“Sarah, you’re okay,” she repeated.
“But—” I stared up at her. Waiting for her face to change again. Waiting for her to become Della again.
Had I only imagined Della’s face? Had the streaming sunlight tricked my eyes?
With a sigh, I let her help me into the boat.
I slumped to my knees. The boat rocked up and down. Liz narrowed her eyes at me. “What happened out there?” she asked.
Before I could answer, I heard splashing outside the boat.
Della?
I froze.
No. Jan pulled herself up on the side. She brushed her wet hair off her face. “Sarah—didn’t you hear me calling you?” she demanded.
“Jan. I didn’t see you. I thought that—” My voice caught in my throat.
“Why did you swim away from me?” Jan asked. “I’m your buddy—remember?”
Liz drove me to shore. I changed my clothes and went to see Richard. I found him in his head counselor’s office, a little room about the size of a closet in the back of the main lodge.
He was resting his feet on top of his tiny desk. He twirled a toothpick in his mouth.
“Hey, Sarah—how’s it going?” He flashed me a friendly smile and motioned for me to take a seat in the folding chair across from his desk.
I could see his eyes studying me.
“I hear you had another little problem in the lake,” he said softly. He moved the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. “What’s going on?”
I took a deep breath.
Should I tell him there is a ghost girl who has been following me everywhere? Who wants me to be her buddy?
He’d just think I’m nuts, I decided.
“You had a bad shock yesterday,” Richard said. “We really thought that you drowned.”
He lowered his feet and leaned over the desk toward me. “Maybe you went back in the water too soon,” he said. “Too soon after the shock.”
“Maybe,” I murmured.
And then I blurted out the question that was really on my mind. “Richard, tell me about the girl who drowned here.”
His mouth dropped open. “Huh?” The toothpick fell onto his lap.
“I know that a girl drowned in the lake,” I insisted. “Can you tell me about her?”
Richard shook his head. “No girl ever drowned at Camp Cold Lake,” he said. “Never.”
I knew he was lying.
I had proof, after all. I had seen Della. And talked with her.
“Richard, please—” I begged. “I really need to know. Tell me about her.”
He frowned. “Why don’t you believe me, Sarah? I’m telling the truth. No campers have ever drowned at this camp. No boys. No girls.”
I heard a soft sigh behind me.
I glanced back at the open doorway—and saw Della standing there.
I jumped to my feet. And pointed. “Richard!” I cried. “The girl who drowned! She’s standing right there! Don’t you see her?”
Richard raised his eyes to the doorway. “Yes,” he replied softly. “I see her.”
24
“Huh?” I gasped and grabbed the edge of his desk. “You see her?” I cried. “You really do?”
Richard nodded. He had a solemn expression on his face. “If it makes you feel better, Sarah, I’ll say that I see her.”
“But you don’t really see her?” I demanded.
He scratched his sandy-colored hair. “No. I don’t see anything.”
I turned back to the doorway. Della grinned at me.
“Sit down. Please,” Richard instructed. “You know, sometimes our mind plays tricks on us. Especially when we’ve been through a really bad scare.”
I didn’t sit down. I stood in front of his desk and stared hard at Della. Stared right through her.
“She’s not in my mind! She’s right there!” I shouted. “She’s standing right there, Richard. Her name is Della. She drowned at this camp. And now she’s trying to drown me too!”
“Sarah—please calm down,” Richard said gently. He climbed around his desk and put a hand on my shoulder. Then he led me to the door.
I was standing face-to-face with Della.
She stuck out her tongue at me.
“See? There’s no one there,” Richard said.
“But—but—” I sputtered.
“Why don’t you stay away from the lake for a few days,” he suggested. “You know. Just hang out and relax.”
Della mouthed his words as he spoke.
I turned away from her.
She giggled.
“Don’t go to the lake?” I asked Richard.
He nodded. “Take a few days and rest up. You’ll feel much better.”
I knew I wouldn’t feel better. I knew I’d still have Della following me everywhere, trying to make me her buddy.
I sighed. “That won’t help,” I told him.
“Then I have a different idea,” he said. “Pick a sport you haven’t tried, Sarah. Pick something really hard. Like water-skiing.”
“I don’t get it,” I replied. “Why should I do that?”
“Because you will have to think so hard about what you’re doing, you won’t have time to worry about ghosts.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. Right.”
“I’m trying to help you,” he said sharply.
“Well… thanks,” I replied. I didn’t know what else to say. “I guess I’ll go to lunch now.”
I trudged out of the tiny office. And took a deep breath. The air was much cooler out in the main lodge.
I turned the corner and headed toward the mess hall in the front of the building. As I turned another corner, I heard Della’s frail voice behind me.
“You can’t get away, Sarah. You’re my buddy. There’s no need to run. You’ll always be my buddy.”
The soft words—so close to my ear—sent shivers down my back.
Something inside me snapped.
I couldn’t hold in my fury.
“SHUT UP!” I shrieked. “SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP—AND LEAVE ME ALONE!”
I spun around to see if she had heard me.
And gasped in horror.
25
Briana stood behind me.
Her mouth dropped open in shock. “Okay, okay. I’ll go away,” she said, backing up. “You don’t have to be so nasty, Sarah. I was just coming to see how you were doing.”
Wow. I felt so bad.
Briana thought I was talking to her.
“I—I—” I stammered.
“I thought you wanted to be friends,” Briana snapped. “I didn’t even say a word to you. And you bit my head off!”
“I wasn’t talking to you!” I finally choked out. “I was talking to her!”
I pointed to Della, who leaned against the wall behind us. Della waved to me and giggled.
Sun from the open lodge window lit up Della’s blond hair from behind. I could see the window right through her body.
“I was talking to her!” I repeated.
Briana raised her eyes to the window.
And the strangest expression spread over her face.
The next morning, I gulped down some gooey scrambled eggs for breakfast. Then I made my way to the boat dock.
Don’t ask why I decided to try water-skiing.
I really don’t have an answer.
I suppose I did it for Aaron. The night before, he begged me once again not to call Mom and Dad.
Aaron really didn’t want to go home. He said he was having the best summer of his life.
Sure, I thought. It’s easy for you to have a good summer. You don’t have a ghost following you around.
“Please try to stay a while longer,” Aaron begged.
I won’t go to the lake, I decided. I’ll hang around the cabin and read or something.
But in the morning, I realized that was a bad plan.
I’d be too scared to stay by myself in the cabin while everyone else was at the lake. I would have no way to protect myself against
Della.
Yes, I know I wasn’t thinking clearly.
I was so stressed out, I could barely think at all!
I should have stayed as far away from the water as possible.
But I really didn’t want to be alone. So I followed Richard’s advice. And went to the boat dock. And told Liz I wanted to try water-skiing.
“That’s great, Sarah!” Liz cried, flashing me a pleased smile. “Have you ever done it before? It’s easier than it looks.”
I told her I’d never tried it.
She pulled a yellow inflated life vest and a pair of skis from the equipment shed.
Then she gave me a short lesson. Showed me how to lean back and how to bend my knees.
A short while later, I was in the water waiting for the motorboat to come around. Meg was using the boat now, skiing behind it, sliding over the water. Her orange bathing suit glowed in the morning sunlight.
The hum of the boat echoed over the water. The lake bobbed and rippled in the boat’s wake.
Meg let out a cry and let go of the towrope as the boat sped near the dock. She splashed into the water, then quickly pulled off her skis. Then she came walking to shore.
“My turn next,” I said softly. I felt a knot in my stomach.
Meg flashed me a thumbs-up.
I struggled with the skis, but finally got them in place. Then I pulled up the towrope, gripping it tightly in both hands.
The boat motor sputtered and coughed. The boat rocked up ahead of me in the rippling blue water.
I steadied myself. Lowered myself the way Liz had shown me. And took a deep breath.
“Ready!” I called.
The motor sputtered—and then roared.
The boat pulled away so fast, the towrope nearly flew out of my hands.
“Whooooooooaaa!” I opened my mouth in a long cry as the rope pulled me up.
Yes! The skis bounced over the surface. I bent my knees and gripped the towrope tightly.
I’m doing it! I realized. I’m water-skiing!
The boat picked up speed. We headed in a straight line over the sparkling water. The cold spray swept over my face, my hair.
I started to lose my balance. Tugged myself back up. Held on—and kept going.
“Yessss!” I cried out loud. What an awesome feeling!
But then the driver of the boat turned her head.
And I recognized Della’s evil grin.
As she worked the controls, Della’s white-blond hair flew up like wings around her pale face. Her blue eyes sparkled like the water.
Her grin grew wider as she saw the horror on my face.
“Turn around! Turn back! Please!” I begged.
She made the boat swerve hard.
I nearly toppled over. I gripped the towrope.
My skis slapped the surface. Pain shot up to my knees. The cold spray washed over me.
I gasped. Struggled to breathe.
Della threw back her head and laughed. The sound was drowned out by the roar of the motor.
I could see the sky through her body. The sunlight poured right through her.
“Turn around!” I screamed. “Stop! Where are you taking me? Where?”
26
Della didn’t answer. She turned away from me, her hair flying wildly behind her head.
The boat bounced over the water, sending up tall waves of foam and spray.
The waves splashed over me. Chilling me. Blinding me.
Gripped in panic, it took me a long time to realize that I had an easy escape.
I let go of the towrope.
My hands shot up. The tow bar snapped against the water.
I skidded for a few seconds, my arms thrashing wildly. And then I toppled over and sank.
The life vest pulled me back up. I bounced on the surface, gasping, spitting out water. My heart pounded.
I felt so dizzy. The bright sunlight seemed to surround me. Which way was up? Which way to the shore?
I spun around and saw the motorboat in the distance.
“You didn’t get me this time!” I called to Della.
But then I froze as the boat began to turn. Della swerved the boat, kicking up a tall wave of white water.
Swerved it back around. Until it pointed to me.
I gasped as I heard the motor roar.
I bobbed helplessly in the water.
The boat picked up speed, skipping over the rippling surface.
She’s coming for me, I thought. She’s coming to make me her buddy forever.
I’m trapped out here.
She’s coming to run me over.
27
I treaded water, watching in horror as the boat sped toward me.
I’ve got to dive under it, I realized. The only way to escape is down.
I took a deep breath. Every muscle tensed. I knew I had to time my dive perfectly.
The boat roared closer. I could see Della crouched over the motor. Guiding the boat.
Aiming it.
I took another deep breath. And then I realized I couldn’t dive.
The life vest—it was holding me up. No way I could plunge beneath the surface.
With a cry, I grabbed the front of the vest with both hands.
And tugged.
I can’t do this! I realized. I can’t get this thing off in time!
The water rocked harder as the boat sped nearer. The whole lake seemed to tilt and spin.
The boat—it’s going to tear me to pieces! I thought.
I pulled at the vest. Pushed it.
Please—please—slide over my head!
No time. No time.
I can’t dive!
The motor’s roar drowned out my scream.
With a frantic tug, I pulled the life vest up. Over my shoulders.
Too late.
The front of the boat bounced over me.
Then the whirring motor blades sliced off my head.
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 t
o 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!”