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
Madison Moore Madison scans my face my battered red duffel and my frayed gray backpack How did you get here I feel like I’m being drilled by an army general My grandmother drove me from the city Mine drove me too An hour ago We live in River Heights Where do you live Near Birch and Oak Oh Madison draws her words out like a long wad of gum She knows my neighborhood is run-down Nothing like her neighborhood expensive River Heights with its glossy towers overlooking overlooking the river Madison points to the door of the counselor’s room and rolls her eyes Abby has no idea what she’s in for What a wimp Two girls nod The long-legged girl peers over her book Why do you have to be so mean Madison 4 Frieda Wishinsky
Madison makes a face Mind your own business Ellie Ellie shrugs and returns to her book Her clothes are neatly folded on the shelves beside her bed I unpack my suitcase I place my sketchbook pencils and markers in a drawer I love sketching I sketch all the time at home People trees our apartment apartment the view of the street from my bedroom window Abby pokes her head into the room Dinner in ten minutes she says Her eyes are puffy and red She closes her door and it’s quiet again Did you see her face She’s been bawling her eyes out says a short blond girl I actually feel sorry for her The girl combs her hair in front of a mirror with a pink sequined frame She must have brought the mirror from home Give me a break Olivia says Madison She shouldn’t have taken the 5 Camp Disaster
