July 12th, 1995

Hello, my name is Nathan, and I'm 17 years old.

I just received this journal for my birthday today. Initially, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I pacifically told my stepfather I wanted a car, but he got me this instead.

This is a prime example of why I don't get along with him. Ever since Mom remarried, our relationship has been strained. He's a cop and has strict house rules I must follow.

I have to be home by a certain time, and I'm not allowed to have friends over. He's always controlling me, and I can't stand it. I've tried to make it work but nothing changes.

But when my mother died last year, everything went from bad to worse. He's become even stricter and expects me to follow all his stupid rules. I'm afraid I'll never have a normal life again.

But then after classes, I met Ryan at his place. He told me he planned to solve the Black Camp myth. I was shocked because the black camp was believed to be cursed.

In 1949, the Black Camp was called "Gale Scouts," a Christian camp that participated in outdoor activities. But one day, the camp mysteriously burned down. All the employees were killed, and all the children were missing. Nobody knew what happened to them and the camp was renamed The Black Camp.

Rumours and speculation quickly spread and the Black Camp mystery has remained unsolved for over 40 years. The camp's dark history has become part of local lore, and no one has been brave enough to explore the area since.

Ryan was determined to find out what had happened to the camp and the children there. He wanted me to come with him on the journey.
I have known Ryan since childhood and there are only two things he loves: knowledge and money. He was an A+ student and the greediest guy I know.

He lost his parents when he was two years old. After that, he was raised by his grandparents who lived in poverty. From his background, he would do anything to get what he wanted, even if it meant stepping on people.

He always looked for opportunities to increase his wealth and knowledge. He was smart and ambitious, but greed often led him astray.
He admitted he didn't care about the Black Camp myth. However, when Ryan heard one of the missing child's parents offer ten thousand dollars for the child's safe return, he decided to investigate.

He also told me that two of his friends were joining the journey.

One of them was named Miles. It was said that he was one of the strongest students in my class. Last year he won several awards in martial arts tournaments. Though he wasn't the smartest, he was brave. He was always willing to take risks and help others.

The other was Oscar. He's the mayor's kid and the wealthiest student in the school and has access to all kinds of resources. But he is a spoilt brat who gets his way. He always tried to impress teachers with his money instead of learning. He was also very arrogant and never cared about anyone else's opinion almost like Ryan.

Then I asked him why he needed me for the journey when he had everyone he needed. Ryan responded that I had a keen eye. He said I have the advantage of being able to spot small details that he may have missed.

One time I noticed a suspicious man following us. I alerted Ryan and he was able to take a detour and lose him. I believe this is why Ryan values my presence on the journey; I can help him by spotting potential danger.

Ryan and I are alike, but he is wickless whereas I am alert. He said I'm the one who notices the small details when we're on our journey and that's why he needs me.

I told Ryan I wasn't sure if I'm brave enough to go then he insured a meeting tomorrow at our favourite bar and I agreed.

I'm still deciding whether I should go with him and the others or not. Maybe I'll use this journal entry to decide. I'm scared to leave, but I want to get away from my stepfather. It's a chance for me to do something different and feel free for a while.

I'll sleep on it and see what I decide in the morning.

Chapter end