by Tara Ellis
Suddenly another sound rises above the squeals of the mare, the same raspy breathing they’d heard the other day near the craft hut. But now, it’s much louder and there is a new guttural roar mixed in that’s making the hairs rise on the back of Sam’s neck.
“What is that?” Ally shouts in terror, as her horse sidesteps and slams into Sam’s leg, making her wince in pain.
“Get away!” Ranger yells, and then grunts as he’s thrown from his horse and hits the ground hard. The out-of-control horse stampedes back down the trail, its eyes rolling as it careens in between Sam and Ally.
The last thing Sam sees is a dark form stepping out from behind a tree close to Ranger. Then her own horse rears up and takes off in a panic. She holds on for dear life, but her horse swerves and kicks, trying to lighten its load. Her saddle slips to the side, but the rope tying her foot into the stirrup keeps her from being unseated.
The night becomes a blur as trees rush past, branches clawing at her body and face. Sam can hear Ally screaming from behind her as her own horse charges blindly. She finally risks turning to look back.
Sam watches in horror as Ally flails in desperation, her body completely out of the saddle, but arms still tethered to the saddle horn. “Stop!” she wails, her feet dragging on the ground. “Stop the horses, Sam!”
For several minutes, Sam fights to bring her mount under control. His neck is lathered in sweat, his side heaving, but eventually the horse slows. Using her knees, and pulling at his mane the best she can to steer him, she circles back to where Ally managed to stop and is now leaning against the saddle.
“Are you okay?” Sam demands.
“I don’t know,” Ally breathes, trying to hold back tears. “I think I sprained my wrist. I can’t believe these stupid ropes are still tight!”
“Can you get back on the horse? We need to get out of here.” Jumping at a branch cracking close by, Sam edges closer. “Now.”
“Maybe.” Ally places her foot in the stirrup and pulls herself up, wincing in pain. Settling into the saddle, she takes a deep breath and looks around nervously. “Which way do we go?”
Good question, Sam thinks, unsure of where they are. Her sense of direction is totally turned around, and there’s no sign of any kind of trail. “I think the best thing is to let the horses lead us. They’re more likely to find their way back than we are.”
“You’re probably right,” Ally agrees. “Do you think whatever that was is still…following us?”
“I doubt it. The horses would still be freaking out.”
Sam’s horse takes the lead and the two friends keep up a nervous banter. They seem to wander endlessly in the mist-shrouded mountains.
“This might actually have been the best thing that could have happened,” Sam observes, trying to keep the silence at bay. “It was better than my plan, anyway”
“Seriously?” Ally asks. She is slumped forward, leaning her chin on her fists, fighting exhaustion. “I can’t imagine what you had in mind, then.”
“It was risky,” Sam admits. “I was going to try to charge my horse at Ranger as we were passing the spot where the deer trail goes down the ravine. I figure they’ve been using it to dump those barrels, so his horse would automatically go down if pushed in that direction. I thought it might be enough distraction for us to get away.”
Staring at Sam for a full minute, Ally finally shakes her head in disbelief. “I hope that being caught in helpless situations doesn’t become a habit, because we’re not very good at getting out of them on our own.”
Sam laughs in agreement, but her smile fades quickly as she looks around at the unfamiliar woods. They are far from being out of their predicament. She has no idea where they are, and the first faint rays of morning light are already beginning to appear.
22
REVELATIONS
“Sam! Ally! Can you hear me?” The voice is distant, but recognizable.
“Cowboy!” both Sam and Ally call out together. It’s late morning, and they were beginning to lose hope of ever finding their way back.
“We’re over here!” Sam adds, searching the trees for the older man. To her surprise, not only Cowboy comes into view, but also two other camp employees and a deputy sheriff!
Sam can’t imagine how she and Ally must look: dirty, cold, tired, and covered with scratches and bruises. In addition, they’re still tied to their horses. Earlier, Sam had succeeded in breaking off a small stick in her mouth, while passing under a low hanging branch. With it, she’d tried prodding at the fibers of the rope cutting into her wrists, attempting to loosen it. But her sideways fall in the saddle actually caused the knots to tighten. Her fingers are now numb. Ranger might not be that smart, but he sure can make a good knot, she thinks to herself in a daze, as their rescuers get closer.
“Are you tied to that saddle horn?” Cowboy asks in disbelief, racing forward. His expression of concern clouds with anger as he takes hold of the reins and pulls out a pocketknife to free her.
Once Sam and Ally explain the confrontation from the night before, the sheriff immediately radios dispatch and calls for backup. This is suddenly much more serious than some kids missing in the woods.
Cowboy describes the scene from earlier that morning. Sandy’s dad arrived shortly after Sam and Ally’s mothers. Ms. Cooper had just finished telling them that the girls had run away, when Mr. Hollingsworth read his disturbing email out loud.
A heated discussion followed as everyone weighed in with opinions. In the end, the authorities were called and a search party was organized. The sheriff’s department determined that they couldn’t take any other action until the girls were found and their side of the story heard. The police seemed inclined to believe Ms. Cooper at first, but that changed quickly when the officer saw the two supposed ‘trouble makers’ tied to their horses, exhausted.
Now that Sam has a chance to explain, she produces the label from her back pocket as evidence that Zorro’s company is illegally dumping material. She describes the conversation the girls overheard.
The officer makes a second radio call, asking another officer to search the creek for the missing barrel. The authorities are not as quick to believe the Bigfoot encounter, but they add looking for Ranger to their list.
Over an hour later, the weary group finally arrives back at Camp Whispering Pines. They step into the courtyard just in time to see the police leading Ms. Cooper and Zorro towards the administration office. Both of them are handcuffed!
“That camp counselor broke down and confessed to everything when she heard you found them tied to the horses,” one of the officers tells the sheriff. “It backs up those other girls’ stories, so we’ve taken these two into custody for kidnapping.”
“I have a feeling there are going to be several more charges added to that,” the sheriff replies, looking accusingly at the conspirators.
“Kidnapping!” Sam turns to see Nurse Pine emerge from her first aid station, looking pale and frightened. “Katie,” she moans, approaching Ms. Cooper. “What have you done?”
“Yes, please tell us. We’d all like to know what it is that you’ve done,” a new voice demands.
Sam assumes correctly that this statement comes from Sandy’s father, an imposing, middle-aged man who has just reached the bottom steps of the main lodge. Gathered behind him are the rest of the Cabin Navaho campers. Sam quickly spots two other familiar faces.
“Mom!” Ally shouts, running towards the group.
Sam doesn’t know where Ally has found the strength to run. A brisk walk is all that Sam’s able to muster. Her mom meets her halfway and gathers her up in a strong embrace.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” she manages to get out, before being overcome with emotion.
“It’s okay, Samantha,” she sooths. “We know the truth.”
“The truth?” Nurse Pine echoes. Continuing to block the way to the office, she confronts her sister. “Then what those kids said this morning was true?” She had been a part of the early
meeting, and like the police, it had been much more…pleasant to believe her sister.
“Oh stop acting so shocked!” Ms. Cooper counters, somehow still managing to be intimidating, even though she’s in cuffs.
“Of course, I know that you’ve wanted to sell the camp since Father passed away, but this?” Nurse Pine implores, spreading her hands wide. “How could you do it?”
“It’s easy for you to stand there and judge me, but you’re only here for a couple of weeks a year! I’m trapped here year-round, Anne. I have been for most of my life! This place is sucking our father’s estate dry. But even when Mr. Hollingsworth offered us a way out, you wouldn’t take it! So I had to find a way to change your mind, and maybe give Sandy’s father some advantage to cutting a deal. You left me no choice!”
“It isn’t your choice to make,” Anne answers sadly. “This is what Dad wanted, Katie. This is his legacy. Those millions of dollars were earned by him. As his children, it’s our legacy to carry out his final wishes.”
“Well, I don’t want it!” Katie bellows, finally starting to show some emotion. Sam finds it weird to know Ms. Cooper’s first name. It somehow makes her seem more human.
“When Mom and Dad got this place, I was just thirteen years old.” Katie explains. “I was forced to come here as a camper, then as a counselor and finally as an administrator. But I never asked for this! Didn’t you ever wonder why I took Mother’s maiden name after she died? Because I don’t want to be a Pine.
“When Dad had his heart attack, I thought I could finally move on with my life. But he made sure that could never happen, didn’t he?” Ms. Cooper erupts into a weird, almost hysterical laugh, and staggers towards her sister. “All that money, but we aren’t allowed to touch it!”
“Katie, I won’t stand here and tolerate you talking poorly of Mr. Pine,” Cowboy interrupts. “I pretty much helped raise you, so you had better listen up. You were given the same opportunities as your brother and sisters. You had an easy life. Mr. Pine tried to do right by you and pay for your education. But, unlike your siblings, you decided that college wasn’t for you. You thought living off your parents until you got your inheritance was the easier road. Just because you didn’t get your way, it’s no excuse for all of this craziness.”
“The irony is that her plan is likely going to succeed,” Anne interjects. “There’s no way the camp is going to survive this fiasco, and the fines that will be imposed by the state for the illegal dumping will likely tie the estate up in court for years.”
“Oh, but you can’t shut the camp down!” Sam cries, stepping away from her mom. “Mr. Pine was right about this place. We need it,” she continues, turning to face Cowboy and Mr. Hollingsworth. “Where else can girls like Lexie go, who just need a safe retreat for a while? Or kids like Becky, who would never suspect how brave and strong they really are without their friends to tell them? Or Sandy, where this camp is probably the only place that girls her age can see her for who she really is? Or someone like me,” she pushes, looking now at Ms. Cooper. “Who came to realize over the past week just how much I have to learn about myself. That sometimes I can’t do everything on my own.”
Sam’s friends gather around her as she speaks, confirming her statements and lending their support.
“Maybe there’s another option,” Sandy’s dad replies, studying the group of girls. “I’m willing to let my previous offer stand,” he announces, speaking now to Nurse Pine. “Only there would be a new clause written into it, one that would stipulate that the property remain a camp for girls, overseen by… err…Cowboy.”
“Oh Daddy, really?” Sandy shouts, throwing her arms around her dad. “But what about your company retreat?”
“This is a huge piece of property,” he says, holding her out at arm’s length. “I have no doubt there’s plenty of space for our own lodge on it. Except, it wouldn’t be for my company…it’d be for our family. All this has made me realize the importance of the time we spend together, and we need more of it.” Pulling her in close, Sandy hugs him back happily.
“Well, sir, I’d be honored,” Cowboy replies. “Do you think the rest of the board would go for it?” he asks Nurse Pine.
“I don’t think they’re going to have any other option now,” she answers. “And the offer is very generous of you, Mr. Hollingsworth. Thank you.”
As the police begin to escort a very disgruntled Ms. Cooper and Zorro to the office again, Sam thinks of something and hurries to catch up to them. Ally scrambles after her, unsure of what her friend is up to.
“Zorro!” Sam calls, walking alongside him. Turning his head, he glares at her.
“What do you want?” he demands. “I don’t feel much like talking.”
“Your saddle bags,” she says matter-of-factly.
“Huh?” he asks, confused. “What about them?”
“One of them has a hole in it. How’d you get it?” she digs.
Staring at her silently for a moment, he shrugs in bewilderment. “Okay...I’ll play. I got it caught up on a barbed wire fence and tore it a few years ago. Why do you wanna know?”
“Because we thought we saw you in the woods by the craft hut a few days ago…making some odd sounds.”
Throwing his head back, he laughs loudly. “Sweetheart, I might be a lot of things, but a Bigfoot impersonator isn’t one of them.”
Sam and Ally hang back as Zorro, Ms. Cooper and the officers climb the steps of the administration building and disappear inside. Zorro’s laughter still echoes. Feeling numb, Sam turns slowly towards Ally and they look at each other in stunned silence.
23
BARGES
The rest of the afternoon goes by in a blur as the police conduct interviews with those involved. The investigation is kept isolated to the administration office. Since there isn’t a present danger, the camp activities are allowed to continue.
Just before dinner, the officers assigned to searching the creek return with the missing barrel, as well as a very upset Ranger. He’d been found trying to carry the container out of the ravine. He’d tried running from them, but didn’t make it far. His behavior, combined with the dying trees and fish, will be enough to launch a full investigation into the poisoning of the creek. When questioned about what happened in the woods, Ranger admitted there was something unusual, but refused to talk about it.
The mood at Cabin Navaho’s table is a mix of relief and apprehension as the dinner dishes are cleared. When Sam found out what the rest of the girls had done to get help, she was speechless. Their friendship even stronger now, she knows they’ll always remember this summer.
Sam, Ally, and Sandy are leaving that evening with their parents, so Lexie and Becky have been moved into another cabin for the last night. Sam hates to tell them goodbye, even though they’ve all promised to keep in touch.
“Girls.” Looking up at the sheriff who’s approached their table, Sam hopes he doesn’t want them to tell their story again, or write anything down. “We’ve concluded everything that needs to be done this evening,” he tells them. “You’re all free to go. Thank you for being so helpful throughout all of this.” Tipping his hat, he leaves them all staring uncertainly at each other.
“We should go collect your things,” Sam’s mom suggests, “before it gets too late.”
As they all head for the exit, Nurse Pine greets them on her way in. “Oh good, you’re still here!” she exclaims, clapping her hands together. “I know this has already been an incredibly long day, but I was hoping you’d join us for the barge ceremony before you leave. It’s a long-standing tradition here at Whispering Pines and I think you’d enjoy it.”
Looking hopefully at their parents, Sam, Ally, and Sandy are all relieved when they quickly agree to it.
“Wait here!” Lexie calls to them as she and Becky run outside. They’re soon back with a completed barge, the candleholder, and the slips of paper with their wishes.
“We finished it this morning, while we were waiting for you,” B
ecky explains, her pride in the final product evident. The barge is impressive; everything fits perfectly on the huge piece of bark that Lexie salvaged.
Dusk is just starting to settle over the Cascade Mountains. The campers walk the trail to the lake, talking with excited anticipation of the ceremony to come. They’re greeted by water smooth as glass, the rocks on the beach still warm from the late afternoon sun.
An owl calls out hauntingly from the opposite shore as they gather along the water’s edge. One of the counselors gets into a kayak and paddles out, holding a long pool net, ready to scoop up the barges as they sink.
One girl from each cabin steps forward to place their barge on the lake. Cabin Navaho’s campers unanimously chose Lexie to launch theirs. Standing in waist-deep water, her face glows as a lit candle is passed down from one camper to the next, representing the unity of the camp.
The barges slowly start to float away, and Nurse Pine leads them all in one final camp song about hopes, dreams, and lasting friendship. Linking arms, they form a chain that can’t be broken.
Most of the boats sink almost immediately, the creators laughing good-naturedly when the lights are snuffed out. It becomes a game to see if one of them can swim to retrieve the wreckage before the counselor in the kayak can scoop it up.
As they begin the third round of the song, only two barges remain, and then finally…Cabin Navaho claims victory when theirs is the lone flame flickering on the darkening waters.
Laughing and clapping, the five friends face each other, and Sam can’t think of a better way to end this adventure. As frustrating and terrifying as it was, she wouldn’t trade any of it for the amazing friends she made.
“This means that our wishes will come true!” Lexie says, smiling broadly.
“Mine already has!” Sandy answers, looking over at her dad. “It’s funny, too, that I’ll probably end up spending the time I wished for with my family right here!”