Chapter Text
Max sat outside the Mess Hall doors, frustrated with life (and David) as always. He was waiting for Nikki and Neil to finish whatever the hell they were eating so he could go back to working on the prank that he was SURE would break David. Max could be eating with them, but he wasn't hungry. Or, more realistically, he wasn't hungry for David's food, as David was cooking today for God knows why. Just another form of defiance. Don't get him wrong, he didn't COMPLETELY hate David, he just hated his overly optimistic outlook on the shitfest everyone calls "life."
It was oddly chilly outside for summer, so he sat with his hood up and his arms crossed tightly. Despite being outside for only around maybe five minutes, he felt like he'd been sitting there for hours. Then again, every single fucking thing he did at this godforsaken camp felt like it took an eternity.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, he heard the whirring of the camp bus as it pulled over at the entrance. That was... weird. Why would it be pulling up? That would mean it left, which can only mean one thing...
There's a new camper... But how?
Despite being unjustifiably pissed at the concept of a new camper, he decided it would be better to go check it out than to just sit there in the same place forever, especially since David would inevitably introduce everyone to them anyways. Sighing in frustration, he began stepping his way begrudgingly toward the entrance of the camp. Confusion and irritation rested in his stomach as he walked, his cyan eyes half-lidded with a hatred towards the world.
As he reached the entrance, he heard the signature "New kid's here" of the quartermaster. Once he turned the final corner and reached the short pathway that led to the entrance, he froze. He saw in front of him, standing in the entrance like a marble statue, an all too familiar silhouette.
He saw himself.
Petrified, he stared at the figure, studying it wearily. The shape, the height, all those things were exactly like Max. However, everything else differed.
The skin, it was lighter. Not WHITE, but much lighter than Max's. Comparing their skin would be like comparing cinnamon powder to a pumpkin spice latte. The mimic's hair was a thick warm dark brown, like semi-sweet chocolate, which contrasted with Max's black hair. The jacket appeared to be pearly white, but when viewed closely, turned out to be a VERY light bluish purple. His smile was unnaturally wide and his head was tilted to the side as if no neck existed within him. But the creepiest part in Max's opinion...
Were the EYES.
They were violet, BRIGHT violet, and they glowed with an unnerving hunger that made Max shiver once they landed on him.
Fear riddled Max's body as he witnessed the mess in front of him. This was basically Daniel, Max edition. The poor Indian kid refused to step forward, or even wave as the kid stared at him, THROUGH him.
"Why HELLO there Max!" said an overly happy voice. Max jumped in terror as David's voice suddenly broke the thick silence around them.
"God DAMMIT David!" cried Max in a mixture of anger and fear. The poor young ten-year-old took in a few deep breaths to regain his composure before looking up to his "enemy."
David chuckled. "Sorry for scaring ya Max!" said the counselor apologetically. "I was just coming by to greet the new kid!" The dark redhead motioned his hand towards the stagnant child in front of them. There he still stood, motionless, with an everlasting smile that froze Max to the ground the longer he stared.
Max couldn't help but shiver as he took notice of just how sharp the boy's canine teeth were. It was as if they were meant to tear off flesh. Max swallowed uncomfortably.
Suddenly, the child began to approach them. He was slow, observant, and light on his feet. His eyes zipped around the environment rapidly, as if he could see every individual atom or speck of dust fly past his face. He was like a wild animal. Max was tense for the entire minute or so that the child took to finally reach them. Once he did, he waved with a quick flick of his wrist. It was more of half a wave.
"Hi!" the child said enthusiastically. "I'm Matthew, but please, call me Matt!" The smile never left his face as he spoke. This kid was nothing like Max!
Max felt immediate discomfort from hearing Matt's voice. Although Max's was almost always laced with anger, fear or sadness, Matt's was coated with a sickeningly sweet happiness. It was like a poisonous flower that looked so beautiful that an innocent bystander wouldn't even notice their demise slowly approaching them until it was too late.
"Well, HELLO Matt!" exclaimed David in his usual irritatingly happy tone. "My name is David, your camp counselor! And this," he started, motioning to Max, "is Max! He's a bit of a jumpy camper and has quite the attitude, but I'm sure you'll get along!" Max froze in disbelief and even some disgust. Did David TRULY believe that he would go anywhere near this freak? Especially after the Daniel situation!?
Oh, right, David didn't learn anything. Max almost forgot that his happiness made him stupid.
"You have GOT to be fucking joking!" shouted Max with rage and a hint of fear. "There is NO way in Hell that you ACTUALLY believe that I would go anywhere NEAR that fucking freak!!!" He pointed towards Matt in a viciously accusing manner.
As if to spite Max, he continued to smile and stare as if Max had said nothing at all.
"Max!" started the slightly irritated camp counselor. "What have I told you about language?"
"Eat a di-!" began the exasperated child. However, he was cut off by his own interruptive voice.
"Excuse me?" began Matt all too cheerfully. "I've come to interpret that you two have some personal issues, and as much as I hate into interrupt, I feel I have the right to ask if I may continue on to the camp?" He ended his exaggerated tangent with a friendly smile.
Yeah, this kid was nothing like Max.
Max was frozen in pure disbelief just from hearing Matt speak. Was this kid a living book report or a sociopath? Max had the feeling that the answer was both.
"Wow!" said David with his usual elation. "Quite the vocabulary you have, little guy! Well, since you asked so politely, I'll take you on the grand tour of Camp Campbell!"
With that, David turned around and began strolling back to the campgrounds with the usual skip in his step. Max eyed the forest lover as he walked away, and the moment he was out of sight Max speedily turned to face Matt with his teeth gritted tightly in frustration. Matt continued to stare, his eyes boring into Max's soul. Growling with irritation, Max stomped up to Matt and leaned into his face, speaking with nothing but pure aggression in his voice.
"Now you listen here, 'Matt'!" stated the angry camper. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing here, but I'm not having it! I already went through this with a guy named Daniel and I am NOT dealing with this shit again! You may have David fooled, being the dumbass that he is, but you can't fool me! I'll be watching you! Every move you make, every step you take, I'll be watching! And I swear to you, 'Matthew,' if I see or hear you do ONE thing out of line, game over! Fuck up even ONE time, and you're OUT!" Max stated the final claim with a quick slicing motion across his neck with his index finger. "You got that?!" With that, Max backed a few steps away.
Matt tilted his head to the right in a seemingly condescending manner before replying.
"Understood, Maxwell," replied the strange child. "I'll try not to stray to your bad side." He smiled confidently.
Wait a minute-
...Maxwell?
"Did you just call me 'Maxwell'?!" asked Max agitatedly. His only reply from Matt was a brief nod.
Max growled again. "Don't call me that! It's just Max!" And with that, he turned his back to Matthew and stormed off back towards the camp, Matt's cold gaze burning holes in the back of his neck.