it would be to see the wild beauty of this place replaced by houses and asphalt. And speaking of wild beauty...
Summer’s voice and eyes were full of emotion as she talked to the kids. Her passion and loyalty to the camp stirred Rick in a primal sort of way, making him wonder what it would be like to experience her passion firsthand.
“Is it haunted?” Carlos asked, hanging close to Rick’s side, and Rick laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Of course not,” Summer answered. “But I like to think there might be angels watching over it.”
“It has a pretty heart, Ms. Summer,” Becca said, bringing a smile to Summer’s face that made her look the part of an angel herself. An angelic exterior hiding a wild-child heart.
One of the kids asked, “Can we look inside?”
“You can’t go inside, but you can walk around and look.”
“Watch for snakes,” Rick instructed. As peaceful as it seemed on the outside, the inside looked like a copperhead haven.
Instinctively, the counselors spread out to guard from all angles in case any of the kids decided to disobey instructions and venture inside. Everyone ambled around for a few minutes but soon coalesced back into a large group. Some of the girls picked flowers and gave them to Summer.
“Maybe we can come back to pick enough to make circlets for our hair.” Summer made a circle with her fingers and placed it on her head like a cap.
Rick thought a minute, wondering how to make that more educational. “I’ll give them a list and description of common wildflowers from around here, and they can see how many they can identify.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Summer said. “This will just be a fun activity.” She emphasized fun.
“Fun and educational—the best of both worlds.”
Summer opened her mouth, and Rick sensed a protest was about to be voiced.
“I insist,” he added.
Summer’s glare eviscerated him. “Let’s go, kids.” She waved them forward. “Breakfast will be ready soon.”
Rick fumed at the back of the group, as far away from the damn woman as possible. She didn’t think it was necessary for these kids to learn anything while they were here. It was all about looking pretty and...and what had Becca said the hut had? A pretty heart? Hell-pee-roo.
“Oh, look!” Summer’s squeal caught his attention as she bounded off the path toward a group of trees, the girls following at her heels.
“Halt!” Rick shouted, and the boys stopped in their tracks.
“Tree frogs!” Summer pointed out a group of the small creatures clinging to an ancient tulip poplar.
Some of the boys started to move in her direction. “Don’t!” Rick ordered. The boys turned back to him, confused. “We need to stay on the path.”
“They can’t see them from there.” Summer’s voice held a controlled but angry edge.
“But I can see from here.” Rick pointed to the thick groundcover. “The poison ivy you’re standing in could easily camouflage a copperhead.”
Summer’s eyes widened. “Run! Everybody run!” She sprinted down the path, followed by the bobbing heads of the girls.
At the head of the boys’ line, Neil turned around with a smirk, which faded quickly as his eyes grew wide.
“Skunk,” he said quietly, as Rick’s olfactory system registered that the odor he’d grown used to had intensified.
Rick turned slightly, and his peripheral vision caught sight of the uplifted tail. “Run!” he shouted. The boys followed directions, except for Willard, who tripped over his own feet in his haste.
Rick became sickeningly aware of the foul-smelling mist that suffused the air as he stopped to help the boy up.
* * *
SUMMER STOPPED A LITTLE WAY down the path to let the girls pass. Looking back, she saw the horrific scene play out with Willard’s fall and Rick’s stopping to help him. She couldn’t see the spray, but their reaction and the smell invading her nostrils left little to the imagination.
Neil stopped beside her. “Take the kids on into camp. Get some soap and use the hose behind the kitchen to have the girls wash their ankles and legs off. If they wash within about ten minutes, it should stop the poison ivy from making them break out.” As the assistant counselor took off for the camp, Summer started back to help the two stragglers.
“Stay away, Summer.” Rick squatted beside a now-red-faced, bawling Willard. The boy sat with his legs straight out, pounding the ground in a hissy fit.
Summer ignored the command and continued down the path toward them.
Rick stood. “I said stay away.”
“I heard you.” She continued, determined to console