Quest Overview: His name is Jon Whitaker, and all he wants to do is help the place he calls home.

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Quest: 1.1

--- Jon Whitaker ---

Camp Bet has been more a home to him than any other place he could remember.

Now normally saying that about a summer camp would be a little weird, he had no problem admitting that.

But given how his summers there had helped him through a fair number of rough patches in his life from his deadbeat father to his mom’s… (depression) after the fact, well…

He considered Camp Bet to be a home to him… and the kids who literally made Camp Bet their home.

Which is why the conversation he was (maybe, probably shouldn’t be) hearing was hitting him so much harder than it would a normal person.

“If we don’t figure something out, we’ll have to close the camp.” Miss Edna, the camp manager, told the two camp counselors.

“And you’re sure we can’t find the money anywhere?” Counselor Andy asked, the large black man being the only counselor he could see from outside the cabin.

“We could try a fundraiser, but honestly we’ve been slowly making less and less money each year.” Miss Edna admitted. “If we can’t figure out a way to increase incoming campers, the camp will close in the next few years one way or another.”

“This is going to mess the kids up.” Counselor Jill groaned, her chair scratching against the floor as she shifted in her seat.

“Which is why we aren’t telling them until the end of the summer at the earliest.” Miss Edna ordered. “We’ve got enough funds to keep the camp open until august, that’s long enough that most of the campers would’ve been picked up one way or the other.”

“And the rest?” Jill asked warily.

“I’ll deal with them.” Miss Edna promised them. “I just felt you two deserved to know you might not have this job next summer.”

“It’s fine, I’ve got my teaching job during the year, so I’ll be fine even if I have to figure something else out during the summer.” Andy assured the other adults.

“I’ve finally got my nursing degree, so I doubt I’d be coming back next summer either way.” Jill admitted, causing another ping through his chest as he thought about losing her.

“Right, that’s why…” Andy trailed off for a moment. “Fuck, are we telling Jon and Ying? I mean, the whole reason we’re doing the CIT thing this year is so they could work here next summer.”

“That’s…” Miss Edna sighed, before there was a sound of shifting glass. “We’ll let them finish out the summer. While it won’t give them a job next year, it’ll at least look decent on their college resumes in a couple of years.”

“But out of all the kids they’re the ones who-” Jill began, only for Miss Edna to cut her off with a terse. “I know.”

“I know…” Miss Edna repeated with much less heat. “And I’ll deal with it…”

Everyone was silent for a moment before Miss Edna finally dismissed the two counselors.

Before any of the adults could leave and spot him, he pushed off the wall and made his way back to his cabin, before sneaking into his bunk without alerting either of his bunk mates.

Part of him wanted to go to sleep, to pretend he hadn’t just learned he was going to lose his home. Another larger part however, refused to let him think of anything else.

(Damn it…)

He rubbed his palms against his eyes.

(There has to be something I can do to help the camp, but what? It’s not like I’ve any skills that can make money, the only things I’m good at are....)