*The following is not based on true events and is Part I in a Three Part Short Story. Do not try this at home.*

Some nights begin better than others. Sometimes your parents yell at you, occasionally you get a cold and you can't sleep. But my nights start a little differently. At 12 midnight every night for the past three years, I have kept a secret life, a life unknown to most people. This life I have decided to bring to the light...and trust me, it will take a lot of light to make this black story legible.
Most nights begin in a truck. A Dodge or a Chevy, depending on the driver. Preferred horsepower is anything over 400, less is a waste of time. I climb in the truck at midnight, amidst snow, ice, rain, sometimes wind, and my life changes immediately. I am handed a list of fighters whom I will face, and races that I've been entered in.
I am an illegal street racer/ fighter.
Most 17 year old girls don't do this. No, they stay home and paint their nails and talk to their football star boyfriends. I'll go back a ways here, 3 years to be exact, and tell you how this all started.
I arrived at W.O.L Camp on a bright, sunny day. It was my first trip to W.O.L Island, an island in the middle of Schroon Lake; more specifically, in the middle of nowhere. I went through basic registration procedures, hugged my parents goodbye and found my way to my cabin, "Sunrise Lodge". It was huge compared to the other cabins. I dropped my stuff, said "hi" to the other girls in my cabin and wandered out alone, taking my time and purposely getting lost. While walking on a secluded path in the woods, I heard a sound behind me. My first thought? Mountain Lion. I mentally smacked myself at my stupidity. "There are no mountain lions on this island." I told myself. Yet, as the minutes passed and I walked further and further into the woods, I realized that I was definately being followed. "Hello?" I asked tentatively. No answer. I started to walk a little faster, my hands shaking a little as more twigs snapped behind me. Suddenly, a guy stepped out infront of me and crossed his arms. "Where's your counselor?" he asked. I hesitated for a minute, then crossed my arms as well, glaring at him a little. "Probably back at my cabin, as if it's your business." I said, equaling his attitude. His eyes narrowed, the muscles in his jaw flinching a little. "You aren't allowed to just walk around here alone you know. You're suppose to have a counselor with you at all times." he stated. I smirked and cleared my throat. "And I suppose you're going to drag me back kicking and screaming right?" I asked a little haughtily. The guy just shook his head, and extended a hand to me. "My name is James Avach. I'm a first year counselor here." he said. I took his hand and shook it back. "Sara Mosher. I'm a first year camper. But that doesn't mean you can give me an attitude." I said angrily. James nodded to a bench that was placed under the High Ropes Obstacle Course. "Why don't we sit down and you can tell me why you don't want to go back to camp." He said. I nodded and there we sat for about 2 and a half hours, just talking about both of our lives and why neither of us really wanted to be at W.O.L that year. Finally, we decided to go back to camp. I got in my first fight that night.
Her name was Tabitha Saint. She had plopped her clothes and shoes all over my sleeping bag. Let me just add...her clothes and shoes were all wet. When I walked in, she just gave me a little sideways glance and said, "Your sleeping bag makes a good towel, country girl." She was from the city, obviously. I walked up to my bed and swiped all of her stuff off and into my arms, then walked to the door and threw it all out onto the ground. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me and Tabitha, obviously aware that a fight was in the making. Tabitha came towards me, her little blue eyes focused hard on mine, as if she was trying to burn a hole in my head. "Bitch, those were my clothes!" she spat. I glared at her. "Yeah and that's my sleeping bag." I said plainly. Then Tabitha did something that she probably will regret for the rest of her life; she hit me as hard as she could in the jaw. I stumbled backwards a little, but not enough to fall, and the second I came up I realized something...I wanted to hurt her. I didn't just want to fight her to show off...I really wanted to hurt her. So I did. I flew at her and dragged her to the floor, hitting and kicking and abusing her with every last inch of my soul. Nothing was off limits to me, nothing was sacred. I can still remember the camp counselor dragging me off of her, trying to calm me down...I can remember Tabitha and I being escorted to Council Hall, where the big guys and to my surprise, James, were all having a meeting. My counselor, Sarah, sat Tabitha on one end of the 20 foot long bench and me on the other. James stared at me in shock, then glanced at Tabitha. I looked at the ground, and for once in my life, I was ashamed of what I had done. Not because I had done it, but because I had thoroughly enjoyed beating the piss out of her. Larry Bolback, the W.O.L director, came over and asked what had happend. Sarah told him everything, left nothing out. He then came over to me and knelt infront of me. "Do you feel sorry for what you have done?" he asked. I looked up at James, who stared at me, his eyes registering a mix of pity and anger. I looked back down at Larry. "No sir, I don't." I said quietly. Larry's eyes grew bigger and he stood up. "After hearing the story in it's entirety, I have decided that no one side was at fault. Both of you can stay, but I'm moving Tabitha to Ramble Inn. Now, go back to your cabins. I pray that this will not happen again." I got up from my chair and turned to Sarah, who was helping Tabitha up. "I would like to walk back to the cabin alone, if it's okay." I said. Sarah looked at me warily. "Without supervision, you could get in alot of trouble." she said. James stood up at that moment. "I'll walk her back." he said. Sarah looked at him with the same look a lovestruck teenager would have. "Oh okay James...that's fine then. I'll walk Tabitha to Ramble Inn." she said. I turned and walked past Larry, away from James and the jerk with the swollen lip and eyes, and out the door into the night.
James caught up to me and took my hand lightly. "You must be one hell of a fighter to do that much damage." he said. I shook my head. "No I'm just a very bad person." I said. James stopped at dragged me back up against him. "No. You're not a bad person. Look...I know that we don't know each other that well yet...and maybe we never will. But I want the chance to get to know you better." he said softly. I stared up at him. "If that's your way of asking me out, you can forget it. I don't date people I don't know." I said. James sighed and stared at me pleadingly with his enormous grey eyes. I looked over him again. Why hadn't I noticed before how good looking he was? He had medium length, spiked black hair with blue tips, a strong face with tanned skin...a Hawaiian. His shirt didn't do much to hide the muscles underneath and I could tell that he was not just a wrestler. This man did something different, something I couldn't grasp. That night, standing infront of him, I began to realize the power that was radiated off of him, this unbelievable amount of strength...and I gave into it. "Fine." I said. "But we're only trying it. I barely know you..." I started to say. James shook his head. "It's okay. I really like you alot..." he glanced at his watch and sighed. "And you better get back to your cabin. It's late. Make sure you keep this between us though...nobody should know that we're dating. It could be really bad if they did." I nodded and flinched a little as he kissed my cheek. "Goodnight Sara." He said quietly. Then he turned and walked back to his cabin, leaving me more than a little lost.

To be continued...