Goosebumps: The Curse of Camp Cold Lake Read Online Free PDF Page A

mouth to protest—but only a squeak came out.
    Liz frowned at me. “Jan says you deliberately tipped over the canoe. Don’t
you know how dangerous that is, Sarah?”
    “But—but—but—!”
    “I’m calling a special camp meeting because of this,” Liz said. “Water safety
is so important. The water safety rules must be followed at all times. Camp Cold
Lake couldn’t exist if campers didn’t follow every rule.”
    “I wish it didn’t exist,” I muttered unhappily.
     
    * * *
     
    So Liz held a long meeting at the lodge. And everyone at camp had to be
there.
    She went over the rules of water safety again. Rule by rule.
    And then she showed an endless slide show about the Buddy System.
    I sat way on the side and stared down at the floor. But every time I raised
my eyes, I saw Briana, Meg, and Jan glaring angrily at me.
    Other campers kept staring at me too. I guess they all blamed me for this
long, boring meeting. Jan probably told everyone in camp that I was the one who
tipped over the canoe.
    “I want you to memorize all twenty water safety rules,” Liz was saying.
    More campers stared angrily at me.
    Everyone hates me, I thought, shaking my head sadly. And there is nothing I
can do about it.
    Then, suddenly, I had an idea.

 
 
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    “I’m going to run away,” I told Aaron.
    “Good-bye,” he said calmly. “Good luck.”
    “No. Really!” I insisted. “I’m not kidding. I’m really going to run away from
this camp.”
    “Send me a postcard,” Aaron said.
    I had dragged him away from the mess hall after dinner. I really needed to
talk to him. I pulled him to the edge of the lake.
    No one else was down here. Everyone was still at the mess hall in the lodge.
    I glanced at the canoes, stacked in piles of three near the water. I pictured
Jan’s blond hair, her red swimsuit. I pictured her swimming away, leaving me in
the middle of the lake.
    And then lying to Liz. Getting me in trouble….
    I shook Aaron by the shoulders. “Why won’t you take me seriously?” I cried
through clenched teeth.
    He laughed.
    “You shouldn’t shake a person after they’ve just eaten the camp meat loaf.” He let out a loud burp.
    “You’re so gross.” I groaned.
    He grinned. “It’s a family tradition.”
    “Stop joking around. I mean it,” I snapped. “I’m really unhappy, Aaron. I
hate this camp. There is no phone here we can use. I can’t call Mom and Dad. So
I’m going to run away.”
    His expression changed. He saw that I was serious.
    He skipped a flat stone across the water. I watched the ripples spread out,
then disappear.
    The lake reflected the gray evening sky. Everything was gray. The ground, the
sky, the water. Reflections of trees shimmered darkly in the gray water.
    “Where are you going to run?” Aaron asked softly. I could see him quickly
becoming the mature, “wiser” brother again. But I didn’t care.
    I had to tell him my plan. I couldn’t leave camp without letting him know.
    “Through the woods,” I said. I pointed. “There is a town on the other side of
the woods. When I get to the town, I’m going to call Mom and Dad and tell them
to come get me.”
    “You can’t!” Aaron protested.
    I stuck my chin out. “Why not?”
    “We’re not allowed in the woods,” he replied. “Richard said the woods were
dangerous—remember?”
    I shoved Aaron again. I was so tense, so angry, I didn’t know what to do with
my hands.
    “I don’t care what Richard said!” I bellowed. “I’m running away—remember?”
    “Give the camp a chance, Sarah,” Aaron urged. “We haven’t even been here a
whole week. Give the place a chance.”
    That’s when I totally lost it.
    “I hate it when you’re so sensible!” I screamed.
    I shoved him hard. With both hands.
    His mouth flew open. He lost his balance—and toppled into the lake.
    He landed on his back in the wet mud just past the shore.
    “Ooof!” I heard the air shoot out of him.
    “Sorry—” I started.