Adirondack Audacity Read Online Free PDF Page B

lights come on
illuminating the road, banishing the darkness.
“Who turned off the lights?” Kat wails. “I thought
you fricking left me in the woods. What’s howling out
there? Is that a bear, a mountain lion ?” Her shoes kick up
little puffs of dust from the road as she runs back to join
us. “What was I thinking coming back to this wilderness!”
“That was a loon, a duck that hunts by diving for fish
in the lakes.” Morris explains calmly. “You should
remember them; they’re on the lake by camp. That’s a
mating call. Listen, there it goes again.”
And actually, after knowing it’s only a duck and not
some Sasquatch stalking us through the woods, the sound
is hauntingly lovely. I step to the side of the road to hear
better, and notice Vic standing outside the circle of light,
listening, he turns his head, and I can feel his eyes on me.
Morris opens the van door and ushers everyone back
inside. “And by the way, I have to caution you about your
language. There is no cussing or swearing around the
campers or my wife. She does not tolerate foul language
and lewd behavior from our counselors.”
And what does he mean by lewd behavior? The image
of the staff chasing each other around the campfire,
naked comes to mind…..I don’t think that’s going to be a
problem….being a Christian based camp and all. And the
only reason Helen let me come was her hope that a
summer filled with Sunday church service and prayer
would save my immortal soul. Like there’s ever a chance
to tarnish my soul under her watch…..
…
The sign announcing the arrival to Camp High Point
is fashioned out of woven tree branches, like a huge
cobweb hanging in the glow of the headlights. The camp
is deserted and shrouded in darkness. Is this what the
camp brochure meant by pristine mountain experience?
Or is pristine just another word for primitive…
“Where are the lights, why is it so dark?” asks Mac
peering into the night, trying to get a glimpse of the
buildings.
“Well…we had a little problem with the electrician.”
Morris says looking back at us, a guilty expression on his
face. “In the fall we turn off the electricity to save money
over the winter and then switch it back on in the spring
before the campers arrive. The electrician wasn’t able to
come until tomorrow. So I’m afraid your first night at
camp will be in the dark. And no electricity means no
water. Sorry.”
Terrific…… no lights, no water, no food, and no
evidence of people….what if Morris is a deranged serial
killer with a particular appetite for teenagers……. oh boy…
Chapter 4
Camp High Point at the Cascade
    Sunrise comes quickly in the North Woods. Golden
rays of morning sun spill through the web of tree
branches causing streams of light to play across the
hardwood floor. Stretching in my sleeping bag, it takes a
moment to remember where I am. Snuggling down in the
warmth of my bed, I survey the room with interest. I
wasn’t dreaming. It’s as charming in the daylight as it was
under the flashlight beams last night. Morris might be
nuts, but he’s not insane. After feeding us;; and providing
flashlights he conducted a moonlit tour of camp,
dropping us off at our respective cabins.
    The walls of the cabin are unstained wood coated
with a single coat of varnish, mellowed to a soft yellow
patina. The beds are placed between long narrow
windows that swing in like a set of small French doors
when opened. Each window is covered in screening to
keep out the voracious black flies and mosquitos.
    Curtains and bedspreads are made of a faded green
plaid material. Tattered braided rugs in tones of green,
rust and burgundy are randomly scattered over the knotty
pine floors. Four wooden dressers are lined up on the
wall opposite the beds, the drawers chipped and worn
with age. And best of all…..it’s clean. No dingy cabin
with smoke-stained walls smelling of mildew, crawling
with spiders, mouse droppings, and bats