“Owww!”
She was strong. So strong for such a frail-looking girl.
Such a frail-looking ghost…
“Let go!” I shrieked.
I struggled, slapping the water. Kicking. Squirming and twisting.
“Della-I won’t come with you!”
I jerked my body around, spun hard-and broke free.
And dropped beneath the surface. Lifting both arms, I rose up, coughing and sputtering.
Where was she?
Where?
Was she right behind me? Ready to pull me with her, pull me out so far I couldn’t swim back?
I spun away. The water rocked and tilted.
The clouds overhead appeared to roar past.
“Sarah… Sarah…?” Was she calling to me?
Why couldn’t I see her now?
I turned again. My eyes stopped on the boat.
Yes. The boat.
Ignoring my racing heartbeats, my aching arms, I plunged forward.
The boat… got to reach the boat before she grabs me again.
Swimming furiously, kicking with my last bit of strength, I dove for the boat. Stretching my arms out… stretching…
And grabbed the side with both hands. Choking and gasping.
Grabbed the side of the boat and tried to pull myself in.
“Liz-help me.” The words escaped my throat in a hoarse whisper.
“Liz-help me in.”
The sun burst out from behind the clouds. I stared up into blinding golden light.
“Liz-please…”
Hands reached down for me. She bent to pull me into the motorboat.
Leaned forward. Pulling me up.
Blinking against the bright sunlight, I raised my eyes to her face.
No!
Not Liz’s face. Not Liz!
Della!
Della-pulling me into the boat. “What’s wrong, Sarah?” she whispered. Pulling me. Pulling me up to her. “Sarah, you’re okay. You’re perfectly okay.”
23
“Let go!” I wailed.
I tore myself from her grip.
And tried to blink away the sun.
And stared up at Liz.
Not Della. Liz. Her face twisted in concern.
“Sarah, you’re okay,” she repeated.
“But-” I stared up at her. Waiting for her face to change again. Waiting for her to become Della again.
Had I only imagined Della’s face? Had the streaming sunlight tricked my eyes?
With a sigh, I let her help me into the boat.
I slumped to my knees. The boat rocked up and down. Liz narrowed her eyes at me. “What happened out there?” she asked.
Before I could answer, I heard splashing outside the boat.
Della?
I froze.
No. Jan pulled herself up on the side. She brushed her wet hair off her face. “Sarah-didn’t you hear me calling you?” she demanded.
“Jan. I didn’t see you. I thought that-” My voice caught in my throat.
“Why did you swim away from me?” Jan asked. “I’m your buddy-remember?”
Liz drove me to shore. I changed my clothes and went to see Richard. I found him in his head counselor’s office, a little room about the size of a closet in the back of the main lodge.
He was resting his feet on top of his tiny desk. He twirled a toothpick in his mouth.
“Hey, Sarah-how’s it going?” He flashed me a friendly smile and motioned for me to take a seat in the folding chair across from his desk.
I could see his eyes studying me.
“I hear you had another little problem in the lake,” he said softly. He moved the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. “What’s going on?”
I took a deep breath.
Should I tell him there is a ghost girl who has been following me everywhere? Who wants me to be her buddy?
He’d just think I’m nuts, I decided.
“You had a bad shock yesterday,” Richard said. “We really thought that you drowned.”
He lowered his feet and leaned over the desk toward me. “Maybe you went back in the water too soon,” he said. “Too soon after the shock.”
“Maybe,” I murmured.
And then I blurted out the question that was really on my mind. “Richard, tell me about the girl who drowned here.”
His mouth dropped open. “Huh?” The toothpick fell onto his lap.
“I know that a girl drowned in the lake,” I insisted. “Can you tell me about her?”
Richard shook his head. “No girl ever drowned at Camp Cold Lake,” he said. “Never.”
I knew he was lying.
I had proof, after all. I had seen Della. And talked with her.
“Richard, please-” I begged. “I really need to know. Tell me about her.”
He frowned. “Why don’t you believe me, Sarah? I’m telling the truth. No campers have ever drowned at this camp. No boys. No girls.”
I heard a soft sigh behind me.
I glanced back at the open doorway-and saw Della standing there.
I jumped to my feet. And pointed. “Richard!” I cried. “The girl who drowned! She’s standing right there! Don’t you see her?”
Richard raised his eyes to the doorway. “Yes,” he replied softly. “I see her.”
24
“Huh?” I gasped and grabbed the edge of his desk. “You see her?” I cried. “You really do?”
Richard nodded. He had a solemn expression on his face. “If it makes you feel better, Sarah, I’ll say that I see her.”
“But you don’t really see her?” I demanded.
He scratched his sandy-colored hair. “No. I don’t see anything.”
I turned back to the doorway. Della grinned at me.
“Sit down. Please,” Richard instructed. “You know, sometimes our mind plays tricks on us. Especially when we’ve been through a really bad scare.”
I didn’t sit down. I stood in front of his desk and stared hard at Della. Stared right through her.
“She’s not in my mind! She’s right there!” I shouted. “She’s standing right there, Richard. Her name is Della. She drowned at this camp. And now she’s trying to drown me too!”
“Sarah-please calm down,” Richard said gently. He climbed around his desk and put a hand on my shoulder. Then he led me to the door.
I was standing face-to-face with Della.
She stuck out her tongue at me.
“See? There’s no one there,” Richard said.
“But-but-” I sputtered.
“Why don’t you stay away from the lake for a few days,” he suggested. “You know. Just hang out and relax.”
Della mouthed his words as he spoke.
I turned away from her.
She giggled.
“Don’t go to the lake?” I asked Richard.
He nodded. “Take a few days and rest up. You’ll feel much better.”
I knew I wouldn’t feel better. I knew I’d still have Della following me everywhere, trying to make me her buddy.
I sighed. “That won’t help,” I told him.
“Then I have a different idea,” he said. “Pick a sport you haven’t tried, Sarah. Pick something really hard. Like water-skiing.”
“I don’t get it,” I replied. “Why should I do that?”
“Because you will have to think so hard about what you’re doing, you won’t have time to worry about ghosts.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. Right.”
“I’m trying to help you,” he said sharply.
“Well… thanks,” I replied. I didn’t know what else to say. “I guess I’ll go to lunch now.”
I trudged out of the tiny office. And took a deep breath. The air was much cooler out in the main lodge.
I turned the corner and headed toward the mess hall in the front of the building. As I turned another corner, I heard Della’s frail voice behind me.
“You can’t get away, Sarah. You’re my buddy. There’s no need to run. You’ll always be my buddy.”