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
job if she can’t deal with teens And she can’t Trust me Madison is right says a girl with shoulder-length red hair and a freckled nose Madison beams at the red-haired girl Stella understands You’re right says Olivia What do you think Char-lotte Sum-mers says Madison About what About Abby of course She’s pathetic right I don’t know her yet I say You’d better make up your mind soon Madison wrinkles her nose as if I smell bad It can get lonely at camp My heart thumps so loudly I’m sure everyone in the cabin hears it I’ve only been here an hour and I already hate Camp Singing Hills 6 Frieda Wishinsky
Chapter Two It’s 6 45 am Most of my bunkmates are asleep except for Ellie who’s reading Madison is two beds over from me and most of her clothes are still piled on the floor I turn over and try to fall back asleep but it’s useless I was excited when Grandma suggested I spend my last year as a camper at Camp Singing Hills 7
