The day dragged on and on for the campers. Even the youngest girls primped and pranced. The boys put on the coolest clothes their parents had packed.
Finally the time came. All the campers gathered around the campfire. Earlier in the day some of the film crew arrived and installed better lighting around the campfire. With the flick of a switch, the area would look almost like it was daytime.
At precisely eight o’clock, Jacee Trevane made his entrance. Tall and athletically thin, he was wearing a pair of stylish yet rugged jeans, a vintage t-shirt and cowboy boots. Flashing his famous smile on his boyishly handsome face, Trevane worked the crowd. Pandemonium ensued. Girls cried. Boys yelled ‘Jacee!’ The camp counselors struggled to keep the kids back.
Trevane took it in stride. He laughed and waved to the crowd. After a couple minutes of shaking hands with the kids on the front rows, Trevane walked back to where Mr. Hendrix waited with his bull horn. He handed it to Trevane.
“Hello, Camp Wahamalican!”
His wide smile looked sincere as he waited for the screams to die down. He motioned with his hands for the last yellers to quiet down. They did as commanded.
“First, I wanted to thank Mr. Hendrix and the rest of the camp staff for having me,” the video cameras manned by Trevane’s crew panned side to side, taking in the crowd’s reaction. “Next, I wanted to thank you campers for giving up some of your free time to listen to a dork like me.” He made a pouty face and girls’ shrieks filled the clearing again. Trevane smiled. He was a pro.
“So let me tell you a little bit about why I’m here. You see, I always loved summer camp…”
Trevane went on to tell about how some of favorite memories were from camp. Now that he had more influence, he wanted to make sure as many kids as possible had the chance to experience the same thing. Benjamin listened intently, especially when Trevane mentioned his anti-bullying organization.
“There’s no reason anyone should get bullied,” Trevane explained. “I was bullied when I was your age, and it hurt.” He told two stories about times he’d been harassed by other boys in school. “Great camps like the one we’re standing in now foster a sense of brother and sisterhood. We need to be kind to each other. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“YEEEEEEEES!!!” the crowd yelled.
Trevane chuckled. “Good. Now, as some of you may know, I love to do things outdoors. One of my favorites is hiking. Who here likes hiking?”
Every hand in crowd shot up. No one wanted displease the amiable superstar.
“Would anyone like to go for a little hike with me tomorrow?”
“YEEEEEEEES!” screamed the ecstatic campers.
“Okay, okay. If you can all quiet down one more time, Mr. Hendrix is gonna bring out that bucket with all your names in it. I’ll pick one lucky winner to come with me tomorrow.”
Mr. Hendrix made a big show of carrying the white cleaning bucket up to the celebrity. He shook it as he walked and mixed it with his hand. Mr. Hendrix extended the bucket to Jacee. Trevane closed his eyes and stuck a hand in, taking his time, letting the tension build. Campers held their breath. The only sound in the clearing were the crunchy steps of the camera crew on the dry grass and the crackling of the orange fire.
Trevane extracted his hand, which was now balled in a fist.
“Are you ready to find out who the winner is?” he asked with a crooked eyebrow.
“YEEEEEES!!!”
Trevane handed the bullhorn back to Mr. Hendrix and lowered his balled hand. He slowly opened his hand, palm facing in, picked the small piece of folded white paper with two fingers, and opened it.
“The person spending a day with me tomorrow is…BENJAMIN DRAGON!”
+++
Benjamin vaguely remembered being pushed up to the front of the crowd to meet the world famous Jacee Trevane. He hadn’t heard the crying of the girls who had lost their one chance of spending time with their crush. He hadn’t seen the angry glares from jealous boys who lost their shot of hanging out with their idol.
After the drawing, Trevane had one of his people bring out an acoustic guitar. Luckily, that calmed the hysterical campers. They sat and listened for close to an hour as the Jacee Trevane played song after song with just a guitar ten feet from their faces.
Benjamin didn’t hear one note. He sat in stunned silence among his fellow Tomahawks. They guarded him (especially Nathan) like a celebrity. Somehow Trevane’s influence had transferred in some part to him. Benjamin didn’t know what to think.
Other than academic awards, he’d never won anything in his life. Part of him was excited. Another part of him hated being in the spotlight. He always got tongue-tied in front of a crowd. Would it be the same way with Trevane? Would they walk for half a day without saying a word?
Benjamin’s face was pale and his hands were clammy. No one seemed to notice. Not even Nathan. The rest of the people gathered around the fire fixated on the melodic genius of Jacee Trevane. They swayed when he swayed. They smiled when he smiled. They cried when his songs were sad.
And Benjamin? Benjamin sat in his own scared world dreading the next day.
Chapter 29: The Hike
Much to Benjamin’s dismay, the sun did rise the next morning. He forced himself to eat a slice of toast at breakfast and took a single quivering sip of water. Nathan and Aaron had to shoo away boys and girls that kept coming to their table with napkins, dolls and pictures to give to Benjamin so he could get them signed by Jacee. If Benjamin noticed, he didn’t make a sign. Nathan waved a hand in front of Benjamin’s face.
“Anybody in there?” he asked.
“What? Uh, yeah. I’m just tired,” said Benjamin, his face sagging.
“You sure you’re okay? I heard you moving a lot in your sleep last night.” Concern etched Nathan’s normally happy face.
“No, I’m okay.”
Nathan didn’t look convinced. He looked up at the dining hall clock with its crooked minutes hand.
“It’s almost time, Dragon.”
Benjamin’s face somehow turned an even muddier white. His stomach churned again. He was not looking forward to the hike.
+++
Benjamin waited at the appointed spot with Mr. Hendrix and two other counselors he didn’t know. They hadn’t let Nathan come along despite his protests.
“Mr. Trevane’s assistant said they’ll have food and water for you, Benjamin,” said Mr. Hendrix. “You look a little woozy. Don’t worry, Mr. Trevane is very down to earth for a celebrity. Besides, I don’t think they’ll be taking a very hard trail.”
On cue, a black SUV with black rims pulled up next to them. Jacee Trevane, outfitted in a rugged t-shirt, olive drab shorts and hiking boots, hopped out of the vehicle first. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Good morning, Mr. Hendrix, Benjamin.”
They all shook hands and stepped over to where Trevane’s crew was divvying up camera gear and supplies. It looked like they’d come well stocked. Not that Benjamin noticed or cared. He was trying to keep his knees from knocking together.
Jacee snagged a small backpack and handed it to Benjamin.
“Here you go, buddy. Packed it myself. Got a couple bottles of water, some trail mix and a couple candy bars.”
“Uh, thanks,” answered Benjamin in a raspy voice. His throat felt dry and scratchy.
“No problem.” He turned to his crew. “You guys ready?”
“Yes, sir,” one of the assistants answered.
Trevane grabbed one of the large backpacks by the sides, flipped it over his head, and slid his arms through the straps.
“Let’s go!” said Trevane with a look of pure joy.
+++
They started out at a leisurely pace. Benjamin didn’t have a problem keeping up. It didn’t take him long to warm up to Jacee. Trevane seemed genuinely interested in everything about Benjamin, like where he was from, what he liked in school, if he played any sports, etc. Not even an hour into the hike, Benjamin w
as smiling and joking with the superstar. Benjamin soaked up the beauty of the densely wooded landscape. It was a perfect day to be out. Not too hot and not too cold. He’d even forgotten about the cameras filming their journey.
Jacee told Benjamin that they were hiking up to a lookout he’d heard about. Supposedly it overlooked a huge area and afforded an awesome view. Trevane’s eyes sparkled as he talked about the other treks he’d been on. Not once did he make Benjamin feel that this hike was beneath him.
They occasionally took short breaks for water and snacks. Trevane told Benjamin that it was better to eat small portions more often instead of pigging out when you stopped. He said it helped keep a hiker’s body ‘on-level,’ whatever that meant.
It surprised Benjamin how easily the conversation flowed from his mouth. He found himself telling Trevane all about the places he’d lived and what his mom and dad did for a living. Trevane was particularly curious about Mr. Dragon’s football career since he’d played as well. It turned out they’d both played the same position, quarterback.
“You know, before I started playing football I was about your size. I used to get picked on all the time. That’s why I started my no bullying foundation. It kills me to hear some of the stories from kids we’ve helped. Have you ever been bullied?” asked Trevane.
“Yeah.”
Trevane nodded solemnly.
“Sucks, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“I know it’s hard, Benjamin, but it will get better. You can’t imagine it now, I know, but it will.”
They both walked silently for a bit until Trevane looked back to his film crew.
“You guys mind shutting down for a few minutes? We should be there soon. I wanted to have a private talk with Benjamin.”
The tall sandy haired assistant moved to protest. Trevane put up a hand that silenced any objections. He was the boss. The videographers stopped taping and hung back. The rest followed suit.
“Come on, dude,” Trevane grinned at Benjamin. “Race you to the top!”
Benjamin smiled and took off down the path with Trevane right behind.
+++
Benjamin gasped for breath as they broke out of the woods and took in the elevated view. Small puffy clouds dotted the sapphire sky. They could see for miles and miles in all directions.
Trevane stripped his pack off and set it on the ground.
“Woooohooooo!” he yelled over the cliff. Now he really looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
Benjamin followed Trevane’s lead and took off his new backpack. He closed his eyes and inhaled the summer air with its hints of jasmine and honeysuckle.
“Pretty cool, huh?” asked Trevane.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s grab a seat.” Trevane pointed at the large rock sitting near the edge of the drop-off.
They both clambered up onto the rock and found a comfortable spot overlooking the vista. Benjamin kept as far back from the edge as he could. He wasn’t the biggest fan of heights.
“So, Benjamin, you thought about what you wanna be when you grow up?” Trevane said it half serious and half jokingly. How many ten-year-olds knew what they wanted to be when they grew up?
“Not really.”
Jacee nodded. “No thoughts about becoming a singer?” A sly smile crept onto his face, teasing.
“No way. I get too nervous standing in front of a bunch of people.”
“Most people do. You know what the secret is?”
Benjamin shook his head and took a drink from his water bottle.
“Pretend that everyone in the audience is naked!”
Benjamin almost spit his water all over Jacee. He managed to cup a hand over his mouth and the water ricocheted onto his own shirt. They both laughed.
“Seriously though, getting up in front of people takes a lot of practice. I didn’t like it much at first either.”
Benjamin’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yep. I started doing shows when I was really young. Back then my mom made me do it.”
“Do you still like it?”
“I do, actually.”
“That’s cool.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
Benjamin shrugged and looked toward the horizon. “Doesn’t it get pretty tiring? I don’t know if I could do that.”
“There are some hard days. I do get to do a lot of good. I have my own plans for the future though.”
Something about his tone made Benjamin turn and look back at the handsome pop star.
“What kinda plans?”
Trevane stared off into the sky. Without looking at Benjamin he answered.
“I’ve got a lot of influence now. Everyone still looks at me like a kid. They have no idea what I’m capable of.”
The edge in his voice sent a chill up Benjamin’s spine. Jacee’s demeanor had hardened along with the tone of the conversation. Benjamin wished the rest of the hiking party was with them.
Trevane looked back at the young boy, his eyes softening and a smile reclaiming its place.
“Do you know why I came to visit your camp?” he asked.
“For your no bullying thing, right?” Benjamin was afraid he’d answered incorrectly.
“That was part of it. I’m also looking for something.”
“What?”
“Well, not technically something. Actually I’m looking for someone.”
“Who are you looking for?”
Trevane offered his best magazine smile. “I was looking for you, Benjamin Dragon.”
Chapter 30: Propositions
Benjamin didn’t know how to answer. Was Trevane being serious? Benjamin held his breath waiting for the punch line of the joke. None came.
“B-but the drawing,” stammered Benjamin.
Trevane waved the thought away like he was getting rid of a pesky gnat.
“It was always going to be you, Benjamin.”
Trevane’s face had changed subtlety. Most kids probably wouldn’t had notice it. Benjamin did because he’d made a habit of learning facial expressions since he was little. Since he couldn’t read emotions through what people said, he’d found that reading their faces was more accurate. Trevane looked like a man in his element. He resembled a proud hunter that had finally captured a prized lion.
“Why me?” Benjamin choked out.
Trevane laughed and looked at his watch. “I’ll keep this short because my team will be here soon. They don’t know anything about this, and you’d be smart not to tell them or anyone else about this conversation.” He paused to make sure Benjamin understood. “I know all about your gift, Benjamin.”
Benjamin inhaled sharply. Warning bells rang in his head, threatening to destroy his composure. How could Trevane know?
“Let me guess. Kennedy came to see you before camp?”
Fear filled Benjamin’s eyes.
“How do you…”
“Oh, Kennedy came to see me a few years ago too. Back then my career was just taking off. One day he shows up at one of my concerts and tells me the same thing he probably told you. Destroyers, healers, blah, blah, blah.”
“Are you…”
“A destroyer? Yeah I am.”
Benjamin didn’t know whether to be scared or relieved. Trevane’s cold vibe hadn’t changed.
“I mentioned plans a minute ago. Have you watched the news lately? All the war. All the death. We have people in power all over the world that have no idea what they’re doing. I want to change that. It won’t be overnight. I’ve already started laying the groundwork. Everyone loves what I stand for. I get access to almost anywhere I want. I’ve met most of the leaders of the countries that really matter.” He paused to flick a tick off his forearm. It seemed symbolic somehow.
“So why were you looking for me?”
Trevane chuckled huskily.
“Let’s just say I don’t really believe in Kennedy’s way. I think there’s a better way. Right now the rest of our kind are reactive. They wait for
something to happen. I say we start making things happen. It’s time for the world to know that there is another power capable of keeping them safe and happy. In order to do that, I need more people like me. Do you understand the power that we have?”
Without warning Trevane sprang up and jumped off the cliff. It was so fast that Benjamin barely had a chance to catch himself from falling. He was so surprised he didn’t even scream.
A second later a grinning Trevane levitated up and over the lip of the cliff. He landed gently on the large rock, his arms crossed smugly.
“You see? I’ll bet you didn’t know you’d be able to do that!”
Panicky eyes searched for help. There was no way Benjamin wanted to jump off a cliff. Was this all a test? Trevane read his mind.
“Don’t worry,” he soothed. “It’ll be a while before you can do that. I just wanted to show you one of the many things we can do. So what do you say? Want to be like me? I can teach you. I can train you. Just think, you’ll never be bullied again. You’ll never have to worry about finding friends.”
Benjamin looked queasy again. It sounded tempting. He’d never dreamed that something like that was possible. Him friends with Jacee Trevane? What could it hurt?
Before he could answer, a voice sounded from the way they’d come.
“Leave him alone, Jacee.”
They both turned to see Wally Goodfriend strolling up with an ornately carved walking stick. His face was clouded and serious.
“I was wondering if you were going to show up, Wally,” said Trevane. “I thought you would’ve been at the camp.”
“Got caught helping a family of beavers last night. Didn’t get the message from Kennedy until this morning when I got back.”
Benjamin looked between the two men, surprise registering on his face.
“Well, you just missed our little chat. I think Benjamin will be fine. Feel free to head home.” Trevane waved a dismissal.
“I don’t think so.” Wally spread his feet and stomped his walking stick on the hard-packed ground.
Benjamin Dragon - Awakening (The Chronicles of Benjamin Dragon) Page 10
