Chapter 16

Right before we reach our bunk, Simon slips off to call his mates. I’m about to head up to the screen door when a voice behind me stops me in my tracks.

“Hey!”

“Whaa?” I jump and spin around.

“Sorry,” Nathan says, standing there looking kind of sheepish. “Did I scare you?”

“No,” I say.

Yes, I think, and I suddenly realize how late it is.

“Are we, like, in trouble?” I ask.

“Trouble?” Nathan echoes, like he hadn’t even thought of it. “Why?”

“’Cause it’s so late? Isn’t there, like, a curfew?”

From the corner of my eye, I notice Josh and Tyler inside the cabin, bunched around the window, frantically shaking their heads and mouthing the word “no.”

“I mean—um.” I hesitate. “I’ll be back earlier next time.”

More frantic head-shaking from my mates. And Nathan is frowning at me like he thinks I’m weird.

“I mean . . .” My eyes keep darting to the window for advice. “I was in the woods . . . I thought I saw an animal . . .”

The guys are going nuts now, mouthing “shut up,” making slash signs across their throats, and wildly shaking their heads.

“Like, a wild animal?” Nathan says, looking worried.

I’m a terrible liar! This is all making me so nervous! My armpits are getting sticky, and I have to loudly gulp down a big wad of saliva that’s lodged in my throat.

“I mean, I thought I saw a wild animal, but it was really just Mick Jagger,” I offer weakly. “Then I decided to film him. Ya know, running.”

I tilt my head down so Nathan can see my camera.

“It looks like it’s off,” Nathan says suspiciously.

The guys at the window are slapping their heads and looking like they’re in agony.

Nathan’s eyes snap up to the window, but Josh and Tyler duck just in time.

“I . . .” I start, my eyes welling up now. “I don’t know what I’m saying. I’m lying. I don’t know why.”

“It’s okay, Noah,” Nathan says gently. He reaches out and gives my shoulder a few pats. “After what happened with those bullies, it’s no wonder you’re upset.” His expression is serious. “There’s a Jewish proverb that says, Courage is a kingdom without a crown.”

“Cool,” I say, because I have no idea what he means and don’t know what else to say.

“It’s okay,” he repeats. “You don’t have to tell me what you were doing out so late.”

“Whew.” I let out the long breath I didn’t know I was holding. “That’s a relief.”

We stand in silence for a few moments, and I notice that the air is rich with cricket-y night sounds. Somewhere in the distance, a lone dog howls. The hazy full moon throws soft, fuzzy light, and the sweet smell of pine is everywhere.

“The camp grounds are really safe,” Nathan finally says. “Someone’s always nearby, and I’m betting you all keep your phones with you. The place has great Wi-Fi.”

“I’ve heard that,” I say, thinking of Pops.

“Just don’t go out there alone,” he continues, “especially when Mike and Jake are wandering around.”

“It’s okay,” I say reassuringly. “I have mates.”

“I see that.” Nathan smirks, darting his eyes toward the window, where Tyler and Josh again duck quickly out of sight.

“Sometimes,” he sighs, his gaze traveling out toward the trees that softly sway in the warm breeze, “I like to take night walks too. Just to think.”

Maybe I should tell Nathan about saving the world. I wonder what he’d think about that. But before I can say anything, he’s like, “Well, ’night.” He pivots and walks up to the creaky screen door of his bunk.

“I’m thinking about saving the world,” I blurt out.

“What?” Nathan spins back around.

“Actually, someone I know is trying to save the world,” I clarify. “But I think I’d like to help. That’s like tikkun olam, right? And maybe that could be my Bar Mitzvah project. What a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, right?”

Nathan doesn’t say anything for a few long moments. Finally, he looks ponderous and is like, “Hmm. That’s a good thought, but it’s a little general. It might be overwhelming to try to save the whole world at one time.”

“That’s a valid point,” I reply. “But my friend says he has some kind of plan.”

“Which is?”

“It’s top secret,” I say, “so I really can’t tell you any more.”

Nathan kicks a pebble around with his shoe, and it looks like a little smile is tugging at his lips. “Maybe you could start a little smaller, maybe doing charity for some good cause or helping with a food drive. You could make a documentary about the cause and raise money.”

Josh and Tyler appear at the window again, this time making goofy faces, squishing their noses against the glass, and stuff like that. The air is getting chilly, and I think it’s time to go inside.

“Um . . . no,” I reply thoughtfully. “I think I’d better just jump in and save the whole world first. Then I can maybe do some kind of other mitzvot. There’s a no-kill animal shelter in town. They need dog walkers.”

“Well . . .” Nathan looks contemplative. “You seem pretty committed to the idea, but I think we should talk more about it. ’Kay?” And with that, Nathan walks up to the creaky screen door and disappears inside.

Later that night, lying in my bed, I’m like, Man, do I have a lot to think about!

First, there’s the mystery with Pops. Is Earth really in danger of being smashed by a giant asteroid, and do we really only have a few weeks to live? Can we stop it? And how exactly can I get this all on film?

And then there’s Mia. Why was she so upset? Is it possible that she doesn’t know what she sounds like when she sings? And why would her voice make her angry? Because it’s different? Is it that she likes to be different but not too different? Or is it that she’s different in a way she didn’t expect to be? I’m starting to think that no one really knows how they sound or look. And no one really knows how other people see them.

Quietly I sit up, careful not to wake Tyler and Josh. I grab the little desk mirror and stare into the small black irises of my own eyes. Maybe nobody really sees the me I want them to see either. Being a cinéma vérité filmmaker may help me reveal the truth in other people, but I’m still not sure what the truth is in me.

Simon slips through the screen door. “Hey, whatcha doing?” he says slowly, seeing me nose-to-nose with my own reflection.

“Trying to see the truth in my soul.”

“Right.” He sighs, tossing his phone onto his pillow and plopping down onto his bed. “So what’s this all this rubbish with your pops?”

“What makes you think it’s rubbish?” I say.

“Are you joking?” he says, his eyes widening. “You don’t really believe him, do you?”

“I’m not sure, but wouldn’t it be cool if he was telling the truth? I mean, even though I know it sounds impossible—”

“Ya think?”

“But what if it’s real?” I persist.

“Seriously?” Simon says too loudly. Tyler shifts in his top bunk, bumping the top of my head with his butt.

“Shh,” I whisper, moving next to Simon. I’m careful not to jostle Josh, who’s sprawled across his bed, tangled in the covers. “It could be true.”

“Noah,” Simon says in a low voice, “don’t you think that if Earth were in danger of being hit by some monster asteroid, the government would know about it?”

“Maybe they do,” I say.

Simon’s phone buzzes loudly. “Oh crap, hang on,” he says. “Hello?” he says into his phone.

Josh turns over in his bed and slowly sits up, his face slack in a state of half-sleep. “ ’Sup?” he says hoarsely.

“Killer asteroids,” Simon answers him. Into his phone, he’s like, “Have to call you back. What? Football match? Dunno. Yeah, you’ll figure it out without me,” and he hangs up.

“Huh?” Josh says, rubbing his face and swinging his legs over the side of his bed.

“My pops thinks a giant asteroid is hurtling through space and is about to crash into Earth.”

“Um . . . what?” Josh yawns and turns to Simon. “Translate, please.”

Simon fills him in on everything that’s happened.

“And the key to preventing it is buried somewhere on the historic site,” I blurt excitedly.

“For real?” Josh asks.

“It’s all nonsense, of course,” Simon says.

Tyler moans and rolls over. “Shuddup, you guys. I’m trying to sleep.”

Josh throws a pillow at Tyler.

“Jeez!” Tyler moans, sits up, wipes the drool from his mouth, and squints out the window. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“Could be true.” Josh shrugs. “Maybe.”

“So you believe it? That’s awesome!” I exclaim.

“Whoa, don’t get too excited.” Josh holds up his palms. “I didn’t say I believed it.”

“Well, I still unequivocally don’t believe it,” Simon says.

“Oh, cheerio,” Josh says dryly, mimicking the British accent. “Unequivocally? Speak English, dude.”

“I’m saying it’s all crap,” Simon retorts.

Tyler puts on his glasses, slides down from his bunk, and perches on the edge of my cot. “I’m sorry, could you all explain this again?” he says.

“Dude, whew. Gum first. Open your mouth a second,” Josh says, waving his hand in front of his face.

He mashes a piece of gum into his own mouth, then chucks one over to Tyler.

Simon shakes his head. “Even if it were true, that still doesn’t mean it has anything to do with buried secrets or your pops.”

“He was a secret agent,” I say, even though I’m not sure if that part is true either.

“Yeah, but you can’t prove any of what he’s saying,” Simon insists.

“That’s because it’s a secret . . . dagnabbit!” I grin.

Simon rolls his eyes. “If you call me a hippie, I’m leaving.”

At that moment, we hear voices going past our cabin.

“Who’s that?” Josh asks.

“Probably just some kids in the woods.” Tyler stretches.

“Dunno.” Josh glances at this phone. “It’s pretty late, even for the curfew breakers.”

We hear muffled guffaws.

“I know who that is,” I gasp. “It’s Mike and Jake.”

“Hold up.” Josh pads to the door and opens it a crack, careful not to creak it. We gather around.

“Looks like they’re heading toward the lake,” Josh whispers.

The moon is out, but the gray clouds scuttling across it make the Rottweilers’ movements choppy, like a broken strobe light or like one of those animated flip books that gives the illusion that people are moving. They’re pulling something across the grassy clearing, and every so often, there’s a clanking sound like something metal hitting rocks.

“Shovels!” I say excitedly. “Maybe they’re heading toward the historic site! This must have something to do with Pops and the asteroid. We have to follow them.”

“Now?” Tyler says. “There are, like, animals out there.”

“Yeah, man, what for?” Josh falls back onto the bed. “I have Rafting for Dummies at the crack of dawn. Yipsy will lose it if I’m late. And Nurse Leibowitz wants me back for my post-shiner checkup.”

“This is important,” I say, jumping up and grabbing my camera headpiece. “You’ll see.”

“Wait, Noah.” Simon blocks my path. “Now you think the Rottweilers are in on this?”

“Maybe,” I answer. “And if they are, I’m going to capture it all on film.”

They’re all looking at me the way people are usually looking at me. If I had to read their rooms, I’d guess that they’re thinking I’m nuts.

“Okay,” Simon says resignedly and steps out of my path.

“I’m in too.” Tyler throws on his shorts and a tee.

Josh groans but throws on his clothes anyway.

This is awesome! If Earth survives and I’ve helped, then I can do good, fulfill my Bar Mitzvah project, and—just maybe—get enough awesome film footage so that I can finally go to the DLFC!