get this show on the road.”
His smile only slipped a bit as he watched Moses give Sadie a hug before turning to the skinny-dipping water nymph.
He didn’t just hug her, but began signing far too fast for David to even attempt to keep up.
When the young woman signed back and then threw her arms around the redwood’s waist, David knew there was more than friendship between the two.
But when Moses looked over the girl’s head and stared directly at him, David felt himself go a bit weak in the knees.
When the water nymph joined hands with Sadie and then Wren and headed across the circle to line up, David’s eyes remained on Moses as the man’s hands continued to dance through the air, now looking straight at him.
This time David easily interpreted every movement.
“She is part of my soul. Keep her safe.”
Feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, as well as the unspoken “or else” David nodded and lifted his hands to sign back, “She is part of mine now as well.” Though a bit stunned at realizing his hands had formed those words without a single thought as to how they might be construed, he felt no urge to withdraw the statement.
Moses didn’t flinch or look surprised. Nor did Nanny J who’d materialized to stand beside her husband. They both just nodded and then turned and walked away.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to deserve it but know that when Moses and Nanny J turn one of their own over to you, it’s like handing you the holy grail,” Travis said as he bent down to pick up one of the t-shirt stacks.
David bent down to grab the strap of his pack. “I sorta got that. I also know that the man can scare the shit out of me.”
Travis chuckled as David grabbed the other stack and they walked to join the Littles now chattering excitedly in two rather ragged lines.
“You and me both, man, you and me both,” Travis said.
“Hold up there, David.”
As Travis continued walking, David turned to see Derek and Erika coming toward him. “What’s up?”
“We had a rather late entry, and I just finished compiling all the paperwork,” Erika said as she opened a folder she was holding and held out a rather thick sheaf of papers.
“I personally tested her and she passed all of your requirements with flying colors. She’s more than met my expectations as well.”
David had learned exactly how dedicated Derek had been about following David’s requests when he’d offered to team up with Travis and test campers when David had been working his shifts. “No problem.” His attempt to hold out his hand for the papers had the shirts threatening to fall.
Erika laughed. “If you’ll hold still, I can just add them to your binder?”
“That’ll work.” David presented his back to allow her access his backpack, feeling the zipper being undone and the weight of a thick binder disappear.
As she worked, David grinned at the sight of his campers jumping about as they pulled on their new shirts.
They might only consider them as an official way of declaring them as ARK members, but the bright colors of the shirts would allow him and Travis to spot them more easily from a distance.
“All done,” Erika said brightly as she slid the binder back into his pack. “And I want to add my wishes to Derek’s that you have a wonderful time. These Littles have talked about nothing else but camp for weeks now.”
“That’s my plan. I promise to do my best to make sure it’s an experience they’ll never forget.”
“It’s my plan that it just might prove to be one you won’t forget anytime soon either.” Derek slapped David’s shoulder, a huge grin on his face.
David was halfway across the clearing before Derek’s choice of words hit him.
His plan?
What did that mean?
It means that while you might be the brawn for this little endeavor, he’s the brains behind it.
Before he could decide if that was truly what the man had meant, David found himself surrounded by Littles who’d become a bit impatient at being in the line where not so much as a single t-shirt or bracelet had yet to be given out. There was no question about what that meant.
It was his cue to stop talking to himself and do his job.