Lights Out! (7 page)

“Very fine!” Mrs. Goode said, clapping louder than the rest. The indoor rain stopped. “That was a little reverse psychology, students. We hope our rainstorm will shoo away the real rain. We have a busy day ahead of us.”

Madison looked up at the beams on the ceiling. There was a spider on one of the rafters. Its web was reflecting sunlight from the big windows.

Mrs. Goode had faculty members go around the room to split kids up for the morning’s activities. The class would spend the morning helping to clean up the woods and lodge. Madison’s table split right down the middle. The way it was divided, she wouldn’t be on the same team as Hart, Dan, Chet, Fiona, Aimee, or Egg. She and Drew and a bunch of other seventh graders they hardly knew ended up together. Aimee and Fiona were ready to complain when Drew spoke to one teacher and asked if they could swap. He traded places with someone who didn’t care whose group he joined. Madison did the same. Ivy was
not
part of either equation.

The first morning stop for Madison’s group was picking up on the trails. The students were asked to clean and maintain the trails around the camp. This meant replacing rocks, picking up any litter, and other small tasks. Naturally, the ground was muddier than muddy from the night before, so the job was a messy one.

“Heads up!” Chet cried as he flicked a little mud at his sister.

She yelled back at him, tossing wet leaves at his head. She missed.

Madison, Drew, and Egg watched quietly as the mud war heated up. When Fiona got hit with a mud splot on the neck, Egg burst into laughter. Drew started snorting with laughter, too. Madison didn’t want to laugh. This was her BFF, after all! But after a moment, she caught the giggles. Drew and Egg made another joke about Fiona’s mud mask. Madison laughed again.

Fiona saw her. And heard her.

Madison quickly ran over to her BFF with a towel.

“I can’t believe Chet threw mud at you!” Madison said with disbelief.

“Then why did you laugh?” Fiona asked. “I saw.”

Madison shrugged. “What? Huh?” she stuttered.

“Weren’t you laughing at me?” Fiona asked sweetly.

Madison felt the knot in her belly tighten. It was like a little noose around her heart. How could she have been laughing out loud at her best friend’s expense? She wasn’t. Was she?

“Egg wasn’t laughing, was he?”

Madison’s eyes bugged out wide. “Egg?” she asked, glancing back. Now Egg was distracted by the antics of Dan and Drew. “Never saw a laugh,” Madison said. “He was ready to yell at your brother for starting the whole thing.”

“Good,” Fiona said, wiping more mud off her shirt. “Do you think I need to change my clothes?”

“How are things over here, young ladies?” the camp staff leader, James, asked. “Saw the mud. Nasty stuff.”

Fiona giggled. “Yeah, well…that guy is my twin brother, actually.”

James smiled. The one good thing about Madison’s group was definitely its leader, James. He was the cute guy that Ivy couldn’t stop raving about the day before. Now it was Madison, Aimee, Lindsay, and Fiona’s chance to ogle.

“Um…should I put on a different shirt?” Fiona asked.

“Don’t go changing,” James said.

Fiona blushed.

“We’ll get Chet back later,” Madison said firmly, looking back at Egg and the rest of the boys. It had been a close call. The last thing in the world that Madison wanted to do was to alienate her BFF in any way, especially if Fiona was feeling boy-vulnerable these days.

After an hour of cleanup, the group followed James past the cabins down to a clearing, where everyone sat on stumps and rocks while he explained “survival skills for the wilderness.”

“It’s like that TV show!” Chet said.

“Yeah!” Hart said. “Where they eat snake brains or whatever.”

“Gross me,” Madison said.

“Snake brains aren’t as bad as pig knuckles or live bugs,” Egg said. “That stuff is nasty.”

James rubbed two sticks together and a small pile of dry leaves sparked.

“Aren’t you supposed to teach kids
not
to start fires?” Madison asked.

Egg elbowed Madison in the side. “Would you please shut up—I’m trying to concentrate,” he said.

Madison elbowed him right back. “Yeah, right.”

“What’s the deal with his hair?” Dan asked. “Is it supposed to stick up like that?”

“Shhhhh!” Fiona said. “I’m trying to listen.”

“Sorry,” Madison said. She bit her lip so James wouldn’t notice that the kids on this side of the demonstration were laughing at him.

Meanwhile, the teacher chaperone for the group, Mr. Danehy, was giving everyone the evil eye.

James continued his lecture without interruption. He showed the group how to build a shelter for rain, how to find nonpoisonous berries, and other skills. Some kids snickered, but he ignored them. Mr. Danehy kept order.

“Ivy was right,” Aimee whispered to her BFFs. “This guy is way cute. Don’t you think so? Maybe this trip isn’t so bad.”

Fiona nodded, absentmindedly. She was obviously still partial to Egg.

“He’s cute,” Madison also agreed. “And smart.”

“Who?” Fiona said, turning to Madison.

“Who? Him,” Madison said, pointing to James. “Who did you think I meant?”

Fiona shrugged and kicked dirt. “No one.”

“And when you tie the knot like this…” James explained how to make a bowl from bark. He didn’t actually make one, but he showed the group that it was possible. He claimed
anything
was possible out here in Jasper Woods.

Madison wasn’t convinced.

She had started the field trip yesterday a total noncamper. She had successfully tackled the bathroom at night and located an Ivy-stalking spider. And that was a good start. But she hadn’t sat near Hart once, and the Tower seemed as scary as ever.

Madison was beginning to wonder if camp just wasn’t right for her, after all.

A
FTER HIS DEMONSTRATIONS, JAMES
led the group on a walk along some hidden paths. Madison, Aimee, and Fiona linked arms as they walked along. It was darker here in the deep woods.

“It feels like sundown,” Aimee said.

“Yeah,” Fiona said. “Like nightfall or the end of the world or something.”

“Very funny,” Madison said, getting a little scared. “It’s only eleven-thirty in the morning.”

They walked up a sharp incline, and someone pointed to a run-down shack off in the distance. Madison looked up to see the haunted cabin. Then she glanced around and caught sight of the giant, looming, orange tower.

That’s when she lost her balance.

Aimee tried to reach out for Madison’s arm, but it was too late.

Splat!

Madison fell down the incline and got mud all over her arm and even in her hair.

“Are you all right?” Aimee asked, reaching down to help her friend.

Madison rolled onto her feet, a little dazed.

“Nice one, Finnster!” Hart said, chuckling. Madison grimaced. She could think of nothing more embarrassing than sitting there on her butt while her crush laughed his head off.

“Thanks,” Madison said quietly. “I guess I’ll get up now.”

Still laughing, Hart extended his hand to help her.

“Don’t fall again,” Egg said, also extending his hand to help.

Fiona rushed in and picked off some dead leaves that were stuck to Madison’s pants.

“Everything okay?” James called out. He was up ahead of the group.

“Aimee, I looked up at the haunted cabin and then I fell…just like that. Do you think there’s a connection?” Madison asked.

“Huh? Yeah, there’s a connection between not looking and falling, sure,” Aimee said. “Maddie, you’re so goofy.”

“I am not,” Madison said. “It could have been the ghost.”

“Are you kidding?” Fiona asked.

“No, I’m not kidding,” Madison said.

As the group walked on, Madison raced ahead to keep up with James. She left her friends a little behind.

“Is it true that the cabin we just passed is haunted?” Madison asked James.

“The run-down one? Back where you fell?” he asked. “Where did you hear that?”

“Around,” Madison explained.

“Rumors,” James said. “Unsubstantiated rumors.”

“What does that mean?” Madison asked.

“No proof,” James said.

“So you don’t believe in ghosts?” Madison asked. “Don’t all camp counselors have to believe in ghosts? Isn’t that like a prerequisite for telling scary stories around the campfire and all that?”

James laughed. “As far as I know, the only ghosts that live around here are the ones we decorate the mess hall with on Halloween.”

Madison tugged her mud-stained fleece a little tighter. It was getting a little warmer out, but she felt chilled. That ground had been cold.

“It’s almost that time!” James announced as the group came into another clearing. “If you trek up this little hill, you’ll find yourself back near the main lodge and the picnic table area. Your teachers have put out the box lunches. Any questions?”

“I can’t believe it’s already lunchtime!” Chet said. “We did a lot this morning, right?”

“I don’t ever remember camp being this interesting,” Egg said.

“That’s because you were at computer camp, dork,” Aimee said.

“Computer camp is good, though,” Fiona said, sticking up for Egg.

“I went to river-raft camp with my cousin two summers ago,” Drew said. “Remember when that lady fell out of the raft?”

Drew and Hart were second cousins. Hart nodded enthusiastically.

“She was so hyper,” Hart said. “Camp was mad scary, though, sleeping outside in the middle of nowhere.”

“At soccer camp, we mostly play soccer, but they go on camp field trips, too,” Fiona said. “We went horseback riding once in California.”

“I love camp,” Dan said.

Madison listened, although she didn’t have much to add. Her camp story was twenty-four hours old.

As they scaled the incline, the group spotted the rest of the class up by the tables, getting their lunches. Dan, whose elementary school nickname had been Pork-O, ran like a racehorse up to the tables. He was hungrier than anyone else, he said. Everyone else scuttled after him.

Madison looked down at her dirty clothes. She looked like she’d been wrestling on the ground, and she knew what Ivy would say if she saw Madison looking like this. Madison wanted to avoid that confrontation at all costs. She found Mrs. Wing and asked permission to go back to Maple cabin alone to change into another sweatshirt and jeans. Mrs. Wing agreed.

The walk to the cabin was peaceful. Madison spotted a bird poking its beak out of a knot in a tree. She guessed there must be a nest inside. A hawk made lazy circles overhead.

The cabin door squeaked loudly. It was silent inside, just the whisper of a cool breeze through the screens. The air still smelled like rain. Madison wondered if maybe there would be another storm tonight. She hoped not. The talent show was later that night and no one wanted a cancellation.

Madison changed into another pair of faded Levi’s and wiped the remaining mud off the sleeves of her fleece. She looked out the window. Way off in the distance, everyone was eating their lunches. She didn’t want to go back.

Why?

Madison sat down on the bottom bunk and opened up her orange notebook.

FILE: Hiding Out

We have talent show practice in a little while. I don’t want to go. I would much rather hide out right here, wedged somewhere between the bed and the wall, and just wait it out until the trip is done. Someone will bring me dinner and water, right? LOL.

Me, Aimee, Lindsay, Fiona, and Stacey are singing this dumb friendship ballad and I’m so afraid everyone will laugh at us. I’m not worried about my outfit anymore—I’m worried about the actual singing. Help!

Rude Awakening:
If I can’t lip-synch, I’m SUNK.

Plus, we haven’t been away from Far Hills for very long at all and I actually feel homesick. How is that possible? I miss Mom and Dad and of course Phinnie most of all.

We have to go climb this huge tower tomorrow. Now tell me what is the point in that? I’d rather fall in the mud than

“What are
you
doing here?” a voice said. Madison nearly dropped her notebook and pen. Without even thinking, she shoved them into the bottom bunk sleeping bag. Ivy Daly was standing in the doorway of the cabin.

“You scared me,” Madison said breathlessly.

“What’s that?” Ivy said. “You are in big trouble.”

“W-why? I didn’t do anything,” Madison stammered. “What are you talking about?”

“What are you doing here?” Ivy asked again.

“What are YOU doing here?” Madison asked.

“I asked you first,” Ivy snapped.

“I asked permission to be here,” Madison said. “So there. And you?”

“None of your business,” Ivy said.

“So why am I in trouble and you’re not?” Madison asked.

“Just forget it,” Ivy said, reaching into her own suitcase and pulling something out. “I won’t tell Mrs. Goode that I saw you.”

“Is that some kind of threat?” Madison said, smoothing out the bunk where she was sitting. She slowly pulled her notebook out of the strange sleeping bag.

“Isn’t that Stacey’s sleeping bag?” Ivy asked. “What are you doing?”

“None of your business,” Madison said.

“Well…I don’t have to waste my time talking to you,” Ivy said. Her voice was like needles. She paused to look in a small mirror on the wall and flounced her red hair. Then she continued out the screen door, running back toward the picnic area.

Poison Ivy will probably tell the drones or someone that she found someone in the cabin, Madison thought. She knew it was time to go back and save herself any embarrassment about her disappearance. Madison also wanted to tell Stacey what had happened so no one would accuse her of going through someone else’s stuff. Ivy was the kind of person who would accuse.

Madison plucked her duffel off the top bunk and shoved the orange notebook deep inside her folded sweatshirt. Someone would have to tear the bag apart and dump everything out to find the notebook there.