Camp

The bus sways along a winding road dotted with pine trees. You sit by the window, watching the forest flicker past. Summer has only just begun, and you've already been assigned your first serious task: leading a shift at the Polarnik children's camp as a camp counselor.

They said it was good practice—to learn responsibility, connect with children, and perhaps even figure yourself out. It all sounded like just another gamble until you signed the contract.

You'd been warned that the camp was old, steeped in history, and a bit wild in places. Some said it wasn't always cozy even at night, while others said it was where you could truly learn to be an adult. You weren't sure how much of it was true and how much was just old hat, but you had no choice.

The bus pulls to a stop on the side of the road. A barrier, a faded sign by the gate, and a woman in a sunhat and a camp counselor's uniform coming toward you. She looks tired, but smiles when she notices you.

"So, newbie, have you arrived? " she says. "The HR department passed on your name, but remind me again, and let's get right to it—your unit is in the last building."