This is it. Your whole confirmation group, the rowdiest one ever according to your leaders, are finally about to go on the ending 1 week hike and then off to church for the sermon. And then PARTY!
While most of your friends plan to use this trip as an excuse for consuming amazing amounts of booze(there's even rumors of drugs), you're planning to actually enjoy this(and maybe have a drink or two too). You're not an experienced hiker, being a bit of a city kid, so you have your father help you pack. It was originally planned that he was supposed to come with you, but luckily he had to pull out in the last minute.
When the two of you are done packing, it's only about 2 hours left until you're leaving for the buss that'll take you to the trail you're hiking. It's only an hour or so from town, but it still feels weird to go on a trip like this without your parents. You get a ride to the buss station by your dad, always that worried look on his face, and you rush out as soon as you arrive. He asks you if you need any help packing up, but no, you want him away as soon as possible, especially when you notice some people got here by themselves. You give a slight wave, pull out your backpack from the car and run to your friends.
You meet up with your friends and soon find yourself on the buss.
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There's 21 kids going on the trip, you're one of them, and it's a mix between boys and girls. You've got three leaders with you, grownups who hardly anyone listen too, and you're all going to have a great time. The buss you're riding on, a ugly old thing, drives through the wilderness on the narrow road. From time to time you're forced to stop, as an animal or two is crossing the road, and inside the buzzing noise of several different conversation is heard...
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Finally you've arrived at the trail. It's really long, but not very tough, and luckily you managed to get away with carrying the lightest stuff you and your friends are going to use. Your main leader, Mrs. Elrich, looks sternly on the crowd of teenagers and humpfs.
"Listen now, everyone," she says in the boring, nasal tone she always has, "this is a trip we're supposed to enjoy, so I will say the rules again.
No alcohol or drugs of any kind. That should be obvious.
No sex or anything(at this there's some giggling from the girls).
No shortcuts. Everyone should stick together.
And finally, no cell phones. Everyone will remove the batteries of their cells and give them to us, the leaders, for safe-keeping."
The last rule was a surprise, since neither you or anyone else had even heard it before. Finally someone steps up and speaks:
"Why have we got to turn them over?" She asks irritately. "I promised my parents I'd call them when I go to bed." Some murmurs of approval echoes in the rows.
"Well, then you will just have to call them and say that you can't," Elrich says, as if stating the obvious. Relucantly several people pick up their cells and make phonecalls, then handing them over to the leaders. You, however, keep yours. It's soundless right now, and you don't trust this new rule. "This is because previous years we've had confirmands calling their parents to come and drop off food and snacks, not to mention alcohol, and this is strictly forbidden. You all signed up on this hike freely and you will have to follow the rules."
After making sure everything is set, you set off on the hike. You soon forget the problem with the cell phones and find that you're enjoying the scenery. This is a relief from the constant sounds and noises of the city and the trees and flowers gives off a vague, but very nice smell.
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After three days of hiking, most of the confirmands are getting homesick, many have blisters and two have been forced to return with one of the leaders after getting severe allergic reactions to pollen. Left is 19 kids, 12 girls and 7 boys, as well as two leaders, Elrich and a pretty decent guy named Josh Hammon. You yourself aren't suffering as much, but that's because your dad fortunantly remembered to pack down thick socks(for avoiding blisters), insectblock (to avoid mosquitoes) and lots of water.
As you set camp for the night, you realize that your water supply is running fairly low. You mention this to mrs. Elrich, and she points to the east, saying that there's a small river where they themselves filled up the water supply. She offers you some of their own(nearly everyone except you get their water from the leaders), but you refuse, saying that you'd rather not waste any of the others'. Elrich shrugs and returns to reading her book. You sneak away from the rest of the group and soon find the river. It's fairly wide, the water is clean and the bottom is sand, so the water's most probably clean. You fill up your bottles as well as taking a few sips yourself, the water tastes a bit metallic, but you can't expect it to taste like pipewater, can you?
You return back to camp and join the others. Soon enough you're handed a glass bottle filled with wine and a "hush". Shrugging you take the bottle to your lips and drink...