The Last Night

50 girls sit in a close circle late at night. Everyone knows what’s happening tomorrow- we’re leaving. Camp will be over and nobody can except it. We all try to play it off, but inside we’re all crying. All the counselors gathered around us, trying to comfort us, but there’s nothing they can do. They pass out all the song books, and we all flip to the same page. Everyone’s arms are around each other as we start to sing.  The first song is good- happy, cheerful, everyone starts to feel a little better. Then the counselors made the worst choice they could possibly make. We flip to a new page and I see the words staring back at me: Jet Plane. I can feel the a single tear run down my face, slowly as leaves my eye and fast once it reaches my cheek. The counselors start, and slowly everyone joins in. And just as soon as we started we all stop. No one can sing. My chest feels heavy, my throat feels tight, my face is hot, and I can’t stop sniffling . I can’t see out of my eyes because they’re so full of tears. Every time I blink a new set of tears rushes down my face. I feel a slight bit of relief as the song comes to a close, but not enough to stop my crying.  I can’t focus during the next song, no one can, our eyes are all full of tears and are faces all red and hot.  The head counselor comes over and hands us all a candle glued to a piece of wood, and leads us outside. Everyone stands in a circle holding the unlit candle in our hands and slowly, one by one we pass around the flame. Everyone lighting the next candle. By now they’re all lit and everyone goes around dripping their candles wax on each one of their friends, trying not to cry, it doesn't work.

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/64409694@N08/5858143577/">beautiful.mess95</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>