Much Needed Escape (open)

[Gabriel James]

Gabe didn't necessarily want to go on the Hammel Retreat this year. His emotions were running high on many fronts, and he didn't have much interest in anything. He was more than a little depressed, and having to put on a smile for his students every day was something he was getting a bit tired of. But at the same time, he felt like getting away from home, away from everything that was keeping him down, away from his vices - well it couldn't be a bad thing.

It was still hard, though. He was doing his best to be upbeat and happy and helpful for the students, but there were certainly times where he was less than that. He led campfire songs the first night which certainly brought his mood up, but that quickly declined when he lay in bed that night - left alone to the silence and his thoughts.

He took some time to walk through the woods alone, and went swimming with some of his favorite students earlier in the day - two activities he was glad to have a part in. He hoped to keep the good times rolling, even though sad thoughts were looming. He lit the campfire, even though the sun hadn't set yet, and sat on one of the log benches with his guitar. Most of the students were still off doing various activities, many not even contemplating thoughts of the campfire, but Gabriel found the fire and his guitar the most soothing option at the moment.

He hummed to himself a bit as he strummed, building a counter melody as he gazed into the fire. He thought about his niece and Kiara and his mom and his brother. He thought about Kiara some more. His niece some more. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed anyone come up and sit by him.

[Grady Mitchellson]

Grady was always a bit uncomfortable at the retreat. Privacy was something he valued highly, particularly when sleeping or changing. So he always worried about the accommodations on any sort of outing. What would the bathroom situation be? What if someone wanted him to go swimming? What if he had to share a bedroom with someone?

Still he had been trying to break out of his shell lately. And Connor had also talked him into going on the retreat. So he figured if worse came to worse he could always follow the other boy around like some sort of puppy. Or maybe just shift into an owl and hide in a tree.

Speaking of Connor, Grady was looking for the other boy at the moment. He had made an excuse about not wanting to swim earlier, but not he was getting lonely just sitting around. He saw and heard someone down by the fire and though he'd go see who it was.

He sat down quietly and without speaking, partly not wanting to interrupt the music teacher and partly his not wanting to use his high-pitch voice around people he doesn't know well. Also he really liked guitar music so he didn't want the man to stop.

[Gabriel James]

Gabe hadn't noticed the student sit by the fire for a good couple of minutes as he started into the flames, mind drifting off to this and that and the other. It was only when he heard a scream come from over by the cabins that his head shot up. Luckily the screams were followed by a fit of giggles and it became clear that no one was hurt or dying and Gabe didn't have to preform first- aid. But the man was also surprised that someone had joined him by the fire.

"Woah... sorry," the man said, still taking a moment to snap out of his haze. "I didn't see you there," he added with a small chuckle. "Have you been enjoying retreat?" he asked, since it appeared the student was alone. If they didn't want to talk, he wouldn't pry much more from the student, but figured it would never hurt to try and strike a conversation. Especially with someone who was alone at retreat. Gabe knew back when he was a student there was never a moment he wasn't doing something with someone.

[Grady Mitchellson]

Grady had also jumped at the screams, his heartbeat shooting up. Though he should be used to sudden noises coming from a larger family and living in Hammel dorms, he felt a little on edge out of his element at the retreat.

Grady felt bad that he had startled the teacher by sneaking up on him, but the older man didn't seem too upset. So he figured he wasn't in any trouble or anything.

"I just...liked your playing," Grady said, hating how childish he sounded. It's not that Grady didn't like talking. He just wasn't used to it. Though he was forcing himself to get better at it, he was still out of practice.

"Yeah. It's been fun," Grady said, lying a little bit. In truth it had been fun, but also nerve-wrecking. Grady worried about being a new places, even under the safety of the Hammel staff. But things like where the bathroom would be and what they would be like, what the bedroom situation was, where he could change...it was all a bit much. Still everything had worked out, as he had tried to reassure himself that it would.

"Have you? Uh..been enjoying yourself?" He wondered if the staff saw this as some sort of vacation, or if they had to work harder to keep all of the student in control.

[Gabriel James]

Gabe looked down at his guitar when the student noted that he liked his playing. Gabe had nearly forgotten that was what he was doing. It seemed to be a theme lately - just going with the motions without much thought. Gabe had made an entire meal the other day without even realizing he'd turned on the oven. Grief did weird things to the mind. The man pushed that thought away, though. "Thanks! Figured you can't really have a campfire without some dude playing a guitar," Gabe noted with a little chuckle.

"Well it's definitely not as much fun as when I was a student," Gabe explained humorously. "I still love retreat, don't get me wrong. Chaperoning is a lot more work, though. And nothing is quite the same as getting lost in the woods with your friends for two days straight," Gabe noted nostalgically, remembering how Gabe and Everett became lost in the woods after a thunderstorm when they were students. It took them two days to find their way back to base camp, and if Gabe weren't so damn charming they probably would have gotten in a lot more trouble.

[Grady Mitchellson]

"You're welcome," Grady said, remembering his manners. This was a teacher after all. He had to agree with him on the fact the fire was improved by having a dude playing the guitar beside it. Of course, he was also glad that it was a teacher and not one of the older students. True he didn't really know many of the older students. But he had a view that they were all bullies, full of themselves, and probably wouldn't be as kind and willing to chat as a staff member.

"Two days?" Grady said, his voice rising a bit with his amazement. He couldn't imagine being stuck out in the woods for two days. Not that he was scared of the woods really. But being lost for two days didn't sound like fun to him.

"You were a Hammel student too?" Grady asked. Like most kids his age, he couldn't image a time when he wasn't a student. And though he knew some of the staff were Hammel alumni it was still weird when the fact was staring him in the face.