Escape from Camp Run-For-Your-Life

by R. L. Stine

  You join the eerily silent stream of campers heading for the stadium. The other campers may be stronger. But you want that bike more than they do!

  The coaches are waiting for you at one end of the field.

  “Listen up, people,” Coach Rex bellows. “The Selection runs like this: The athlete with the most points at the end gets the special prize. For the first event, you can choose between hurdles and swimming.”

  What are you good at? Do you want to jump hurdles? Or would you rather go swimming?

  If you choose hurdles, turn to PAGE 95.

  If you choose swimming, turn to PAGE 63.

  You do a quick frog kick to get to the surface and escape the alligator.

  The frog kick? Are you serious?

  Alligators love frogs — especially for lunch! Now the big reptile really wants to eat you!

  You make it to the surface, where you scramble atop a floating log. You hope you can escape the alligator up there.

  As if.

  The moment you turn around, you’re facing a pair of wide-open jaws. And the jaws are about to chomp down on you!

  What now?

  Turn to PAGE 103.

  You grab the crowbar.

  The alligator’s mouth gapes wide to chomp on you. You thrust the crowbar inside its choppers.

  The crowbar wedges the huge alligator’s jaws open.

  That gives you the chance to swim away!

  You pop to the surface and swim as hard as you can.

  You’re the last one to the finish line. As you lie gasping on the shore, Brad gloats, “Did you swim here — or take a rowboat? By the way, I came in first!”

  “There was an alligator —” you gasp. You can hardly talk. Your teeth are chattering from fright.

  Your comment catches Coach Karla’s ear. “Alligator? Did you say you fought off an alligator?”

  “Yes! And it’s right over there!” you scream.

  Turn to PAGE 22.

  You stare at the map again. This is crazy! you tell yourself. You turn the map around.

  It’s no better upside down.

  Maybe the problem is you. You’re not that good with maps.

  You think back to your geography project with Kim. She was a pain — but she was good at reading maps. Maybe you should have teamed up with her after all!

  Maybe it’s not too late. If you can find Kim, the two of you might be able to figure out how to find Zombie Cave.

  The only problem is, where is Kim? She’s probably on the main trail, you guess.

  But which way is the main trail?

  You’re going to need a map of your own — and some good luck — to bring you back to the main trail. Here’s what you do:

  Find a map of the United States. Locate the Mississippi River on the map. Then, with your eyes closed, circle your finger around and let it land on the map.

  If your finger lands west of the Mississippi (that’s left!), turn left on PAGE 61.

  If your finger lands east of the Mississippi (that’s right!), go right on PAGE 121.

  You try to explain about Camp Run-for-Your-Life. But the cop takes you to the station house, anyway.

  A bearded man is talking to the desk sergeant. “Hey, Ruthie,” the cop who arrested you calls. “You’ve got to hear this kid’s story! Go on, kid, tell the desk sergeant.”

  So you tell your story to the desk sergeant. You notice that the bearded man is listening closely.

  When you’re done, the desk sergeant rolls her eyes. “This kid is nuts,” she declares.

  “Are you kidding?” the guy with the beard sputters. “That’s the best story I’ve ever heard.” He jumps up and approaches you. “Kid, my name is Vincent Vealberg. I make movies. And I’d like to buy your story.”

  A few months later the movie version of Escape from Camp Run-for-Your-Life hits the screens. It’s the biggest hit in history. You become the richest kid in America.

  You decide to use the money to start your own camp. You’ve even got the perfect name for it:

  Camp Run-to-the-Bank!

  THE END

  Half hidden behind a bush is a wooden sign. You brush the leaves out of the way to read: CAMP AHEAD.

  You’re back at Camp Running Leaf!

  You didn’t much like the camp. But you can’t wait to get back now! You follow the sign up a small hill, then gaze down.

  In the valley below is a huge camp. A big sign in the front says WELCOME TO CAMP PENDLETON!

  Camp Pendleton? Have you made a mistake?

  No! you realize. Camp Pendleton was the camp you were supposed to attend in the first place! It was the camp Uncle Ed promised to take you to. Going to Camp Running Leaf was a mistake — a big mistake!

  You rush down the hill to Camp Pendleton. Forget about Running Leaf, the Outdoors Medal, Kim, and the zombies.

  You just hope you’re not too late for breakfast!

  THE END

  You and Pat dash through the little door and slam it behind you.

  “Something’s really wrong with this camp,” you pant.

  “No kidding,” Pat shoots back. “The blue eggs. The brainwashed campers. The crazy events they make us do. It’s all very suspicious.”

  You peer around. You’re at the mouth of a dark, tunnel-like hall. It slopes downhill. It’s lined with huge pipes.

  “I bet this is an old heating system for the camp,” Pat says. “If we keep going, maybe it’ll connect to another building.”

  “Then let’s bounce,” you say impatiently.

  You move cautiously through the darkness. You pass an opening on the left. You think about exploring it, but then you notice the moldy smell seeping out.

  You’ll pass, you think.

  Finally, the tunnel ends — at a metal door. Light comes through a small window set high in the door. On tiptoes, you and Pat peer through the window.

  See what you see on PAGE 97.

  You and Kim toil up the mountain. It takes all afternoon. But the most tiring part of the hike isn’t the climbing.

  It’s listening to Kim complain!

  At last you spot what you came for. In the face of a cliff is a dark, forbidding hole. Zombie Cave! A trail leads down to it from where you are.

  You and Kim hike down the steep trail. About halfway down, you hear a strange noise. A combination cough and growl.

  “What’s that?” Kim asks nervously.

  “Zombies!” you reply in a spooky voice.

  Kim shrieks.

  “Just kidding,” you tell her, grinning.

  As you continue down, you hear the sound again.

  Hmm. It seems to be following you.

  “Ignore it,” you tell Kim. You’re almost at the cave mouth.

  You run ahead of Kim and enter the cave alone.

  But when you see what is waiting inside, you freeze.

  Go on to PAGE 18.

  “I’ll be the zombie,” you volunteer.

  Uncle Ed nods. “I’m counting on you,” he tells you.

  You and Uncle Ed follow the zombies’ trail through the dark woods. It is almost dawn before you catch up with the hideous creatures. They’re on a ridge overlooking Camp Running Leaf.

  You peer out from behind a tree trunk. The zombie kids are sitting around a small campfire. If their eyes weren’t open, you’d swear they were all dead.

  They are dead, you remind yourself.

  Coach Krump is pacing back and forth. He drones, “First, we will take over Camp Running Leaf. Next, we’ll conquer …” It sounds like he’s addressing the troops! you think with disgust.

  Uncle Ed taps you on the shoulder. “Go,” he mouths.

  You swallow hard. Here goes nothing, you say to yourself. You step into the flickering light of the campfire.

  Step over to PAGE 12.

  You can’t believe it. You don’t know whether the kitchen worker is a space alien or some kind of weird mutant.

  All you know is, you’re having a close encounter of the weird kind!

/>   “Whoa. I’m outta here!” you sputter.

  Pat stops you. “There’s nowhere to go. Let’s wait until the cooks take a break. Then we’ll slip out through the kitchen. I bet those swinging doors lead outside.”

  You’re about to okay his plan. But then you remember: Wasn’t there a turnoff in the tunnel?

  Should you wait until the coast is clear in the kitchen? Or should you go back down the tunnel and take the turnoff?

  If you wait to go out through the kitchen, turn to PAGE 23.

  If you go back down the tunnel, turn to PAGE 13.

  You swim closer. You’re terrified. But you have to get a closer look at the skull.

  A crowbar lies next to it. And there’s something square and white a couple of feet away. It looks like an ID card or something.

  You’ve got to go up for air. Grabbing the white square, you bring it to the surface. It’s a plastic ID card. You can just make out the words U.S. GOVERNMENT through the muck.

  This is serious. The ID badge of a government agent at the bottom of the lake — next to a human skull!

  How did the skull and the badge get there?

  And why is there a crowbar next to them?

  You have to go back for another look.

  You suck in a big breath and dive to the bottom.

  As you approach the skull, you notice something odd. Two small yellow lights. Moving toward you.

  You swim to the skull. The lights are still coming.

  Two black dots appear in the centers of the yellow lights.

  Your blood suddenly goes cold.

  Those aren’t lights. They’re EYES!

  Get a closer look on PAGE 55.

  Quickly, you thread the needle. You snatch up the zombie’s arm from the ground.

  “What are you doing?” Kim shrieks.

  “Just watch,” you say tensely. You hold the arm out.

  “Hey, zombie,” you call as calmly as you can.

  The armless zombie gazes at you suspiciously.

  You stick the needle into the arm. Then you pull the thread all the way through.

  “Ecch!” Kim exclaims.

  You press the arm against the zombie’s shoulder. Then you push the needle in. It moves easily through the soft, rotten flesh. You swallow hard and try not to hurl.

  A few quick stitches, and the arm is attached again.

  The zombie stares at you. Then it opens its mouth in a big, drooling smile. “Oooo!” it crows. “Uuuuuurrrrghhh!”

  The other zombies crowd around, touching the stitches. “Uuurgh!” they murmur. Their voices sound excited.

  Your plan worked! The zombies are no longer angry.

  But now you have another problem.

  Face it on PAGE 6.

  You sigh. “All right, let’s team up,” you say to Kim.

  You watch while she studies her map. You hate to admit it, but it’s true: Kim is a much better map-reader than you.

  “Zombie Cave is on the other side of Zombie Mountain,” she remarks, pointing to a squiggle on the map. “Also, the campsite is on the same side of the mountain as the cave,” she continues. “They look close to each other.”

  “So let’s get started,” you say impatiently.

  “Wait,” Kim cautions. “According to the map, there are two ways to get to the cave. We could take the main trail up over the mountain. But it’s very steep.”

  “What’s the other way?” you ask.

  “The other way is to follow the river around the mountain,” she explains. “But it’s much longer. Also” — she squints at the paper — “there are some strange markings I can’t figure out.”

  You glance at her map. X’s line the riverbank.

  “You decide. Which route seems easiest?” Kim asks you.

  You study the map. Both routes look tough to you.

  Which one will you take?

  If you climb the mountain, start on PAGE 113.

  If you follow the river, begin on PAGE 16.

  Coach Rex leads you to the track. “The last event is called the steeplechase,” he announces.

  You’ve seen that event on TV. It’s the one where you run 3,000 meters around the track. But there are obstacles, like high hurdles and pools of water. You can push off the top of the heavy hurdle to vault over the water.

  The event looks harmless. No flames. No one throwing spears at you.

  Then Coach Rex smiles. “Whoever survives this race deserves the prize,” he declares.

  The word survive makes you gulp.

  You glance up nervously at the stands.

  There are exactly seven campers left.

  And they’re moving toward the infirmary.

  Turn to PAGE 57.

  The smell comes from the lake you’re about to swim in!

  Coach Karla announces, “Swimmers line up! The 400-meter swamp swim will begin in thirty seconds. The longer you wait, the hungrier the alligators get!”

  Alligators? Your heart thumps. Brad looks worried, too.

  But none of the other campers seem troubled. They just do what they’re told. They must know Coach Karla is a kidder, you think.

  You gaze down at the murky brown water. Bubbles come up from under the surface. Big bubbles.

  “Swimmers, on your mark …”

  For a moment you think about skipping this event.

  Then you remember the gleaming new mountain bike.

  You bend your knees and thrust your arms back.

  “Get set …”

  BANG!

  Dive in on PAGE 124.

  You decide to take the right-hand fork.

  You take a gulp of water, then start toward the right. The trees are thick on this trail. The farther you go, the harder it is to move. Branches and twigs scrape your face and arms.

  You stop to catch your breath.

  And you hear something behind you.

  Something large.

  THUMP, THUMP, THUMP go its heavy steps.

  Maybe it’s only my imagination, you think hopefully.

  But the thumping noise gets closer. And now you hear something else.

  Breathing. Hoarse, raspy breathing.

  You break into a run, scrambling through the trees. You stumble blindly, trying to escape from whatever is behind you.

  And then —

  Something grabs you around the neck.

  Go on to PAGE 90.

  “Wait for a better chance,” you quickly tell Brad.

  You square your shoulders. Then you run toward the bar.

  Flames lick at your feet as you swing up. But you ignore them and concentrate on your routine.

  Good thing you took gymnastics last summer at your other camp. You’re good at this stuff!

  Every flip and spin could land you in the fire. But you’ve never worked the bar so well — even though your shorts are starting to smell scorched.

  Uh-oh. The hot bar is starting to blister your palms. Better finish up your routine now. Otherwise you won’t just get a low mark. You’ll get third-degree burns!

  You swing into your dismount. A glance at the mat tells you you have to make a perfect landing. One step in the wrong direction and you’ll be in the fire.

  Can you do it? Can you stick your landing?

  Turn to PAGE 65.

  “I’m in,” you reply instantly. “But how can we stop the Cemetery Man?”

  “The first thing is, we’ve got to get the zombie-making chemical from him,” Uncle Ed replies. “As I mentioned, the side effect on humans is temporary. If they don’t get a fresh dose of the chemical every day for a month, the effect will wear off.”

  It will wear off? What a relief!

  That means there’s hope for the other hikers.

  Even Kim!

  Uncle Ed continues. “Here’s the plan. One of us will pretend to be a zombie. The pretend-zombie will distract Krump. Then the other will take the water gun from him.”

  “Uh — okay,” you say doubtfully.

  To tell the truth,
the plan sounds kind of lame to you.

  But you don’t have any better ideas.

  The next question is: Who gets to play the zombie?

  If you want to act as a zombie, turn to PAGE 114.

  If you want to go for the water gun, turn to PAGE 45.

  You hit the water hard. Then you take a few strokes underwater.

  You come up gasping for air. The water is thick with mud and vegetation. It feels as though you landed in a bowl of pudding.

  You swim hard, trying to block out the putrid smell.

  Sputtering and gasping for air, you lift your head. Brad is ahead. You plow on, trying to catch him.

  Then you hear a cry. You see a pair of arms grasping for help above the water.

  And then — they disappear under the water!

  Oh, no! One of the other kids is in trouble!

  What are you going to do? Dive into the muck to save the kid who went under?

  Or should you get help from Coach Karla?

  If you dive down, turn to PAGE 37.

  If you swim back to Coach Karla for help, turn to PAGE 11.

  “I’ll do the Selection,” you tell Coach Rex.

  Coach Rex smiles. “Good. Maybe you’ll go far after all. And I mean far.” He starts chuckling, as if he’s made a big joke.

  You laugh politely.

  Now the coach gets serious. “The Selection is tough. If you’re going to win,” he says, “you need strength. And that means a big breakfast. Come on down to the chow hall.”

  The coach takes you to a big cafeteria, where the other kids are eating breakfast.

  Everyone stares at you when you walk in. Then they go back to their breakfasts. Each kid has a big pile of eggs. They quietly scarf down their food. No one’s talking much.

  You notice a mountain bike in a glass case on the wall. It’s top of the line. And it’s brand-new. Sunlight gleams on its blue carbon-fiber frame.