Hide and Shriek #14 by Melissa J. Morgan

Author:Melissa J. Morgan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: PENGUIN group
Published: 2010-02-25T11:00:00+00:00

chapter EIGHT

Gaby felt a little guilty looking through Clarissa and Belle’s tent for ore flashlights, but they still hadn’t returned, anthe fog had crept up from the lake to encircthe fire ring. She wondered if the fog had meven deeper into the forest farther down the shore. That would explain why Belle and the others hadn’t come back—because they couldn’t see which way they were going. Maybe theyhad gotten so far away, they couldn’t hear everyoyelling for them. Not that they were yelling veloudly.

“Are you thinkiwhat I’m thinking?” Valerie asked her as shepulled a tube of lip gloss from Clarissa’s daypacunscrewed the wand, and pulled the lanterncloser to check out the color. Then, as if shefelt guilty, too, she hastily reinserted the wand and put the lip gloss back in the pack.

The gas hiss was freaky, like the lantern was breathing. Gaby was afraid that might mean it was finally running out of propane. They had to find some flashlights, anquick.

“I don’t know,” Gaby said. “What are you thinking?”

“That this could be some kind of prank they’re pulling to get us to ‘bond’?” Valerie made air quotes.

“You watch too much reality TV,” Gaby replied.

“I’m serious. Think about it.” Valerie returned to her search. “Ooh, Clarissa has that new eye shadow I’ve been wanting.” She held it up.

“Valerie, we’re not doing makeovers. Just look for flashlights,” Gaby snapped at her.

“Hey, you’re not the boss of me,” Valerie snapped back.

Gaby flared. She didn’t like being here, didn’t like looking through their counselors’ private belongings, didn’t like anything about this campout. She couldn’t stop herself from saying, “I thought you were so great at getting along with other people.”

“I am,” Valerie insisted. “Usually.”

“What are you saying? That I’m hard to deal with?” Gaby said, as she moved from Belle’s duffel bag to another corner of the tent. She made out the shape of a box and pulled it open. Taking a breath, she reached her hand inside. She felt cold metal and wrapped her hand around it.

“Flashlights,” she announced, pulling one out. She flicked on the light, not realizing she was aiming it directly at Valerie, who raised her hand in protest.

“Hey!” Valerie said.

“Sorry.” Gaby shined the flashlight into the box. “There’s probably half a dozen of them in here.” She moved them around until she could see the bottom of the box. The milky light bathing the flashlights reminded her of sunken treasure. “But no cell phone.”

“Hey, here are the treasure hunt notes,” Valerie announced, picking up the familiar-looking clipboard.

“Let me see them.” Gaby eagerly held out her hand.

Valerie demurred, leaving the clipboard in her lap. “Belle doesn’t want us to see them.”

Gaby huffed. “Maybe there’s a clue about where everybody has disappeared to.”

“They haven’t disappeared,” Valerie insisted. “We just don’t know where they are.” Valerie reached out and took a flashlight, then flicked it on and focused it under her chin. “I suggest that aliens abducted them, mwahaha.”

“That’s not funny.”

Valerie put the clipboard beside the opening to the tent. “I’ll tell you what.

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