Page 15

FOUR

ASTER

“Well, look what we have here!” Solomon shot a gleeful smile back to the rest of the counselors as we lined up in the cafeteria line. “Looks like Dirty Doug can’t get enough of the kitchen!” We all giggled and laughed.

Doug was standing on the other side, wearing a hairnet and apron, shoveling food onto the campers’ trays. After the bonfire last night, Nurse B had caught him trampling around drunk. Pretty sure this was his punishment. But I wasn’t sure who was more upset about it. Him, or Beatrice.

Doug made a long face. “Ha-ha. Yeah, just sit there and laugh it up, pretty boy. You should be thanking me. If old Nurse B hadn’t caught me, she would’ve found you doing something much worse.

” Doug grinned, and Solomon’s smile fell.

He then dropped an extra piece of breakfast sausage onto Sol’s tray with a wink.

“I know how much you like your meat.” Sol threw it back at Doug and walked off.

Beatrice walked over next to Doug, and he instantly stiffened.

You could tell she was annoyed and fed up with him, which only made his punishment a bit funnier to the rest of us.

She ordered him around and swatted his hands with a spatula every time he made a simple mistake.

I looked away to see Solomon and Wolfe at the counselors’ table. They were whispering about something.

That’s odd.

“You seem to be drawn to that counselor.” I turned to see Sabbath standing next to me. He was dressed in a camp t-shirt, but instead of the uniform shorts, he wore his usual preference of jeans. Always the rebel.

I gripped my tray and tried to control myself. Sabbath had remained oddly quiet and somewhat normal at the bonfire the night before. He interacted enough with the others, and they seemed to accept him, but I didn’t. I knew he was up to something. Something bad.

Sabbath gently pushed my head back in the direction of the table and pointed to Solomon. “That one.”

“Sol?” I asked. “We’re just friends, Sabbath.” I rolled my eyes and groaned. “And even if we weren’t, what business is that of yours?”

I tried to walk past, but Sabbath grabbed my arm and stopped me. He leaned in with a smile and whispered. “Let’s hope for Sol’s sake you’re telling the truth and you two are nothing more than friends.”

I tried to rip my arm free, but he was too strong. “Let go of me.”

Sabbath blew against my ear. “Never.”

He released me and I yanked my arm away, spinning around to glare up at him. He only smiled and looked down at me. “If you want me to pretend, then you better start behaving yourself. And stay the hell out of my way.”

“I’ll play nice.” He walked past me as he slipped something into the pocket of my shorts. “For now.” He winked and joined Foster.

I rushed to the counselors’ table and reached into my pocket to find a perfectly rolled joint wrapped in a small note. I carefully unrolled the note and silently read it to myself.

For tonight.

My eyes widened as I stuffed them back into my pocket.

Tonight? What the hell did that mean? And why did he give me a blunt?

“Alright campers!” Willie blew his camp whistle, and the campers gathered around.

Rotations had officially begun, and each counselor took their separate groups around the camp to their scheduled activities.

My schedule for the day began with archery outside the woodshop.

Willie was explaining the rules of everything as Solomon stood to the side and whispered to Wolfe.

I noticed them smiling and couldn’t help but to stare.

There was something about those two… Something?—

“You’re staring again.” I snapped my head to see Sabbath next to me. Again. Only this time, Foster was sitting on his shoulders. It was weird seeing him act so brotherly.

My eyes rolled with contempt. “You call this behaving?” I asked.

Sabbath turned to look at me as Foster’s hands remained tucked under his chin for support. “For me? Yes.” He looked past me to Sol, and my eyes followed. “Why do you keep staring at him, Rosie?”

“It’s Aster,” I growled. “And I wasn’t staring.”

Sabbath and I both focused on Willie and pretended to listen.

“You’ve always been a bad liar, Aster.” He stepped closer.

“Stay away from him.” My eyes shot to him with a light gasp.

He was no longer smiling and had this cold, serious expression painted across his face.

This wasn’t just some petty jealousy. This was something else.

I stepped closer and whispered to him, “Why? Why should I stay away?”

Sabbath looked down at me and then quickly up at Foster before our eyes locked. “Just trust me.” He moved with stealth and gently touched my hand. Chills ran down all over my flesh as I stared into his dark eyes. “Stay away.” And just like that, Sabbath walked away as I remained there confused.

Stay away from Sol? Why?

My mind kept going over Sabbath’s words, and I half focused on the daily activity.

The campers were learning archery and had been split up into small groups based on skill level.

Willie took charge of the beginners while Solomon monitored the more skilled campers.

Wolfe and I simply stood back and watched everyone as we hung out by the redwoods.

Wolfe cleaned his glasses on the hem of his camp t-shirt. “What’s the deal with your brother?” he asked.

My head fell back and rested against the redwood as I sighed. “What do you mean?”

Wolfe joined me. “I mean… He’s just so… Odd. You two don’t really act like brother and sister.”

“Because we’re not.” My head turned to face him. Despite being similar ages, Wolfe was a lot shorter than me. “We’re step siblings. That’s all. I barely know him.” At least, this fake persona he was trampling around in.

He made a face. “Okay. So I take it you two didn’t exactly grow up together?”

I nodded. “I didn’t even know he was my stepbrother until—” I choked back the painful memory. “Well, much later in life.”

Wolfe looked from me to Sabbath. He was whispering in Foster’s ear as Solomon stood in front of the archery targets. I noticed Wolfe smile ever so slightly as Sol caught his eye.

Interesting.

Wolfe cleared his throat and turned back to me. “I get the feeling you’re not exactly fond of him. Your brother.”

I laughed. “You have no idea.”

“Hey, what's the deal with him and the boy? Foster, was it? He said they were half brothers, and he’s always with him. It’s kind of weird, don’t you think?

” Wolfe pointed to them, and I looked over at Foster.

He was so stoic and calm for a kid his age.

Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever really saw him running around or acting like a normal kid.

Instead, he just kept to himself and stuck to Sabbath like glue. And right now, he was…

Oh shit.

“Wolfe.”

Wolfe turned as we both watched the arrow shoot from Foster’s bow. It whizzed fast towards Solomon and barely missed him as he dodged it and fell to the ground. The arrow hit the red bullseye of the target behind him and Foster smiled. Solomon scrambled to his feet and charged Foster.

“Oh shit.” Wolfe ran in their direction as I followed. “Hey! Sol!”

We both watched as Solomon snatched the bow from Foster’s hand.

“Never release a nocked bow when someone is standing in front of the target!” He was both angry and scared, obvious by the sweat that rolled down his face and past his reddened cheeks.

“Give me your arrows!” Wolfe and I stopped a few feet away and watched as Sabbath casually stepped in front of his brother.

My stomach twisted at the anticipation and fear of what he might do.

Solomon and Sabbath stood inches apart. Sol was fuming and fired up, whereas Sabbath was oddly calm. He gently pushed Sol back. “Calm down, big boy. He’s just a kid. It was a simple accident.” Sabbath wore such a smug look while Sol was just pissed.

“Accident?” Sol pushed back. “He looked right at me and fucking released his arrow!” Sol’s raised voice caught Willie’s attention. “Had I not moved, his arrow would be deep in my chest.”

Sabbath grinned. “But it’s not, is it?” He smacked Sol’s arm playfully as he turned away. “Count yourself lucky.”

Sol shook his head. It was as if his teases pushed Sol too far.

He whirled Sabbath around and swung, landing a punch along his jaw.

Wolfe and I rushed to separate the two as they struggled and began to fight.

“Wolfe!” I shouted as I tried to peel the men apart.

“Get the kids out of here!” He nodded and did as I asked.

Willie rushed over and helped him. “Hey!” I forced my body between the two.

“Enough!” But as I stepped in, Sol swung.

His fist slammed into my temple, and I fell forward into Sabbath’s arms. My ears rang and everything became blurred and fuzzy for a moment.

“Oh shit!” Sol backed up. “Aster, I’m sorry! I didn’t?—”

Sabbath lowered me to the ground and examined me closely. “Hey,” he whispered as I groaned. “You’re okay. You’re okay.” I didn’t feel it.

My hand reached to my head, and pain erupted through my skull. I noticed blood on my fingertips and began to panic. “Fuck,” I breathed.

Willie walked up and shot a death glare at the men. “What the hell is going on?” he asked. “Well?”

Sol grabbed his head. “I didn’t mean to!” I knew it was an accident, but it still fucking hurt like hell. “Aster, I—I’m so sorry!”

Wolfe plopped down next to me, and Sabbath looked at him.

“Get Thisbe. Now.” Wolfe nodded and took off.

Sabbath then removed his shirt and placed it under my head as he lowered me to the ground.

I noticed the same long silver chain necklace he wore years ago, and in that moment, it felt like I was seeing the Sabbath I once knew. The one from so long ago.

I groaned as pain vibrated through my head.

“Easy,” he whispered. “You’re going to be okay.”

Sol walked up. “Aster, I’m so sorry. I?—”