However, things weren’t destined to stay that way for long. His mother actually saw something worrisome in his tent, which was shown in the photo. She immediately called the police, who rushed to the campsite to try and prevent a disaster. What could have possibly been in that photograph to upset the adults?!
A Bad Feeling
For six days, Stacy has an uneasy feeling about Timmy being at camp. Though she couldn’t figure out why, she hoped her son had a good time, trying to ignore her fears. As things turned out, though, she was fully justified!
Something in the Tent
Timmy sent her a photo of him posing in front of the tent, and it made alarm bells go off in her head. She zoomed in, confirming her suspicions until there was no doubt left. Stacy believed Timmy was in danger!
Timmy in Danger
Since he didn’t answer her calls, Stacy called the police to take her to the campsite. She worried that they might be too late. What did she see in the photo? Why was he in danger, and could she save him from the inevitable?
High School Lovers
Timmy’s father wasn’t in the picture. They dated in high school, and she believed they were in love. While they went to dances together and were “going steady,” things just weren’t meant to be between them.
Getting Pregnant
When Timmy’s dad found out that he accidentally got Stacy pregnant, he left. He didn’t want to support or raise a child. Therefore, he disappeared, leaving her completely distraught and with a big decision to make.
What to Do
Stacy decided to keep her baby, reaching out to her ex for child support. However, she couldn’t locate him and had to go through it all alone. Therefore, she got to work so that she could support her child when he arrived.
Seven Years Later
Roughly seven years later, Stacy was happy to be with her son. He’s the reason she lives, so she wishes to give him everything he wants within reason. However, their lives weren’t that great since her ex-boyfriend left.
Financial Troubles
Stacy had been in a bad financial situation for a few years. She was limited as to the jobs she could have because Timmy was sleeping or in school. Still, she did her best, though they rarely got anything that wasn’t truly necessary.
Timmy’s Wish
Luckily, Timmy didn’t want much. He was respectful, kind, and reasonable with his demands. However, he badly wanted to do something for about two years and couldn’t get it out of his mind. Timmy asked Stacy every time he could.
Camping
Timmy wanted to go on a camping trip with his boy scout troop. Stacy was proud that she got him enrolled in a state-financed group that holds events on weekends. It costs her nothing and lets him be around other kids. However, she was still required to pay for extra things, such as the two-week-long summer camp.
Saving Pennies
Stacy figured out the cost and told her son she couldn’t promise the trip. However, she started saving for it, putting away every penny she could. The first summer didn’t work out, but she worked longer hours to reach the goal for the next summer.
Surprising Timmy
When Stacy saved up enough, she surprised Timmy and told him that he could go to summer camp. He was truly ecstatic about this news. She had purposefully stayed neutral about the prospect, thinking he might no longer care, so it was a shock to her, too!
Timmy’s Promise
Overall, Timmy said he’d make the most out of this experience and send his mom pictures each day. Then, he started planning what he wanted to do and who to hang out with. However, Stacy began having concerns about her decision.
Nervous
Though she was excited to give her son something he asked for, she was nervous about him being gone for two weeks. The longest they had been apart was two days. Still, she had to put her worries aside so that her son could be happy.
Time for Camp
Two months later, it was time for the trip. Timmy was excited and prepared. He had packed a week in advance and constantly talked to Stacy about what adventures he wanted to have. She had to stay calm and tell herself that this was an amazing opportunity for him.
Something’s Not Right
Stacy dropped him off for the bus that took them to the campsite and was happy, but she had a weird or scared feeling, too. She felt something wasn’t right, but she brushed it off while she waved goodbye to her son, and the bus left.
Stacy’s Feelings
When Timmy was gone, Stacy started worrying. She had feelings like this before that had come true with bad things. However, she couldn’t do much now and couldn’t pull her son out of camp. It was already paid for!
Continued to Worry
The worrisome feelings didn’t leave Stacy for the next few days that Timmy was gone. She just couldn’t stop worrying and was afraid something might happen. Through the photos he sent her, he seemed to be having a blast!
Annoyed
Stacy was annoyed at herself for feeling this way. It was unfair to her son because he was having fun, and she couldn’t be happy for him. Therefore, she tried to adjust the way she thought for Timmy’s sake. However, then it happened!
Photos
On the sixth day of him being at camp, Stacy received many photos as she had been. Timmy didn’t have his own phone, but he asked a friend to use theirs so she could be updated. One of the photos showed a shocking background story.
Scrolling Through
Stacy scrolled through the pictures with a smile. However, it disappeared quickly when she noticed one photo. She looked closely, zooming in, but she already knew her idea was correct. Now, what could she do?
In the Tent
Something was heading into the tent behind her son. Stacy couldn’t believe it, but she knew she had to take action. Therefore, she tried not to panic and stay calm while she figured out the best decision and step to take.
Calling Timmy
She decided to get Timmy as soon as she could. Though Stacy called his friend’s number many times, no one ever picked up. Since there was no answer through his friend, she had to figure out another way to warn him!
Thinking the Worst
Panicking more now, Stacy thought of the worst-case scenario. Was it already too late? Timmy and his friend might not be able to answer because something bad happened. Stacy prayed that it wasn’t too late, knowing she needed to get answers fast.
No Time for Panic
Stacy started hyperventilating, but she knew she couldn’t have an anxiety attack. Therefore, she took deep breaths to focus her attention. Timmy’s friend wasn’t answering, but she had other phone numbers. She chose to use the camp supervisor number, which was for emergencies.
No Answer
To her frustration, the camp supervisor didn’t answer. That made her feel worse. Did something happen to all of the people at the campsite? There wasn’t much more to do. She had to go to the camp and find her son before anything bad made her lose him.
Getting There
However, it wasn’t likely to be easy for her. Stacy had no car or money for public transportation. Even if she did take a bus, it probably couldn’t get her close to that camp. However, that wasn’t the only issue she had to think about!
Phoning a Friend
If Stacy got to the camp, she still couldn’t protect her son, and there might be other children in danger, too. In fact, they could all be in trouble, so she needed more than her hands. Therefore, she chose to call a close friend.
The Police
A while ago, Stacy befriended a police officer. She called him, praying that he picked up the phone. Luckily, he was on duty and answered. She explained the situation to him and asked if he might drive her to Timmy’s campsite, prepared to beg if that’s what it took.
Picking Up Stacy
The police officer was happy to help, especially since kids might be in danger, talking another cop to go along. About 10 minutes later, they pulled into Stacy’s driveway, and she ran out the door, not wanting to waste time. She felt that her son’s life was on her shoulders.
Racing to Camp
Stacy and the two officers raced to the site with the car’s sirens blaring, arriving in about an hour. She was nervous for the whole trip but somehow kept herself together. However, nothing prepared them for what they saw when they got there.
Complete Chaos
The camp was in chaos, with supervisors chasing running, screaming kids around. They were yelling to get control and move everyone to a central location. Now, Stacy realized why no one answered her calls; things were in disarray!
The Situation
Stacy ran up to a supervisor and attempted to talk to them, but he ignored her and focused on the children. She decided that her best shot at finding her son was to go with everyone else, but panic started to creep in.
Too Many Kids
When she got inside the building, she saw many children sitting and crying. Another camp supervisor was trying to do a headcount, and her hands were shaking. What was happening?! No one could give them information because they were in a rush.
No Timmy
Stacy searched the room and didn’t find Timmy inside. Ignoring all the shouts from adults, she left the building and ran outside, searching everywhere for her precious son. Was she too late? Did something happen to him?!
The Back
With a burst of newfound energy, Stacy ran to the back of the camp. People were yelling at her to get away, but she had to find her son. Finally, she heard something making noises, and she couldn’t believe what she saw ahead of her!
A Big Bear
About 100 feet away, Stacy saw a brown bear’s backside. It was growling and sniffing. This just had to be the mother bear, searching for the cub in Timmy’s tent! However, she noticed Timmy’s tent now and wanted to get there first.
Timmy’s Tent
Stacy made it to the tent and saw her son, but he had a guest. He had been playing with the bear cub and didn’t want to stop. Therefore, he didn’t go to the central building with the others. Timmy worried about leaving the bear cub alone!
Mothers
It finally clicked for Stacy. The big bear in the camp was the mama, searching for the baby. Though she could relate to the situation, she worried that the mother bear might eventually look for them in the tent and find her and Timmy!
The Daring Plan
Stacy decided to take the baby bear back to its mom. She snuck out of the tent, holding the bear, and gently placed it nearby. That way, the mama bear could find it and not hurt her son. They were safe, and everything worked out for both small families!