Page 13 of Lovebug
“Well,” I offer, “if he got a job as the new groundskeeper, then clearly he had to have a meaningful interaction with someone. Carol must have hired him, and she’s an excellent judge of character. I’m sure… The Wall… is a lovely man. He’s probably just—”
“And get this!” April ignores me, fully focused on weaving her tale. The other three are eating it up like chocolate. “He lives down by the lake!”
“Ew! The lake!” Emily says with her nose scrunched up.
“I know.” April continues. “In a tool shed.”
“Ew! A tool shed!” Emily is eating this up.
“Iknow, right? The dude lives in a tool shed! Probably pretty convenient, though. You know, since he has all those tools available for all thekilling!”
I have officially lost complete control of the group.
“Alright, April, I’m going to need you to stop this. Rumors aren’t nice. Just because someone is eccentric doesn’t mean they’re dangerous. I’m certain if we just engage him—”
I look up to do that very thing… and lose my words when I spot him at the end of the trail. He’s quite far away from us at this point, but he may as well be standing five feet in front of me with all the energy I feel pulsating off him.
He’s standing there.
Still as stone.
Staring.
Directly at me.
I won’t lie. It’s freaky as hell, and I feel a chill rush through me. Just as I take a breath in to call out to him, he turns and disappears through a cluster of evergreens.
What the heck just happened?
I suddenly remember the mantis, but when I look down, he’s gone too.
Weird.
Just then, a bell clangs loudly.
“Ahh!”
Shrieks abound as we’re all shaken out of our collective spooky story stupor.
“It’s okay, everyone,” I soothe. “It’s okay. That’s just the bell from the canteen announcing midmorning snack.”
“SNACK!!!” they all exclaim in monosyllabic joy.
My four counselors-in-training instantly sprint in the direction of the canteen without a second thought. Certainly without asking for any permission from me.
“Hey! Guys! We’re not finished with our—!” I cut myself off as I watch their speedy retreat.
“And… no one is listening to me,” I say out loud.
Why does that feel like a recurring theme in my life?
Chapter Three
I have a little time while the CITs snack up at the canteen, so I start walking with no particular destination in mind. After years of being a counselor here, I know these trails better than my own backyard, and I always find a brisk walk through nature clears my head.
It’s probably pretty obvious at this point, but I’m not so sure I’m cut out for this head counselor position.
I was much more comfortable the past six summers managing my own little group of campers. And managing bugs, of course. I can always manage bugs. Yup, gimme bugs any day of the week, and I’m in bliss. But teenagers? Apparently, teenagers and I aren’t the best fit. Gosh, you know what, though? If I’m being honest with myself, I’m not all that effective with adults either. Isn’t that what Doreen was not so subtly implying last night? That I’m letting everyone down in The Business because of my inability to connect with other adults?
