For my friends Helaine Becker Deborah Kerbel and Mahtab Narsimhan
Chapter One The door to cabin eight creaks open and I’m smacked on the nose by a pair of frilly pink underwear I duck as a green T-shirt and three pairs of black socks fly toward me Girls are shrieking laughing and throwing clothes A long-legged girl with big black glasses is leaning against 1
the pillows on her bed reading No one notices me I spy my name over a bunk near the window and edge my way over I drop my duffel bag and backpack beside my bed A shoe grazes my arm and hits the window behind me What’s going on Where’s the counselor counselor I know her name is Abby A chunky older girl stands in a corner hugging her arms to her chest Stop girls she mutters That must be Abby The girls ignore her Their shrieks get louder Their clothes fly faster and harder Someone throws a book Abby takes a step forward Please Before something breaks A green lamp on a nightstand crashes to the floor near me The shrieks the laughter the throwing stop Abby get a broom I don’t 2 Frieda Wishinsky
want glass in my foot snaps a girl with long straight-as-a-board brown hair Abby blinks Me Yes You The girl with the brown hair mimics Abby’s shaky voice You’re the counselor aren’t you That’s your job That’s what my mother is paying you for Abby doesn’t move The rest of the girls surround the long-haired girl waiting I can’t stand it I grab a broom in a corner I’ll help Abby swallows hard Thanks I sweep as Abby holds the dustpan No one says anything Two girls nudge each other and giggle Everyone watches us dump shards of broken glass into the garbage can We finish and Abby hurries into the next room Who are you The long-haired girl turns to me Charlotte Summers Who are you 3 Camp Disaster
