gender bender · magical realism · psychological horror · girl scout · identity crisis · witch coven · summer camp · transformation · resistance · supernatural
The bus engine dies with a final shudder. Through the grimy window, the sign is unmistakable: 'Ravenwood Camp.' Not the Pine Ridge you were promised. The forest stands too still, too quiet. You step down onto the gravel, and a cold, metallic click echoes deep in your chest, like a lock turning. Girls in crisp uniforms move along the paths with practiced ease. Inside the cabin, your bunk holds only dresses and sashes laid out with deliberate care. Ms. Anya enters, her smile placid and unreadable. 'Into your uniforms, then straight to Nurse Linnea,' she says, her voice leaving no room for question. A few of the other boys are already buttoning their blouses, their movements oddly graceful. You stand alone, your own breath loud in the silence, feeling the world around you bend and warp.