Awesome Cabin
August 1st
Grace had started the train ride feeling confident and it would take a lot more than a little crying boy to dampen her spirits. The boy was Jake, a muggle-born, who had never been away from home before and was not adapting well to the experience. Grace had attempted to reason with him at first, but had found him to not be very reasonable. Eventually she gave up trying and just told him he could tag along with her once they got to Hogwarts and that she'd sort everything out.
Granted, Grace had never been to Hogwarts either, but how hard could it be? She'd slept rough lots of times in much worse weather than this. She knew how to light a fire without a wand, how to build a makeshift shelter, how to forage and trap food, and how to skin a rabbit and roast it over an open fire. There was really very little that she couldn't handle, or so Grace thought, and she was looking forward to showing off her survival skills both for Jake and for anyone else who might be impressed.
She hadn't been prepared for the disappointing site that met their eyes once they had disembarked from the train and been directed to the area that was to be their home away from home for the next three weeks.
"What? We have to sleep on a ship?" she said aloud. Where was the wilderness adventure she'd been promised? "How am I supposed to start a camp fire on a ship?"
She heaved a disappointed sigh, before slinging her rucksack over her shoulder, and taking the Jake-kid by the hand.
"Come on, Jake. Let's make the best of it."
Grace had started the train ride feeling confident and it would take a lot more than a little crying boy to dampen her spirits. The boy was Jake, a muggle-born, who had never been away from home before and was not adapting well to the experience. Grace had attempted to reason with him at first, but had found him to not be very reasonable. Eventually she gave up trying and just told him he could tag along with her once they got to Hogwarts and that she'd sort everything out.
Granted, Grace had never been to Hogwarts either, but how hard could it be? She'd slept rough lots of times in much worse weather than this. She knew how to light a fire without a wand, how to build a makeshift shelter, how to forage and trap food, and how to skin a rabbit and roast it over an open fire. There was really very little that she couldn't handle, or so Grace thought, and she was looking forward to showing off her survival skills both for Jake and for anyone else who might be impressed.
She hadn't been prepared for the disappointing site that met their eyes once they had disembarked from the train and been directed to the area that was to be their home away from home for the next three weeks.
"What? We have to sleep on a ship?" she said aloud. Where was the wilderness adventure she'd been promised? "How am I supposed to start a camp fire on a ship?"
She heaved a disappointed sigh, before slinging her rucksack over her shoulder, and taking the Jake-kid by the hand.
"Come on, Jake. Let's make the best of it."
Awesome Cabin
Jake had not had a very good train ride.
He'd got ON the train ok...although he'd been so shellshocked when they'd walked right through the brick wall and so overwhelmed by what lay on the other side of it that he'd barely said a word at all. He was so stunned just staring around that his mother had had to nudge him along to get his feet to move. Then he had told his parents goodbye, got lots of hugs and kisses, some promises that he'd be seeing them again very soon, and then he'd made his way onto the train stopping in the doorway only to wave one last sad goodbye.
Then he'd been all on his own. He'd stared around with wide eyes and trembling legs at all of the bigger kids and the noise and bustle and excitement, and somehow he had managed to get himself moving again long enough to find a seat, in as quiet a compartment as he could find. He'd sat down and stared out the window, barely able to believe that he was going off on his own. Finding out about magic had been exciting at first...even amazing! It had all felt like a dream...but now it was all turning very real, and for the first time in all his ten years of life Jake was going away. He had managed to be big and stay strong...right up until the train had started moving.
Then, Jake had felt a twisting knot in his tummy that was unbearable. He didn't want to be away...and every second seemed to take him further and further from the safety of his parents and his home and his bed and everything he had ever known. That's when he had started to cry...He didn't want to cry...but he felt sick and empty and afraid and he just wanted his mum and he couldn't help it. He hadn't been able to stop...not even when a girl had come in. She had tried to talk to him...but he didn't know who she was and he hadn't known what to say, and he hadn't really felt like talking.
The girl's name was Grace...and she knew a lot about camping. He knew that because she had said so, and because she talked a lot about it. It turned out that camp was a lot different than what Jake thought it was...he didn't know HOW to build a shelter or a fire or anything like that...he had only ever camped in his backyard and even then he'd had a tent and snacks for food (as it turned out, finding out what 'skinning' meant hadn't helped Jake's crying).
Eventually though, he'd been all cried out and he'd waited the rest of the ride in silence, hugging his bag tightly to his chest and staring out the window, not knowing what lay ahead of him.
When they'd finally arrived and got off the train he'd stared up at the big giant castle in awe. It was just like the kinds you saw on the cover of storybooks...maybe even bigger! He'd never seen anything like it before...not for real anyway. That had distracted him long enough until before he knew it he was ushered along with the girl from the train, and he'd followed her, partly because even though he was a little bit scared of her she seemed like she knew what to do and where to go, and partly because she tugged on his shirt and said 'cmon!'
They didn't get to a spot in the woods though...they got to...a boat? Grace took his hand and he'd held onto it, hustling along after her and lugging his bag which seemed much bigger than hers was. He'd continued to hold onto her hand in spite of himself as they went inside, down the halls, and to an empty room. The first thing Jake noticed was that he must have been so scared he hadn't even realized how big the boat was. The other thing he noticed was that there were beds. Bunk beds...! They weren't very nice...but Jake had thought they were going to have to build their own rooms and they might not even have beds or sleeping bags, and they were going to have to use leaves for pillows. This wasn't so bad as that...And well...maybe if Grace was wrong about this thing, then she was wrong about some other things too.
"D-does um...d-does...does this mean we don't haveta eat bunnies...?" the quiet boy asked her hopefully.
He'd got ON the train ok...although he'd been so shellshocked when they'd walked right through the brick wall and so overwhelmed by what lay on the other side of it that he'd barely said a word at all. He was so stunned just staring around that his mother had had to nudge him along to get his feet to move. Then he had told his parents goodbye, got lots of hugs and kisses, some promises that he'd be seeing them again very soon, and then he'd made his way onto the train stopping in the doorway only to wave one last sad goodbye.
Then he'd been all on his own. He'd stared around with wide eyes and trembling legs at all of the bigger kids and the noise and bustle and excitement, and somehow he had managed to get himself moving again long enough to find a seat, in as quiet a compartment as he could find. He'd sat down and stared out the window, barely able to believe that he was going off on his own. Finding out about magic had been exciting at first...even amazing! It had all felt like a dream...but now it was all turning very real, and for the first time in all his ten years of life Jake was going away. He had managed to be big and stay strong...right up until the train had started moving.
Then, Jake had felt a twisting knot in his tummy that was unbearable. He didn't want to be away...and every second seemed to take him further and further from the safety of his parents and his home and his bed and everything he had ever known. That's when he had started to cry...He didn't want to cry...but he felt sick and empty and afraid and he just wanted his mum and he couldn't help it. He hadn't been able to stop...not even when a girl had come in. She had tried to talk to him...but he didn't know who she was and he hadn't known what to say, and he hadn't really felt like talking.
The girl's name was Grace...and she knew a lot about camping. He knew that because she had said so, and because she talked a lot about it. It turned out that camp was a lot different than what Jake thought it was...he didn't know HOW to build a shelter or a fire or anything like that...he had only ever camped in his backyard and even then he'd had a tent and snacks for food (as it turned out, finding out what 'skinning' meant hadn't helped Jake's crying).
Eventually though, he'd been all cried out and he'd waited the rest of the ride in silence, hugging his bag tightly to his chest and staring out the window, not knowing what lay ahead of him.
When they'd finally arrived and got off the train he'd stared up at the big giant castle in awe. It was just like the kinds you saw on the cover of storybooks...maybe even bigger! He'd never seen anything like it before...not for real anyway. That had distracted him long enough until before he knew it he was ushered along with the girl from the train, and he'd followed her, partly because even though he was a little bit scared of her she seemed like she knew what to do and where to go, and partly because she tugged on his shirt and said 'cmon!'
They didn't get to a spot in the woods though...they got to...a boat? Grace took his hand and he'd held onto it, hustling along after her and lugging his bag which seemed much bigger than hers was. He'd continued to hold onto her hand in spite of himself as they went inside, down the halls, and to an empty room. The first thing Jake noticed was that he must have been so scared he hadn't even realized how big the boat was. The other thing he noticed was that there were beds. Bunk beds...! They weren't very nice...but Jake had thought they were going to have to build their own rooms and they might not even have beds or sleeping bags, and they were going to have to use leaves for pillows. This wasn't so bad as that...And well...maybe if Grace was wrong about this thing, then she was wrong about some other things too.
"D-does um...d-does...does this mean we don't haveta eat bunnies...?" the quiet boy asked her hopefully.
Awesome Cabin
The ship was large and for the first time Grace felt a bit unsure of herself. She had never been on a ship before and wasn't certain what to expect. As they proceeded inside though it was easy to lose track of the fact that they weren't just in a big building with hallways and rooms. The "cabins" were nothing more than bedrooms, except that instead of being big enough for one, like her room in the bunker at home, these were meant to be shared. Some of the rooms were occupied already, but now that Grace's wilderness knowledge was no longer of use, she felt shy, and directed Jake to an empty cabin instead.
Grace examined the accommodations, which were disappointingly ordinary, complete with fluffy pillows. Grace was coming to terms with the fact that there would be no sleeping under the stars, when Jake brought up the meal situation.
"It seems unlikely," she said in answer to his question. "I bet no one here even knows how to make a snare. I bet they just give us food." Grace sighed. Amateurs, she thought.
"So which do you want? Top or bottom?" she asked, indicating the bunks. "We can stick together if you're scared. I don't mind." In all honesty, Grace hoped that Jake was at least a little scared. She wanted to be better at something and she had no idea what she was supposed to do at a camp that had no actual camping.
Grace examined the accommodations, which were disappointingly ordinary, complete with fluffy pillows. Grace was coming to terms with the fact that there would be no sleeping under the stars, when Jake brought up the meal situation.
"It seems unlikely," she said in answer to his question. "I bet no one here even knows how to make a snare. I bet they just give us food." Grace sighed. Amateurs, she thought.
"So which do you want? Top or bottom?" she asked, indicating the bunks. "We can stick together if you're scared. I don't mind." In all honesty, Grace hoped that Jake was at least a little scared. She wanted to be better at something and she had no idea what she was supposed to do at a camp that had no actual camping.
Awesome Cabin
Jake breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that they were probably going to give them food and they weren't going to have to eat the animals...he didn't get why Grace didn't seem happy too. She almost seemed kind of disappointed...but he didn't understand why. Maybe he just didn't know what she was thinking. People's faces were so hard to read.
But the room, though it wasn't as bad as promised, still felt just plain wrong. His room at home had nicer colors, and pictures on the walls...and all of his stuffed animals on the bed, and his giraffe night-light. Here he didn't have any of that...just the few stuffed animals he'd been able to bring, safely tucked away in his bag. There were beds...but they wasn't HIS bed. And what was going to happen when it got dark?
It was like Grace could read his mind, because she said that they could stick together if he was scared. Jake blushed...how did she know? His gaze drifted down self-consciously to where his hand remained in hers, holding on just a little too tight. He let go. He got scared a lot more than other kids did...he knew he did. It was the kind of thing that boys at the park thought was funny. But this girl didn't really seem to. She wasn't making fun of him he didn't think...she was just...saying it...
"Um..." he mumbled. "M-maybe I am a little..." he admitted shyly, but his face gave him away, and he lowered his head and went quiet, giving the girl a small and meaningful nod. He took a step closer.
That left the matter of the bunk. Jake looked at the bunks, one low, one high. He felt the swaying of the boat and gazed cautiously at the ladder. "Um...Can I please have the bottom...?" he asked her, hoping his nerves didn't show THAT time. It was just that he didn't really like climbing, and what if he fell?
The small boy dared to take a few more steps in, turning around to really take it all in. "This is a lot different from my room at home..." he admitted.
But the room, though it wasn't as bad as promised, still felt just plain wrong. His room at home had nicer colors, and pictures on the walls...and all of his stuffed animals on the bed, and his giraffe night-light. Here he didn't have any of that...just the few stuffed animals he'd been able to bring, safely tucked away in his bag. There were beds...but they wasn't HIS bed. And what was going to happen when it got dark?
It was like Grace could read his mind, because she said that they could stick together if he was scared. Jake blushed...how did she know? His gaze drifted down self-consciously to where his hand remained in hers, holding on just a little too tight. He let go. He got scared a lot more than other kids did...he knew he did. It was the kind of thing that boys at the park thought was funny. But this girl didn't really seem to. She wasn't making fun of him he didn't think...she was just...saying it...
"Um..." he mumbled. "M-maybe I am a little..." he admitted shyly, but his face gave him away, and he lowered his head and went quiet, giving the girl a small and meaningful nod. He took a step closer.
That left the matter of the bunk. Jake looked at the bunks, one low, one high. He felt the swaying of the boat and gazed cautiously at the ladder. "Um...Can I please have the bottom...?" he asked her, hoping his nerves didn't show THAT time. It was just that he didn't really like climbing, and what if he fell?
The small boy dared to take a few more steps in, turning around to really take it all in. "This is a lot different from my room at home..." he admitted.
Awesome Cabin
"That's okay," Grace said, her feeling of control returning as Jake admitted his fear. "I'll stay with you. I'm not scared o' any of anything."
"I'll take the top bunk if you let me sit on your bed sometimes. Otherwise you'd just be talkin' to my feet, right?" She nodded. She thought the top bunk sounded more interesting--like sleeping in a tree-- but there were practical reasons for not being up there alone just yet. " I'll climb up at bedtime alright?"
Jake was a shy little thing and Grace had a feeling he might not be too fun to play with. He certainly wouldn't be if he moped around for the next three weeks.
"It's not much like my room either," Grace confessed. "My room is purple. That's okay though. There wouldn't be much point in going places if they were all exactly alike. That's why people travel. To see new things and meet new people. Maybe even learn some stuff."
Grace eyed the room dubiously. There seemed as if there was very little she could learn from it. Jake's bag on the other hand....
"Come on," Grace said, and she pulled Jake after her until both were seated on his bed and his bag was at their feet. "Let's see if you brought anything interesting," she said, nudging the bag with her leg. "That can't all be clothes. It's too big. Did you bring food?"
"I'll take the top bunk if you let me sit on your bed sometimes. Otherwise you'd just be talkin' to my feet, right?" She nodded. She thought the top bunk sounded more interesting--like sleeping in a tree-- but there were practical reasons for not being up there alone just yet. " I'll climb up at bedtime alright?"
Jake was a shy little thing and Grace had a feeling he might not be too fun to play with. He certainly wouldn't be if he moped around for the next three weeks.
"It's not much like my room either," Grace confessed. "My room is purple. That's okay though. There wouldn't be much point in going places if they were all exactly alike. That's why people travel. To see new things and meet new people. Maybe even learn some stuff."
Grace eyed the room dubiously. There seemed as if there was very little she could learn from it. Jake's bag on the other hand....
"Come on," Grace said, and she pulled Jake after her until both were seated on his bed and his bag was at their feet. "Let's see if you brought anything interesting," she said, nudging the bag with her leg. "That can't all be clothes. It's too big. Did you bring food?"
Awesome Cabin
"Really...? Not anything...?" Jake asked. He looked at her and tried to imagine what that was like, but he just couldn't. She wasn't very big, kind of like Jake, but it seemed like she was a lot braver. He was scared of everything
He got lucky when Grace seemed happy to take the top bunk. That was a relief. She just wanted to sit on Jake's bed sometimes, and for some reason he found that he didn't really mind. "Um...okay. You can sit on it. It's not really mine anyway."
He got ushered along and lugged his bag along with him, and soon they were both sitting on what was going to be Jake's new bed. Grace wanted to see what was inside of his bag, and suddenly Jake's heart skipped a beat. "I-It's...um...i-it's not very interesting," he mumbled nervously, hesitating for a few moments before meeting Grace's eyes and then slowly grabbing the zipper. "Just...just some stuff from home...oh!" he exclaimed.
He looked down at the plastic bag that he had forgotten all about, and pulled it out. "Um...well I do have some cookies," Jake said. "Um...my mum packed them for the train but...I...forgot to eat them." He felt that pang again, looking down at the cookies that had been nicely packed with carrot sticks for his journey. He frowned sadly...but then looked up at Grace. "Do um...do ya want one...?" he asked shyly. "They're chocolate chip. They're really good...Mum's really good at cooking. I um...I helped a little...but mostly just mixing."
He left the bag of cookies on the bed beside him, and then looked down at the bag, and the remainder of things to pull out, and a pair of ragged ears that were already poking their way free. The girl Grace had been nice, he thought, but he didn't know if it was ok to bring stuffed animals to camp when you were ten years old. What if she laughed at him? But he couldn't NOT show her...because she'd asked him, and if he didn't want to show her then he'd have to say why...and that meant he would have to tell her anyway. He just hoped she wouldn't laugh. He hoped it'd maybe be ok....since he'd given her a cookie.
"And then I just got um....well....just these guys," he said softly, pulling out a stuffed rabbit, a stuffed dog, and then finally a small tiger. "They're um...they're from my room." He took them out slowly, giving Grace a furtive glance, placing them carefully at the head of his bed and bracing himself for what she was going to say next, wishing for the first time that he had left them at home.
"Y-you um...you can look at the rest if you wanna..." he said softly, offering the bag to her, where she would find a blue blanket from Jake's room, some books, some colored pencils, a sketchbook about 10% full with some pretty-impressive drawings, and then of course, a good assortment of small boys' clothes, pajamas, and swimwear, with Jake's name labeled on every item down to the last sock.
He got lucky when Grace seemed happy to take the top bunk. That was a relief. She just wanted to sit on Jake's bed sometimes, and for some reason he found that he didn't really mind. "Um...okay. You can sit on it. It's not really mine anyway."
He got ushered along and lugged his bag along with him, and soon they were both sitting on what was going to be Jake's new bed. Grace wanted to see what was inside of his bag, and suddenly Jake's heart skipped a beat. "I-It's...um...i-it's not very interesting," he mumbled nervously, hesitating for a few moments before meeting Grace's eyes and then slowly grabbing the zipper. "Just...just some stuff from home...oh!" he exclaimed.
He looked down at the plastic bag that he had forgotten all about, and pulled it out. "Um...well I do have some cookies," Jake said. "Um...my mum packed them for the train but...I...forgot to eat them." He felt that pang again, looking down at the cookies that had been nicely packed with carrot sticks for his journey. He frowned sadly...but then looked up at Grace. "Do um...do ya want one...?" he asked shyly. "They're chocolate chip. They're really good...Mum's really good at cooking. I um...I helped a little...but mostly just mixing."
He left the bag of cookies on the bed beside him, and then looked down at the bag, and the remainder of things to pull out, and a pair of ragged ears that were already poking their way free. The girl Grace had been nice, he thought, but he didn't know if it was ok to bring stuffed animals to camp when you were ten years old. What if she laughed at him? But he couldn't NOT show her...because she'd asked him, and if he didn't want to show her then he'd have to say why...and that meant he would have to tell her anyway. He just hoped she wouldn't laugh. He hoped it'd maybe be ok....since he'd given her a cookie.
"And then I just got um....well....just these guys," he said softly, pulling out a stuffed rabbit, a stuffed dog, and then finally a small tiger. "They're um...they're from my room." He took them out slowly, giving Grace a furtive glance, placing them carefully at the head of his bed and bracing himself for what she was going to say next, wishing for the first time that he had left them at home.
"Y-you um...you can look at the rest if you wanna..." he said softly, offering the bag to her, where she would find a blue blanket from Jake's room, some books, some colored pencils, a sketchbook about 10% full with some pretty-impressive drawings, and then of course, a good assortment of small boys' clothes, pajamas, and swimwear, with Jake's name labeled on every item down to the last sock.
Awesome Cabin
Grace's face became thoughtful for just a moment before she dismissed the question with a shrug. "Nope. Leastways nothing we need to worry about." Grace's mother had briefed her on every worse case scenario, but none of the really interesting things ever seemed to happen, no matter how vigilantly she anticipated them.
Grace craned her neck to see what Jake had brought and was immediately rewarded. "Yes, please!" she said enthusiastically, and helped herself to one of the chocolate chips. They were just as good as he said, so Grace made sure to vocalize her appreciation with appropriate sounds.
Jake was less forthcoming about the next items. Grace raised an eyebrow as he brought out not one but three stuffed animals. No wonder he needed such a big bag she thought, and she wondered briefly how her mother would have reacted had she wanted to take anything that frivolous on one of their camping trips.
"I have a Griffin," Grace said. "At home. I didn't bring him though."
Jake's other items seemed equally inappropriate-- or at least they would have had this been the exercise in survival Grace had anticipated. "Good thing we're not sleeping outside," she said, thumbing through the pages of one of his books.
Grace looked self-consciously at her own much smaller bag. "Mine's just useful stuff mostly," she said. "I dunno if there's anything you'd be interested in. She loosened the drawstring and began handing out items. There were waterproof tarps and and space blankets. Her multi-tool. A small hatchet. Flint. A magnifying glass. A mirror. A whistle. Burn paste. Pepper-up potion. Rope. Fishing line. Fish hooks. Water purification potion. Metal cookware.
By now it was becoming apparent that the inside of the bag was much larger than it appeared from the outside, but she still kept handing things out. Near the bottom were some powdered rations and a tin which Grace brought out with some enthusiasm.
"Would you like some pemmican?" she asked, popping off the lid and releasing the strong smell of jerky into the room. "I helped make it. I mean i didn't cure the beef or render the lard, but I did the grinding and the mixing." She pulled out a black chunky clump that looked like something a bear might leave in the woods. She gnawed off a bit of it before offering the rest of the lump to Jake. "I go' plen'y," she said, enunciating around the mouthful.
Grace craned her neck to see what Jake had brought and was immediately rewarded. "Yes, please!" she said enthusiastically, and helped herself to one of the chocolate chips. They were just as good as he said, so Grace made sure to vocalize her appreciation with appropriate sounds.
Jake was less forthcoming about the next items. Grace raised an eyebrow as he brought out not one but three stuffed animals. No wonder he needed such a big bag she thought, and she wondered briefly how her mother would have reacted had she wanted to take anything that frivolous on one of their camping trips.
"I have a Griffin," Grace said. "At home. I didn't bring him though."
Jake's other items seemed equally inappropriate-- or at least they would have had this been the exercise in survival Grace had anticipated. "Good thing we're not sleeping outside," she said, thumbing through the pages of one of his books.
Grace looked self-consciously at her own much smaller bag. "Mine's just useful stuff mostly," she said. "I dunno if there's anything you'd be interested in. She loosened the drawstring and began handing out items. There were waterproof tarps and and space blankets. Her multi-tool. A small hatchet. Flint. A magnifying glass. A mirror. A whistle. Burn paste. Pepper-up potion. Rope. Fishing line. Fish hooks. Water purification potion. Metal cookware.
By now it was becoming apparent that the inside of the bag was much larger than it appeared from the outside, but she still kept handing things out. Near the bottom were some powdered rations and a tin which Grace brought out with some enthusiasm.
"Would you like some pemmican?" she asked, popping off the lid and releasing the strong smell of jerky into the room. "I helped make it. I mean i didn't cure the beef or render the lard, but I did the grinding and the mixing." She pulled out a black chunky clump that looked like something a bear might leave in the woods. She gnawed off a bit of it before offering the rest of the lump to Jake. "I go' plen'y," she said, enunciating around the mouthful.
Awesome Cabin
When Grace popped one of the Morris's cookies in her mouth, Jake paused what he was doing, unable to help but not-so-subtly watch her with bated breath. Right away her appreciation was clear to see, and in an instant Jake felt just as proud as if he had baked them all himself (even though he couldn't since he wasn't old enough to use the stove), Perhaps for the first time since he'd met Grace he smiled, shy but genuine and bright. He didn't really get to share with other kids a lot...or even ever...and he never would have thought it'd go this good. It got even better when he took his stuffed animals out. He'd saw Grace's eyebrow raise and almost pushed them all back in the bag at once since he thought he knew what she was thinking, but then she admitted something crazy. SHE had a stuffed animal too. That made Jake feel a lot better about Freddie, Patches, and Stripey. He opened his mouth - maybe he'd ask Grace what her Griffin's name was - but then he closed it again. He just wasn't ready.
The girl looked through his things and didn't seem to see too much that she was interested in, and then she showed off her own bag. First Jake was a little confused by the things that were inside it. It wasn't anything that he would ever have brought to camp. He thought maybe it would be fun things to play with or to occupy themselves when they were in their room, but the only thing he saw like that was the whistle. The rest of it just seemed like things that got left in the garage. But then he thought about all the stuff she'd said on the train...maybe Grace had got off at the wrong camp...? Something much more interesting soon caught Jake's attention though. The stuff just kept coming and coming! At first he had thought that Grace's mum was just really good at packing, but it soon became clear that something much more magical was at work. Jake couldn't help but to lean over Grace and to try to get a glimpse inside the bag. "Whoaaaaaaa...But how...? You...you're like Mary Poppins...!" an awestruck Jake enthused cryptically, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. She was magic ALREADY! And she hadn't even gone to school yet! "How'd you do that...?"
With all of the things that she had already pulled out (some that Jake knew, some that he didn't) when he saw her get really excited about the last thing he just had to know what it was. The mysterious tin was opened up and inside it was...was...well SURELY not what it looked like...right? Jake drew back a little when she lifted up the...the...(Jake wouldn't say what he THOUGHT it was, not in front of Grace) and without a hesitation she just bit the thing right into her mouth.
She really WASN'T scared of anything.
"U-um....is...is that food?" Jake asked suspiciously. All of his mother's statements about being polite ran through his head, and what you were supposed to do when somebody offered you something to eat. You weren't supposed to make a face or stick your tongue out or say 'ew', no matter how yucky it looked or smelled, it was rude and mean, but when Grace pulled out the pelican or whatever it was, all of Jake's politeness was put to the test. He did a pretty good job. He did manage to not stick his tongue out...but he did not manage to avoid wrinkling his nose or giving the thing a look like it was liable to jump out of grace's hands and down his throat all by itself.
But...Jake had never made a friend before. Not ever. Everybody usually picked on him for being little, or being a coward, or being a baby. Maybe Grace would too...when she REALLY got to know him. But she wasn't now, she was nice, and she said he could stay by her if he was scared, and it somehow felt like if he gave HER food, and she gave HIM food...well it'd be like...some kind of ritual. Like they'd be...well maybe not FRIENDS or anything...he didn't know how to make one of those...but...something nice. Something different. He didn't want to ruin it.
"U-Um....I.......I guess maybe I'll have a little piece..." the boy said, eyeing the lump with much apprehension. Maybe sharing wasn't all it was cracked up to be after all...He reached out with a shaky hand, not taking his eye off the questionable substance.
The girl looked through his things and didn't seem to see too much that she was interested in, and then she showed off her own bag. First Jake was a little confused by the things that were inside it. It wasn't anything that he would ever have brought to camp. He thought maybe it would be fun things to play with or to occupy themselves when they were in their room, but the only thing he saw like that was the whistle. The rest of it just seemed like things that got left in the garage. But then he thought about all the stuff she'd said on the train...maybe Grace had got off at the wrong camp...? Something much more interesting soon caught Jake's attention though. The stuff just kept coming and coming! At first he had thought that Grace's mum was just really good at packing, but it soon became clear that something much more magical was at work. Jake couldn't help but to lean over Grace and to try to get a glimpse inside the bag. "Whoaaaaaaa...But how...? You...you're like Mary Poppins...!" an awestruck Jake enthused cryptically, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. She was magic ALREADY! And she hadn't even gone to school yet! "How'd you do that...?"
With all of the things that she had already pulled out (some that Jake knew, some that he didn't) when he saw her get really excited about the last thing he just had to know what it was. The mysterious tin was opened up and inside it was...was...well SURELY not what it looked like...right? Jake drew back a little when she lifted up the...the...(Jake wouldn't say what he THOUGHT it was, not in front of Grace) and without a hesitation she just bit the thing right into her mouth.
She really WASN'T scared of anything.
"U-um....is...is that food?" Jake asked suspiciously. All of his mother's statements about being polite ran through his head, and what you were supposed to do when somebody offered you something to eat. You weren't supposed to make a face or stick your tongue out or say 'ew', no matter how yucky it looked or smelled, it was rude and mean, but when Grace pulled out the pelican or whatever it was, all of Jake's politeness was put to the test. He did a pretty good job. He did manage to not stick his tongue out...but he did not manage to avoid wrinkling his nose or giving the thing a look like it was liable to jump out of grace's hands and down his throat all by itself.
But...Jake had never made a friend before. Not ever. Everybody usually picked on him for being little, or being a coward, or being a baby. Maybe Grace would too...when she REALLY got to know him. But she wasn't now, she was nice, and she said he could stay by her if he was scared, and it somehow felt like if he gave HER food, and she gave HIM food...well it'd be like...some kind of ritual. Like they'd be...well maybe not FRIENDS or anything...he didn't know how to make one of those...but...something nice. Something different. He didn't want to ruin it.
"U-Um....I.......I guess maybe I'll have a little piece..." the boy said, eyeing the lump with much apprehension. Maybe sharing wasn't all it was cracked up to be after all...He reached out with a shaky hand, not taking his eye off the questionable substance.
Awesome Cabin
"Mary Poppins? Who's that?" Grace looked from Jake's amazed expression to her bag before making the connection. She'd forgotten Jake was a real muggleborn. He was practically a muggle.
"Oh. I didn't do anything. I don't even have a wand yet. It's just an extender charm someone put on the bag, like what's on the ship." When that didn't seem to clear things up she added, "It makes more room inside of something." She frowned slightly before adding. "I mean I coulda gone camping with less stuff--I have before with just the clothes on my back--but it's not as comfortable as having tools. Course if I'd known it was gonna be glamping instead o' real camping I wouldna bothered."
Grace's defensiveness was a result of her embarrassment. It wasn't the first time that her unconventional upbringing had left her unprepared to deal with situations away from home, and it made her uneasy. She was supposed to be prepared for anything, but new people and situations had a way of throwing her off. She felt better when Jake expressed his own ignorance about pemmican.
"Oh it's great! It's the ultimate survival food! You make if from dried meat, fat and berries. It keeps forever without a fridge. Like forever."
"This is a fresh batch though," she added, because Jake didn't look too keen at the thought of eating old meat.
"Oh. I didn't do anything. I don't even have a wand yet. It's just an extender charm someone put on the bag, like what's on the ship." When that didn't seem to clear things up she added, "It makes more room inside of something." She frowned slightly before adding. "I mean I coulda gone camping with less stuff--I have before with just the clothes on my back--but it's not as comfortable as having tools. Course if I'd known it was gonna be glamping instead o' real camping I wouldna bothered."
Grace's defensiveness was a result of her embarrassment. It wasn't the first time that her unconventional upbringing had left her unprepared to deal with situations away from home, and it made her uneasy. She was supposed to be prepared for anything, but new people and situations had a way of throwing her off. She felt better when Jake expressed his own ignorance about pemmican.
"Oh it's great! It's the ultimate survival food! You make if from dried meat, fat and berries. It keeps forever without a fridge. Like forever."
"This is a fresh batch though," she added, because Jake didn't look too keen at the thought of eating old meat.
Last edited by Grace Foster on 10 Aug 2019, 21:52, edited 1 time in total.
Awesome Cabin
For a moment Jake was shocked. He'd thought EVERYBODY knew who Mary Poppins was. It was then that a strange thought occurred to him. If there were things that HE didn't know about being magic, then maybe there were things that magic people didn't know about being NOT magic. This new revelation stunned him, and the role-reversal was so surprising that for a moment he didn't answer.
"O-oh...um...do ya mean you don't know?" Jake asked, but he could see that she really didn't. So...he began to tell her. As he did, he found that the words came just a little more easily. The boy was able to speak of something HE knew, and the familiarity was a great comfort amongst so much unknown (like extender charms, and glamping). "W-well...she was a lady...and she was kinda magic. She was a nanny and she could fly on an umbrella and she could clean a room just by snapping, and she had a bag that could fit like all this stuff in it...like lotsa stuff. Like yours kinda...and...w-well...she's from a movie. So she's not real o'course...but...well...I didn't think magic was real either so...I don't really know anymore..." he admitted, trying once more to peek inside the bag.
When Grace talked about pemmican, it was Jake's turn to listen. She said a lot about how you made it, but it didn't comfort him very much. Jake did like berries, but from the thing in his hand he was having trouble seeing the berries part and wished he could have just had those. Plus, forever was a really long time and the thing in his hand could have been from the era of the dinosaurs for all Jake knew. Perhaps reading his mind, Grace re-assured him, but somehow in this context, 'fresh batch' didn't do much to help Jake's appetite.
The boy raised it to his mouth and tapped it cautiously with his tongue, but remembering the cookie and the ritual and that if he said no now he would surely hurt her feelings real bad (cause she was excited...he could tell), the boy bravely popped the thing into his mouth.
Jake wrinkled his nose and chewed on the lumpy mass. Chewed and chewed and couldn't help but make a little bit of a face, but just a little. It was tough and greasy and kinda yucky, but not as much as he'd thought it was going to be. Somehow he managed to swallow it down, and just hoped it would settle down there without giving him any problems, or finding its way back up. He looked up and nodded his head and knew he had to say something more, and then remembered his manners. "Um, thank you...it's um..." he trailed off for a second, trying to think of a word that wasn't a lie. "Well I never had it before. O-oh, b-but um...I'm not really very hungry anymore..." he mumbled truthfully, as she seemed all too eager to offer more.
Jake didn't really know what to say next but he did want to change the subject before they had to share more food and so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Um...Did ya really go camping with only clothes and not even a tent or nothin'...?" Without even realizing he was doing it he pulled his stuffed rabbit onto his lap and held it there.
"O-oh...um...do ya mean you don't know?" Jake asked, but he could see that she really didn't. So...he began to tell her. As he did, he found that the words came just a little more easily. The boy was able to speak of something HE knew, and the familiarity was a great comfort amongst so much unknown (like extender charms, and glamping). "W-well...she was a lady...and she was kinda magic. She was a nanny and she could fly on an umbrella and she could clean a room just by snapping, and she had a bag that could fit like all this stuff in it...like lotsa stuff. Like yours kinda...and...w-well...she's from a movie. So she's not real o'course...but...well...I didn't think magic was real either so...I don't really know anymore..." he admitted, trying once more to peek inside the bag.
When Grace talked about pemmican, it was Jake's turn to listen. She said a lot about how you made it, but it didn't comfort him very much. Jake did like berries, but from the thing in his hand he was having trouble seeing the berries part and wished he could have just had those. Plus, forever was a really long time and the thing in his hand could have been from the era of the dinosaurs for all Jake knew. Perhaps reading his mind, Grace re-assured him, but somehow in this context, 'fresh batch' didn't do much to help Jake's appetite.
The boy raised it to his mouth and tapped it cautiously with his tongue, but remembering the cookie and the ritual and that if he said no now he would surely hurt her feelings real bad (cause she was excited...he could tell), the boy bravely popped the thing into his mouth.
Jake wrinkled his nose and chewed on the lumpy mass. Chewed and chewed and couldn't help but make a little bit of a face, but just a little. It was tough and greasy and kinda yucky, but not as much as he'd thought it was going to be. Somehow he managed to swallow it down, and just hoped it would settle down there without giving him any problems, or finding its way back up. He looked up and nodded his head and knew he had to say something more, and then remembered his manners. "Um, thank you...it's um..." he trailed off for a second, trying to think of a word that wasn't a lie. "Well I never had it before. O-oh, b-but um...I'm not really very hungry anymore..." he mumbled truthfully, as she seemed all too eager to offer more.
Jake didn't really know what to say next but he did want to change the subject before they had to share more food and so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Um...Did ya really go camping with only clothes and not even a tent or nothin'...?" Without even realizing he was doing it he pulled his stuffed rabbit onto his lap and held it there.