Chapter 8: Story Time

“Hey, I’m Helen Wang, and I’m going to tell you a true story, which is also a ghost story, in a way. My grandfather Jinyu, my father’s father, is the patriarch of our family, and he’s very traditional. He is holding me and my older brother Jun hostage. If we don’t produce an heir for him, he will withhold a substantial inheritance from us. It’s too much money to ignore.

“But Jun is gay, single, and unlikely to become a father. So my brother and I met with my mother’s aunt, Wen, who is very wise. We worked out a plan. Grandfather is very cheap and he needs hearing aids. The devices he uses are poor quality and don’t work very well. We hid a Bluetooth speaker under his bed, and Wen secretly whispered in Cantonese to him at bedtime. Jinyu couldn’t recognize her altered voice.

“Wen pretended to be a ghostly witch. Over several nights, she disclosed secrets about my mother and convinced Jinyu that she was an all-seeing and powerful witch. Then she dropped the hammer.

“Wen told him that Jun, my brother, was cursed. As the vengeful witch, she explained that any child that he fathered would be tóngzhì, which is the Chinese word for homosexual. These children would not only be gay but very public, even flamboyant. The witch claimed these children would be bringing shame down on Jinyu’s whole family as they matured; this played into his prejudices.

“After that, Jinyu stopped nagging my brother. But now he’s after ME to produce an heir, one who is a 100% Chinese boy. My great aunt sent me here to become sexually proficient.”

She cocked her hip and tossed her hair. With a broad smile, she continued.

“Any guys here who want to help me practice?”

Most of the guys raised their hands and waved them over their heads. There were even a couple of hands from Cabin 17 (designated for the gay males).

“I’m in Cabin 5. Come and get it!”

“I’m Sam Layton, from Cabin 10. I have a traditional story for you.”

Sam unfolded a paper and began reading.

“Not very far from here, there is a town, Calcite, that was a center of anthracite coal mining between 1890 and 1920. When the mine closed, Calcite’s population drastically shrank.

“In the heart of town stood an imposing Victorian mansion. Its dark and empty windows stared out at the world with an eerie indifference. Locals whispered that the house was haunted—the home of a family that had met a tragic end.

“About 40 years ago, on a stormy night, a group of teenagers decided to explore the haunted house. Armed with flashlights and a healthy dose of courage, they crept up the creaking steps. They easily defeated the ancient lock on the front door and proceeded into the dark, musty interior.

“As they wandered through the deserted rooms, they heard strange noises—the scratching of claws, the rattling of chains.

“Suddenly, a cold draft swept through the house. All at once, their flashlights died. They panicked as they stumbled and scrambled through the darkness, their hearts racing. A ghostly figure appeared before them, its face obscured by shadows. It seemed to beckon them forward, its voice a chilling whisper in the night.

“Terrified, the teenagers fled the house, their screams echoing through the storm-tossed night. From that day forward, Calcite’s haunted house remained a place of legend, a reminder of the terrifying secrets within its walls.”

After the applause for Sam’s story, Greta asked for another storyteller.

Felicia turned to face Oscar, speaking quietly.

“You know what really scares me? Tomorrow night you and I will be having actual PiV sex.”

“PiV? Oh, I get it. Penis in Vagina, right?”

“Exactly. I’m nervous; I don’t have experience. How will I do? Oscar, I’m worried. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“Impossible!”

“I understand that you feel affectionate. But the next night, and two more nights after that, you’re going to have Marcia, Helen, and Celie. After them, will I measure up?”

“Felicia—”

“No, listen. They all seem more experienced, more confident, and more sexy. I don’t feel that I measure up.”

“Oh, Felicia, these feelings you’re having—I wish I could wave them away for you. Let’s go back to our cabin and talk.”

Marcia stopped them on their way out. With her hands on her hips, she rose up from her seat on the log and glared at Oscar.

“What’s wrong with my friend Felicia? What did you do, Oscar?”

“Oh, no, Felicia.” She put her hand on Marcia’s elbow. “It’s not him. I’m just upset about something. Thanks for your concern; I appreciate it.”

“Marcia, I would never be mean to Felicia. We just need time to talk with each other. We will see you and the others back in our cabin later.”

They both smiled at Marcia and headed away from the campfire. Back at Cabin 5, they sat side by side on Oscar’s bed.

“Honestly, I’m surprised and disappointed, Felicia. Beginning with that original bus ride together, I’ve said nothing but supportive things to you. I told you directly that I loved you. Why do you still fret like this? It’s frustrating! Do you think I’m not sincere? I just don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry! I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. I told you about how I was being teased in the past. We girls spend too much fussing over our appearance. We see perfect, flawless women all around us, and we can be nasty and cruel to each other. And when boys pile on, it makes it all worse.

“That’s just general appearance. And then, with sex, there’s porn teaching more terrible ideas. Yes, I’ve watched porn and masturbated. The women are either naturally busty or obviously implanted. You’ll never see little chests like mine, except in disgusting scenes that pretend to show extra-young, tiny teenagers.

“I’m trying to get past all that terrible stuff in my head. But it’s so difficult to ignore everything. I just spiral.”

She was crying while looking down at her feet. Frustrated by the entire situation, Oscar tried to imagine how he could help Felicia feel more confident in herself.

“You must know I could never hurt you,” Oscar promised. “I have more to say, but first we need to hug and kiss. Please.”