I watched the bright orange sun as it set on the still water. I walked though the forest that led to the fire pit, the whole time looking down at my feet to make sure I didn't trip on the many sticks and branches that overflowed the tiny path. The past two weeks at camp felt like three days. How did it fly by so fast? I couldn't believe that it was really my last night there. The thick branches slowly began to thin as we entered the fire pit area. I walked up the wood stairs to get a good view. I chose a spot near some friends. When I sat down on the cold log seats the wonderful sound of all the camp singing as one began, and I stood to sing along.

The flames were bright in my damp eyes, as I wondered if this moment could last forever. I sat around the campfire surrounded by the entire camp. I sang most of the songs while crying. I couldn't stand it. I was leaving the next morning to go back home. Of course I missed my family, but I didn't want to leave! How would I ever adjust to my old routine again? It took me long enough to adjust to my new one!

All of these thoughts were flowing through my head when all the sudden I snapped back to reality. This was my last campfire. I should be enjoying it, not crying my eyes out. I tried to pay more attention to the songs and the beautiful sound of all the voices singing as one. Eventually, the singing calmed me down and I sang along to the songs that I had not purposely memorized.

Then it was over. It went by so fast. As I was walking back to my cabin, I told myself that I would make the rest of the night slow down.

I looked up at the sign that read Potter Lodge and tried not to think about my almost packed bag inside. My feet took me to my bunk and my arms began my nightly routine. I walked to the Kybo with my toothbrush and toothpaste in hand. The motion of my brush moving back and forth seemed to not be in my control. Surrounded by a dozen girls, I finished my routine and headed back to my cabin. I barely noticed how I had to push my way through just to get out.

I walked back to my cabin on the skinny dirt path that wound around the whole camp. When I reached Potter Lodge I opened the door to hear the familiar squeak that the rusty hinges made. I put on my pajamas and grabbed a flashlight off my dull and empty bed stand. Then I automatically turned to the bag on the ground that contained the variety of things that used to be on the bed stand.

I turned on my flashlight and went out on the porch for our Taps Talk, a tradition for every cabin at Camp Echo. It is a time between getting ready for bed and sleeping. We all sit out on the porch and the counselors ask a question. Then each person in the cabin answers the question.

As I began to sit on the cold, dusty wood floor I heard one of my counselors yell from the front of the cabin, "Our Taps Talk will be outside under the stars tonight!" I got up quickly and as I opened the door and looked up at the midnight black sky, I froze. My mouth wide and my head tilted upward. It was amazing! I had never seen such a beautiful sight in my whole life. The stars shone like a million different shattered pieces of the moon. It seemed like they went on forever. This couldn't even compare to the easily counted stars in Chicago. Then I started to cry. I didn't think my eyes could possibly produce any more water, but down it came.

The Taps Talk was hard. I don't even remember the question or my answer. All I remember is trying to hold in my sob long enough to get the words out.

We all went back to the cabin and my counselors gave us ten minutes to quietly talk. Then we turned off the lights, got in our bunks, and tried to fall asleep.

Suddenly I heard a faint humming sound coming from the front of the cabin. I sat up, as did everyone else. We all listened carefully to our counselor say we were being serenaded and we all hurried outside! At first I had no idea who was singing, then I looked closer and realized that it was the seventh grade boys from the cabin Kawanis. We sang along to the song "Respect." Then we thanked them and went inside. We all scrambled into our bunks and before even a minute had passed we heard another humming coming from the front of the cabin. Without hesitating, we hurried to the front of the cabin and sang along to the sixth grade boys from the cabin Ben Snyder. We all took turns making the squeaky noise as we each walked inside. We sat up on our bunks and talked about the two events that had just happened in a row!

Before long I could here the sound of snoring. I lay on my bunk looking up at the empty spot where my posters once hung. Then I looked over at my almost packed bag, lying wobbly on the cold concrete floor. I had a hard time falling asleep that night. I guess I just didn't want my last day at camp to slip away. Late that night, my heavy eyelids began to close, and I dozed off into my last night at Camp Echo.