The bell rang before Jennifer could reveal anything else about the Mayflower incident.
Students reluctantly broke away from the conversation and hurried toward their classrooms while Dante filed the strange fire report away for later.
Mr.
Harrison entered the history classroom carrying a stack of papers beneath one arm.
He was a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, but his constant energy made him seem younger than most of the faculty.
“All right, everyone.
Take your seats.” The remaining conversations gradually died down.
Mr.
Harrison placed his lesson plan on the desk before turning toward the class with an unusually cheerful expression.
“Before we ruin your morning with the Civil War, I have some good news.
The school has finalized this year’s summer camp.” Several students immediately became interested.
Mr.
Harrison picked up a piece of chalk and wrote the destination across the blackboard.
CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE A small cheer erupted through the room.
For most of the students, a week at summer camp meant swimming, campfires, hiking, games, and several days away from their parents.
Dante stared at the name on the board.
Crystal Lake.
Of all the camps the school could have selected, they had somehow chosen the one location he would never mistake for an ordinary vacation destination.
A certain hockey-mask-wearing mama’s boy came immediately to mind.
Jason Voorhees.
Dante leaned back in his chair and almost smiled.
Pennywise and the Mayflower mirror demon had already made Derry interesting, but Crystal Lake promised an entirely different kind of problem.
Mr.
Harrison continued speaking without noticing Dante’s reaction.
“The trip lasts one week.
The fee is three hundred dollars and covers transportation, cabins, meals, and scheduled activities.” He wrote the registration deadline beneath the camp’s name.
“Space is limited.
Anyone interested can pick up a permission form after class.” Dante raised his hand immediately.
Several students turned toward him.
Even Mr.
Harrison looked surprised.
“Dante?
You want to go?” “Of course.” The answer came without hesitation.
Mr.
Harrison chuckled.
“I didn’t expect you to be the camping type.” “You learn something new every day.” A few students laughed while Mr.
Harrison shook his head and returned to the announcement.
Dante looked once more at the words Camp Crystal Lake and began wondering exactly which version of Jason this world intended to throw at him.
Lunch found Dante and the others packed into a booth at a burger place near the school.
The restaurant was crowded with students, and the smell of grilled beef, fries, and melted cheese filled the room.
Jennifer sat beside Needy while slowly stirring the ice in her soda.
“You’re seriously going to Crystal Lake?” Dante took another bite of his cheeseburger.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Jennifer stared at him as though the answer should have been obvious.
“Because it sounds like the beginning of every terrible horror movie.” “That makes it sound even better.” Frank adjusted his glasses from across the table.
“I actually looked it up.” Dante glanced toward him.
“Of course you did.” Frank ignored the comment and pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
“Camp Crystal Lake has a terrible history.
There have been murders and unexplained deaths around the property going back decades.” Needy stopped eating.
“What kind of murders?” “The kind where people die.” Jennifer rolled her eyes.
“Very helpful, Frank.” He continued anyway.
“The locals started calling it Camp Blood because so many terrible things happened there.
The place has been closed more than once, and apparently this is one of its first serious attempts at reopening.” Dante’s interest only increased.
“That sounds promising.” Frank lowered the paper.
“You heard everything I just said, right?” “Several murders, horrible reputation, abandoned camp coming back to life.” Dante nodded.
“Perfect place for a school trip.” Jennifer and Needy spoke at almost the same time.
“You’re insane.” Dante grinned.
“Probably.” He took another fry and looked toward Jennifer.
“What about you?
Coming?” Jennifer shook her head with obvious disappointment.
“I can’t.
My dad is going to New York for a medical seminar and decided I’m going with him.” “That sounds exciting.” “It sounds like several days of listening to doctors talk about things I don’t care about.” Needy gave her an amused look.
“You’ll survive.” Jennifer sighed dramatically.
“My father says it’ll broaden my horizons.” Since Jennifer would be in New York, Needy had no reason to join the Crystal Lake trip either.
The two of them had been nearly inseparable for years.
Dante turned toward Frank.
“You?” Frank leaned back against the booth.
“I’m spending part of summer break with my mom.” He shrugged.
“Divorced parents.
Every vacation somehow becomes a military scheduling operation.” “That leaves Carrie.” Everyone looked toward the quiet girl sitting at the end of the booth.
Carrie had been eating fries while listening to the conversation.
When she realized that all attention had shifted toward her, she nervously squeezed the ketchup packet between her fingers.
Dante softened his voice.
“Do you want to come?” Carrie glanced toward Jennifer and Needy before looking back at Dante.
The old hesitation was still there, but it no longer controlled every decision she made.
“I…
think I do.” Dante smiled.
“You sure?” Carrie took a breath and nodded.
“Yes.” She had spent most of her life avoiding unfamiliar places because Margaret taught her to fear nearly everything outside their home.
Since staying with the Connors and training her abilities, Carrie had slowly begun choosing things for herself.
A week away from Derry frightened her.
That was exactly why she wanted to go.
Dante snapped his fingers.
“Then it’s settled.
The Crystal Lake adventure team has officially been formed.” Carrie smiled despite herself.
Jennifer looked from Dante to Carrie.
The faint blush on Carrie’s face did not escape her notice, and something unreadable briefly passed through Jennifer’s expression before she returned to her drink.
The school day ended several hours later.
Students left in small groups while the afternoon sun began descending toward the rooftops.
Dante and Carrie walked home together.
Their shadows stretched across the sidewalk while warm orange light filtered through the trees lining the road.
Dante glanced toward her.
“How’s the telekinesis training going?” Carrie immediately became more animated.
“Better.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“I don’t lose control as easily anymore.
Even when I get upset, I can usually keep things from moving unless I want them to.” “That’s a big improvement.” “I’ve also started practicing with heavier objects.” Dante looked interested.
“How heavy?” Carrie glanced toward the curb.
“Like that.” A fire hydrant stood near the intersection.
Dante raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve been moving fire hydrants?” “Not very far.” Carrie looked slightly embarrassed.
“I can lift one for a few seconds.” Dante had expected her power to grow quickly, but her progress was even faster than he predicted.
The raw telekinetic potential inside Carrie had always been enormous.
Now that she was learning control without constant fear and abuse, that talent was developing at an astonishing rate.
“Not bad.” Carrie smiled at the praise.
Then she hesitated.
“There’s something else.” She stopped walking and reached into her bag.
Dante watched as she removed a small lighter.
Carrie flicked it on.
A tiny orange flame appeared.
She held her free hand above it and focused.
The flame stretched away from the lighter and floated into the air above her palm.
Dante’s eyes narrowed with interest.
Carrie slowly manipulated the flame until it resembled a tiny bird.
The shape fluttered its wings before changing into a rabbit and then a small fox.
“That’s impressive.” Carrie looked pleased.
“I figured it out on my own.” The flame shifted again.
“I realized that I don’t have to move the whole object at once.
I can control really small movements if I concentrate.” Dante watched carefully.
Carrie was not creating fire.
She was using telekinesis with enough precision to manipulate an existing flame by controlling the heated gases and airflow around it.
That level of accuracy was much more difficult than simply lifting something heavy.
Carrie extinguished the lighter but kept the flame suspended for another second before allowing it to disappear.
“I think small things are easier sometimes.” Dante smiled.
“You’re a genius, Carrie.” Her face immediately reddened.
“I’m not.” “You just shaped fire into animals with your mind.” He gestured toward the empty space above her hand.
“That qualifies.” Carrie tried to hide her smile but failed.
Her happiness made Dante realize how rarely anyone had praised her before.
They continued walking until Dante noticed a wooded area beside the road.
Few people were nearby, and the trees were thick enough to hide them from passing cars.
A thought occurred to him.
He grinned.
“Want to try something cooler?” Carrie looked suspicious.
“What?” Instead of answering, Dante caught her wrist and led her between the trees.
“Dante?” “Trust me.” They moved deeper into the grove until they reached a small clearing.
The road could no longer be seen through the dense branches.
Dante stopped near the center.
Carrie looked around.
“What are we doing?” “Something you’ll want to learn eventually.” He stepped closer.
“Hold on.” Carrie barely had time to react before an invisible force wrapped around both of them.
Her feet left the ground.
Carrie gasped.
They slowly rose above the grass.
“Dante!” She immediately grabbed his arm with both hands and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Put me down!” “You’re fine.” They continued upward.
Carrie clung tighter as the wind strengthened around them.
Dante used Telekinesis EX to surround both of their bodies with a stable field.
He had practiced flight enough to control their speed smoothly, though carrying another person required slightly more attention.
“Open your eyes.” “No.” “You’re missing the best part.” “I’m not opening them.” Dante laughed.
“Carrie.” His voice became gentler.
“I’ve got you.” She hesitated.
Then one eye slowly opened.
Carrie immediately froze.
The tops of the trees were below them.
Her second eye opened.
They continued climbing as the forest shrank beneath their feet.
Roads became narrow lines while houses looked like tiny models scattered across Derry.
Carrie loosened her grip slightly.
“Oh my God.” Wind moved through her long hair as she looked across the town.
The view stretched farther than she had ever imagined.
Streets, rooftops, distant hills, and patches of forest spread beneath the orange evening sky.
The fear caused by the height slowly faded.
Wonder replaced it.
“This is…” Carrie could not finish the sentence.
Dante hovered beside her.
“Flight.” She looked toward him.
“It’s telekinesis?” “An advanced use of it.” Dante extended one hand and adjusted the invisible field holding them in the air.
“You already know how to lift an object.
Eventually, you just have to realize that your own body is another object.” Carrie glanced downward.
“That sounds much easier when you say it.” “It took me a few near crashes to figure out.” Her eyes widened.
“You crashed?” “Almost.” “That doesn’t make me feel better.” Dante laughed again.
“I said almost.” Carrie gradually released his arm.
She tested the invisible support around her before slowly spreading both hands.
The wind moved between her fingers.
For the first time, Carrie allowed herself to simply enjoy the sensation.
She stretched her arms wider like a bird opening its wings.
A quiet laugh escaped her.
Dante moved them higher.
The setting sun touched the horizon and covered the world in warm gold.
Derry looked peaceful from above, and the problems that had once dominated Carrie’s life suddenly seemed very small.
Mark’s insults were somewhere far below.
Her mother’s screaming belonged to another house on another street.
Even the prayer closet that had once represented her entire world felt distant.
Up here, nobody could lock her away.
Nobody could force her to lower her head.
Carrie breathed deeply and allowed the open sky to surround her.
“I never knew it could feel like this.” Dante glanced toward her.
“Like what?” “Free.” The single word carried more meaning than Carrie knew how to explain.
She turned toward Dante.
The sunset outlined his face in gold while the evening sky reflected in his eyes.
His usual playful expression seemed softer at that moment as he watched her enjoy something she had never believed possible.
Carrie stared a little longer than she intended.
Her heart skipped a beat.