by Nancy Krulik
Mr. Brennan couldn’t have been more wrong.
Chapter 5
Genie the Meanie kept the kids moving all day long. They went from morning to night without a rest. Some of the activities—like making beeswax candles and feeding the animals—were kind of fun.
But Genie never once let the kids forget that Science Camp was part of school. She made them carry notebooks and pencils everywhere, so they could take notes on what they learned.
“I’m exhausted,” Katie said as she flopped down on the bottom bunk.
“All I know is Science Camp made me really tired,” Miriam added. “I think I could fall asleep anywhere. Even on this lumpy bed.”
Suzanne put her foot on the metal edge of Katie’s bed and hopped up onto her top bunk.
The top bunk sagged slightly over Katie’s head. The sagging lump moved back and forth as Suzanne found a comfortable spot to lie down. For a minute, Katie thought the bed might come down on top of her.
It was easier not to look up, so instead Katie looked around the cabin. There were four bunk beds lined up along the walls. The walls of the cabin were made of pine-colored wood paneling. There were four screened-in windows on each wall.
Just then, the cabin door swung open. “Okay, girls, it’s time for lights out,” Tess said, as she walked in and flicked off the light.
As Tess left the cabin, Katie felt scared ... and lonely. Pepper always slept on her bed with her at home. Now she was all alone.
Suddenly, Katie heard leaves rustling outside the bunk. “Suzanne,” she whispered.
“Do you hear that?”
Suzanne listened for a second. “I think there’s someone out there.”
“Someone or something,” Miriam suggested nervously.
Zoe leaped out of her bed and ran over to where Katie was sleeping. “Do you mind if I just sit here?” she asked Katie. “I don’t think I want to be so close to the door.”
The crunching of the leaves was louder now. Whatever was out there was getting closer.
“Do you think it’s a bear?” Katie asked.
“Maybe it’s a monster,” Mandy suggested. “A monster who hates kids at Science Camp.”
Suddenly, a huge light beam came shining in through the cabin window.
“Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!” The girls all screamed. “It’s the Science Camp monster!”
But the light wasn’t coming from a monster. It was coming from Genie the Meanie’s flashlight.
“All right, boys, I see you out there,” Genie shouted. “You’ve been bunkhopping!”
The girls all raced to the windows to see what was happening. In the glare of Genie’s light, they could see Kevin and Manny’s faces.
“I’ve got the perfect punishment for you two,” Genie assured them in a voice that made the boys shake.
The head counselor grabbed Manny by the hand and walked him over to a huge old pine tree. “Hug it!” Genie ordered.
“Hug what?” Manny asked.
“The tree. Hug the tree,” Genie ordered again. She turned to Kevin. “You hug the one next to it. That way I can be sure you boys aren’t going anywhere.”
Kevin had no choice. He reached out his arms and hugged the tree. Manny did the same.
The girls knew they were supposed to be quiet after lights out. But they couldn’t help it. The sight of Manny and Kevin hugging trees was just too funny. They all started to laugh.
And Genie the Meanie didn’t tell them to stop.
Chapter 6
“What’s that sticky stuff in your hair?” Carson asked Kevin, as everyone entered the mess hall for breakfast the next morning.
“Pine sap,” Kevin replied.
“How’d you get that on your head?” the nature arts counselor asked.
Kevin moaned and tried to wipe his hair. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Kevin took his tray and sat down beside Katie, Jeremy, Suzanne, and Manny.
“What’s up with George?” Suzanne asked Kevin. “I thought you guys always sat together.”
It was true. George, Manny, and Kevin usually did everything together.
But today, George was sitting all by himself in the back of the mess hall. He looked miserable.
“I don’t know what his problem is,” Manny said. “He doesn’t want to do anything. Like last night. We were all telling ghost stories in the cabin. George went to sleep!’”
“That doesn’t sound like George,” Katie agreed. “He loves scary stuff.”
“So, Jeremy, when exactly is this place going to get fun?” Suzanne asked, changing the subject. “You keep talking about how great camp is, but I think Science Camp is a real drag.”
Jeremy nodded. “This isn’t like the camp I went to last summer,” he agreed. “But maybe today we’ll get to to play some games or something.”
Just then, Genie passed by the table. Jeremy smiled nervously in her direction. “Excuse me, Genie.”
The head counselor glared down at him. “What is it soldier ... I mean student?”
“Are we going to have some free time today?” Jeremy asked. “Maybe we can play soccer or basketball or something. You know, have a little fun.”
Genie’s eyes opened wide. “This is not summer camp!” she shouted. “This is Science Camp. You are not here to play. You are here to learn. And nobody said learning has to be fun!”
Jeremy gulped. Genie sure sounded mad.
“I have a full schedule for you kids,” she continued. “It begins with inspection. I’m going to check each of your cabins for neatness. And your beds had better be made well. I want those sheets pulled so tight I can bounce a quarter off them!”
“What does bouncing quarters on beds have to do with science?” Manny wondered aloud, after Genie walked away.
As the kids chowed down on their eggs, Katie glanced over at George. He seemed very quiet. She was worried about him. Finally, she got up and walked over to sit beside her friend.
“Hey, George,” Katie greeted him.
George didn’t say anything. He just shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth. “These are gross,” he muttered between bites.
“I know egg-zactly what you mean,” Katie joked.
George didn’t laugh. Instead, he took another forkful of eggs.
“Are you looking forward to our hike this afternoon?” Katie asked, changing the subject.
George rolled his eyes. “No,” he snapped. “Hikes are dumb. Everything here is dumb.”
“George, why are you being so mean?”
“I’m not being mean. I’m just too cool for this place,” George told her. “Can I help it if you’re not?”
Katie’s face got red. “That was a mean thing to say, George Brennan!” she shouted. “I don’t think you’re cool at all. I think you’re a jerk!”
Then, Katie got up and stormed out of the mess hall—before Mrs. Derkman had a chance to tell her that jerk isn’t a word you use in school.
Chapter 7
After Genie had inspected their cabins, the kids in 3A gathered on the main lawn to get ready for their hikes. They each had their own water bottles and a bag of cookout food to carry.
Cookie, the camp cook, smiled at Katie as she handed her a bag. “There’s no meat in yours,” she assured Katie. Cookie knew that Katie was a vegetarian. “But I added extra carrot sticks and potato chips. I don’t let kids go hungry.”
“Thanks,” Katie said with a grin.
The class had been split into small groups for their hikes. Katie, Suzanne, Jeremy and George were in the same group.
“Who’s our leader, anyway?” George asked. “Mrs. Derkman,” Suzanne said.
Katie frowned. “I was hoping Tess or Carson could be our leader.”
Just then Genie walked toward Katie and her friends. “Mrs. Derkman has a bad case of poison ivy,” she told them. “She fell in a patch of it while running away from an oncoming fly. I’ll be taking you on your hike.
“Okay, troops. March,” Genie ordered. “Left, right, left,
right.”
Katie got in line behind George. He was going very slowly. “You’d better march faster,” Katie told him. “Genie the Meanie is going to yell at you.”
George reached into his pocket and pulled out a hard candy wrapped in shiny paper. “What’s the hurry?” he mumbled as he sucked on the candy. “It’s not like we’re going anywhere. It’s a hike to nowhere.”
“We’re supposed to be looking at the plants and animals in the woods,” Katie reminded him. “See, there’s a chipmunk.” George was not impressed.
After they’d been hiking for a while, Katie marched up to the front of the line. “Genie,” she asked quietly. “Are we anywhere near a bathroom?”
Genie pointed out into the woods.
“Behind that tree. Or that tree. Or any tree,” Genie told her.
Katie gulped. “You mean I have to pee in the woods?”
Genie nodded. “Or hold it in.”
That settled it. Katie ran off in the direction of a huge oak tree surrounded by some high shrubs. She hoped the bushes would hide her.
Suddenly, Katie felt a cold breeze on the back of her neck. The light wind felt great after the long hike she’d been on ...until Katie realized that the wind wasn’t blowing anywhere but on her.
This was no ordinary wind. This was the magic wind!
Oh no, Katie thought. Not here. Not in the middle of the woods!
The magic wind began spinning faster and faster, all around Katie. She shut her eyes tightly, and tried not to cry. As the fierce tornado swirled, she held on to the tree. She struggled to keep her feet on the ground. The wind just kept getting more and more powerful.
And then it stopped.
Katie was afraid to open her eyes. What if the wind had blown her away. What if she was all alone in the middle of the forest?
But Katie was not alone. The other kids were right nearby.
As Katie opened her eyes, Jeremy stared up at her.
“Genie?” he asked. “Why are you hugging that tree?”
Chapter 8
Katie looked down at her feet. Instead of her own bright red sneakers, she saw Genie’s hiking boots. And she was wearing army pants instead of jeans.
Katie had become Genie the Meanie!
Uh-oh. Genie was in charge of the hike. She was supposed to teach the kids to build a fire, cook the food, and find the way back to camp.
Katie didn’t know how to do any of those things.
“Hey, what happened to Katie?” George asked. “She’s been gone a long time.”
Katie gulped. She knew exactly where Katie was. But how could she explain that to her friends?
“Katie!” Jeremy called into the woods.
There was no answer.
“Katie Kazoo, quit goofing around,” George shouted.
Suzanne began to panic. “She’s missing!”
“Relax, she didn’t go far,” Katie assured her. “I’m sure if we just sit here she’ll come back.”
Suzanne was so scared she forgot to be afraid of Genie the Meanie. “We can’t just sit here!” she declared. “She’s lost in the woods somewhere. We’ve got to look for her!”
Katie didn’t know what to do do. The real Genie probably would have searched for her. That was her job—to keep everyone safe.
“All right. We’ll look for your friend. But let’s be sure to stick together. I don’t want to lose any more of you,” Katie said, trying to sound like the real Genie the Meanie.
As the kids wandered through the woods, searching for their missing friend, Katie tried her best to act like a real head counselor. It wasn’t easy. Katie had never been out in the woods before.
The kids were starting to panic. Katie had to do something to calm them down. She decided to change the subject. That’s what a real head counselor would do—get the kids thinking about something else.
Katie pointed to a patch of leaves on the ground. Each of the green leaves had three parts. “Look at that beautiful plant,” Katie said. She bent down to pick up a leaf.
“Genie, don’t touch that!” Jeremy shouted. “That’s poison ivy.”
Oops! Katie gulped. What a mistake that would have been.
“Very good, Jeremy,” Katie said. “I meant to do that. It was a test. I wanted to see if you kids could recognize poison ivy.”
“I don’t want to look at leaves,” Suzanne moaned. “I want to look for Katie.”
“Or what’s left of Katie,” George added.
“Cut that out, George!” Suzanne shouted.
“Make me!” George screamed back.
Katie leaped between them. “Let’s just keep walking,” she ordered.
“Which way?” George groaned.
Katie led the kids down a dirt path. “Maybe she headed east,” Katie told the kids. “We’ll try that way.”
“Uh, Genie,” Jeremy interrupted, as Katie turned to her right. “We’re actually heading west.”
“How do you know?” Katie asked him.
“It’s almost sunset. The sun sets in the west. It’s in front of us right now.”
Katie sighed. She didn’t know any of this stuff. “Of course,” Katie said. “I meant west. We’ll head west.”
“It’s getting kind of dark,” Suzanne moaned, as the kids walked behind Katie.
“That’s just a cloud over the sun,” Katie assured her, trying to sound confident.
“Actually, I think it’s getting dark because it’s about six o’clock,” Jeremy told her. “It’ll be night soon.”
“Oh, no!” Suzanne shouted. “Katie will be all alone in the woods at night!”
“Relax, Suzanne,” Katie said. “We’ll find your friend.”
“Katie’s not just any friend,” Suzanne said. “She’s my best friend. I’m worried about her.” She looked at George and Jeremy. “Which is more than I can say for some people.”
“Hey, she’s my best friend, too,” Jeremy argued.
“But you don’t sound very worried,” Suzanne told him.
“I am too worried,” Jeremy said.
Katie sighed. “Please stop ...Whoa!” Before Katie could finish her sentence, she went sliding down a long, slippery slope. When she reached the bottom, she found herself waist deep in thick, gooey mud!
“Help! Quicksand!” Katie shouted out. She looked up at George, Jeremy, and Suzanne. “I’m sinking! Help me!”
George stared down at the head counselor. “I’m not helping her,” he told Jeremy and Suzanne. “Let the quicksand swallow her up.”
“But she’s the only one who knows the way back to camp!” Suzanne declared. “And now she’s sinking into quicksand!”
“She’s not sinking,” Jeremy assured her. “And that’s not quicksand. It’s just a mudslide. We played on one of those at my summer camp. Genie, just grab on to that tree branch and pull yourself back up the hill.” Katie did as she was told. She grabbed on to a low-lying branch and tried to pull herself up. It wasn’t easy. The mud had made her hands slippery, and the hill was steep.
“Whoa!” Katie cried out, as she slipped back down the mudslide. She fell backward, tripped over a rock, and went rolling into the woods.
Finally, she landed in a thick pile of leaves. Frantically, Katie tried to find a path back up the hill. But there was mud everywhere. Every time she tried to move up the hill, she’d slide back down.
And then, suddenly, she felt a familiar breeze hit the back of her neck.
The magic wind was back!
Wild tornado-like gusts swirled all around Katie’s body. She grasped at a nearby tree, but it was out of her reach.
Bam! The strong wind knocked Katie off her feet. She fell to the ground with a thud. The wind was the fiercest it had ever been. Katie grabbed on to a huge rock. Her feet flew up in the air, but she refused to let go of that rock. She held on tightly.
And then the wind stopped.
Everything around her was perfectly calm.
Everything except Genie the Meanie, that is. She was
lying on the ground, clutching a rock. And she wasn’t at all sure how she’d gotten there.
Genie looked down at her clothes. Her army pants were covered with mud. “What happened? What’s going on here?” Genie barked to Katie, who was now standing beside her.
Katie knew she had to say something. “I’m so glad you found me,” she blurted out. “I’ve been lost so long. You’re a great counselor, Genie.”
“Head counselor,” Genie reminded her. She scrambled to her feet. Then she looked at Katie curiously. “You were lost?” she asked.
Katie grinned. “Of course. How else could you have found me?”
Chapter 9
“Okay, soldier, just another few feet,” Genie shouted back to Katie. “Try to climb at the same time I do.” Genie had wrapped her belt around Katie’s waist. She was using the belt to tow Katie up the slippery hill.
Katie planted her feet firmly into the mud and tried to climb. “This is hard,” she moaned.
“Almost there,” Genie assured her.
“Hey, look,” George cried out. “It’s Katie Kazoo!”
As Katie and Genie wandered back toward the others, Jeremy raced over to them. “Where were you?” he demanded.
“I went into the woods to ...to ...”
“She went to pee.” George giggled.
Katie blushed. “Anyway, I got lost, and Genie found me.”
“Just in time,” George said. “I’m starving. We never got to have our cookout because we were looking for you. Let’s just get back to camp and eat something.”
“Which way do we go?” Jeremy asked.
Genie’s eyes confidently scanned the trees. Suddenly, her face fell. “Where are the red ribbons?” she muttered.
“What ribbons?” Katie asked.
“The red ribbons!” Genie exclaimed, sounding very nervous. “The ones that are tied to the trees. They mark the path back to camp.”
“We must have wandered off the path when we were looking for Katie,” Jeremy thought aloud. “Can’t we take another path?”
