28
I waited for the pain.
I waited for the darkness.
The water swirled around me. Blue, then green.
Choking on a mouthful of water, I thrashed up to the surface. Struggling to breathe, I let the waves rock me back and forth.
“The life vest!” I choked out.
I held half of the vest in each hand.
The motor blades had sliced the life vest in two.
I tossed the two pieces away. And started to laugh.
“I’m alive!” I cried out loud. “I’m still alive!”
I turned and saw the boat speeding across the lake. Did Della think she had won?
I didn’t care. I spun around. Found the shore. And started to swim.
My close call gave me new energy. The strong, rocking current helped push me back to the camp.
I heard girls calling to me as I stumbled onto the grass. And I saw Liz jogging quickly over.
“Sarah-” she called. “Sarah-wait!”
I ignored her. I ignored them all.
I started to run.
I knew what I had to do. I had to get away from Camp Cold Lake. I had to get away as fast as I could.
I wasn’t safe here. Not as long as Della wanted me for her buddy. Not as long as Della wanted me to drown too.
I knew no one would believe me. They all said they wanted to help. But no one could really help me-not against a ghost!
I burst into the cabin and tore off my wet swimsuit. Tossing it to the floor, I frantically pulled on shorts and a T-shirt.
I swept my wet hair back with both hands. Tugged on socks and my sneakers.
“Got to get away. Got to get away,” I chanted to myself.
What to do? Where to go?
I’ll run through the woods to the town on the other side, I decided. I’ll call Mom and Dad. I’ll tell them I’m hiding in town. I’ll tell them to pick me up there.
I stopped at the cabin doorway.
Should I tell Aaron?
No. No way, I decided.
He’ll only try to stop me.
I’ll get a message to Aaron from town, I decided. I’ll tell him where I am. But not until I’m safe. Not until I’m far away from this place.
I poked my head out of the cabin and searched around, making sure the coast was clear. Then I stepped outside and made my way around to the back.
And ran into Briana.
She narrowed her eyes at me, studying my face. “You’re going?” she asked quietly.
I nodded. “Yes. I’m going.”
Once again, Briana’s expression changed. The light in her eyes seemed to fade.
“Good luck,” she whispered.
29
Why is she acting so weird? I wondered.
I didn’t have time to think about it. I gave Briana a wave. Then I ran past her and headed into the woods.
I glanced back as I followed a path between the trees. And saw Briana still standing there behind the cabin. Watching me.
Taking a deep breath, I turned and hurried along the path.
The trees overhead cut off a lot of the sunlight. It grew darker and cooler as I ran.
A hedge of sharp burrs and brambles scraped my bare arms and legs as I tried to edge past. I wished I had worn jeans and a sweatshirt. Something that covered me better.
My sneakers slipped over a thick blanket of dead leaves. I had to skip over fallen tree limbs and clumps of thorny weeds.
Tree roots rose up over the path. Tall, dry reeds leaned over me, as if reaching to grab me.
The narrow path divided in two. I paused-breathing hard-trying to decide which path to take.
Would they both lead me to town?
I held my breath when I heard a voice. Singing.
A bird?
No. A soft voice. A girl’s voice.
“Oh, no,” I moaned. Raising my eyes to the sound, I saw Della, perched on a low tree limb. She tilted her head from side to side as she sang. Her blue eyes sparkled, gazing down at me.
“You-you followed me!” I stammered. “How did you know that I-” My voice caught in my throat.
She giggled. “You’re my buddy,” she replied. “We have to stick together.”
“No! No way!” I screamed up at her. “You lose, Della. I’m not going to be your buddy. Because I’m never going to the lake again. I’m never going to drown like you!”
Della’s smile faded. “Drown?” She shook her head. “Sarah, what made you think that? You’re very confused. I didn’t drown.”
“Huh?” My mouth dropped open. I stared up at her in shock.
“Close your mouth, Sarah. A fly will fly into it.” Della tilted back her head and laughed.
Then she shook her head again. “How could anyone drown at Camp Cold Lake?” she demanded. “They give a lecture about water safety every five minutes! No one ever drowned at Camp Cold Lake!”
“You didn’t drown?” I cried. “Then how did you die?”
She rested her hands on the tree limb and leaned forward, peering down at me. I could see through her body, see the leaves shaking in the breeze.
“It’s a simple story,” Della said with a sigh. “One night I got tired of listening to the water safety lecture at the campfire. So I sneaked off into these woods.”
She swept her hair back with a toss of her head. “I made one major mistake,” she continued. “I didn’t know the woods are filled with deadly poisonous snakes.”
I gasped. “These woods? Snakes?”
Della nodded. “It’s nearly impossible to cross through these woods without getting bitten,” she sighed. “I died of a snakebite, Sarah.”
“But-but-” I sputtered. “But you were always at the lake,” I choked out. “Why did I always see you at the lake?”
“Don’t you get it?” she replied. “That was my plan. I made you afraid of the lake, Sarah. I made you terrified of the lake. Because I knew you’d try to escape through the woods. I knew you’d run into the woods and die like me-and be my buddy.”
“No-!” I protested. “I won’t. I-”
“Sarah, look!” Della pointed toward the ground.
I gazed down-and watched a fat black snake curl around my leg.
30
“Buddies forever,” Della sang cheerfully. “Buddies forever.”
I stood frozen, gaping down in horror. Watching the fat snake wind itself around me. Feeling its warm, dry body scrape over my bare skin.
“Nooooo.” A low moan escaped my throat as the snake arched its head.
“It won’t hurt that much,” Della said brightly. “It’s like a bee sting, Sarah. That’s all.”
The snake let out a loud hiss. It snapped open its jaws.
I felt its body tighten like a warm rope around my leg.
“Buddies forever,” Della sang. “Buddies forever…”
“No! Sarah is not your buddy!” a voice rang out.
I tried to turn toward the voice. But I couldn’t move. I felt the snake tighten its hold on my leg.
“Briana!” I cried. “What are you doing here?”
She hurried out from behind a clump of tall reeds.
With one quick motion, she grabbed the snake in one hand. Slid it off my leg. And tossed it into the trees.
Briana raised her eyes to Della. “Sarah can’t be your buddy, because she’s my buddy!” Briana shouted.
Della’s eyes grew wide. She cried out in surprise. She gripped the tree branch to keep from falling.
“You!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“Yes, it’s me!” Briana shouted up to her. “I’m back, Della.”
“But-but how did you…” Della’s voice trailed off.
“You tried to do the same thing to me last year,” Briana said. “You tried all summer to make me your buddy. You terrified me-didn’t you, Della?”
Briana uttered an angry cry. “You didn’t think I’d come back. But I did. I came back to camp this summer… to protect the next girl!”