If Ta wanted to learn with him tonight, Avi thought , he’d be in trouble. Because he couldn’t repeat a single word they’d learned that day.

It wasn’t his fault. It was the ultimatum; the words that had been sticking in his throat all day. He’d gagged over breakfast, and lunch wasn’t likely to go too well, either.

All recess, while the boys around him had argued and traded nosh and debated the best way to annoy the kids on the basketball court, Avi had been quiet, feeling the words he had to say burning in his throat.

Elchanan. Uh, hey, Elchanan?

Seriously, he wanted to tell Ta, Elchanan Stark barely ever looked at him, and even when he did, it was with that disgusted look that made Avi mad. He should be the one making up, not Avi.

He could do casual.

Hey, Elchanan. Wanna come over tonight?

Yeah, right. He’d sound like he fell from Mars if he tried that.

How about being the mature one; that could work.

Hey, Elchanan, what are you up to this evening? I think we should talk.

Ugh, that sounded like Ta.

This was never going to work.

Avi half-covered his eyes with one hand, resting his forehead between his thumb and forefinger. His head ached. His throat felt jammed. Maybe he should just go home.

But that wasn’t going to help him. Who knows, maybe Ta would want him to call Elchanan and talk to him right there in front of him?

Avi’s head flew up. That was a horrible idea. No, escaping home wasn’t an option.

But what was?

When Rebbi closed his Gemara five full minutes before the end of class, a murmur sounded around the classroom; this never happened. Elchanan slumped back in his seat warily; was Rebbi going to talk about achdus and shalom again? Because he’d really had enough of feeling blamed for this whole story, it was so over, and if not for—

“…something exciting to discuss with you,” Rebbi was saying. Elchanan sat up straight again, relieved. This didn’t sound like another speech; it sounded more like…

“Graduation trip!” someone blurted from the back of the room.

“Yes, Hillel, you got it. Your parents will be getting a letter about it today.” Rebbi smiled, and the room buzzed with excitement. Yeshivas Mayim Chaim was known for its amazing overnight graduation trips — and they never did the same trip twice. All year, the eighth grade had been waiting for this.

Elchanan waved his hand in the air.

“Where will we be going?” he asked. A few boys echoed the question.

“Yes, where? Is it true that we’ll be staying in caravans like they did six years ago? I heard it’s a six-hour bus ride away…”

Rebbi raised a hand for silence, but his eyes were twinkling.

“We’ll be going…” he paused, and the silence felt electric. “We’ll be going on a special wilderness trip, arranged by Mr. Menashe Kreiser of the Camp Wilderness program. He’s kindly agreed to lead an overnight trip in a forest not too far away.” Rebbi gestured vaguely out the window, and more than one pair of eyes flew in that direction, as if they could see the forest from where they were. “You’ll be given maps and instructions, and split up to begin the trip in different parts of the forest. You’ll have to use the maps and supplies to find your way to our camping spot for the overnight experience of a lifetime — a real wilderness survival challenge.”

Wilderness challenge? Elchanan looked at Meir, in the next seat, and the two high-fived. This was hands down the coolest graduation trip yet!

“It’s not just a trip, it’s a learning experience, too,” Rebbi continued. “We’ll be hearing a lot from Mr. Kreiser about the wonders of nature, how we can use the position of the sun to guide us, how fire can keep away the forest animals…. I hope you’re all excited, boys, because I sure am.” He winked at the class. Rebbi, making jokes? He must be really excited.

“My brother did a wilderness camp once, but it was a week long, and they couldn’t bring any food,” Nachy Gluck said.

“No food? Do you mean we’ll have to rub stones to make a fire to cook supper?” Shmuli asked, looking a little anxious.

“What supper — we’ll be picking berries off trees and searching for edible mushrooms,” Reuvy countered, laughing.

Rebbi chuckled, too. “Don’t worry, boys, I think Mr. Kreiser is planning a gala barbecue supper for after you’ve completed the challenge. You’ll deserve it.”

“But how will we know where to go, what to do? What if someone gets lost? Or hurt?”

For the second time that day, Elchanan turned in Avi’s direction, surprised. Why was Avi Shine sounding so… uncertain? Even nervous?

“Don’t worry, Avi,” Rebbi said, reassuringly. “Mr. Kreiser is a professional. You’ll get some advance training, and I believe your geography teacher is going to be giving a few practical pointers on map-reading and navigation.” A few boys groaned, but Elchanan thought it was a great idea. Finally, something practical to liven up boring old geography. “And there will be safety procedures in place, Mr. Kreiser has an experienced team. They’ve done this many times before with camps and other groups. You’ll have a supplies kit, everything you need.”

Someone asked another question, and a few boys were hazarding guesses as to which forest they’d be going to. Elchanan pictured sun, trees, forest trails, fresh air, the smell of challenge, and nature, and his face broke out in an involuntary smile. Now this was a trip to look forward to.

But when the bell rang and the class trickled out to lunch, loudly discussing the news, Elchanan saw Avi, still sitting in his seat, strangely quiet. And there was something in Avi’s expression, maybe the anxious crease in the forehead, that made Elchanan pause and look again, an unfamiliar feeling washing over him.

Could it be that Avi Shine — smart, charismatic, Avi Shine — was scared ?

to be continued…

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 866)