Grant Me A Wish

by Amanda Adair

  Sofia looks at Cris as if she told her she knows aliens exist because it’s common knowledge.

  “Don’t take it personally,” I whisper into Sofia’s ears while Cris turns towards Tansy again.

  “Listen, I don’t know how you knew,” she says, “but don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m suspended and who knows what else because of you. You were the only person who knew.” She pauses and leans back, staring at the ceiling. “Well, technically you told my friends, so they knew, but it was fiction, so you were the only one who knew it’s true.”

  So it happened. Cris got suspended.

  If Tansy revealed her secret she’s going to reveal mine. I can’t let that happen. I can’t. Suddenly I start sweating. I can feel the wet appearing underneath my armpits. I’m rarely ever that nervous, not even during tests, presentations or oral exams. I’m usually a good liar and I can handle catastrophes of all kind very well.

  But what I’ve done is another level of crime.

  This time I’m not accused of having stolen a Michael Kors bag and its contents. It’s much worse. I would like to put on a pullover but that will me sweat even more.

  “Mr. Westchester took me to his office,” she says and breathes out. “In his office there was Mrs. Boyd. Pregnant and in tears. They know about our deal. So, yeah, it’s true.” She sounds like she’s admitting having murdered a child. So serious and apologetic. “I might have seen her with her fake baby bump, and she might have agreed on improving my math grades.”

  “You could’ve asked me,” Sage. “I can help you with your coursework.”

  “Whatever, it’s too late now apparently,” she says snappishly. “I’m suspended and they’re still figuring out if I will ever be allowed to come back to Horace Blake. I don’t know if I can graduate next year.” Now she looks down at the table top. “And Mrs. Boyd lost her job. They’re looking for a new math teacher as of today.

  “Why does she want to keep it a secret that they’re adopting?,” I ask then I feel bad. It’s not about Mrs. Body or her husband. It’s about Cris. I understand why she seized the moment and asked for better grades. At Horace Blake everything is so competitive. Years ago there was even an eighth-grader who killed himself because he couldn’t deal with all the pressure.

  “Social reputation maybe,” Cris says. “Maybe she stole a child. I don’t know and I don’t care. I shouldn’t have blackmailed her but …” She looks at Tansy. “… you shouldn’t have told them.”

  “I didn’t” she says and puts her phone into her bag. “I already told Aspen. You should listen to me and take it seriously when I tell you to play the game or bad things will happen.” Before she gets up and leaves she adds, “that’s why I played it twice.” Then she leaves.

  I watch her cross the street and get into her car before I say, “that bitch.”

  “Did she just pretend like she’s the victim?,” Cris asks.

  “To be honest, Cris,” Sage says, “you’re lucky your fate is just to be blamed for your stupid blackmailing. Whose fault is it? Yours.” She sighs. “Finna and Remi worse off, aren’t they? They didn’t do anything to deserve their punishment.”

  Me, for example. I’d rather swap places with Finna or Remi than let Tansy reveal my secret.

  “Are you saying I deserve it and you don’t?,” Cris says and bends over the table.

  “It doesn’t matter right now,” I say.

  “It sounded like I should make sure my parents are safe,” Sofia says. She looks around and lowers her voice. “Didn’t it also sound like we need to find others to play the game with.”

  “Are you kidding? I’m not playing,” Cris says. “Not again. How can you possibly believe it’s alright to play even if you know what might happen? What’s gonna happen for sure.”

  I feel like being stuck in the middle of an apocalypse. I told them so many times that we need to be careful.

  “Calm down, okay?,” I say. “Let’s just play the game with some people from school and keep living our lives.”

  “I doubt the game will revive Remi and give back Finna’s legs,” Sage says.

  “We should ask Tansy,” I say and empty my latte. “But Finna’s waiting for us. It’s half past five already.”

  “Wait,” Sofia says. “Show them the articles.”

  She’s talking about articles I’ve found when I googled Tana Sydney Rhodes and Hawkins Valley Summer Camp after Blaize’ get-together. It’s no surprise that the summer camp is involved. I grab my phone and open the photos app. Soon after I’ve shared the pictures their phones begin buzzing. I watch them squint, then look at their eyes wide open in shock.

  HAWKINS VALLEY SUMMER CAMP

  Press Release

  25 August

  This year has been very different from the last couple of years. We are proud to look back at several decades of camp history with over a thousand participants.

  We at Hawkins Valley Summer Camp are dedicated to keeping our camp participants happy and provide them with a safe and healthy environment. This year’s accidents were a shock for the other participants, our counselors and our whole community.

  Two of our students have passed away this summer. Our hearts are broken by the loss of Allison and Hannah, and our condolences go out to the parents and friends of these two wonderful girls. It is a great loss for his family and our camp family.

  We have decided to continue organizing the Hawkins Valley Summer Camp in the next year and the following years and look forward to more activities, campfires and canoe rides. Hawkins Valley Summer Camp is an accredited youth camp. The health and safety of our young participants is our first and foremost concern.

  chapter 17

  As soon as I told them there’s a story time video on YouTube about Tansy’s summer camp, with only two thousand views and many more dislikes than likes, they wanted to watch it. We couldn’t do it at Watson’s, so we drove to Sage’s house.

  The girl named Layla talks about her experience at Hawkins Valley this summer and the two dead girls. I must admit it seems like your average story time video, catchy and probably untrue.

  But I still wonder why the video hasn’t gone viral yet. The YouTube algorithm is a mystery. Videos keep popping up about a girl named Paloma who took a milk bath, originally for a photo shoot, but she turned it into a challenge and stayed in there for over twenty hours.

  Hashtag Cleopatra.

  “Wait,” Cris says, “did you turn up the volume?”

  I nod and press play.

  The REAL reason two girls died … I survived Hawkins Valley Camp | STORYTIME

  ItsLayla • 2K views • 2 weeks ago

  Hey y’all. This is the third video on my channel, and it’s been a year since I’ve posted a video. This is a story time about my summer at Hawkins Valley where two girls died. Spoiler alert: It WAS NOT an accident. I swear and I’m gonna explain why. Just click on the video. I thought about not posting this because of everything that happened.

  Hey guys!

  Today I wanna tell you about my experience with the Hawkins Valley Summer Camp in Maine. I think most of you know that … well, people have died there. Two girls. It was all over the news and I’m sure you’ve heard about it. The dead girls are Allie and Hannah. We’ve shared a cabin. But let’s start from the beginning.

  I was told about Hawkins Valley at my high school in Tennessee. My teacher told us. If you did not know that I’m from Tennessee, now you do. The camp’s both for high school students and college students in their first and second year. So, to get in you need to fill out an application form and hand in your transcripts or reports. You can tell them if you’re vegetarian or vegan and what allergies you have. You can indicate your preferred roommates, so the girls or boys you want to share one of those wooden cabins with.

  They accepted my application and that’s where my nightmare started. I’d love to say it wasn’t as bad, and yes, the camp itself is good, but things started to get weird.


  I guess I can’t tell you their names. Hannah’s and Allison’s were on the news, but I don’t want my video to violate any privacy act. Anyways, I was in a cabin with Hannah and Allie. And there were two other girls. Let’s call them Emma and Mia. So, one is a university student and one is a high school student like me.

  On our first day, when we got to know who our roommates are, we moved in and Hannah insisted on sleeping in an upper bunk bed, which is fine with me. I like sleeping in the bottom bunk. Mia and I slept underneath Hannah and Allie, and Emma slept in the third bunk bed. We had lots of fights because Hannah and Allie couldn’t keep our room tidied up. I know you’re not supposed to talk shit about dead girls, but they were bitchy and dirty.

  So, you see, they were all a bit difficult. But I really liked all of them. Why shouldn’t I?

  On our second day we went to the lake to swim and ride speedboats. Oh, maybe I should mention that Mia and I became friends immediately. I mean we all had breakfast and lunch together, we did all activities together, but Mia and I were closer to each other than to anyone else at camp. Really close. I like her so much and I really hope she’s gonna survive this. We’ve barely talked ever since. And you should know that Allie and Hannah didn’t get along with Emma. They kind of teased her, which isn’t cool, and I told them to stop but I never expected them to end up dead.

  As I said it WAS NOT an accident.

  Whatever. I should focus on the important part. One day, like two or three weeks after our arrival, Emma asked us to play a game. At Hawkins Valley they have some bonfire night where you dress up like it’s Halloween and then you do a night walk with torches. And after that walk we went back to the cabin and played the game with her. It wasn’t exactly a game. She told us scary stories and called for some ghost. Her story about Hannah was that she was alone at our cabin when she realized that there’s a weird smell. And then she realized it’s fire. But she slipped and didn’t make it to the door. Then Allie’s story was that she was swimming in the lake and drowned. And that – both of it – is what really happened two days after this game. No joke.

  When I came to the cabin that day I saw the fire. I was in the shower before. The flames were huge. Mia was outside, trying to help Hannah to get out of the cabin. I ran over to her and tried to open the door. It was locked. The doors were never locked. And where should the fire come from? I mean, sure, someone could’ve smoked in there or do anything else that’s stupid. But then explain to me how Emma could know. That was her story. She told us days in advance. You may think she lighted the fire herself, but she wasn’t even there. She was with Allie and some guys. They were swimming in the lake. So, at almost the same time Allie drowned in the lake. The guys swear Emma didn’t touch her. She just swam out too far and she couldn’t make it back. One of the guys tried to save her but he couldn’t get to her.

  The counselors were completely helpless. They literally didn’t have enough extinguishers to put out the fire and when they came to the lake and found Allie she was already dead. What a mess! And guys, the firefighters took like half an hour to get there. It’s a camp far away from civilization but they should have some kind of emergency plan. We watched Hannah die. I heard her screaming for help. She must’ve been in pain. I can’t imagine! And I can’t imagine drowning. Allie was a great swimmer. That’s why she didn’t really take it seriously when Emma said she would soon drown in the lake. It was a horror story anyway. It wasn’t supposed to be real.

  Only Mia, Emma and I survived, and I’m sure what happened to Allie and Hannah is because of Emma. She did that. She basically told us that Allie and Hannah are gonna die. Not in a predictive kind of way but as if she wants it to happen. Like she’s a medium or something. It was creepy.

  I believe – and please, don’t judge me – that Mia and I can only survive when we play the game again. And yes, that means we’re putting others in danger, but I don’t want anything to happen to me. Emma’s stories were cruel. If this is what I’m facing I’ll go ahead and play again. I’d do anything to safe my life. Sorry not sorry. I don’t know why Emma chose us. We don’t deserve this. None of us.

  I am going to play this game again. As soon as I find people to play it with. And Mia should do so as well. When this video goes online I’ve already played. And that’s probably the reason I’m still alive and unharmed.

  Let me know what you think about this in the comment section below. I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but this is the real reason the girls are dead. Someone knew beforehand that it would happen. Emma wanted it to happen. It’s her fault. She couldn’t cope with being bullied, so she killed Hannah and Allie. And she didn’t care she was hurting us, too.

  Please, don’t ever play this game!

  See you in the next video. Bye.

  13 COMMENTS

  Add a public comment …

  M. r. 2 weeks ago

  A typical ghost story

  Ella Jones 1 day ago

  Where did you get your shirt? love it

  Kayla 1 week ago

  I was at Hawkins Valley, I remember you, Layla

  Lulu Silver 2 days ago

  I think I’m gonna play this game instead of truth or dare

  Sounds way more exciting

  Maybe for Halloween, I’m throwing a party

  JennyB 1 week ago

  You didn’t scare me with your little story time. It’s all bullshit

  elinamartin 5 days ago

  Is this some kind of joke, sounds like you believe your own BS. Calm down, accidents happen.

  Gemma Z. 4 days ago

  I don’t know why but I believe you.

  No one can predict the future, so she must be a medium.

  Stay safe, guys!!

  …

  chapter 18

  “Emma,” Cris comments as soon as the video stops. She sounds like she’s forced to say Lord Voldemort. “She introduced those girls to the game. Like she did with us.”

  “Probably,” Sage agrees and eats one of the blueberry muffins that her father has made for us. He’s actually a great baker. But we weren’t able to avoid his typical speech about the damage caused by too much sugar.

  In case we get out of this shitty situation with Tansy I’m sure Sage will be a great physician someday. Mr. Holland’s annual visits at school weren’t a pleasure for those of us who are afraid of dentists but also for Sage because most of us teased her even more on those days. I’m not even sure if Mr. and Mrs. Holland know that Sage was so unpopular.

  “We need more info,” Sofia says. “There has to be more. Didn’t the police investigate?”

  “I don’t think that anyone believes her,” I say and look at the girl with black curls and freckles that still stares at us from the screen. “No one cares if some girl claims that a game caused the death of two campers. You must admit she sounds crazy.”

  “But we know that it’s real,” Cris says. “I can’t go to school anymore because of that bitch Tansy. Or Emma. Or let’s say Satan.”

  Sage closes her laptop with a snap. She gets up from the bed, on which we’re all sitting, and puts the laptop onto her desk. When she turns around she says, “maybe we really need to play the game again.”

  “I told you,” Cris says. “No.”

  “It’s irresponsible to drag other people into this,” I say. I can’t believe she would want to put others in danger. Look at Finna, look at Remi. They’re still not done with the autopsy, so we can’t even have his funeral. Sage should know better than suggest playing.

  “Cris is right,” Sofia says. “I could never just lie to people and tell them it’s a fun game. Tansy’s just crazy. How could she do it?”

  “Maybe because she didn’t want to be suspended or dead or lose her legs,” Sage says. She’s still standing in the middle of her room. Her blue jeans matches her blue-painted walls. “We all agree that we don’t want anything bad to happen, don’t we?”

  “It’s too late for me,” Cris says.

  “How do you kno
w you’re safe,” I say. The game is supposed to make you suffer or do us a favor or whatever you would call it. If I play, my secret will be hidden forever. Sage wants to be prom queen and Sofia wants to be famous. I guess since Finna already had the accident that Tansy predicted, her second story won’t come true. Her parents won’t come back together. And Cris won’t get the scholarship.

  “Thanks for reminding me, Aspen,” Cris says annoyed.

  Suddenly the images of me being stabbed take over my brain. Fear is taking over my brain. I don’t want to die, not like that. And I don’t want to go to jail either. This is too much. Sofia’s right. We can’t just play and risk other people’s lives. But we can’t sit here and wait until Sofia’s in Asia with Coronavirus-infected parents, Sage is kidnapped and I’m dead.

  “Hey, Aspen,” I hear Sage say. “We’ll figure out what to do.” But I’m staring at her bookshelf. I read thriller titles like Gone Girl, Before I Go To Sleep, Outsider and A Simple Favor. I’ve read them all. I’ve lent her some of them. Some of them are mine and I’ve read them three or four times even though I know the ending and there is absolutely no suspense left. I don’t want to end up like Nick Dunne, being the victim of Tansy. I don’t want to end up like Stephanie, completely unaware of what’s really happening. Being fooled. I also don’t want to end like any of them.

  Above all I don’t want to end up dead.

  I only realized that I was crying when Sage sat down next to me and hugged me. She doesn’t let go of me but I’m glad. I need her right now. I need someone to comfort me. To give me hope. I would’ve never expected this school year to be so exhausting. That’s the right word for it. I’m exhausted and I just want this to end.