The Curse of Camp Cold Lake

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?”