“Nancy! Help!”
I gasped, terrified, trying to make sense of the darkness around me. Oh, right. I was in a tent with my bunk. It was the end-of-year campout. I must have just been having another nightmare. I tried to breathe in, to calm the hammering in my chest. I guess that ghost story affected me more than I thought. . . .
Then I remembered: Someone was calling for my help! Or were they? I listened hard but heard only silence. Even the rain had stopped.
Was I just hearing things?
I reached for the small flashlight by my bed and turned it on. I flashed the weak beam around the tent, counting each sleeping head: Maya, Kiki, Cece, Winnie, Katie, Nina . . .
And one empty sleeping bag.
I leaped up, angling to get a better look. Harper’s book still lay by her pillow, but the sleeping bag was rumpled and unzipped, as though she had recently left. I sat up, trying to quiet the clenching feeling in my stomach. She probably just got up to use the bathroom. It was raining and we didn’t go before bed.
Now the woods were silent. The rain seemed to have stopped.
As quietly as I could, I slid out of my sleeping bag and crept out of the tent. I briefly considered grabbing Maya’s higher-powered flashlight, but then decided against it. I’m only going to be a minute. She’s probably right on the edge of the woods, using the latrine we dug.
Outside the tent, the clouds had parted to reveal the moon, which was only a razor-sharp-looking crescent. I breathed in the cool night air and felt a bit better. Nothing to worry about.
I shone my flashlight on the narrow path that led away from the tents and into the woods. The latrine was just a few yards beyond the first trees. As I got closer, I heard human-sounding noises and felt a rush of relief wash over me. She’s just using the bathroom. No big deal.
I moved closer. “Harper?” I called, shining the flashlight toward the tree we’d dug the latrine behind. “Are you okay?”
“Hey!”
A voice that was decidedly not Harper’s cried out in alarm. “A little privacy, maybe? I’m not Harper! Sheesh!”
In my surprise, I couldn’t place the voice at first. But then it came to me. It was Janie, Bess’s CIT—aka Mini-George.
I backed away, feeling my cheeks burn. “Sorry about that! Sorry!” I stumbled back along the path to the cluster of tents in the clearing.
But if that isn’t Harper . . . where is she?
I was trying to quiet the fear that seemed to fill my veins with ice when I heard the voice again.
“Help me, Nancy! Please!”
It was undoubtedly Harper. And it was coming from a narrow path that led up the hill, farther into the woods.
I felt my heart speed up as I moved toward the path. I shone my weak flashlight beam ahead, but it barely penetrated the inky-black darkness. Just like in my dream, I thought.
And just when I thought I couldn’t be any more afraid, a hand reached out and grabbed me from behind.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A Deadly Plan
BEFORE I COULD SCREAM, THE figure that had grabbed me spoke. “Nancy, what are you doing?”
I shone my flashlight beam at it and nearly collapsed with relief. “Bess!”
She pushed a thick lock of blond hair behind her ear, still frowning. “What’s going on?” she asked. “Why are you out here?”
“Because I’m missing a camper,” I replied. “And—”
“You too?” Bess’s eyes widened. “I’m missing Janie, and—”
“I found Janie,” I replied. “She’s using the latrine and doesn’t want to be bothered. But Harper—”
“It’s not just Janie,” Bess said quickly. “Though that’s a relief, that she’s okay. I’m missing Olivia, too.”
Olivia. I pictured the tiny girl with dark braids who liked to follow Bess around like a starstruck duckling.
“She’d never wander out on her own,” Bess went on in a rush. “She’s not the type. So I’m worried—”
“Help me please! Pl—mmmmph!”
My head swung around in the direction of the path. This time it sounded like Harper’s voice had been muffled, like someone had pressed a hand over her mouth.
“I was about to tell you,” I said quickly to Bess. “It’s coming from this path . . .” I shone the light up the path, just barely illuminating any of the darkness.
“Great,” Bess said, shining the flashlight from her smartphone in the same direction. “Let’s go.”
But as much as I wanted Bess’s company, I knew she could be more help here. “No, you stay here and wake Deborah and Miles,” I hissed. “Then the three of you follow up this path as soon as you can. Okay? I don’t have a good feeling about this.” I swallowed hard. “I’m afraid I was wrong about Bella,” I added, and then, when Bess nodded, started up the path.