My Summer at Camp Kickapoo
Chapter One
A Late Night Thunderstorm

I took a deep breath as I peered out through the flaps of my tent. The heavy rain drops pounded upon the canvas frame of my tent. Claps of thunder echoed in the dark night sky and the icy wind howled through cracks in the bottom of the tent. The sudden thunderstorm should have been a blessing, for it had cooled the air. But as I sat down upon my cot and peered down at the black and white pages of my manga I found myself straining to read the fine print. My only source of light, an old gas powered lantern, started to sway back and forth as the flaps of the tent flapped in the wind.

I was two days into a fourteen day sojourner into the rural, rustic hell called “Camp Kickapoo '' I had signed up for what's called a double hitch. Not only in hopes of earning enough to merit badges to advance from my current rank of Scout First Class to Star. But also to prove to myself that I had “True Grit”. I can not easily define what “True Grit” is. But it was something I was told I lacked all my life.

Oh and this manga I'm reading? The glossy cover shows a girl with long raven colored hair. She was wearing a stylish Sailor Uniform and she was surrounded by orange and yellow flaming balls of fire. The title of the manga was called Sailor Moon and was about a girl who saved a black cat and as result had been endowed with magical powers and gifted a magic wand.

The manga was more than a comic book, it was my connection to the world outside this rustic hell. Scouts attending camp here were not allowed to have any electronic devices heck we were not allowed to have more than forty dollars in cash. In fact all my world possessions were laying at foot of my cot. All were contained in a brown rucksack.

That rucksack contained my Scout Handbook, a shaving kit, an extra bar of soap, a formal uniform, a hairbrush, extra hair ties, a compass, a notebook with some pens, a box of matches, and my tin cooking kit. Also wrapped in an old paper bag was a pair of brown dress shoes that went along with the formal scout uniform. For everyday wear I wore a pair of brown leather moccasins. I had a spare pair of moccasins in my sack.

I was also making another pair. You see the camp store or “The Trading Post” - The trading post sold most anything a scout could want from guide books about getting certain merit badges, to crafting kits to even an ice cold soda and a snack. The post only accepted cash and bills no larger than a five. So that was that.

Also I failed to mention this earlier but also housed within my sack was a leather bound Book of Common Prayer, and a set of Anglican Prayer Beads. I'd been born into a family that had been Episcopalian for generations and one uncle had even gone into the priesthood. As far as I could tell he was the rector, that is the person in charge of a parish, which is just a fancy name for a church and the congregation that calls that church home. And last but not least a leather drawstring pouch that contained a small amount of money. Most one dollar bills, a few five dollar bills, two ten dollar bills, a good collection of coins and stuff. When I last counted my money I had around forty three dollars and sixteen cents in total hidden at the bottom of my pack. For you know extra scout stuff.

Returning the manga that was in my hand. I was also an enthusiastic fan of manga and dreamed of writing and publishing my own one day. I know the manga publishing giant TokyoPublications is always looking for fresh talent. Maybe I could get hired on with them. Anyway it's late, according to my watch it's now nine thirty at night. And I have, if I'm lucky, five hours of sleep ahead of me.

But for I turn out that light I want to tell you guys why I'm here. I'm here because I want to experience what this world has to offer. I want to write and draw a manga that has never been written or drawn before. As far as I can tell nobody has written or drawn a manga based on the American Boy scout Experience. Much less one based on Summer Camp. And the only way to really draw it is to live it. And I plan on living it.

I want to advance in scouts. And well, guys as I close my manga and place it tender back into my rucksack. I stand up to dim the lantern. I want to invite you to follow along with me. Because like I said, I also want to become a writer and the only way to really write is to know what you're writing about and to write from experience. That was my best friend Emily Anderson told me. And she was right. So join me if you will, as I chronicle these next twelve days and share with you all the highs, all the lows and all the misadventures.