It's the last day of school, tomorrow I will be shipped off to summer camp. I take one last look at my brown two story house and say “goodbye for now.” I hate meeting new people. My parents keep telling me to have fun and make lots of friends. Typical parent speech. Last night It felt like I never fell asleep and the morning came too early. My suitcase is already in the car and my parents are sitting in the kitchen sipping their coffee. We have to drive to Driggs, what an awful name for a town. I live in Paris, Idaho which is about ten hours away.
After a combination of sleeping, singing, and talking we make it to Driggs. The counselors Nicky and Brent are awaiting our arrival. It looks like I am the last one to arrive . I get out of the car and grab my suitcase, but before I can go to where the others kids are standing my mom grabs me by the arm and gives me a big hug, I try to pull away but she squeezes even harder. When she finally lets go I see Carin, the one person I do recognize. She goes to my school and we have a lot of classes together. Carin introduces me to all of the other kids as Gracie as if we are still in kindergarten, I quickly correct her and tell them to call me Grace. It's just like her to have already memorized everyone's names. I survey the area and note the dense forest just outside the secure and tall fence that surrounds the camp. The first day we go over the ground roles, settle into our bunks, and play a stupid getting to know you game. At night I spot a pair of bright red eyes staring straight at me through the fence. I tell our camp counselor, she raises her eyebrows and says "have you seen the fence." I walk briskly to the girls cabin, I finally doze off trying not to think about the red eyes. When I wake up I am determined to have a great time like everyone else. As I get ready I realize that something inside me is telling me not to go outside I decided to push the thought away and walk to the mess hall for breakfast. Once we finish breakfast Nicky is making an announcement of today's activities. Canoeing, archery, hiking, plant Identification and a bonfire at 9:00 p.m. I spend the day with Carin canoeing, hiking, and picking wild Berries in the forest. As we were canoeing I saw a man sized object flash between two large trees.  “The lake so beatiful I can see straight through it.” says Carin. I try not to think about it because it could have been a million different thing this thought seems to put my mind at ease. I can't believe Carin persuaded me to walk into to the forest. I was having so much fun I didn't even think about the blood red eyes. By the time we finish the bonfire has started. I hustle back to the cabin to grab my sweatshirt. But before I can walk out the door abruptly I hear my conscience telling me not to go outside, I hesitate, get up, put a jacket on, and take the step out the door.
I can feel the eyes on me instantly even though I can't see them. Carin hollers at me to come sit by her. The other campers are sitting roasting marshmallows and hot dogs by the bonfire. Instead of roasting them, the guys are seeing who can put the most marshmallows in their mouths and still say "chubby bunny". Layten got the high score of seven, Timmy only got five, and poor Nate only had room for three. Chris and Travis are sitting on one side of the camp fire roasting hot dogs. All the girls including Carin and I are sitting playing truth or dare and seeing who can step closest to the forest. Ellie almost touched the pine needles. They challenge me but I just shake my head. The fire is starting to die down and the counselors tell us "curfew in five". Relief rushes through my body I don't know if I can stand one more moment out here, the hairs are on my neck are beginning to stand straight up. As we’re sleeping I'm awoken abruptly by howling, Bella is also awake we make eye contact for a minute then I turn away. In the morning I hear the rooster screeching telling me it's time to wake up. Most of the other girls are already awake but Carin is sitting in her bed. She doesn’t say it, but I know she is waiting for me. I put on my clothes and stare intently waiting for her to get up but she doesn’t. I walk to her side and shake her, she doesn’t move. I take her arm in my hand and check for a pulse but there is not one. Her skin is cold and pale. I scream the counselor's name "NICKY, NICKY, Carin is not breathing!"
I can barely get the words out. She stares at me awestruck, then as if zapped back to life Nicky leaps to her feet and runs into the mess hall. She comes back with a cellular phone to her ear she it's taking frantic breaths as she tells the dispatcher what has happened. All the boys are staring at Cairn then to me then back to her. She looks so helpless. The girls cabin is surely over it's maximum occupancy but no one minds. The other counselor is in the doorway telling all of us to evacuate the cabin. Slowly we all huddle outside no one has to talk, to know we all are thinking the same thing. What happened to her? The ambulance sirens come into earshot. The paramedics hop out and run to where Nicky is pointing. The other girls are comforting me, they knew Carin and I were close. I sit by the coals of the bonfire without warning Nathan yells "Boo" right behind me I whip around, he must have seen the frustration in my face and knew not to bother me again. Everyone is coming over by the ashes of the bonfire and sitting next to one and other. Some girls are on their phones trying to get a signal to call their parents, finally Brent gets a bar and dials the number of Cairns parents. I can hear cries of distress from Cairns mother when Brent tells her "Cairn has passed away." He pauses for a moment then tells her "we don't know what happened we just found her this morning." Once he hanged up I try to tell him of the eyes, and my uneasy feeling. I See a flicker of recognition in his brilliant hazel eyes. He tells me sternly "not know Gracie." I scowl at him then turn away with frustration and suspicion.
The area has been crossed off with caution tape. The paramedics step out with Carin in a body bag on a stretcher. I feel nauseated, not just form the thought of her being gone, but for her parents, and the fact that she was only thirteen. The counselors step out and tell us the same thing I over hear Brent tell if her parents. I come to the realization she is gone forever. We sit by the coals for what seems like forever. My mind has been too preoccupied with her death. When my brain wanders to the eyes and the howling. I have a weird feeling that the thing in the wood is connected to Cairns death