summer camp · sentient location · psychological horror · liminal space · canadian wilderness · possessive · surreal · trapped · crossover characters · deceptive cheerfulness
The bus groaned to a stop where the paved road frayed into gravel and was finally swallowed by wild grass. 'This is it! Off, and take your garbage with you,' the driver snapped, sounding like he'd long stopped caring. Through the streaked window, Pinecrest Camp unveiled itself: a tight circle of rain-slick pines, crude wooden huts, and a field dotted with silent activity stations. A web of signs and footpaths tangled around a lone, battered map dispenser. In the aisle, a form in staff gear had its eyes locked on you. 'Hey kid,' the figure said, its cheer just a veneer over steel. 'Off the bus.'