Beyond the cabins and tops of the trees stood a giant mountain, watching over them. Billy tilted his head back so he could see the top. It was the biggest mountain he’d ever seen, and he felt small standing in its shadow.
In the distance Billy could hear rushing water, and a sound he couldn’t quite place. He waited a minute to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. Yes, there it was again. A howling.
He could tell the instant Dylan heard it too because his eyes got bigger and his mouth fell open.
‘What is that?’ asked Billy, looking around and trying to pinpoint the sound.
‘Monkeys,’ said JJ, dropping their bags next to them. ‘They’re everywhere around here. You’ll get used to it.’
‘Monkeys?’ Dylan exclaimed. ‘MONKEYS?’
‘Yes, monkeys. You know, long tail, small hands.’ JJ smirked. ‘Better watch out – some of them are as big as you. And they’re fierce,’ he said over his shoulder as he went to get more bags out of the van.
Dylan paled. ‘Billy,’ he whispered. ‘I don’t want to fight a monkey.’
‘Nobody is going to fight a monkey,’ Billy said, although he really had no idea. ‘And, if we do, I’ll take the first swing, okay?’ He grinned at Dylan, trying to reassure him. Even though they’d just met, he could tell that Dylan was the kind of kid who was nervous about everything. But Billy didn’t mind – having someone to reassure made him feel useful.
‘All I know about monkeys is you shouldn’t smile at them. Otherwise they’ll think you’re baring your teeth at them and will attack!’ someone said with a southern accent. The blonde girl appeared next to them, remarkably unwrinkled after their hair-raising bus journey. She bared her teeth. ‘Like this!’
‘Got it,’ said Dylan. ‘Won’t do that.’
‘Oh, excuse me, where are my manners?’ she went on. ‘It is a pleasure to meet y’all. I’m Charlotte Bell, four-time winner of Little Miss of the South and two-time ju-jitsu world champion in the under-fourteen category.’ She curtsied.
Dylan and Billy stared at her. Then Dylan shrugged and gave an elaborate bow.
‘Dylan O’Donnell, at your service.’
Not to be outdone, Billy bowed too, a laugh bubbling up inside him.
‘I’m Billy Chan,’ he said. And then with a sly smile he added, ‘And I’ve got multiple surf championship titles.’
‘Of course, this camp is full of overachievers,’ moaned Dylan, but he was grinning. ‘I myself don’t have any titles, although I did once come second in a spelling bee.’
‘What is “Little Miss of the South”, anyway?’ asked Billy.
‘It’s a pageant,’ Charlotte said, as if it was obvious. ‘Where you have to have talents and stuff? That’s why I’m so good at ju-jitsu, because it’s my talent.’ She gave them a ferocious smile. ‘I bet I can beat both of you in an arm wrestle. Heck, I could flip both of you over right now.’
‘I believe you,’ Dylan said quickly, taking a small step back. ‘We’ll take your word for it.’
‘Gather round, campers,’ called Old Gold, who was standing on top of a large tree stump. ‘Now I can formally welcome you to Camp Dragon! Let us all introduce ourselves.’
Everyone formed a circle, saying their names and where they were from. Australia, Japan, India, Ghana, Denmark, France, England and Argentina. Billy had never heard so many new accents before. There were fewer campers than he’d expected though.
‘What a wonderful sight to see all of you here, for the inaugural year of Camp Dragon,’ said Old Gold. ‘Why, you might be asking, have I brought you so far from your homes to this place with log cabins and no internet? You twelve were brought to my attention by someone in your life who knows you very well; perhaps a teacher, a librarian or a coach. I sent out a call to my colleagues around the world for twelve of the best and brightest, and you all are it.’
‘Excuse me,’ said Charlotte, raising her hand. ‘There are only eleven of us, not twelve.’
‘Congratulations, you know how to count,’ said JJ drolly. Charlotte glared at him.
‘Well spotted, Charlotte,’ said Old Gold. ‘I can tell you have a keen eye. You are correct.’
‘I wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t correct,’ said Charlotte with a degree of self-confidence bordering on cockiness. Billy was both a little bit in awe and alarmed. She seemed like the kind of person who was very used to getting her own way, no matter what. He definitely didn’t want to get on her bad side.
Old Gold cleared his throat. ‘Yes, well, as I was saying, you have all been brought here for a special reason.’
‘Is he the twelfth person?’ Charlotte interrupted again, pointing at JJ.
Dylan buried his face in his hands. ‘Please, in the name of all that is holy, as my nan says, stop interrupting him.’
JJ scoffed. ‘I’m not a camper. I’m practically a camp counsellor. I’m here to help my yeye.’ Billy remembered that yeye meant ‘grandfather’ in Mandarin. JJ pointed over everyone’s heads. ‘That’s the twelfth camper.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Apparently my yeye sees something special in her too. Although who knows what.’
Everyone turned to see a Chinese girl with a round face and two long black braids hurrying towards them.
‘I’m sorry I’m late!’ she said, going to stand next to Old Gold. ‘I was taking a nap and slept through my alarm. I was having the most delicious dream.’
Old Gold sighed, rather heavily. ‘Everyone, this is Liu Ling-Fei. And, as JJ says, she is our twelfth camper.’
Ling-Fei grinned widely at everyone and waved.
‘Now, where was I?’ muttered Old Gold. ‘Ah, yes. It is my privilege to welcome you all here. I know from your nominations that you are all looking to improve your language skills, but here you will achieve more than that. You will discover yourselves. I challenge you to open your minds and your hearts. You will only get out of this special place what you put in.’
‘A bit of a tall order for a summer camp,’ said Dylan under
