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Post by Shawn Ackerley on Mar 31, 2007 23:44:05 GMT -5
The mess hall is large and sometimes doubles as an auditorium, with three lines of tables running up and down the area. The number of tables set out every night varries with the camps plans, but each table seats ten people. Toward the front of the mess hall is the enterance to the kitchen where campers form lines to get their favorite type of gruel.
The hall is normally noisy and full of delicious scents.
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Post by Shawn Ackerley on Mar 31, 2007 23:53:28 GMT -5
Shawn entered the Mess Hall slowly. He really didn't want to be here. Here he was, however, instead of out smoking with his friends in someone's backyard. Nope instead he had a limited amount of drugs to survive off, a brother to deal with, and a crazy camp to attend. Okay, in truth he could survive two out of three. The brother part was what was going to be his downfall.
Glancing around the hall he realized his evil brother was not present and mentally sighed in relief. Brushing a a few stray strands of hair out of his eyes, Shawn moved to the back of the food line. He didn't talk to anyone, didn't want to. His brown eyes just focused on the task at hand. He could grab the tray, get some food, eat it and go back to his room.
"Mush, mush or more mush?" he muttered to himself as he eyed the food ahead. In all honesty, the food didn't look too horrible. It seemed like there were sloppy joes, some pudding, peas and even a cake. A cake that had writing on it. "Oh, joy. Someone's birthday," the teen muttered darkly to himself. He was hoping he could get out of there as soon as possible.
Once his tray was full, he quickly made his way to an empty table. Empty was good. Empty was amazing. That meant no talking.
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Post by Ryan McKinney on Apr 1, 2007 0:10:55 GMT -5
Ryan was rather hungry this evening. He'd spent the afternoon becoming reacquainted with the Camp's layout and checking out the activities that had been added since last season. He was still in a particularly foul mood from his and Shawn's fight the day before. He could hardly have been angrier when the Counselor who broke them up docked Ryan his Rebel label. Shawn didn't have any labels to be docked since he was a first-year, so instead he'd gotten the punishment of being banned from activities the first week of camp, a punishment which Ryan felt was hardly equated with his own.
Therefore it was with special displeasure that he noted his half-sibling's presence in the mess hall. Shawn was sitting by himself, something Ryan hardly found surprising. He wouldn't want to hang out with Shawn...hell, Shawn was his brother and Ryan could barely tolerate his presence. There was just something incredibly annoying about the other boy. Not to mention he was a junkie, and totally wrecking his life before he was even eighteen.
But Ryan wanted his Rebel label back. And of all the Rebels at Aspen Ridge, Shawn was the one he knew best. It took Ryan a moment to decide how badly he wanted it, but he concluded that a conversation with Shawn here in a public place would definitely benefit his chances of earning it back. So after getting his food, he made his way to the otherwise empty table at which his brother was seated.
"Hey." he said, not really sure how to begin. He hoped Shawn wouldn't explode at him just sitting down there, that he would realize that it was to both of their benefits to get along. He hoped he could make himself believe that, too.
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Post by Shawn Ackerley on Apr 1, 2007 0:18:50 GMT -5
Shawn's peace was destroyed the minute his brother sat down at his table. Well maybe not that minute, more of the minute he said something. Shawn could have handled sitting in silence. They were used to silence, it was usually how dinners at home went. If neither spoke, they could tolerate each others' presences for the most part.
Turning icy brown eyes up from his plate, Shawn asked, "What the hell do you want?" Not the best greeting, but things had started out horribly enough, no reason to falsely lead his brother into thinking he was welcome around him. Nope, Shawn wanted as little to do with Ryan as possible.
Almost unnoticable to the casual observer, Shawn increased the speed of his eating. The faster he ate, the sooner he could get out of the hell hole.
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Post by Ryan McKinney on Apr 1, 2007 12:56:53 GMT -5
Ryan shoved a bite of instant mashed potatoes into his mouth, and swallowed without really chewing. Chewing wasn't really necessary for mashed potatoes, after all. He didn't want to aggravate the situation further, so he remained silent for a moment, hoping Shawn would chill a bit before he spoke again. After a few moments, he finally spoke again. "Look, I know it sucks now. I felt the same way when I got here."
He shrugged. "Hell, it may still suck at the end of the season. A lot of people hate it here no matter how long they stay. But you're probably not getting out unless you work at earning your labels. Can you put up with me for that?"
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Post by Shawn Ackerley on Apr 1, 2007 13:08:03 GMT -5
Shawn gritted his teeth as his brother spoke. The teen hadn't liked it here? Well that's a surprise he seemed to love it now. Stabbing his jello forcefully, Shawn responded, "Get my labels and I can get out of here? You've got what... seven? And you're still here!" This place was hell, hell with his d**n brother and he knew there was no escaping it.
"If all I needed was labels to get out of his hell hole, then you wouldn't be here, now would you?" Shawn asked, his brown eyes narrowed as he glared at his tray of food. Couldn't Ryan have just left him alone? All he wanted was some peace.
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Post by Ryan McKinney on Apr 1, 2007 13:21:19 GMT -5
"Look, I'm not saying you have to get all of them. I don't know how your dad feels about that, but it's not like you're required to earn all of them or you have to keep coming back. You just have to have two by the end of the season. And it's a lot easier when you make an effort. I'm still here because I want to be here now." Ryan sighed. This wasn't going particularly well.
"Your dad sent you here because you've got a problem." Ryan told his little brother, lowering his tone. "I'd say you're lucky he didn't send you to rehab instead. Maybe you should consider yourself lucky to be fixing your social problems instead of your drug problems."
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Post by Shawn Ackerley on Apr 1, 2007 13:29:13 GMT -5
Shawn scowled. His day would have been so much better if Ryan had never come to sit with him. And now here he was getting lectured by his stupid older brother. "Well mister perfect, what the hell do you want with me? Why don't you just leave your druggie brother alone and play with your amazing friends?" With a clank, Shawn set his silverware down on the tray and stood up. "Why bother even talking to your screwed up, unwanted family member?" he asked nastily, as he turned away and disposed of his tray.
Sighing quietly, he moved toward the closest exit. Hungry or not he wanted to get away from that guy.
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Post by Ryan McKinney on Apr 1, 2007 14:09:00 GMT -5
Ryan rolled his eyes. There wasn't much else he could do. Shawn had always been reluctant to listen to anything critical. He always took it personally, made it sound like the person was attacking his character, when all they were really doing was trying to help. Ryan and Shawn did not get along, but if anyone else tried to touch his younger brother, Ryan would kick their ass in a heartbeat.
Ryan's mother had once asked him if the reason he and Shawn were so hateful towards one another had anything to do with the fact that they weren't full brothers. Ryan had answered honestly and emphatically, no, that had nothing to do with it. The fact was, Shawn's father had been a better father to him than his own had, and he bore no resentment towards Mr. Ackerley for that, and no resentment towards Shawn for being the product of his mother's second marriage.
The fact was, he and Shawn simply had opposing natures. It seemed they were cut out of two completely different pieces of fabric, and nothing could really change that, not even the blood they shared. Try as he might, Ryan couldn't seem to communicate with Shawn. He couldn't help feeling that might be because Shawn didn't want him to.
"Hey...Shawn...wait up." he called, standing up. He knew Shawn was probably trying to manipulate the situation with his claims of being unwanted. But the overly emotional part of him that had landed him here in the first place couldn't ignore it if it wasn't just an attempt at getting attention.
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Post by Shawn Ackerley on Apr 1, 2007 14:22:06 GMT -5
Shawn could hear his brother call out to him. He knew his brother would just push the issue. He didn't want to listen to the excuses and the logical reasoning. No, he just wanted to go smoke, not that he could here. He stopped at the door, his hand on the handle as he turned to look at his brother.
"What do you want now?" he asked, the annoyed scowl that seemed to be never leaving, present on his face. Couldn't he just live his life as a hermit? A nice cabin somewhere away from people. That sounded like a good idea, a really good idea.
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