The Curse of Camp Cold Lake

20

“We want to apologize,” Briana said.

“We’ve been kind of rough on you,” Jan added in her scratchy voice. “We’re really sorry.”

“We’ve been talking about it,” Briana said. “We-”

“We decided we’ve been really unfair,” Meg interrupted. “We’re sorry, Sarah.”

“I–I’m sorry too,” I stammered. I was so stunned by their apologies, I could barely speak.

“Let’s start all over,” Briana suggested. She grabbed my hand. “Nice to meet you, Sarah. My name is Briana.”

“Excellent. A fresh start!” Jan declared.

“Thanks. I’m really glad,” I told them. And I meant it.

Jan turned to Briana. “When did you do that to your nails?”

Briana grinned and raised both hands. Her fingernails were a shiny, bright purple. “It’s a new color,” she said. “I did it after our swim.”

“What color is it?” Meg asked.

“Grape Juice, I think,” Briana replied. “They all have such crazy names.” She dug the bottle of nail polish from her pack and held it out to me. “Want to try it?”

“Well… sure,” I replied.

All four of us stayed up far past Lights Out, making our fingernails purple.

Later, I lay in my bunk, drifting off to sleep. I had a smile on my face, thinking about my three bunk mates. My three friends.

They had really cheered me up.

But my smile faded when I heard a whispered voice float across the dark cabin. “Sarah… Sarah…”

I gasped.

And then the frail voice-soft as the wind-was so close… so close to my ear.

“Sarah. I thought you were my buddy, Sarah. Why did you leave me?”

“No-please-” I begged.

“Sarah, I waited so long for you,” the ghostly voice whispered. “Come with me. Come with me, Sarah….”

And then an icy hand gripped my shoulder.