Camp Wacko: The Drones of Summer

by Faith Wilkins

  I scowled. “You better let go of me before I kick you in a place that you really do not want to kicked.”

  He let go and stepped back. Rubbing my wrist, I asked him why I couldn’t climb the fence. He explained that if so much as the tip of my finger had touched that fence, about one million volts of electricity would have shocked my body. Was there any way I could avoid this? Of course not.

  Despite the discouraging news, I wasn’t about to let this get me down. I was going to come up with an escape plan.

  If I couldn’t get past the fence, then I would find something else. This couldn’t be the only way out, right?

  Dr. Wacko

  AFTER EXPLORING THE grounds for a little while longer, I headed for my room. I needed to talk to a certain FBI agent.

  Climbing up the Stairs of Horror wasn’t so bad, but I still flopped down on my bed in exhaustion and lay there for a few minutes before moving to the bathroom. Although I had seen it once before, I was still mesmerized by the technological wonder of my new glasses. Due to the rhinestone cameras in the frame, Agent Cooper was already aware of the pending meeting with Dustin’s notorious father. His advice wasn’t exactly reassuring, but confident. I would need to get as much information as possible. This meeting would be crucial for the case.

  “Lily?” True knocked on the bathroom door.

  After a hurried goodbye to the agent, I left the bathroom to casually sit on my bed.

  “Were you talking to someone in there?” she questioned, jumping onto her own bed and lying on her stomach to stare at me.

  I raised an eyebrow. “No, why?” She gave me a funny look. “Really, because I was sure I heard—”

  “So what was with your attitude today?” I blurted, cutting her off.

  True’s eyes turned into slits, forcing me into a staring contest before she decided to let it go for the moment. “I was getting information. If you wear the right clothes and say the right things, boys are like putty in your hands.”

  Not quite buying this, I said, “That’s a little sexist, don’t you think?”

  True shrugged. “Maybe, but it worked.”

  “So, what did you find out?” I asked, a little reluctant.

  Her face lit up. “Lots.”

  She told me how most of the campers were from other schools of Dr. Wackerson’s. Only a few seemed to be normal attendants here for sleepaway camp. There was a rumor going around that everyone was being rallied over here from the other Wacko schools for a reason. Something big. People had their suspicions, but nobody really knew what it was. On top of that, there were kids who had gone missing.

  I massaged my temples. “Talk about déjà vu.”

  True sighed in agreement. She stared up at the ceiling.

  “Do you think I should tell Dustin?” I asked her. “I mean, he did tell me he had Marcus looking for strange disappearances at the other school. True, there are even more than before. I have a really bad feeling about this.”

  True didn’t answer at first. She continued to stare up at the ceiling. I figured she was thinking.

  After several seconds she finally answered, “I know. I have a bad feeling too.” She sat up to face me. “And I think he might already know. To tell you the truth, I don’t think we can trust him anymore. If we are going to try to get out of here, it will probably have to be just the two of us.”

  Of course, that thought had gone through my mind. Maybe Dustin had been setting us up the whole time. Setting me up. It couldn’t be true, though. He really didn’t have much to gain from such a deception. I knew what had happened to Cameron had really affected him, making him think even less of his father. He may have become a recruiter again, but this didn’t mean he was working to double-cross me.

  “Look, I know he’s messed up a lot, but that doesn’t mean he’s not on our side,” I reasoned.

  True hopped up and stretched. “If that’s true, then how did his dad know about our plans to escape? Don’t you think it’s strange how he managed to get that map so easily?”

  I frowned, mulling it over in my head for a minute. I had to admit it was kind of fishy. I had been wondering the same thing. Part of me really didn’t want to believe Dustin could be deceiving us. That was a bigger possibility than I wanted to admit.

  We dropped the subject, deciding to get ready for the pavilion meeting. I picked out a light and flowing lavender beach dress. True wore a midnight blue cocktail dress along with a light blue sweater. The selection of shoes blew our minds. We had more than two shoe stores combined in our closet. Out of all the dressy shoes, I chose a pair of flats. They were the easiest to walk in. True bested me by wearing Converse tennis shoes, which so did not go with the dress.

  I made sure everything was set with the recording device firmly in place, choosing to do so in the bathroom. I still wasn’t sure whether to tell True the whole truth about my intentions. Hopefully, after tonight, I wouldn’t have to. If Agent Cooper kept his word, this meeting could possibly give me enough information to shut this whole place down.

  By six-thirty we set off for the pavilion. We hadn’t gone far when Dustin came riding up in a golf cart.

  “Thought you girls might need a ride,” he explained.

  He sported a blue-and-white-striped button-down shirt rolled up at the cuffs over khaki shorts. Positioned on top his head was a chic pair of sunglasses. They were almost identical to the ones he had been oh so carelessly twirling around that day my fate had been sealed. There was something about him and a good pair of sunglasses that was oddly attractive. I quickly smothered the thought, coming back to reality.

  True climbed into the golf cart and I scrambled in after her. Usually at night the temperature is supposed to drop a few degrees. Tonight was a different story. The weather seemed to be just as hot as the daytime, if not hotter. At least while we rode in the cart a breeze lightly brushed against our faces.

  Half of the pavilion building was enclosed within glass, while the other part remained open to the outdoors. We entered the enclosed portion. Dozens of lanterns hung from the ceiling. Right in front of the big glass window, a table had been set with fancy tablecloth. A huge bowl of fruit salad sat in the middle as a decoration.

  Dustin led us to the table, and pulled out a chair for each of us before sitting down himself. Minutes ticked by and nobody dared to touch the fruit except for Dustin, who started to nervously pop grapes into his mouth. I kept fidgeting and clearing my throat. True’s eyes wandered the room while she repeatedly crossed and uncrossed her legs.

  Finally, after what felt like two hours, the grand doors opened and a man strolled in. He had thick, richly dark, curly hair that had been gelled back a bit away from his face. His skin was an exotic milky brown, smooth and practically flawless. He had a stocky build, but still maintained a fairly lean figure. The man wore a blue blazer and black business pants. I assumed this to be the great Headmaster Wackerson.

  Dustin immediately stood up, swiftly swallowing the pieces of fruit he had just been juggling. True and I stood up too, standing as stock still as Dustin. We fixed our eyes on the man as he leisurely made his way toward us.

  Once he had come to an abrupt halt in front of us, I noticed he and his son had the same eyes. Only his were colder somehow, meaner. He had the gait of someone in charge. He continued to look us over like a general would his troops. One by one we were given the stare-down.

  When Mr. Wackerson’s gaze fell upon me, I tried my best not to show any fear, although he scared me silly. Our eyes met and he smiled. It wasn’t warm. This smile was cold and menacing. He looked at me with some sort of knowing hunger, like he already had plans for me and couldn’t wait to see them fulfilled. I fought back a shiver.

  Grudgingly I observed he was handsome. I could see Dustin’s face in his. Picturing Dustin with the same cold eyes and smile as his father almost frightened me more than the man himself. Would he become like his father? I hoped not.

  After sizing us up, he took a step back. “I suspect m
y son has spoken of me?” he questioned, voice booming and thick with an accent I didn’t recognize.

  Not knowing whether this was a rhetorical question or not, we remained silent.

  He chuckled. “You may call me Dr. Wackerson. As you may already know, I am the headmaster of this school as well as many others. I’m glad for the opportunity to get to know you better.”

  Dr. Wackerson turned his attention back toward me.

  “You must be the charming Lilith. Dustin has spoken very highly of you. Come. Let’s take a walk. I would very much like to chat.” He offered me his arm.

  My eyes flickered to Dustin for a second. He was glaring at his father. I guessed he saw me look at him, because he inclined his head in my direction. He nodded once, eyes still on his dad.

  Taking a deep breath, I accepted Dr. Wackerson’s arm and we stepped outside. As we walked away from the pavilion I caught a glimpse of my friends through the glass. True’s expression was in between terror and worry. Dustin just appeared to be mad.

  “I suppose you would like to know what you’re doing here, away from your family and friends,” his father said softly, glancing down at me.

  I opted to remain silent, waiting for him to say more. We moved at a slow, leisurely pace, like there wasn’t a care in the world.

  “Are you familiar with the saying ‘Behind every strong man there is an even stronger woman’? Well, it’s true.” He smiled sadly. “I had that once. Dustin’s mother was everything I could possibly need to move forward in life. Then one day she was taken from me, just like that, without warning. It showed me how delicate a human life really is. Things nearly fell apart after her passing. Now I want Dustin to have the same thing I did. And he will have that, with you.”

  That strange smile of his began to form again as he focused on me now. “Lilith, you have been put through many tests. I think you are almost ready for what’s to come.”

  I let this sink in for a minute, wondering just what the heck I was being tested for.

  As if reading my mind, Dr. Wackerson began to speak. “After my wife died, I quit my job and locked myself in my only sanctuary, my lab. Surprisingly, a lab is a very good place to think.”

  He chuckled at his own lame joke. “I soon came up with an idea. These countries, where they use children as soldiers. They might be onto something. Children are the most creative, active, and clever creatures on earth. What if we all had kids fighting our wars and fixing our problems? It would give the adults time to focus on other pressing matters. Being the resourceful man that I am, I pulled some strings and suddenly had schools popping up all over the nation. All over the world.” He beamed at me. “I have my own army now, growing bigger and stronger by the day. You see, Lilith, everything is almost complete. In a matter of months, possibly a matter of weeks, you will all be unleashed onto mankind. First this wonderful state of California, then the country, and after that, the world.” His expression had turned gleeful now.

  I smiled weakly. This man obviously had a screw loose. Before I went running for my life, one question still remained that I was dying to ask. What exactly did he have in mind for me and Dustin?

  Of course, the answer was that he wanted us to lead his precious army. As soon as we were old enough, he said, we would be married to strengthen the bond.

  Most importantly, Dr. Wacko was confident he had enough people to make a strong army. Plans for world domination would be set as soon as possible. Once his own students were trained, there would be a mandatory call for all children eight years old and up to report to the many training camps he had stationed all over the nation. Parents had to obey, otherwise the consequences would be unspeakably cruel. The government would keep databases of every household and the number and ages of children within that household. If a family made the terrible misjudgment of trying to hide their children or fight against the new laws, officials would have the right to invade their homes and search for the missing children, proceeding to punish the family until the whereabouts of those children were released.

  What about the president? Dustin’s father had a plan for that one as well. He already had people working for him in the Secret Service who would be ready to take the proper action when necessary. Of course, certain rights set by the Constitution would have to be overridden. His plan for saving mankind was more important than the mere framework of our whole democratic government. Besides, the system that Dr. Wackerson favored sounded more like a militaristic dictatorship.

  The man seemed to truly believe that under his control, the world would be a better place. After the minor chaos caused by the takeover, we would eventually find peace within all nations. More focus would be put on the education of children both physically and mentally. Through the brilliant minds that would surely develop from this plan, we would finally be able to find the answers to questions we’ve been asking for decades. We could reverse the damages of climate change, increase job growth by tenfold, and even bring an end to world hunger. It all sounded to me like justification for the terrible things he was saying. This whole spiel left me speechless. It was the craziest thing I had ever heard. How could a man so brilliant be so…? Well, there really weren’t any words to describe this guy.

  “What about Cameron?” I blurted, interrupting him. “How come she didn’t fit your requirements?”

  Dr. Wacko had begun to steer me back toward the pavilion, but now he paused. “Oh, but she did. She wasn’t right for my son, but she did have her place. The girl had extraordinary calming powers among the rest of the children. I had only sought to enhance her strengths, make her a better soldier.” His grip tightened around my arm. “You removed her before her full treatment was finished. Dustin didn’t understand what was being done at the time. He only saw Cameron as a girl in need, which is admirable, but weak. I realized that the girl was his weakness. As long as she remained alive, Dustin would be distracted.”

  My head started to spin. “She was getting better, wasn’t she?”

  His grip loosened a bit, and the crazy man smiled a little. “Yes, she was. Amazingly so. I have to admit, Cameron was a special girl. Unfortunately, she was a distraction for Dustin, therefore a liability.”

  My throat began to close. A quiet gargling sound passed my lips. “Are you saying-”

  “The security in hospitals is laughable,” he muttered.

  That’s when I collapsed, gasping for air as I held myself up with shaky hands. Dr. Wacko moved to help me, but I crawled away. I didn’t want him to touch me.

  “It was a traceless drug, slipped into her IV. She didn’t feel a thing,” he said quietly, taking my hand despite my protests.

  Forcing myself to stand, I yanked my hand away from him. “I want to go back.”

  I got my wish. We made it back to the pavilion. Dr. Wacko freed my arm and I dashed inside to safety. When True and Dustin spotted us, they stood at attention. Noticing the horrified expression on my face, they exchanged a worried glance.

  Dustin’s crazy father smiled coolly at all of us. “You were correct, my son. Lilith is a wonderful girl. She will make an excellent spouse.”

  Both Dustin and I winced at the word. Dr. Wacko seemed not to notice, for he had already turned to True.

  “Ah, so you’re the daring Trudence. Come now. There is much to discuss.” He beckoned for her to follow.

  Having no choice in the matter, she obeyed. Since I was visibly unsettled, she wasn’t too eager.

  The mad scientist turned his head slightly. “Dustin, escort our lovely guest to her room. It’s getting late.”

  Just like that, they were off into the night. Soon after their departure, I headed out with Dustin close behind. My mind buzzed with all that had been said to me tonight.

  “So, I guess he told you about his plans for us,” he hissed through clenched teeth as he drove the golf cart across the grounds.

  “Yeah,” I answered. “Your dad’s a little…”

  “Off his rocker? Not all there? A few fries short of a
Happy Meal? I know. Still can’t believe I ever thought otherwise.”

  I stared out into the night. Everything was so quiet. The campers must have been in their dorms by now, getting ready for bed or just lounging around. There wasn’t even the sound of chattering bugs like usual. It was as if they had sensed the danger and left.

  There was nothing I wanted to do more than to leave this place. What Dustin’s father revealed about Cameron had to be enough information for the FBI. The guy had practically admitted to premeditated murder. Had he even told his own son what he had done?

  Dustin glanced my way. “Listen, no offense, but I don’t think I want to marry you. You’re great and all, but guys like me like to fly solo, date other girls.”

  I rolled my eyes. “No problem. I have no plans for getting married any time soon. Besides, I wouldn’t want to marry you anyway.”

  “What?” he gasped, feigning hurt astonishment. “But I’m irresistible.” He slowly ran a hand through his hair.

  Laughing, I shrugged. “Looks like I’m immune to your charm.”

  We came to a stop in front of my dorm. He hopped out after me. It was time to say our goodbyes for the night. I froze, the words at the tip of my tongue. He had to know the truth about Cameron. The smile slipped from his face, a confused frown taking its place. “What’s wrong?”

  I wasn’t sure where to start. Everything was wrong. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. What Dr. Wackerson had said to me tonight was the final straw. I was done. Either Agent Cooper kept his word or I would find my own way out of this mess.

  “Lily.” Dustin gently placed his hands on my shoulders, steadying me. I had started to shake without realizing it. “I will do everything in my power to stop my dad from going through with this crazy plan of his. I’m going to need your help.” He searched my face. “Are you up to it?”

  Wiping away a stray tear, I could only nod. For some reason, my voice box refused to work at the moment.

  It continued to be stubborn as Dustin gave my shoulders a soft squeeze before climbing back into the golf cart. I watched him go, staying frustratingly silent. He had only gone a few yards before he suddenly stopped and looked back.