“All right, girls,” Deborah said, stepping onto a short wooden pier that stretched into the lake. She was wearing a red, white, and blue striped one-piece. “For the basic swimming test, we’ll have you jump off the edge of this pier, swim out to the float, move about three yards away and tread water for two minutes, then swim back. This all must be completed in five minutes. Any counselor who passes this test will get their blue swimming badge, which allows you to swim in the lake as long as there’s a lifeguard present. If anyone would like to take the lifeguard test, that wins you a red swimming badge, and you’ll be allowed to swim in the lake unsupervised. Is anyone interested?”
Sam raised her hand, and so did Bella, after some hesitation.
“Great,” said Deborah. “We’ll save you two for last, then, since it’s a more complicated test.”
“Can I run to the ladies’ room then?” Sam asked. “Sorry—I should have gone back at the cabin.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Deborah said. “There’s an outhouse down a little path that leads off to the right, on your way back to the mess hall.”
Sam turned and disappeared into the woods. But before Deborah could continue, Bella raised her hand.
“Yes, Bella?” Deborah asked.
“Can I go get a hoodie?” Bella asked. “I’m cold, and if we’re just going to be waiting for a while . . .”
“Sure.” Deborah shrugged. “Run back to the cabin quickly and then come right back, okay?”
“Okay.” Bella nodded and then scampered back up the path.
“Now, let me demonstrate the basic test for you.” Deborah walked out to the end of the pier, pinched her nose, and jumped in with a huge SPLASH!
“Ooh!” she shrieked when she came up for air. “That’s brisk! Anyway, I’m going to swim over to the float like so. . . .” She began paddling, kicking her legs out behind. The lake water splashed into crystals all around her. It was a couple of minutes before she reached the float. “Okay!” she yelled, struggling to make her voice carry over the yards that separated her from the pier. “Now I’m going to—aaugh!”
In the blink of an eye, it looked like Deborah was suddenly yanked downward—into the lake! Where she’d floated a few seconds earlier, holding on to the float, was a little whirlpool of churning water.
I looked uneasily at George. “What just happened?”
George shook her head. “Do you think she’s okay? Should we—”
But then the surface of the lake was broken again, and an extremely wet, slick-haired Deborah came up sputtering.
“Are you okay?” Maddie yelled, cupping her hands over her mouth.
Deborah held up one finger to say wait one minute. She pushed her hair back from her face, still blinking and gasping—clearly whatever had pulled her down had surprised her, too.
“I’m okay,” she said after a few seconds. “That was the darnedest thing! It felt like someone . . .” She looked down into the water, biting her lip.
“Someone did what?” Charla called, looking openly worried now.
Deborah frowned, peering beneath the surface of the water. I turned to look at George again, and she returned my glance with a furrowed brow. Nobody was saying it—but I knew we were all thinking of the story Bella had told the night before. The camper who’d drowned in this very lake. The camper who supposedly haunted the camp.
All at once, Deborah shook her head and turned back to us, smiling. “Nothing,” she said. “Just ignore me! I’m sorry, folks, there are some reeds and plants down there, and my foot must have gotten snagged on one of them. No big deal!”
“What about us?” Charla murmured, too quietly for Deborah to hear. “I don’t want to get caught by any weed.”
I swallowed hard. I wasn’t proud to admit it, but I was thinking the same thing. I wasn’t a terribly strong swimmer to begin with. The last thing I needed was some angry “weed” pulling me down.
If it really is a weed.
Deborah demonstrated the rest of the test: treading water for two minutes, then swimming back. Nothing else happened that would be considered out of the ordinary. When Deborah crested the ladder that led back up to the pier, she held out her arms for applause, and we all clapped politely.
“Thank you,” said Deborah with a smile. “I deserve that, for being the first one to brave that cold water! Who’s next? Let’s see. . . .” She walked to the edge of the pier and picked up a clipboard. “Sam and Bella were interested in the lifeguard test, right? So let’s do the basic tests first. Alphabetical order?” Without waiting for us to answer, she squinted at the paper on her clipboard. “Benson, Charla?”
Charla cringed, but nodded and bravely moved forward. In what seemed like no time, she’d jumped into the water and headed to the float. She passed her test with flying colors, and then Maddie took and passed hers. I was beginning to feel calm again when Deborah called out, “Drew, Nancy? I think you’re up!”
Great. I raised my hand, trying to muster up a not-miserable expression.
Deborah smiled encouragingly. “Okay. A little advice from someone who’s been there: jump in from the end of the pier. Rip off the Band-Aid, you know? You get used to the water faster that way.”
I took a breath and glanced at Bess. You. This was your idea. But she just smiled like we were all having a great time. I strolled to the edge of the pier and bent my toes over. The water looked deep green up close, and I couldn’t see much beyond the surface.