Camp Antler Point

Chapter 3

Once all the kids got settled in, Mr. Sterling took everyone to Lake Murgenthal for a day full of fishing and, if Carson's whining was to be believed, mosquito bites.

Carson scratched at a mountain range of bumps running up his arm. "This is ridiculous. The only thing we're going to catch is malaria."

"I swear if you say one more word about malaria or the West Nile virus, I am going to bite you myself," Mr. Sterling muttered. "You're scaring the kids!"

"And yet he wonders why Jessica ditched him," Lucas said under his breath.

Once they reached the lakeshore, the councilors dispersed to help the kids with their fishing poles. Amy speared each worm with practiced ease. Her shaky fingers weren't the best at signing her name or doing anything else that required much precision, but all she had to do to bait the hooks was stab the slimy nightcrawlers.

Soon, a swarm of bobbers dotted the water's surface. "Make sure you don't hook any geese," Lucas called out. "Trust me, the last thing you want to reel in is one of those jerks."

"Speaking from experience?" Amy asked.

"Let's just say I may or may not be banned from a certain hotel. Speaking of hooking the wrong stuff, looks like somebody already has the catch of the day."

Gwen, a girl who was just as messy and chaotic as her mop of dark, frizzy hair, was straining against her pole with all her might as the line stretched taut. The tip of the pole bowed low as it bent in an arch, threatening to snap.

Amy's eyes traced the line and found the source of the struggle. "Hang on a sec," she said as she came beside her. "It looks like you're caught on something."

"No, it's definitely a huge fish," Gwen said as she braced her feet in the mud. "I can smell him!"

Amy doubted anyone could smell anything over the reek of the algae clogging the lake. "Just quit reeling for a sec, okay? I promise it'll stay on the hook."

While Gwen held her rod steady, Amy strolled down the line and freed the hook from a gnarled old maple tree. "Now don't move, or you'll end up hooking me."

Gwen's cheeks flushed crimson. "I could have sworn a fish was biting it."

"It happens. And hey, it's safe to say you got the biggest catch."

With that taken care of and the rest of the kids busy staring at the water while they waited to get a nibble, Amy joined the other counselors and her dad in the shade. The beginnings of a sunburn darkened her hands as the sun glared off the water's surface. "Coke?" Lucas asked, offering her a soda from the icebox.

"Don't mind if I do." The bottle sweated in her grip as she watched the kids.

"Looks like we're in for a quiet day," Mr. Sterling said. "I've gotta go call some folks and see if they've seen Jessica, so don't do anything too crazy while I'm gone, okay?"

"Like he's one to talk, scaring everyone to death with that raggedy old costume," Lucas said once Mr. Sterling was out of earshot. "Since when has he ever worried about people goofing off?"

Amy rubbed her temples. "Since I was born. It's a miracle he's even leaving me alone for five minutes."

"Must drive him nuts when you've got classes," Carson said. "Or does he sit in on all the lectures?"

"I actually haven't started yet. Dad wants me to go to the University of Vermont so I can stay by him, but I've been trying to convince him to let me go to the University of Virginia since they have a good bio program and I could get a little space. What about you?"