<< Go Back

See No Evil, Book 3 Rustic Knoll Bible Camp Series

By Mary L. Hamilton

Order Now!

Steven Miller pulled away from his mom’s hand as she straightened his t-shirt before getting out of the car. “It’s fine, Mom. Leave it alone.”
Blindness was no excuse for sloppy dressing, but this was camp. Some guys wore the same clothes they’d slept in the night before. He got out of the car, leaving behind its air-conditioned comfort. Ugh! This heat wave would make the cabins feel like saunas. He adjusted his dark glasses, then reached into the back seat and found the rough canvas of his duffle bag.
“Can I get that for you?” Mom’s door slammed and she hurried around to his side.
“I’ve got it.” As if I’m not capable of doing it myself. He bit his tongue as he lifted the bag out of the car and set it on the gravel parking lot. Mom wasn’t trying to be annoying. So why did she get on his nerves so easily lately? She’d always watched out for him during Dad’s tough lessons on living with blindness. ‘Survival for the Blind 101,’ they’d called it. Had she grown more protective in the three years since Dad died? Or maybe Dad’s absence failed to balance out Mom’s hovering. Either way, it would be nice if she’d back off a little.
Claire called from somewhere nearby. “Steven! Wait for me!”
Where is she? Car engines and voices of other excited campers made it hard to tell which direction she was calling from. He waved his hand in the air to acknowledge her, then closed the car door and leaned against it. “Mom, you don’t have to stick around. Claire can get me through registration.”
“Well, I… I wasn’t in any hurry.”
He’d done it again—said something the wrong way. “I’m not trying to get rid of you. I just thought Claire could get me up to the check-in table and I’m sure I can make it to the cabin on my own if you want to get home earlier.”
At that moment, Claire arrived and gave him a quick hug around the neck. “Great to see you again, Steven. Ooh! You’ve been working out. Look at those muscles.” She squeezed his upper arm. “Hi, Mrs. Miller. Can you believe it’s our last year at Rustic Knoll? This time next year, we’ll be graduated and getting ready for college.”
Mrs. Miller groaned. “Don’t remind me. Seems like last week you two were playing in the sand together down at the lake. With your blonde hair and Steven’s, everyone thought you were twins.”
Claire laughed. “That was a long time ago.” She touched Steven’s arm. “Are you ready to go check in?”
Mom made no move to leave. “Are your parents here, Claire?”
“No. My younger brother has a Little League tournament today, so Mom dropped me off. She’ll have to hurry to make the game. But I can take Steven to check-in if you want. Dillon’s heading our way, too. He can make sure Steven gets to his cabin.”
Mom hesitated. “Are you sure?”
Steven reached out and Mom put her hand in his. “We’ll be fine, Mom. We know the routine. You really don’t need to stick around unless you want to see some of the other parents.”
She sighed, hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. He jerked away before she could swipe her fingers over his hair.
“You have your health form? And money for snacks?”
“We’ll be fine, Mom. I’ll send you a postcard, like always. Saturday will be here before you know it.”
“All right, then. Have a good week, both of you. I love you, Steven.” She hugged him one more time.
“Love you, too, Mom. Bye!”
The car door squeaked open and closed. A moment later, the engine started. She called one more good-bye before the tires crunched on the gravel as she drove away. Steven let out a long breath. “Good thing you came by. I was afraid she might walk me to the cabin.”
Claire giggled. “I love your mom, but I feel the same way about mine. I can’t wait to get out of the house and be on my own.”
Dillon shuffled up, dragging his suitcase. “Hey, Claire! Steven-man, how’s it going?” His hand met Steven’s in a high five and they clamped their hands tight together. “Ow! Dude, you must be lifting weights. Look at those biceps.”
Steven grinned. “I’m giving you some competition for super-jock this year. You ready?”
Dillon chuckled. “I’m always ready for competition.”
“Come on, let’s check in.” Claire nudged Steven’s arm. “You want to hold on?”
“No, thanks. I’m practicing my echolocation.”
“Your what?” Claire started toward the grass where the registration table sat.
“Echolocation.” Dillon snorted. “Isn’t that what bats use?”
“Euw!”
“Same idea.” Steven walked close beside Claire. “It’s figuring out the sounds around me to judge my location. Like right now, I’m judging my distance from you by the sound of your feet hitting the ground.” Claire’s steps moved farther away, and Steven adjusted his own path to follow her.
“Okay. Just testing.” Claire laughed. “You passed.”
“It’s easy here, but grass tends to muffle sound.” Just then, they moved onto the grass, but Claire’s flip-flops made it easy to follow them. They had to be getting close to the registration table. A warm breeze rustled the leaves of the trees overhead and carried a whiff of the lake that lay beyond the dining hall. Steven inhaled the familiar scent as Claire brought them to a stop. He set his duffle beside him. “How long is the line? Do you see anyone else we know?”
Claire moved forward a couple steps. “Taylor and Marissa are up ahead.”
Dillon grunted at Taylor’s name. “I wouldn’t admit to knowing him.”
“He’s not as bad as he used to be.” Claire tugged Steven forward. “Give him a chance. He’s changed.”
Dillon scoffed. “Hey! Who’s the new lady? Where’s Nurse Willie?”
“What?” Steven’s hand flew to his chest. “What are you talking about?”
Claire put her hand on Steven’s shoulder and jumped for a better view. “Some Asian lady’s checking people in. I don’t see Nurse Willie anywhere.”
Dillon pulled his suitcase closer as the line moved forward. “Wonder what happened to ol’ Willie.”
“Maybe she had something to do today.” Claire made it sound more like a question.
“If she’s busy, why not use one of the counselors?” Steven scratched his ear.
“Maybe she left, got a job somewhere else,” Dillon suggested.
Nurse Willie leave Rustic Knoll? Impossible. She hadn’t missed an opening day of camp in all the years he’d been coming to camp. Ever since he was five years old and asked his dad about the tinkling sound her hat made, she’d always been there to take his health form, wearing her bucket hat decorated with fishing lures. Steven’s fingers traced the edges of the medallion hidden beneath his shirt. It stuck to his skin in the afternoon’s heat.
Before long, an unfamiliar voice called, “Next!”
Claire moved ahead to the registration table, urging Steven along with her. A crinkling of paper reminded him to pull out his health form.
“Welcome to Rustic Knoll. You are…Claire? Thompson?”
The newcomer spoke with an accent, pronouncing her words as precisely as the Vietnamese lady who lived down the street from Steven.
“Yes, ma’am,” Claire answered. “Where’s Nurse Willie?”
“She’s had some health problems. I’m Mrs. Hoang. I’m taking her place until she gets better.”
“Mrs. Wang?”
“No. H-wang.” Steven corrected Claire by exhaling on the first letter.
“Very good!” Mrs. Hoang sounded pleased.
“How did you know that?” Claire poked his arm.
Steven pointed to his ears. “Being blind means I have to listen harder.” He held out his health form toward Mrs. Hoang. “Steven Miller. Is Nurse Willie all right?”
Dillon moved up next to him.
“Pastor Zacharias will make an announcement at supper.”
“But is she okay?” Claire’s pitch rose.
Several seconds passed. Was the nurse checking his health form?
“You’ll have to ask Pastor Zacharias,” Mrs. Hoang sighed. “I don’t want to say too much.”
Claire’s fingers clamped around Steven’s arm as they received cabin assignments and moved away from the table. They stopped to wait for Dillon. Her breath carried a minty scent when she spoke in his ear. “It can’t be good when she won’t give us a straight answer.”
Steven searched for an explanation. “Might be something personal and she doesn’t want it blurted out in front of everyone.”
Dillon joined them. “Pastor Zacharias? Who calls him that?”
Claire mimicked Mrs. Hoang. “I’m going to find ‘Pastor Zacharias’ and ask what’s up with Willie. You guys want to come along?”
Steven waited for Dillon’s response, but it never came. He lifted his arm that carried the sleeping bag and pillow. “Can we unload our stuff in the cabin first?”
“I suppose. Meet you in fifteen minutes.”
“What’s the rush?” Dillon grumbled.
Claire’s sigh screamed impatience. “Just get back here as soon as you can or I won’t bother to wait for you.”
She headed off toward her cabin.
Dillon nudged Steven toward the guys’ cabins. “It’s not like she’s dying or something. That Wang lady said she’s here until Willie gets better.”
“H-wang.”
“That’s what I said–Wang. So, how long have you been lifting weights?”
Steven grinned and shook his head, pulled his suitcase around and kept pace with the flapping of Dillon’s sandals. “I started last winter when I decided to do a triathlon.”
“You’re doing a triathlon? A real one?”
“Not a long one like the Ironman. Sprint triathlons are half the Olympic distances, so I swim a quarter mile, bike about twelve miles, and run a little over three miles. They’re held all over the Chicago area through October, but the one I’m doing is at the end of August, about five weeks from now.” Grass tickled the sides of his feet, and the perfume of roses told him they were passing the garden beside the chapel.
“So you’re competing along with sighted people? Wouldn’t that be dangerous with the huge crowds they attract?”
“I’ll be tethered to a partner for swimming and running, and use a tandem for the bicycle part of it.”
“They let you do that?”
“I’ve applied for permission from the race officials. Hoping I’ll hear this week.” Steven hefted his sleeping bag higher on his hip.
“Who’s your partner?”
“As of last Tuesday, I don’t know. The guy I’ve been training with is having knee problems. You want to fill in for him?”
Dillon hopped up the cabin steps. “Maybe. Sounds cool.”
The screen door squawked when Dillon opened it. Every cabin’s screen door sounded like that. Steven had been in all four of the Rustic Knoll boys’ cabins over the years. They all had the same floor plan, the same furniture in the common room. He entered the cabin and strode past the couch and easy chairs in their assigned places, stopping at the doorway to the bunkroom.
Dillon spoke over Steven’s shoulder. “The bunk to your right is open. I’ll take the top if you promise no earthquakes.”
Steven laughed. “It’s tempting, but I think I’m past that prank.” Every kid who’d ever come to camp had lain on a bottom bunk, braced his feet against the top bunk and pushed up while yelling “Earthquake!” Steven had been the unsuspecting top bunk occupant once and nearly got pitched off onto the concrete floor. He’d claimed the bottom bunk ever since, and now spread his sleeping bag out on the mattress, stowing his suitcase below the bed.
Dylan followed, throwing his stuff onto the bunk above Steven’s and zipping open his suitcase. “What got you interested in triathlons?”
Steven straightened. He fingered the cord around his neck, hesitating to share something so treasured. Finally, he drew the large medallion out from under his shirt and held it in his palm for Dillon to see.
“This was my dad’s. Mom found it when she was cleaning out some of his stuff this past year. I didn’t know he did triathlons, but she said he’d done a couple before I was born.”
Sweaty fingers grazed Steven’s as Dillon turned the medallion over and back. “That’s cool. Bet it’s nice having something of your dad’s, huh?”
“Yeah, it’s a nice reminder.” Steven cupped it in his hand before dropping it down inside his shirt again. Not that he needed anything to remind him Dad had once been alive and well, a triathlon finisher. If it wasn’t for me, Dad might have been alive the last three years.
The screen door screeched and Brady came into the bunkroom. “There you are. I’ve been checking every cabin looking for you.” He high-fived Steven, exchanged greetings with Dillon, then plopped down on Steven’s bed. “Do you know what happened to Nurse Willie? Why wasn’t she at check-in?”
Dillon flipped the lid on his suitcase closed and pushed it under Steven’s bed. “She’s sick. That’s what Mrs. Hoang said.”
“Who’s that? Oh, the other lady? How do you say her name?”
“H-wang.” Steven squeezed past Dillon. “We’re meeting Claire to go ask Zeke what’s up. You want to come, too?”
“Sure.”
The three of them exited the cabin and met Claire near the Snack Shack. She greeted Brady, then led the way to Zeke’s office. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
A weight had settled in Steven’s stomach as well, but he’d wait to hear what Zeke had to say. The four friends crowded through the open door of the camp director’s office.
“Looks like the gang’s all here.” Zeke chuckled. “What can I do for you?”
Steven moved far enough into the room to rest his hand on the smooth wooden desktop. A faint musty smell of paper drew his attention. Over the years, he’d imagined Zeke’s office lined with shelves crammed full of books. Is that where he kept his Bible, the one Brady said he carried to chapel? At some time during his years at Rustic Knoll, Steven had learned the outer walls of Zeke’s office held two large windows that he kept open to catch the breeze off the lake. No breeze today, but Steven still inhaled a faint scent of sand and water.
“What’s wrong with Nurse Willie?” Claire always did come right to the point.
A soft sigh came from Zeke’s lips. “Late last summer, she complained of headaches. She went in for some tests and they found a brain tumor. Surgery removed most of it, but it’s something she’ll have to live with.”
“Cancer?” Steven’s stomach turned to a rock. “A brain tumor?”
“What causes that?” Claire’s voice almost cracked.
“They don’t really know what causes brain tumors.”
“How bad is she?” Steven swallowed bile. Did he really want to hear the answer?
“It will probably grow again, but for now, the chemo seems to have put it into remission.”
Brady sank onto one of the armchairs in front of Zeke’s desk. “She’s not well enough to work?”
“The doctor says she should be, but she’s not bouncing back the way we expected. I think she’s experiencing some depression, which is not unusual.” Zeke’s glasses tapped against the desk. “We’re the only family she has, so she’s still in her apartment at the back of the clinic. Mrs. Hoang agreed to stay in the guesthouse. Willie helps Mrs. Hoang whenever she’s able, but I think seeing someone else in her clinic hasn’t helped her attitude.”
Steven leaned against the desk. “Can we visit her?”
“Not all of you at once. Talk to Mrs. Hoang. She’ll know when Willie is up for having visitors.”
Claire expelled a heavy breath. “It’s not the same without Nurse Willie.”
Zeke shuffled some papers. “I’m sure seeing you kids will cheer her up. She needs your prayers, and Mrs. Hoang could use a few, too. It’s been hard on everyone, and filling Nurse Willie’s shoes has been especially difficult.”
Steven turned to leave the office, and the others followed him in silence. No slapping of flip-flops now. Their feet shuffled, as sluggish as an August breeze.
A brain tumor. Willie didn’t deserve this, not after all her years of digging splinters out of fingers, dispensing bandages, checking for fevers, wrapping sprained ankles and broken bones, and hunting down kids who forgot to come take their medicine at the proper time. She’d taken good care of him that time he and Brady got into poison ivy.
As soon as they were outside, Claire spoke up. “I’m going down to see her. Who wants to come with me?”
Steven didn’t answer. Zeke said seeing all of them would cheer Willie up, but did he really want to visit her? Wasn’t there something else he could do to help, something more than visiting her?
Finally, Dillon spoke up. “Sorry. I’m going swimming. Anyone else going back to the cabin?”
Brady volunteered. “Yeah, I’ll go back with you.”
“Steven?”
The pleading in Claire’s voice almost got him. “I’ll go later, but tell her hi for me.”
He shouldn’t leave Claire to visit by herself, but he wasn’t ready for Nurse Willie yet. Unwanted memories and doubts of Dad’s death rushed back. Still, he couldn’t sit by and do nothing when someone he cared about was sick, maybe dying. He never wanted to do that again.
Ever.

Order Now!

<< Go Back