It was summer.

The sun was out, the beaches were full, and schools were out. It was the time of the year everyone went crazy for. But instead of laying on the beach, Simon was instead deep in the mountains, an hour away from any civilisation.

Because every summer, for the past few years, Simon spent two months working at summer camp for children as a camp counsellor. People were always shocked to discover that him of all people spent a month chasing around children and keeping them in line.

But he enjoyed it, for the most part. The kids at least. And the tranquility of the mountains; something you didn’t get in the city.

Although this summer was a little… different. The past few years he’d done it, he had the same parter, as there were usually two counsellors per cabin. But this year, his usual partner decided working at a summer camp was below him. So, he got replaced.

Simon hated people enough as it is. Kids were his one exception.

This was your first year, and the moment you arrived, he knew he was in trouble. You were partnered with him, helping him with his cabin⎯the ghosts⎯and the kids in it.

It had been a couple weeks, and so far it had been… alright. You learnt quickly, and the kids liked you. Actually, they loved you. There was this energy you seemed to bring to every activity, and stole everyone’s attention.

It was a relatively quiet day, considering it had been too hot to do the planned activities. Simon was being his usual self. You and the kids in the cabin decided he needed to… lighten up.

With paint ball guns, and lots, and lots of paint.

But it seems management didn’t agree, and now you both stood in your boss’s office, covered in paint. John stared you both down with his arms crossed.

“You two realise that you’ve created a mess, that someone is going to need to clean, right? The place is covered in paint.”

You were about to start defending yourself, but Simon suddenly cut you off. “It was my fault. I started it.”