What hides in the woods of Camp Ravenwood after dark?
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In the last week of summer at Camp Ravenwood and after a series of disappearances, a motley group of campers and counsellors set out to investigate-except they might be the next ones to disap...
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Chapter 005: Everything's Normal At Camp Ravenwood
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JULY 20, 1987
Tracey Simmons was missing.
Peggy couldn't believe it—she couldn't believe she was missing, that she and her friends broke the rules with their dare, and after what had happened earlier yesterday with the wolves. But mostly she just couldn't believe that Tracey was gone, that she had walked into the woods and had... vanished.
No. She hadn't vanished. She was just missing. They would find her, or she would turn up at camp. She had to.
But while they searched for her, Peggy had to make sure the other kids didn't find out, that today would be normal for them—that they wouldn't panic.
Peggy pointedly ignored that she felt like she was going to panic at any second now, as she stood before the counsellors going on the search for Tracey—Danny, Ryan, Miyu, Reese and Jude, the searching counsellors carrying walkie talkies in their hands that connected to the walkie in Mr. Barlow's office. Beside her were Carter and Mr. Barlow, whose mouth was thin and brow scrunched up. He'd been told immediately of the situation and agreed that they should search for Tracey discreetly and not alarm any of the campers, but had been disappointed and furious with the girls. He told them they were being kicked out along with Tracey for what they did, had forbidden them from participating in the activities.
That after they found Tracey, all five would be going home.
But first, they had to find her. And Peggy hoped that she wasn't hurt. That she was still alive.
"Listen up, counsellors. We have a camper missing. She might be okay or hurt, but she is missing, and has been since last night. Cover as much as you can of the woods, search everywhere for her, try to find her and bring her back to camp. And keep it quiet—we don't want to freak out the other kids," Mr. Barlow ordered them.
"Surely they must know something's up by now, Mr. Barlow. They're not stupid," Danny pointed out, arms crossed.
"I know, Danny. But for their sakes, let's still keep this quiet, okay?" Mr. Barlow replied. "No need to send any of them into an unneeded panic."
"Should we, I don't know, cancel today's activities? Maybe send some of the kids home?" Miyu questioned, as behind her Reese muttered, "Or shut down the camp and send everyone home."
"I don't think we need to do something as drastic as shutting down the camp for one missing camper," Ryan argued.
"Ryan's correct," Mr. Barlow agreed. "Today is supposed to be as normal for the kids as possible, and we should continue it that way. Like I said, we shouldn't send them into a panic."
Peggy and Carter shared a look. That was their thoughts after learning about it for themselves.
Mr. Barlow was quiet before he added, "And I've decided to push the Colour War to Thursday and your talent show to Wednesday, Peggy, and instil an early curfew tonight and Tuesday. To ensure none of the kids are in the woods late at night tonight or tomorrow night and that no one else goes missing. They'll be disappointed, but they'll be safe. Your safety is my top priority and I won't let what happened last night happen again on my watch."
