It was already Wednesday. No more time to goof around.
I took a deep breath and ran over toward the trio.
“Good morning, Miss Ellen,” I said, as I bounced over their way. “How are things going today?” I smiled and held my hand out to Mr. Gables. “Hello, Mr. Gables. How is your day shaping up?”
Patterson Gables stroked his mustache and scrunched his thick eyebrows together. “Little girl, why are you not with the other campers?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s just that I heard the camp was up for sale and . . .”
He didn’t let me finish. “What is your name, young lady?”
“My name is Allie Carroway, sir.”
He looked toward the sky, and did a little head roll. Then he grabbed the back of his neck and rubbed.
“You’re not related to Katherine Carroway, are you?”
I nodded. “Katherine Carroway’s my mamaw, although people just call her Kat.”
Patterson groaned. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Katherine Carroway is quite possibly the most dreadful person I’ve ever met.”
“Patterson!” Mr. Buyer Guy piped up. Then he turned to me. “You’ll have to excuse my friend. He’s always grumpy in the morning. And I’m sure your mamaw’s a delight.”
“She is.” Then I continued, barely taking a breath. “So, Mr. Gables, about the sale . . . don’t you think it would be sad if Camp 99 Pines didn’t exist anymore? Would you consider selling it to someone else who would keep it a camp, if they could match your current offer?”
Patterson grimaced. “How old are you?”
“I’m thirteen, sir.”
“Then I suggest you go back with the other thirteen-yearolds and let us adults take care of business. And for your information, so you don’t have to wonder, I’ve accepted an offer from my friend Stan here and we plan to sign the final papers on Saturday afternoon. So, off you go! Eat some French toast and play your childish games.”
Patterson turned and walked away and Ellen and Stan followed. Ellen gave me a sad face as she left, and Stan turned back to look at me and raised his palms in the air as if to say he couldn’t do a thing to change the situation.
“Allie, are you okay??” Lola ran over to where I was standing alone, processing my frustration. “Were you just talking to those people?”
“Yep. Patterson Gables—the guy who’s selling the camp. Ellen the realtor, and . . . Stan.”
“Stan?”
“Yeah. And I think he might be the guy to help us.”
French toast and bacon morning is my favorite. I ate three helpings. Water Day has a way of making you hungry fast so I prepared in advance.
After breakfast we hit the pool for raft relays, a water volleyball tournament, belly flop competition (which Hunter won!), and yes—the famous whirlpool. Every single camper is required to get in the pool for this. We all walk in the same direction, until one of the lifeguards tells us to change direction. That’s where the difficulty comes in. Water is powerful, and for a moment or two you just can’t change direction. It’s kind of like being in a water tornado with a hundred kids—and like a real tornado, things really get out of hand. And you can get hit with a hand. My cousins and I always link arms so at least we stay together and hopefully not run into creepy boys.
“Owww! I stubbed my toe on your knee!” Kendall reached down to rub her toe, and she disappeared under the water.
“Some people in this pool need to be introduced to the concept of a pedicure,” Madison wailed after someone’s toenails scraped her in the fray.
Lola and Ruby were laughing with their mouths open so soon they were choking out water.
“Change direction!” Ducky yelled.
So we tried and failed again. Some big kid actually floated over me—I don’t even know how that happened. Kendall grabbed my swimsuit strap and accidentally pulled it off my shoulder.
“Kendall—don’t expose me to the masses. I’d rather drown!”
Like I said, the whirlpool is scary.
The whirlpool also has a purpose. The counselors have never said this to us but I’ve figured it out. The whirlpool is just a big bath for kids who don’t plan to shower all week. They always close the pool after the whirlpool. I think it’s because they bring in boatloads of chlorine and a team of bacteria specialists to get the water clear again.
Yep. Scary.
At lunch, we gathered out on the lawn next to the pool house for another barbecue. This time it was burgers, and our “dinger group” spread out beach towels in a circle and rested in the shade.
“I kicked a kid in the pool and chipped my toenail polish but besides that, this has been my favorite day of camp. Look, no dirt!” Madison sat with her legs stretched out in front of her, leaning back on her hands and staring up at the pine trees.
“It really is a shame they’re selling this place.” She turned to Parker. “Do you think Daddy has enough money to buy the camp?”
“I doubt it, Madison. Plus, he wouldn’t know anything about running a camp—well, except for maybe the legal part.”
Madison stared up at the sky some more. “Well, it’s a shame it’s going to go away. The place is growing on me a little.”
Parker stood up and gathered some of our dirty paper plates and napkins to take to the garbage.
“Anyone want another Coke while I’m up?”
“Yeah, I’ll take one,” Hunter said. “That whirlpool made me thirsty!”
Parker smiled. “Be right back.”
Parker balanced the trash in his arms and walked over to the bin near the edge of the lawn. Then he jogged over to the huge ice chest that was sitting by itself under a shade tree near the pool house gate. I watched him lift the lid, reach in, and then . . . he dropped to the grass and grabbed his right foot.
“Did Parker step on something?” I asked Kendall, since I knew she had been watching him.
Kendall jumped to her feet and shaded her eyes with her hand. “Somethin’s wrong.”
I jumped up too, and soon we heard Parker yell. “Blaze! Hawk! Help!” Then he slumped down on his side and began writhing around in the grass.
Blaze, Hawk, and Ducky beat us to Parker. Ducky held us away when we tried to crowd in.
“Radio Nurse Tammi,” Blaze said to Ducky, “and have her call 9–1–1.” Ducky sprinted to the pool house.
Hawk took out his machete that was attached to his belt and drove the blade into the ground a few feet away from us. Then he lifted two pieces of snake. “It’s a copperhead. We gotta get this boy some help, fast.”
And that’s when Madison lost it.
“NO! Not my brother! Help him! Please, help him!” She began sobbing and screaming. “Help! Help!”
Parker reached up a hand. “Madi—you need to calm down, okay? That will help me a lot here.”
“Does it hurt, Parker?” Madison changed from shouting to quiet crying.
“Yes, it hurts a lot.” Then he groaned and lay back on the ground. Tears streamed down his face. He breathed heavily and began twisting and turning, like he was trying to get out of his skin. Sweat formed on his forehead and upper lip.
“Kids, please move away so he can have some air.” Hawk threw the dead snake pieces down on the ground and kneeled, putting his face close to Parker’s. “Parker, I need you to be as still as possible. That’s going to slow down the spread of the venom. People get bit by copperheads all the time and survive. You’re going to be okay.”
At the sound of the word “venom,” I got a little light-headed. Venom to me means poison, and poison is not a good thing to go into a person’s body.
“Lord, help Parker. Please keep that venom from spreadin’.”
Kendall had her eyes closed, but was praying out loud. She was also holding on tight to Madison, who had her hand over her mouth trying to muffle the noise from her sobs.
Blaze got up from where he was tending to Parker and used his arms to move people to each side to form a path.
“He
re comes the medical team.”
Two guys carrying a basket stretcher and a big medical pack ran up next to Parker.
“How are you doing, son?” the first guy said.
Parker could barely form words through his heavy breathing. “Not . . . so . . . good.” He was shaking now, and his face was growing paler by the second.
The medical guys lifted Parker into the basket, placed a blanket on top of him, and ran out of there with him.
Ducky appeared out of the pool house with a walkie-talkie.
“They have an ambulance waiting down by the bell. They’re calling his parents and will meet them at the hospital.”
Madison ran forward. “Can I go? I’m his sister.”
“Yes, you can.”
Right about the time she said that, Bliss pulled up in a golf cart.
“Madison, Allie, get in. I’ll drive you down there.”
I don’t know why she told me to get in, but I did what I was told. Madison and I hopped into the second seat and when we did Madison grabbed onto me.
And she didn’t let go—all the way to the hospital.
CHAPTER 21
Fighting for Life
It’s because I’m a terrible person. That’s why this is happening.” Madison sat next to me in the emergency room, talking nonsense.
“What? You’re not a terrible person. And this is happening because a copperhead slithered its way onto our field. It’s Louisiana. Jesus Swamp Camp. You said it yourself on the first day.”
“And if I had been a better daughter, my parents wouldn’t be divorced, and my dad wouldn’t have moved us to the swamp. And we wouldn’t be at camp and Parker wouldn’t have gotten bit. See, it all points back to me.” Madison’s cries had calmed, but her voice kept catching. “Parker’s gonna die because of me.”
Mamaw had been at Camp 99 Pines meeting with Miss Lindsey when Parker got bitten. She drove us to the hospital and now reached over and hugged Madison, rocking her back and forth.
“Sweet baby, none of what you just said is true. Jesus loves you, and he loves that twin brother of yours too. He’s got his arms around him right now. You’ll see, he’s gonna be alright.”
Madison closed her eyes, and tears flowed. A hospital attendant came over and brought a big, fluffy blanket to wrap around us since we were still wearing our swimsuits.
A few minutes later, Andrew Doonsberry—Parker and Madison’s dad—came jetting through the door and approached the window.
“I’m Parker Doonsberry’s father.”
Immediately there was a buzz, and the doors to the ER popped open. Mr. Doonsberry disappeared.
Madison sniffed. “He didn’t even see me.”
“I’ll go tell him you’re here.” Mamaw went to talk to the woman at the window, who buzzed her in too.
“Allie,” Madison looked at me, big fat tears streaming down her cheeks, “my mom’s in Paris. I’m all alone . . .”
“No, you’re not. I’m here.”
And Jesus is too. If you would only let him into your life.
I felt so sorry for Madison. Without faith in God, she was empty. Alone. Scared, with nothing to hang onto. She had no hope.
A couple of hours later, after Parker was stabilized and put in a regular hospital room, Madison, Mamaw, and I finally were able to get into the third-floor visitor’s lobby. Mr. Doonsberry came out to comfort Madison and tell us that while Parker was very sick, he was going to survive. They just needed to monitor him closely overnight.
And Bliss had arrived with some clothes for Madison and me to change into.
“We gathered all the kids in the camp to pray for your brother, Madison.” She handed us some jeans, T-shirts, and clean socks and shoes. “Everyone sends their love.”
Madison grinned for the first time in many hours. “Thanks, Bliss. I’m so glad you were my counselor.”
“I told you—I’ve been prayin’ for you girls for three years! And I’m still your counselor. You’ll be back at camp tomorrow. God’s not through with you yet, girl!”
Madison shook her head. “Oh, no. I’m not going back until I’m sure Parker’s okay. I haven’t even seen him yet.”
“He’s getting’ there, darlin’,” Mamaw said. “Right now he needs some rest, a little medicine, and a lotta prayer. Your daddy said you could come spend the night at my house with Allie, since her parents are out of town tonight. We’ll check on your brother in the mornin’ and if all is well, I can drive you and Allie back to camp. How does that sound?”
Madison nodded. “I’d like that.”
Mamaw smiled. “I’ll make you some good old comfort food too. Now, for heaven’s sake, you two go put some clothes on!”
CHAPTER 22
Prayer Barn
It was seven o’clock by the time we arrived at Mamaw and Papaw’s house, and we were starving. Thankfully, Mamaw always has food prepared, so she heated up some chicken and dumplings and mac & cheese, and set us up at the kitchen counter to eat.
“You girls will feel much better after you get that in your system.” Mamaw sliced some cinnamon-streusel cake for dessert. We gobbled it all down in minutes.
Then Mamaw braided Madison’s and my hair—after she brushed all the tangles out. We hadn’t had time to even think about our hair, and it was still in a post whirlpool mess.
While she was braiding, I decided to ask her a question.
“Mamaw, when you were a camper at 99 Pines, did you ever take the dinger out of the bell?”
Mamaw froze and looked at me with a straight face.
“Allie-girl, have you ever taken the dinger out of the bell?” I tried another one.
“Do you know what happened to girls’ Cabin Six?”
Mamaw kept her straight face. “Do you know what happened to girls’ Cabin Six?”
I was going to just keep asking questions, but then Madison piped up.
“Mamaw Kat, we found the original foundation of girls’ Cabin Six! It was under the girls’ visitor lodge. It has a big circle with G6 carved in the concrete.”
Mamaw resumed braiding. “Are you sure it said G6? And what were y’all doin’ under the girls’ lodge?”
Uh-oh. Better ask another question.
“Mamaw, have you ever been under the girls’ lodge?”
Mamaw chuckled. “Seems we all have information that we’re not willin’ to give up just yet.”
“Camp secrets are sacred,” I said. “We have people to protect from the Allibeaver.”
“So do I,” Mamaw said. “But it’s all in fun, right?”
“Well,” Madison frowned. “I was starting to think so, until my brother got bit by a copperhead.”
Mamaw finished up Madison’s braids, and it made her look a little like my cousin Ruby. Sweeter, calmer, and a whole lot less dramatic.
“Speakin’ of Parker,” Mamaw said, “let’s go pray for him right now.”
Mamaw disappeared into the hallway and brought back two of her most cozy fleece blankets. Then she poured some hot cocoa in mugs, put them on a tray, and handed it to me.
“I think the Prayer Barn would be a nice place to go. It’s gonna be dark soon. You’ll be able to see some stars through the top windows.”
We walked out the front door, down the steps from the porch, and then hiked a few more steps to the Prayer Barn on the side of the house.
“This place is nice,” Madison said as she entered the Prayer Barn, and she plopped down on one of the comfy brown sofas. She looked around at the many shelves. “You have a lot of books.”
“Mamaw has lots of rooms filled with books. This is just one of them. The Bible I gave you came from in here,” I said. “When I was younger, I used to spend hours in this place, reading, and looking out at the river through that window.” I pointed to the lower, rectangular window. “And then at night, I would look out at the stars through that window.”
“What a unique window design,” Madison said, and then she craned her neck to look around. “And it’s
the same on these other two walls too? Interesting.”
“Girls, it’s been a long day, and I’m gettin’ tired. Let’s pray for Parker, and then you can stay out here for as long as you want.”
Mamaw grabbed my hand and brought me over to the sofa where Madison was sitting. She sat in the middle of us, put her arms around our shoulders, and began to pray.
“Dear Father in Heaven, we bring dear, sweet Parker to you right now. Lord, he needs your strength, comfort, and healing. Please help the doctors know what to do and give him a good, restful night’s sleep. Put your angels around him to protect him. We trust you, Lord. And please, help Madison know just how much you love her and how you care about everything she is going through. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Mamaw reached over and gave both of us a big hug. “Okay, Papaw and I will be in the house if you need anything.” She kissed us both on the forehead. “You are loved,” she said, and then she walked out the door.
I jumped back over to the other sofa, put my blanket over me, and sipped my hot cocoa.
“You’re very lucky,” Madison said, “to have a Mamaw like that.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty special.”
“And to think she fills up rooms and rooms of books for all the grandkids? You’ll probably never have time to read everything.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, we’ve tried. But you’re right, it’s a never-ending supply of blessings. She likes to share.”
Madison lowered her mug to her lap and tipped her head back on the cushy arm of the sofa to look out the top window. “Stars are coming out.”
I smiled. “They’re gonna get real bright soon.”
“Can we sleep out here tonight? It kinda reminds me of Cabin Four in here and I know this sounds ridiculous, but I miss it, just a little.”
I laughed. “Sure, I don’t think Mamaw would mind.”
And then I heard that little God-voice, nudging me to do something uncomfortable—again.
Talk to her about me.
I took a deep breath.
“Madison, why did you leave the campfire the other night? Were you really tired or were you running away because Bo was talking about Jesus?”
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