Best Summer Ever! - Chapter 1

[SeeEffenem]

Characters:
Ethan: 15; A lanky, pale "golden boy" who is slightly body-shy and prefers the quiet safety of video games and comic books to the real world. His agreeable nature and lack of confidence make him the type to follow the rules perfectly rather than ever risk making a scene.
Austin: 15; A toned, dirty-blonde athlete with an effortless tan and "rich kid" energy that makes him a natural heartthrob. While he maintains a polished exterior for the public, he is a high energy goofball and a bit of a trouble maker when alone with his close male friends.

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"Coach Sharon is a baddie." Ethan reads from the back of the faded upholstery on the seat in front of him. His nose scrunches up in mild disgust. "Who the heck would write that?" he mutters, licking his thumb and trying to rub the ink off. It doesn't budge.

"Ok but are they *wrong*?" Austin chimes in, a fat grin plastered on his face. "She's hot man. Don't tell me you prefer Coach Greene?" He muses, trying to get a rise out of his friend. Ethan ignores the insinuation entirely. Gay this, gay that. You were either a pervert like Austin, or you were gay. In his book at least.

"Yes they’re wrong! She's like, fifteen years older than us. Plus she's friends with my mom man." Ethan complains, recoiling at the very idea. He shifts in his seat, his long, lanky legs cramped in the narrow space. Thankfully he could spread his left leg into the aisle, giving his nuts a brief respite from the oven between his thighs. He wasn't expecting the bus ride to be so long, otherwise he'd have put sunscreen on already and not have to hide in his best friend's shadow in hopes of not burning.

Austin was sprawled out next to him, looking entirely too comfortable for a two hour ride on a school bus. He was shorter than Ethan, more muscular, and naturally too tan to have to worry about the sun's wrath. Both boys were wearing the same scout uniform. Standard issue scouting caps, long forest green pants, with beige button-ups tucked neatly into them, with plaid bandanas tied around their collars. They had mercifully been allowed to wear their short sleeve shirts.

"Oh damn, she is? Sorry I blew you off last week. If I'd known Coach Sharon AND your mom were going to- OW!" Austin yelps, clutching his shoulder where Ethan had just punched him. "Dude, chill! I'm joking! I'd never-"

"Both of you pipe down." A stern voice cuts through their bickering. Mr. Abernathy, their Scoutmaster, doesn't even turn around from his seat at the front of the bus. "You're not gonna like what'll happen to you if I hear you talking like that again. You hear me?"
"Yes, sir." The two boys mumble in unison, Ethan giving Austin an absolute death glare. Austin flashes a quick, mocking salute toward the back of Abernathy’s head before slumping back into the vinyl.

"You’re such an idiot," Ethan whispered, frowning at the deep black smudge that now coated his thumb from his attempt at cleaning up the graffiti. He digs around in his backpack, finally producing a tissue which he uses to dab at the finger, happy for the moment of relative silence from his friend.

"Old man’s got ears like a bat," Austin whispers, his voice barely audible over the rattling of the bus frame. Ethan is about to tell him off for not letting it go, before he interrupts. "Yo, look at the trees. Think we’re getting close?"

Ethan followed his gaze. The trees here looked older, their branches almost making it look like their bus was driving through a tunnel. And the creeping vines were almost oppressive.

"I just don't get why they’re being such tyrants about the electronics," Ethan changes the subject suddenly, shifting his legs again. His left calf was starting to go numb from being wedged into the small space for so long. "My mom took my Switch and apparently we have to give up our phones at the gate."

Austin's grin skews to the side in a grimace as he flicks open his pocket knife, gently using the point of a knife to delicately pick dirt from underneath one of his nails. "Eugh! Don't do that man!" Ethan practically begs in disgust, but Austin ignores his complain entirely.

"What I wanna know is why, if this is such a fun 'end of the summer reward' trip, why wasn't anyone in the troupe able to refuse, eh?"

"My mom called it a 'growth experience.' No idea what that means, but apparantly the parents are skipping once we're all settled. So I guess we're like, figuring out our food and tent and everything on our own. I dunno." Ethan shrugs.

Austin flicks his pocket knife closed with a snort. "Self-sufficiency? Bruh, we’re literally fifteen. I already know how to camp and make myself food," Austin scoffed, and shoved the knife back into his pocket. "It’s probably just some 'manhood' crap. My dad’s been on my case for months about being a man. This is just going to be more of that."

"I guess," Ethan mutters, his fingers picking at a loose thread on his pants. "I just hope 'figuring it out' doesn't mean, like, actual survival stuff. I’m not trying to eat bark for three weeks."

The smooth asphalt suddenly disappears, and the bus begins to gently tremble as they turn onto a gravel path. "Woooah! Look man!" Austin says, sitting up and pressing his face against the glass like a child.

Up ahead, the main 'campus' of Camp Humblewood reveals itself from behind the trees. There’s a massive log cabin lodge. It's the only building the electric lines attach to, so Ethan assumes it must be an office, or the scout master's quarters. Next to it was a large, modern looking building that appeared to be a the cafeteria. Behind that, nestled between the trees, were clusters of small tents arranged in circles around central fire pits.
The bus comes to a slow halt. The air conditioning cuts out instantly, and a groan of displeasure echoes from the boys.

Finally, there was something to lighten the mood for the boys. Camp Humblewood had a reputation for being THE location to camp at for scout troupes all over the state. From the looks of the campgrounds and the scenery on the drive here, this had the potential to be the best summer ever for the boys

"Alright, listen up!" Mr. Abernathy stands up, his face looking even more serious than usual. "This is the Intake Point. You stay in your seats until I call your name. All bags stay on the bus. Once you're outside, find a free table and follow the instructions. We all clear?"

The boys rumble various forms of agreement, though none sound particularly enthusiastic with how much the fun was already being sucked out of their stay.

"Adam K, Arnold G, and... Austin S. Let's go. Look lively," Abernathy barks, checking his clipboard.

Austin stood up, giving Ethan a quick smirk and a half-assed salute. "Catch you on the flip side man. Try not to get skin cancer without me blocking your rays." He strolls his way up the aisle as he followed the other two guys toward the door.

The silence that followed was maddening. More boys were called, but the process was drawn out. Nearly five minutes had passed, was every boy's intake going to take this long, Ethan wondered. 'Dear God, we're going to be on this us all afternoon...' Ethan’s behind was nothing but pins-and-needles now, but he didn't move. He just stared at the back of the seat, at the "Coach Sharon" graffiti. Austin was 100% the one who wrote that.


Wait- stop! Get off me!"

Ethan recognized that voice instantly. It was Austin. Was he still being processed?

The bus erupted. Boys scrambled over each other, pressing their faces against the windows for a better view.
"Sit down! Back in your seats, all of you!" Abernathy yelled, staring at the boys with a cold expression. Most of the boys returned to their seats, still looking shocked or confused. Ethan leaned as best he could for a better view without getting in trouble.

He saw Austin. His best friend was being held by Jason's dad, the most muscular scoutmaster in the troupe, who had both of Austin's arms locked behind his back. Austin was a soccer player, strong and agile, and he was fighting like his life was at stake, trying to pull his knees up toward his chest. His face was a deep red, in either anger or embarrassment.

"You can't do this! This is actual assault man!" Austin screamed, his voice breaking as a female scoutmaster stepped in close.
She reached out, looking more bored and annoyed than the man helping her. Ethan watched, jaw on the floor, as she grabbed the waistband of Austin’s pants. With one violent, downward yank, she stripped them clean off his legs, taking his underwear with them.

Austin was left dangling in the man's grip, his lower half completely exposed to the world, left in nothing more than his scout shirt, bandanna, cap, and high white socks. The woman didn't hesitate, and tossed his discarded bottoms into a white plastic tub.

"I said settle down!" Abernathy’s voice boomed inside the bus. "Any further disruption will result in immediate disciplinary demerits before your feet even touch the dirt! Sit. Down."

The bus went quiet. One by one, boys slumped back into their seats, their faces pale. Ethan sat back, his heart beating frantically He felt sick. The image of Austin being stripped and handled like some disobedient toddler kept replaying in his mind.

Was.... Was that what this was? Was Austin just acting out in some weird way or.... Was the entire point of this camping trip to demote all 20 members of their troupe from teenagers into little boys?

Abernathy looked down at his list, his finger sliding slowly down the page.

"Ethan H."

Ethan didn't move at first. He couldn't. He looked at the aisle, a long, narrow gauntlet that suddenly felt miles long.
"Ethan!" Abernathy barked. "Now."

His long, lanky legs felt like stilts as he stepped into the aisle, still half-numb from the long ride. He kept his eyes on the open door and began to walk a like a condemned man.

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Hey all! I've kind of run into writer's block with my other stories. I haven't abandoned them, but every time I sit down to work on them, I wind up disliking it. But I don't want that to be a reason to just not write anything, so anywho-

I hope you like this intro! Let me know what thoughts, or suggestions, or whatever and I'll be more than happy to hear it!

[Themarble]

So glad to see you return! I understand writer blocks with stories so even though it may take a while to return to your other stories I think it's great that you are uploading new ones.

Your character interactions are perfect. The way the two boys speak is so realistic!

Oh I imagine this will be a much more exposing camp experience than both boys realized!

I can only hope they will partake in a lot of the experience at camp, nude, and with photographed documentary!

[Jeepman89]

I'm hoping this is a mixed camp for boys and girls.

[SeeEffenem]

I'm hoping this is a mixed camp for boys and girls.

Oh I have fun things planned don’t you worry

[Themarble]

Oh! Question! Is this story part of the "MCU" style stories, like in the same universe? Or is it just it's own standalone thing? Either way is good, I'm happy you are back to writing, just curious.

[NickTwisp]

Intriguing thus far. I'm gathering that the boys have to be nude during their summer camping experience. Whether any girls their age will see them naked (much to their profound embarrassment) remains to be determined.