Give Me a Sign(52)

Waiting for afternoon game time, some of the staff starts filming counselor and camper testimonials to put in our fundraising video. Isaac’s in charge of recording, lest anyone make the mistake of filming vertically. Phoebe helps make sure everyone says something a little different, so we don’t end up having to edit clips that all say just “I love Camp Gray Wolf” thirty times. Plus, we keep having to reshoot whenever the wind blows someone’s hair over their face.

Jaden’s wrapping up his blurb, focusing on how camp is a great support system. But he’s interrupted when Mackenzie walks up to us. “Um, Ethan says we can’t film videos at camp.”

Natasha shakes her head. “This is for the Gray Wolf page. He already said it’s fine.”

“Yeah,” I say and sign. However annoyed I get with Mackenzie, she’s still my coworker, so I’m still trying my best to be friendly. “It’s to try and raise money for camp next year.”

Mackenzie just slowly nods as she walks away, but she turns back to add, “By the way, the audio is going to be horrible with all this wind right now. Just so you know.”

“Yeah, that’s why we’re just doing the ASL ones right now,” I say. “We’ll delete the audio track.”

“Mm,” Mackenzie mumbles.

As soon as she turns around out of our sight line, Natasha slaps her hands back and forth to sign “Whatever.”

Isaac motions for me to take his phone to record his video. He positions my hands above my shoulders to keep the same height he’d been filming at. “I’ll be fast, don’t worry,” he signs.

I nod, already feeling my arms threatening to shake.

Isaac pulls his staff shirt from his backpack and slides it over his tank top. In a super-exuberant, flawless one-take, he signs, “I love Camp Gray Wolf, why? It’s the perfect place to be myself, as loud, silly, and confident as I want.”

Isaac bounds back toward me, grinning wide.

“Perfect.” I hand his phone back.

“You going to do yours in ASL?”

“Oh,” I say, having not really considered it yet. “Yeah, I think so.”

He slides off his staff shirt and offers it to me. It hangs a bit long, but the frame is cropped, so that won’t be noticeable.

“Thanks.” I turn to Phoebe. “I’m going to film mine really quick.”

“All right.” She tilts her head toward the sky. “Are we still going to play the game? It seems like it might rain or something.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure.”

I stand in the spot at the edge of the field, with the gravel path and cypress trees behind me, capturing all the vibes of a summer camp location. But as soon as I’m in position, I realize that I don’t know what to say.

“Ready?” Isaac signs one-handed.

I nod. “I love Camp Gray Wolf, why? Because . . . ” But I drop my hands back down to my side and shake my head. “Nope, again. Sorry.”

“It’s fine! Need help with a word?” Isaac asks.

“Yes, please. S-p-e-c-i-a-l.”

He demonstrates the sign and waits until I’m ready to start again.

“I love Camp Gray Wolf, why? This is a place to learn ASL and experience Deaf culture and make friends like me. It’s amazing to have this special place away from the hearing world, where I met some of my first Deaf role models. Now I can be one for the campers myself.”

I felt confident while signing, but after a big smile at the end of the take, I drop my hands and shrug. “Was that okay? Should I try again?”

Isaac shakes his head. “That was great!”

When I walk back to give him his staff shirt, he gives me a side hug. “You’ll definitely have one of these shirts next year.”

“I hope so.”

So much needs to happen before then. I need to be hired as a senior counselor. And camp needs to have enough money to still exist.

Ethan waves for everyone to line up at the end of the field he sectioned off in a rectangle with tiny orange cones, which the wind keeps blowing away. A couple of campers chase them down for him. Ethan stacks them up, not bothering to try to set them up again. We can play the Elves, Wizards, and Giants tag game with natural landmarks rather than the markers.

“Are you ready to play the game?” I ask Phoebe.

“Wait, quiet.” She pokes her nose up and turns her head. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” The sky has gotten dark. A recognizable putrid shade of green. “Oh . . . shit.”

“The tornado siren,” Phoebe says. “It’s getting louder.”

I don’t hear it yet, but I know she’s right. I jump and wave for Ethan, who is about to announce the game instructions. Instead, he runs over.

“Is everything all right?” he asks.

I point up. “Phoebe hears the tornado siren.”

“Shit, that has gotten bad.”

At the same time, Gary tears toward us on the golf cart. He speaks loudly but calmly. “Everyone get to the dining hall basement.”

Ethan runs back toward the field, relaying the message once more, adding, “Counselors, do a head count and get all your campers to the dining hall.”

“Lilah, Simone, get your kids on the golf cart,” Gary says, jumping out of the driver’s seat.