Camp Wilderness Chapter 5
ok, said i'd take a break, guess i lied! but thought anyone reading might like a bit more ennis. a short chapter, but it's all jack and ennis. still PG though!!
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CHAPTER 5
Jack stopped dead in his tracks and gazed at Ennis. There was enough light outside that he could get a good look at Ennis, still for the first time since they'd met. His fair hair was damp (had he just showered?) and was curlier than it had been yesterday. Or was Jack just looking closer? He noticed Ennis had a few freckles on his face. He saw that his eyelashes were also blonde and caught the light like the rest of his golden aura. Ennis' mouth was shut and Jack gazed at his lips. Pale pink in colour, they looked dry. He looked at his hands. They were strong looking large hands. They looked dirty despite the fact they were clean, earth ingrained into the cracks, several tiny cuts and short chewed nails. Ennis was laid out on his back, his hands were resting on his stomach and rising up and down in time with the gentle breating Jack could hear. And it wasn't Jack's breathing beacuse he suddenly realised he was holding his breath. He exhaled quietly. He could not stand there watching Ennis forever although it took him a moment to think of why he couldnt. He crept forward as quietly as possiblt to retrieve his towel, but the tent flap rustled as he brought his foot in. Ennis stirred and opend his eyes.
"I'm so sorry", Jack whispered, "I didn't mean to wake you".
"It's ok", Ennis said in a soft sleepy voice, "musta dropped off. Didn't mean too. Wont sleep tonight if I sleep now so prob'ly just as well" and he nodded at Jack.
Jack still felt bad, but it was nice of Ennis to say it was no big deal, especially as Ennis had clearly mastered the art of dressing and exiting a tent without waking anyone else up.
"Um, they're watching a movie in the Rec Room" Jack said, feeling that it was ok to speak louder now Ennis was awake, and because he wanted to talk to Ennis.
"Mmm", Ennis replied.
"I didnt really fancy it" Jack said, keen for the conversation to keep going, "Um, I came to get my towel. Going for my third shower of the day!" His voice wobbled as he said this last bit. He didnt know why.
"Huh?" Ennis asked quietly.
"Oh, um, well I smell of grease and fries" Jack offered. Ennis just looked at him like puzzled. "I worked in the kitchen today."
"Uh-huh?" Ennis said, "They was good fries"
Jack beamed, "Thank you!"
Ennis chuckled quietly. Jack's heart stopped at the sound then quickly strated up again at twice the pace. It was the loveliest sound he had ever heard. It was like the water lapping at your feet as you lay floating under a clear sky. Jack had been standing the whole time and he now went to sit down on his sleeping bag, leaving the tent the last thing he wanted to do right now.
"How was your day?" Jack asked.
Ennis rolled himself to sitting up. "Was good I guess. Been out in the fields." He paused, Jack just looked at him expectantly so he continued quietly, "There's sheep and cows. Need looking after and feeding. Some near to havin' babies. Pigs and horses need cleanin' out. Lots to do"
"Gosh" said Jack. It all sounded much more important and impressive than cooking meals. He wanted Ennis to carry on talking, he loved how his voice sounded. But it seemed Ennis had finished talking, so Jack asked, "You like all that sort of thing?"
"Mmm, "Ennis said thoughtfully, "never wanted to do anything else. Only reason I came was to work with the animals. Not interested in any of that other stuff." Jack thougt that was perfectly fair, admired Ennis' determination, wished he could be so decisive but he'd had no idea which task he fancied.
"I'm gonna try them all," Jack said, feeling he needed to explain himself, though Ennis had given him no reason to think that. "I never been in the country before, never done anything like this, so I'm just gonna see what I like best. Starting indoors. Guess I'll work my way outdoors to the animals eventually." Jack didnt add that the thought of being close to a large cow or horse kind of scared him. You couldnt control them, but he thought Ennis would think this was silly. All Ennis said was "Mmm". Jack didnt think it was a bored sound, so he pressed on with a more daring question: "You done this sort of thing before?" It was a question alluding to the past and Jack knew the past was a topic of conversation that many people in his situation preferred not to talk about. But Jack wanted to know who this Ennis was, and for good or bad, his past was probably what made him who he was now. And that was a someone Jack wanted to know all about. Jack did not like to talk about his past, mostly because he never knew how to repsond to people's pity and shock, but he always told the truth if asked. But Ennis wasn't giving off any indiaction that he had anythig to hide or that there was anythig he was ashamed of. A kind of simple honesty and trust radiated out of him and so Jack had taken the plunge.
"My parents owned a farm" Ennis said, looking down. Jack noted the past tense. Ennis knew Jack noted it. Jack looked at Ennis but Ennis was busy worrying a corner of his sleeping bag. The unanswered question hovered in the air between them. There were many ways out of the conversation but Jack didnt take any of them. There was a line he was on the verge of crossing. Before he could formulate the words, Ennis looked up. Their eyes locked. Jack bit his lip and looked down. Ennis licked his lips, paused. Jack looked back up. He had to. He was holding his breath again.
"They died. Car accident. When I was 12. Lived with my brother and sister. She got married moved away. He just got thrown in jail. I need to stay in school." In the end Ennis said it all quite matter of fact, like he didnt mind sharing his personal business, like he didn't mind that Jack was being nosey. Jack breathed out a sigh of relief. He was glad that Ennis's story wasn't too crazy or messed up like his own. He felt bad for Ennis that he'd lost both his parents so young, but Jack sensed that Ennis had made his peace with that long ago.
"Sorry, " Jack said. It was a sorry for his dead parents as well as a sorry for making Ennis talk about it. Ennis just nodded.
Jack thought he had to say something to restore the balance, although again Ennis gave no indiaction that was what he thought. "My parents aren't dead" Jack said. Ennis just said, "Oh". It was an Oh that said 'you can tell me more if you want, but you dont have to if you dont want to. I wont mind either way.'
Jack liked that Oh. Normally people wanted details so they could feel better about themselves and their lives. Or because they thought they were helping him by listening and this made them feel worthy and helpful. Or beacuse they needed to know to help others. Or because they had a morbid fascination with real life horror stories. Most people had a selfish motive for wanting top hear Jack's story. But Ennis had not given off any of those vibes. He'd left it up to Jack. Jack decided he did not need to know the gory details, so he just said. "They weren't very nice people. So I got out". Ennis just nodded.
Jack suddenly felt like a weight had lifted off his shoulders. It was a weight he wasnt even aware he was carrying, but he now noticed it was gone. They'd talked about their pasts. They now knew why each other was in care, and hence why they were here. It was like they had crossed a bridge together and got to a better place. There had been no judgement or pain or awkward questions. They'd just passed into a different phase of knowing each other where they knew important things about each other and had been honest. This made Jack happy and he also felt safe. It wasn't like with the normal kids at school who knew. They acted cautious around him always afriad they might upset him or set him off by saying the wrong thing. Jack knew, though he could not have said how he knew, that it wasn't going to be like that with Ennis. They might never talk about their pasts again, or they might share more sad details. Either way it just felt right and comfortable.
"So you liked the fries then?" he asked. "Sure did" Ennis replied, as content as Jack, it seemed, to have crossed over to a different place. "What about the rest of the meal?" Jack asked in a mock concerned voice.
"Mmmm, " Ennis thought about this for a few seconds. "The burgers were good. The fruit salad was a bit dull". They'd had fruit salad for dessert. Jack had spent ages peeling apples, pears, grapes and bananas, chopping melons, mangoes and pineapple. "Oh, " he said, trying not to look too hurt, or take it personally. After all he hadnt decided on the menu, he just had made it to order.
Ennis glanced at him. "Oh it wasnt bad, " Ennis said, "Just that fruit on it's own, kinda dull. Better in a pie. And weren't no cherries. I'm sure I seen a cherry tree. Like cherries". Jack just shrugged. "I just do what I'm told".
"Sure" , Ennis said, "And it did taste good. Honest." Then he looked at Jack, and raised an eyebrow. "If you cooked a cake, maybe you'd smell better"
"Huh?" Jack asked, surprised.
Ennis grinned. "You smell like McDonalds. Greasey fries, thought you was gonna take a shower? You know you really need one!" Jack's mouth had begun to open in shock, but the way Ennis finished the sentence with a big grin and another delightful chuckle made Jack realise he was being wound up.
"Hmmm", Jack mused. "Suppose it's better than smelling of cow or sheep poo!" and then he ducked as a pillow came sailing across the tent at him. It missed and Jack lobbed it back at it's owner. He grabbed his towel and legged it to the shower block before Ennis could retaliate, smiling all the way wondering if he could persuade Cassie to teach him how to cook a cherry cake.
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CHAPTER 5
Jack stopped dead in his tracks and gazed at Ennis. There was enough light outside that he could get a good look at Ennis, still for the first time since they'd met. His fair hair was damp (had he just showered?) and was curlier than it had been yesterday. Or was Jack just looking closer? He noticed Ennis had a few freckles on his face. He saw that his eyelashes were also blonde and caught the light like the rest of his golden aura. Ennis' mouth was shut and Jack gazed at his lips. Pale pink in colour, they looked dry. He looked at his hands. They were strong looking large hands. They looked dirty despite the fact they were clean, earth ingrained into the cracks, several tiny cuts and short chewed nails. Ennis was laid out on his back, his hands were resting on his stomach and rising up and down in time with the gentle breating Jack could hear. And it wasn't Jack's breathing beacuse he suddenly realised he was holding his breath. He exhaled quietly. He could not stand there watching Ennis forever although it took him a moment to think of why he couldnt. He crept forward as quietly as possiblt to retrieve his towel, but the tent flap rustled as he brought his foot in. Ennis stirred and opend his eyes.
"I'm so sorry", Jack whispered, "I didn't mean to wake you".
"It's ok", Ennis said in a soft sleepy voice, "musta dropped off. Didn't mean too. Wont sleep tonight if I sleep now so prob'ly just as well" and he nodded at Jack.
Jack still felt bad, but it was nice of Ennis to say it was no big deal, especially as Ennis had clearly mastered the art of dressing and exiting a tent without waking anyone else up.
"Um, they're watching a movie in the Rec Room" Jack said, feeling that it was ok to speak louder now Ennis was awake, and because he wanted to talk to Ennis.
"Mmm", Ennis replied.
"I didnt really fancy it" Jack said, keen for the conversation to keep going, "Um, I came to get my towel. Going for my third shower of the day!" His voice wobbled as he said this last bit. He didnt know why.
"Huh?" Ennis asked quietly.
"Oh, um, well I smell of grease and fries" Jack offered. Ennis just looked at him like puzzled. "I worked in the kitchen today."
"Uh-huh?" Ennis said, "They was good fries"
Jack beamed, "Thank you!"
Ennis chuckled quietly. Jack's heart stopped at the sound then quickly strated up again at twice the pace. It was the loveliest sound he had ever heard. It was like the water lapping at your feet as you lay floating under a clear sky. Jack had been standing the whole time and he now went to sit down on his sleeping bag, leaving the tent the last thing he wanted to do right now.
"How was your day?" Jack asked.
Ennis rolled himself to sitting up. "Was good I guess. Been out in the fields." He paused, Jack just looked at him expectantly so he continued quietly, "There's sheep and cows. Need looking after and feeding. Some near to havin' babies. Pigs and horses need cleanin' out. Lots to do"
"Gosh" said Jack. It all sounded much more important and impressive than cooking meals. He wanted Ennis to carry on talking, he loved how his voice sounded. But it seemed Ennis had finished talking, so Jack asked, "You like all that sort of thing?"
"Mmm, "Ennis said thoughtfully, "never wanted to do anything else. Only reason I came was to work with the animals. Not interested in any of that other stuff." Jack thougt that was perfectly fair, admired Ennis' determination, wished he could be so decisive but he'd had no idea which task he fancied.
"I'm gonna try them all," Jack said, feeling he needed to explain himself, though Ennis had given him no reason to think that. "I never been in the country before, never done anything like this, so I'm just gonna see what I like best. Starting indoors. Guess I'll work my way outdoors to the animals eventually." Jack didnt add that the thought of being close to a large cow or horse kind of scared him. You couldnt control them, but he thought Ennis would think this was silly. All Ennis said was "Mmm". Jack didnt think it was a bored sound, so he pressed on with a more daring question: "You done this sort of thing before?" It was a question alluding to the past and Jack knew the past was a topic of conversation that many people in his situation preferred not to talk about. But Jack wanted to know who this Ennis was, and for good or bad, his past was probably what made him who he was now. And that was a someone Jack wanted to know all about. Jack did not like to talk about his past, mostly because he never knew how to repsond to people's pity and shock, but he always told the truth if asked. But Ennis wasn't giving off any indiaction that he had anythig to hide or that there was anythig he was ashamed of. A kind of simple honesty and trust radiated out of him and so Jack had taken the plunge.
"My parents owned a farm" Ennis said, looking down. Jack noted the past tense. Ennis knew Jack noted it. Jack looked at Ennis but Ennis was busy worrying a corner of his sleeping bag. The unanswered question hovered in the air between them. There were many ways out of the conversation but Jack didnt take any of them. There was a line he was on the verge of crossing. Before he could formulate the words, Ennis looked up. Their eyes locked. Jack bit his lip and looked down. Ennis licked his lips, paused. Jack looked back up. He had to. He was holding his breath again.
"They died. Car accident. When I was 12. Lived with my brother and sister. She got married moved away. He just got thrown in jail. I need to stay in school." In the end Ennis said it all quite matter of fact, like he didnt mind sharing his personal business, like he didn't mind that Jack was being nosey. Jack breathed out a sigh of relief. He was glad that Ennis's story wasn't too crazy or messed up like his own. He felt bad for Ennis that he'd lost both his parents so young, but Jack sensed that Ennis had made his peace with that long ago.
"Sorry, " Jack said. It was a sorry for his dead parents as well as a sorry for making Ennis talk about it. Ennis just nodded.
Jack thought he had to say something to restore the balance, although again Ennis gave no indiaction that was what he thought. "My parents aren't dead" Jack said. Ennis just said, "Oh". It was an Oh that said 'you can tell me more if you want, but you dont have to if you dont want to. I wont mind either way.'
Jack liked that Oh. Normally people wanted details so they could feel better about themselves and their lives. Or because they thought they were helping him by listening and this made them feel worthy and helpful. Or beacuse they needed to know to help others. Or because they had a morbid fascination with real life horror stories. Most people had a selfish motive for wanting top hear Jack's story. But Ennis had not given off any of those vibes. He'd left it up to Jack. Jack decided he did not need to know the gory details, so he just said. "They weren't very nice people. So I got out". Ennis just nodded.
Jack suddenly felt like a weight had lifted off his shoulders. It was a weight he wasnt even aware he was carrying, but he now noticed it was gone. They'd talked about their pasts. They now knew why each other was in care, and hence why they were here. It was like they had crossed a bridge together and got to a better place. There had been no judgement or pain or awkward questions. They'd just passed into a different phase of knowing each other where they knew important things about each other and had been honest. This made Jack happy and he also felt safe. It wasn't like with the normal kids at school who knew. They acted cautious around him always afriad they might upset him or set him off by saying the wrong thing. Jack knew, though he could not have said how he knew, that it wasn't going to be like that with Ennis. They might never talk about their pasts again, or they might share more sad details. Either way it just felt right and comfortable.
"So you liked the fries then?" he asked. "Sure did" Ennis replied, as content as Jack, it seemed, to have crossed over to a different place. "What about the rest of the meal?" Jack asked in a mock concerned voice.
"Mmmm, " Ennis thought about this for a few seconds. "The burgers were good. The fruit salad was a bit dull". They'd had fruit salad for dessert. Jack had spent ages peeling apples, pears, grapes and bananas, chopping melons, mangoes and pineapple. "Oh, " he said, trying not to look too hurt, or take it personally. After all he hadnt decided on the menu, he just had made it to order.
Ennis glanced at him. "Oh it wasnt bad, " Ennis said, "Just that fruit on it's own, kinda dull. Better in a pie. And weren't no cherries. I'm sure I seen a cherry tree. Like cherries". Jack just shrugged. "I just do what I'm told".
"Sure" , Ennis said, "And it did taste good. Honest." Then he looked at Jack, and raised an eyebrow. "If you cooked a cake, maybe you'd smell better"
"Huh?" Jack asked, surprised.
Ennis grinned. "You smell like McDonalds. Greasey fries, thought you was gonna take a shower? You know you really need one!" Jack's mouth had begun to open in shock, but the way Ennis finished the sentence with a big grin and another delightful chuckle made Jack realise he was being wound up.
"Hmmm", Jack mused. "Suppose it's better than smelling of cow or sheep poo!" and then he ducked as a pillow came sailing across the tent at him. It missed and Jack lobbed it back at it's owner. He grabbed his towel and legged it to the shower block before Ennis could retaliate, smiling all the way wondering if he could persuade Cassie to teach him how to cook a cherry cake.