Chapter 1 - Kye Bay, B.C.

All the other kids stayed inside eating in the cafeteria or playing games or talking to each other but I stood outside on the deck the whole way. Partly because I was too excited about going away from home for the very first time on my own and wanted to watch the sea and the islands and the other boats, and partly because I wanted to get away from everyone. When we had arrived at the ferry terminal, late, Mom held my shoulders and told me in a loud voice how I should behave. Right there in front of my teacher and all my class. Like I was a baby! By myself, watching two green trails foaming behind the boat, I could imagine that I was a sailor going off to explore the world. The air smelled of fish and metal and wet.

When we got to the camp we were divided into ‘girls’ dorm’ and ‘boys’ dorm’. My bed is the top bunk in the corner because no one else wanted it, but I don’t mind much. It’s all the same in the dark. I thought I would be really scared to sleep in a strange place but I kind of like it. In the morning I can hear ravens talking to each other up in the trees as the sun comes up. Squirrels run across the roof above my head. They scamper away when I tap on the ceiling.

We spend most of the day outside, even eating our lunches outside, reading and learning about plants and animals and rocks and stuff. At free time I like to go off by myself and explore. Especially along the beach. I walk along the high tide mark, squishing the sand in my toes. We have to make a collection while we are here and I chose to make my collection out of sand dollars. You have to be really careful with them because they break easily. That’s why I like them. It’s nice to make a collection that my sisters won’t mess up or take. Or make fun of. I bury my shells and make myself a treasure map so that I can find them again the next day. I always find them. Miss Baxter says I must be good at making maps, but one of the other teachers says I just have a good memory.

I have met a friend here. Her name is Holly Frances. She goes to another school that is staying at the Confederation Camp. She is really fun. I like her because she talks to me and doesn’t make fun of me for being shy. After supper all the schools meet for singing and dancing. Most of the other kids don’t like the singing and dancing and Steven Lewis even pretended to be sick so he wouldn’t have to do it, but I like it a lot.

One day, when we were on a nature walk studying ferns, Tommy Staunton had to go to the bathroom really badly and he ran back to our cabin, except he ran into the wrong cabin. When he was came out of the bathroom he went into the kitchen and saw a strange class at the table who just looked at him. He said it wasn’t his fault because all the cabins look the same, but I don’t think so. To me every cabin is just a little bit different than all the others.