The auditorium was nothing like the one we had at school. Basically it was a big room with a basketball court for a floor. There were folding chairs for seating and large rotating fans to keep everyone cool. (Or should I say they were attempting to keep everyone cool. With another heat wave hitting the area, the most you could hope for was a quick breeze passing through one of the large windows. Thankfully the sun would be going down soon and offer more relief. The auditorium smelled musty from the heat, and everywhere I looked kids were fanning themselves with the counselor hunt rules memo that Hitch had passed out earlier.) Lining the auditorium walls were camp posters and banners, similar to the ones in the mess hall. One heralding our upcoming talent show, written in sparkly purple lettering, was front and center. I had to admit, Court's routine was so fun that I was secretly looking forward to performing now. The other big banner was a replica of ones that were littering the camp: COLOR WAR IS FOUR DAYS AWAY! The countdown had begun and it was all anyone could talk about.
"Counselors and CITs are going to be hiding around camp in costume. The remaining staff, like Mrs. Morberry, Cara, Beaver and a few counselors," Hitch continued, "including myself, will be patrolling the grounds to help campers. After the counselors have had twenty minutes to hide, you may all head out with your bunks to search for them. Bunks should stay together for this game. When you come across a counselor, you will have three guesses as to who is behind the mask. Get the answer right, and your team wins a point. Once a counselor has been identified, they are out of the game and must go to our makeshift jail at the mess hall. The team with the most points at nine PM will be the winner and will get a free snack at the canteen every day for the rest of the week." A loud cheer rose from the heat-exhausted crowd.
"Less than an hour till you tell Cole you like him," Court reminded me. As if I needed reminding. She was dressed as Kermit the Frog. We had painted her with washable green paint and she was wearing green clothing. I thought she kind of looked like the Jolly Green Giant, but Court got mad when I said that. I was dressed as a rag doll. (Alexis came up with the idea.) I had white pancake makeup, big, red rouge circles on my cheeks, oversized glasses, fake red eyebrows, a clown nose, striped stockings, a baby doll dress, and red hair made of yarn. Court thought my costume was cheesy. Well, it wasn't as cheesy as Gabby being Catwoman. (She must have been sweating in those black leather pants.) Not one to be topped, Ashley went with the superhero theme as well. She was Wonder Woman, so she was wearing a black wig, a small gold eye mask, and a skintight leotard with stars on it that matched her gold go-go boots.
Ashley must have had ESP because at that moment, she turned her head and gave me a nasty look.
I knew she thought -- rightly so -- I was one of the culprits behind last week's prank. None of Ashley's and Gabby's clothes got ruined, but Ashley was still angry, mostly because she hadn't been able to prove it was us that did it. The good news was that Ashley wasn't talking to any of us (except Gabby, of course), so camp life had been attitude-free for a few days.
Still, I was convinced the truce would be short-lived. There was no way Ashley was not going to get us back for humiliating her. It was just a matter of time before I woke up covered in honey and feathers or found my bras swinging from the top of the flagpole.
"I've been thinking and I'm not sure telling Cole I like him during the game is such a good idea," I whispered to Court as Hitch continued talking. "I'm dressed as a rag doll! It's kind of hard to confess you like someone when you're wearing a yarn wig. Maybe I should just tell him the normal way, you know? Plus, how do I know I'm even going to find Cole? I have no clue what his costume is."
"Trust me, this is a good idea. And how hard could it be to figure out who he is?" she said as she glanced around the stage.
Very hard if you asked me. Most of the male counselors were smart enough to wear masks or papier-mâché heads. They were dressed in giant costumes like the Hulk, Barney, and a panda bear. Cole could be any of them, including the knight in armor, Darth Vader, Batman, or even that henchman from the movie Scream. I knew he wasn't Tarzan -- that chiseled torso belonged to Court's beloved Donovan.
"Okay, this is going to be more difficult than I thought," Court admitted, reading my thoughts. "Usually the costumes are as lame as Gabby's and you can tell who someone is right away, but I guess this year the guys went all out."
"I have to find someone who knows who Cole is," I decided. "Then I have to get to him before a group of campers do and find my own hiding space before Hitch realizes I'm not actually playing the game."
"You can do it," Court said encouragingly. "When you find Cole, I think you should run up to him and kiss him."
I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. Kissing was all Court thought about. "I'm not sure that's the best approach," I said delicately.
I did have an overwhelming urge to kiss Cole. I'd had it for a while, but ever since he'd rescued me from Beaver the other night, I couldn't get the thought out of my head. I should have just done it then, when I had the chance. Cole must have had to ask me something important if he snuck out of his bunk to do it. What could it have been? I wanted to ask, but every time I saw Cole, someone interrupted us. Grace thought he wanted to ask me to go to the camp dance with him, which was during the last week of camp. If that was true, then that meant Cole definitely liked me. Just the thought of Cole liking me as much as I liked him made me melt faster than the Firecracker ice pop I'd gotten at the canteen that afternoon.
"So are there any questions?" I heard Hitch ask the revved-up crowd. For the first time tonight, the room was actually quiet. "Well, then, before I dismiss the counselors and CITS, I have more big news to announce -- the names of this year's Color War captains."
The crowd got very excited. I glanced sideways at Grace, who was standing stoically. She had wanted that title since she was six.
"This year's Color War captains -- who won't be able to celebrate at this exact moment for fear of their costumes being exposed -- are Grace Weidinger, Tim Conway, Grady James, and Amy Josephs!" The crowd cheered. Court and I were louder than anyone onstage. Grace had to be ready to burst. "Details about Color War will come soon, after I've met with the captains, but in the meantime, let's start tonight's game. It's time for the counselors and CITs to go into hiding. Good luck!"
We moved off the stage as quickly as we could. It was kind of hard when some of us were wearing such clunky costumes. Barney couldn't fit between the stair railings and had to be helped off the stage.
"Have you had any luck figuring out who they are yet?" Em appeared at my side. She was dressed as Minnie Mouse and she looked adorable with her big black ears, black foam nose, and red polka dot dress that she had borrowed from the camp secretary, Mrs. Morberry.
I shook my head. "They could be anyone," I complained. "The only way to find out is to get someone to tell us. Maybe if we can track down one of the other male CITs we can get him to spill the beans."
Em nodded. "Good idea. First we have to find another CIT. I'll head toward the lake and you head toward the upper campus. If either of us finds out who someone is, we'll meet on the path up to the bunks, right next to the water fountain -- that is, if we're not captured first."
"Good luck," we both said. Em and I shook on it and headed in opposite directions.
It wasn't long before I came across Grace, who was posing regally in the middle of the tennis courts. She was dressed as the Statue of Liberty and her face was a funny shade of green. She saw me and frowned. "Sam, you're going to give me away! No one can see you talking to me."
I laughed. "Grace, you're standing in the middle of the tennis courts," I pointed out. "It's not going to be hard to find you."
Grace itched her left calf. All that green paint must have been miserable in the heat. "Yeah, well, I thought I'd help the peeps and hide somewhere easy. They still have to figure out who I am though and my crown is so big, I doubt they'll be able to do that."
"Congrats on the Color War pick, ca
ptain," I said.
Grace attempted a smile, her makeup cracking. "Can you believe it? I've always wanted to be captain and now I finally get my chance! I think it's so cool that Tim got picked too. We're both going to be such strong leaders." She sighed. "So, any sign of Cole?"
"This was a stupid idea," I said miserably. "There is no way I'm going to find him when he's in disguise."
Grace looked thoughtful. "You need to think about the type of costume Cole would pick. Has he ever talked to you about his favorite movies or anything? If he likes Star Wars then he's probably the one dressed as Darth Vader."
I gave her a skeptical look. "Are you saying there is a chance that one of the CITs or counselors actually watches Barney?"
She seemed to be having trouble moving her lips. "I see your point," she said. Her face brightened. "I do know someone you could hunt down and ask about Cole. Tim is dressed as Kung Fu Panda -- but you didn't hear that from me."
My excitement at having a lead was momentarily forgotten with the news about Tim's costume choice. He was a jock, just like Grace, and I'd pictured him being something more active, like a lion tamer. There was one of those running around in a big, long-haired wig. "King Fu Panda?" I couldn't help asking. I tried not to smirk.
"I think it's cute," Grace said stiffly. "You know just because --" She paused. "Campers! They're coming this way."
The two of us turned around. Heading right toward us were definitely peeps, and they were being trailed by Mrs. Morberry. As they got closer, I spotted Mackenzie's pigtails. I had put her hair in them just before dinner when she complained it was hot out. "They're mine," I said breathlessly. "If they figure out who I am, I'll never get to tell Cole anything."
"Just stay calm," Grace said. "They're peeps, remember? Be happy they aren't marshmallows."
"We see you!" I heard Serena yell. She started running up the path ahead of the rest of the girls. She stopped when she saw Grace and me and I inhaled sharply. "You're Ashley!" she said, pointing at Grace. Grace shook her head. "Then you're Ashley," she said to me. I shook my head.
"Don't say a name till everyone gets here," reminded Mrs. Morberry gently.
"Hitch said we only get three picks," Callie told the girls. She whispered to the other excited little girls and they nodded in agreement. "Are one of you Meg?"
Whoo hoo! Two picks down. Grace and I shook our heads.
"I know who the rag doll is," Mackenzie shrieked suddenly. She ran up to me and I tried not to look her in the eye. My heart was racing. Mackenzie squinted intently. "Alexis!" I exhaled and shook my head. She looked at Grace, disappointed. "Are you Alexis?"
"No," Grace said in a deep voice. "That's three guesses. Sorry! Good luck."
The girls trudged off, looking dejected, and I almost felt bad for them. This was a pretty tough game for six-year-olds. I was surprised we didn't give them clues.
"That was close," I said to Grace. "I'm going to get out of here before anyone else comes looking." I didn't get much farther before my path was blocked by a group of pez arguing over which cabin to explore. I ducked into the trees to avoid being seen. When I came out the other side, I took a shortcut behind the arts and crafts cabin and almost ran right into Alexis, who was dressed as a fairy. I dove in front of the porch before she could turn her heavy wings around and see me.
My best bet was to get back to the path down to the lake and find Em. Maybe she had better luck than I did. The first area of the path was deserted, but as soon as I reached the hill leading to the lake I stopped and rested by a moss-covered rock. It was getting dark and that was only going to make it harder to find Cole. I bitterly swatted a mosquito away. That was when I saw Court whiz by me.
"HEY!" She spotted me and backtracked. She sat down on the rock next to me. Her dark hair, also sprayed green, was covered in pine needles. She must have been cutting through the woods. "A group of pez almost spotted me so I bolted," Court said, sounding out of breath.
I laughed. "Court! You're not supposed to move once you've gone into hiding. The campers are supposed to find you."
Court folded her arms defiantly. "You're one to talk. You haven't even gone into hiding yet!"
"That's true," I admitted sheepishly. "I'm still looking for Cole." I relayed what Grace said. "She thinks I should find Tim and he may tell me what Cole is."
"What's he dressed up as?" Court asked me.
"Kung Fu Panda." I giggled.
Court grabbed my arm, getting green paint on my white shirt. "Sam, I just saw a panda hanging out by the counselor lounge! That must be Tim!" The two of us looked at each other. "I'll go with you," Court said. "We'll take the woods. No one will see us."
It was hard to move quickly with all the trees and branches. First, my wig got pulled off by an unruly bush. Then Court snagged her green stockings on a tree trunk. Even though the sun hadn't gone down completely yet it was dark in the woods; the only thing I could see was Court's flashlight leading the way. Finally we made it to a clearing. Court held me back as a group of pez marched by with a disgusted-looking Gabby. Elmo, whoever he was, was right behind her with some marshmallows. When the coast was clear, we ran for it. After a detour around the inground pool, we made it to the counselor lounge where Tim was sitting on the steps. Even without Grace's tip, I would have known it was Tim. He was sitting with his panda head in his hands and his hair and face were drenched with sweat.
"What are you guys doing up here?" he demanded when he saw us. He fumbled to put the panda head back on, but it tumbled down the steps.
"It's okay, Tim," I told him. "It's Sam and Court." I reached down to pick the mask up. I handed it back to him. "We're not spying. We were looking for you."
"Is Grace okay?" Tim asked, looking concerned. "I told her the tennis courts were a dead giveaway."
Court elbowed me. "I think Grace is fine. Congrats on the Color War news."
Tim beamed proudly. "Thanks. I'm really stoked."
"Tim, we were hoping you could help us find someone," Court said. "Cole. Do you know what he's dressed as?"
"We're not supposed to give away costumes, remember?" Tim pointed out. "It ruins the fun of the game."
No wonder Grace liked Tim. He was just as anal about camp tradition as she was. "I know," I said. "I won't tell anyone who Cole is. I just need to know myself. There's something really important I have to tell him."
Tim looked at me curiously and smirked. "OH," he said in a way that made me think he knew what I was talking about. "Okay. Cole is a knight," he said. "He's been eyeing that costume for weeks."
YES! Now I just had to get to him before a group of pez did. "Thanks, Tim! I owe you one. Court, wish me luck!" I yelled as I took off running down the dirt path.
"Don't be a chicken!" Court yelled back.
Before I even reached the cabins, I found my path blocked by Barney. Since I didn't know who was inside the purple dinosaur costume, I quickly ducked behind a tree. I wasn't fast enough though because Barney saw me. I looked into the spooky, darkened woods and heard an owl hoot in the distance. Or was it a wolf? The woods were my only chance of losing Barney. I'd done it once already, I could do it again. I turned on my flashlight, pushed a few branches out of the way, inhaled sharply and walked in.
"Sam!" I heard a muffled voice yell. "SAM!"
I turned around and flashed my light in the trees around me. Barney was wedged between two trees. I couldn't just leave him there so I rushed over and pushed his purple tail till he wiggled free.
"Thanks," Barney said and pulled off his mask. It was Dylan! His face was dripping with sweat. It must have been so hot in that thing. "Grace told me you were a rag doll. That's why I followed you. Have you seen Em?"
I shook my head. "No, but she might be down by the lake, and that's where I'm headed," I said. "She's dressed as Minnie Mouse."
"I'll walk with you," he offered. "Just in case I get stuck again."
I wasn't about to protest. Walking with someone in the woods was much better than going
alone. It took us fifteen minutes to get to the lake -- Dylan got stuck about four times, I tripped over a few rocks, and then we had to search for my wig again (it was stuck on a tree branch) -- and when we finally made it, the place was deserted. Either the campers had given up on the area, or whoever had been hiding down there was already captured.
"Don't look so disappointed. Em could still be down here," Dylan said, not knowing who I was really looking for. "We'll head in different directions."
"AH HA!" A group of pez popped out from behind a nearby tree. "We have you!"
Dylan and I froze. I tried not to panic. I couldn't be this close and get caught now. The pez were older than the peeps, usually nine to eleven, and much more savvy. They circled us like we were their supper. Every once in a while they would whisper something to one another. Dylan and I stood back-to-back, waiting.
"You first," one of the pez said to me. "Our first guess is Gabby!"
"She's already been captured," I said in a high-pitched voice. "I saw it happen."
The group huddled together again, whispering. "Our next guess is Colleen!"
I shook my head. Just one more guess...
"Then you have to be..." A girl approached me and gave me the evil eye. "You have to be..." I held my breath. "You have to be Grace!"
"Wrong again," I squeaked. The pez looked disappointed, but I wanted to jump up and down and celebrate. They turned to Dylan. He had to get off too.
"We captured Tim, and Gavin is the lion tamer," the pez recounted out loud. "We've narrowed down who we think Cole and Hunter are so you must be... DYLAN!"
I couldn't believe it. They guessed right! Now Em would never get to tell him.
Dylan removed his head. "You've got me," he said with a smile. He looked at me and shrugged. "Good luck finding who you're looking for. Let them know I was looking for them too," he added cryptically.
One of the pez grabbed his arm. "Let's take him to jail," he said.