Secrets in the Shallows- Chapter One

RECAP /SYNOPSIS:

Grace is a young reporter for her small-town newspaper who is following a mystery that has haunted her family for decades. Grace is determined to find out what happened and make peace with her aunt and uncle. She assigns herself to a project at Camp Jasper Wood in hopes of finding out the truth. The disappearance of her cousin, Bethany Alaina Fields remains a mystery in the present day. It was said that Alaina left in the middle of the night with her belongings. However, when her empty car was found on the side of the road, it was believed that she was abducted. At the crime scene, there are no signs of struggle or evidence to indicate that Alaina was forced out of the car. Her body is never found, making it a cold case. With the help of her two friends as well as the other camp counselors, Grace uncovers secrets of the past and ultimately solves Bethany Alaina Fields' disappearing act. 

CHAPTER ONE

Welcome to Camp Jasper Wood

Present Day

Grace

My whole life there has been a missing branch in my family tree. I wasn’t alive when the branch fell or broke. No one really told me the details. I was too afraid to ask because whenever my cousin, Bethany Alaina, disappeared there was a shift. No one talked about it. Everyone seemed to move on whenever my aunt and uncle were missing from family gatherings. I have spent most of my life thinking through all the theories.

I have spent countless late nights reading Reddit posts about the disappearance and possible death of Bethany Alaina Fields, all really stupid theories but I was digging for answers when my family wasn’t giving me any. 

Eventually I gave up, and went to find my own answers in places where I knew I could find proof. Even if that means going back to the very beginning. The exact location where Alaina disappeared. I was the perfect person for the job. 

When the Jasper Reporter needed someone to do a feature on Camp Jasper Wood, I couldn’t resist. After all, it was where my cousin, Bethany, was last seen alive. She has been a shadow, following me around since the day I was born. 

For a while, I gave up on trying to find out why, only to have my family arguing about it once again. I only know the facts and the theories that the internet told me. 

That is: Bethany, who was affectionately known as Alaina, disappeared in the middle of the night at Camp Jasper Wood. 

Her car was found abandoned on the side of the road, but no sight of her. No signs of struggle. Her belongings were nowhere to be found.  The police searched the woods for her, but it is as if she disappeared into thin air. The K9 police dogs couldn’t even follow her scent. She never reached the woods, or so I have heard. 

Rumors have been woven into the truth, and everything has gotten mixed up. This trip is meant to untangle what is true and what was spread by internet trolls. My family thinks I’m going on a road trip for summer break with my friends. The lie seems even more believable when Hanna’s rich grandparents live in a beach house in Florida. I felt bad about lying but what good would the truth do? The truth being that I am headed straight up a mountain to find the truth about Alaina.

The mountain road is proving itself to be endless. I’ve been driving straight ahead until I feel like I could reach the top. However, Camp Jasper Wood sits in the middle of the mountains. It’s in the perfect spot with a view of the lake. That is what the brochure says at least.  

The advertisements aren’t allowed to tell you about the dark history of Camp Jasper Wood. The flyers are filled with perfect sunny pictures and happy smiling faces. Everyone has forgotten about my cousin. Oh the dangers of false advertising. 

“In one mile, turn right onto Camp Jasper Wood Road,” The robotic voice from my phone commands me. 

The wave of stress finally calms as I am fully aware that I am going in the right direction. I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, so the mountain still knows I am in control. We must be close to the camp as the radio goes static. However, I worry the voice on my phone doesn’t know where we are and is sending me to a dead zone with no service or a way to get back home. I am tempted to turn back now and never see Camp Jasper Wood. 

My best friend, Hanna Cooper, has her head resting against the window. Her sunglasses are covering her eyes. Her sharp nose is sticking up in the air. Her expression is blank but she still looks distinguished and even more stunning. I study her, convinced that she has fallen asleep as she sits perfectly still. 

I reach for the dial to make the radio stop making the horrific scratching noises. All stations are out except the country music station. Hanna frowns, turning off the weary cries of the country singer’s voice. Clearly, she is awake or the awful sounds from the radio have woken her up. 

“I was listening to that,” I joke, starting to smile. 

She laughs, twisting her blond locks in her fingers, “No you weren’t!” Neither of us like country music, and never have. The songs all sound the same and are all about the same subjects: love, drinking, or heartbreak. The small interaction has made her slightly more lively. 

Her bright eyes shift back to the window. She concentrates on the view of the mountains, probably filling her brains with more important things like if there are going to be any cute counselors this summer. Our conversation has been minimal as my brain has been crammed with distractions. 

I also feel a little guilty considering that I am the one who forced her to come to Camp Jasper Wood with me. I thought spending my summer alone, buried in research, sounded dreadful. So, I forced Hanna, as well as my other friend Zack, to be buried with me. 

There wasn’t much they could argue about. It was a free vacation, a paid job as a camp counselor, and a chance to get away for a while. A free vacation is something we could all use, including Hanna who is airtight. I worry she will explode. 

“Are you excited?” I interrupted the silence. The car seems smaller the longer we’ve been on the road.  The cramped space makes my voice sound stuffy. 

Hanna’s head moves up at my voice, “I’m excited to be out of this car.” Her tone is a mix of tired and annoyed. Her eyes are still fixed on her surroundings as she keeps studying the trees. 

“I know you and Zack didn’t want to do this, but I promise you it will be fun,” I shouldn’t be promising anything, especially when I have never even been to Camp Jasper Wood before. 

“I know it will be slightly fun, but you know how I am with kids? Especially the middle schoolers.” Her face has turned sour. She was right. The junior high kids were a different breed, especially these days. They sit on their phones, silently judging you for your haircut or the way you wear your clothes. 

“Well, we’re college students now and the ages range from 10 to 14.  Either way, I don’t think summer camp kids are out to get us,” I try my best to make myself sound believable. I have this lie I keep telling myself that the best kind of middle schoolers are the ones that go to summer camp for fun. The bad kids stay home and annoy their own families. Of course, I don’t know if that’s even true. 

“I promise you I will help you with your research, but I will not stand for your lies,” She says in a very serious tone, but I know she is joking when she chuckles slightly. 

I wanted to believe everything that was coming out of my mouth, but the knots in my stomach were giving me all sorts of doubt. When I was assigned to this project, I thought I had plenty of time to prepare for it. However, the closer the trip got, the more I procrastinated. I have been stressed about this expedition for weeks now, worrying that I wouldn’t be able to write the best feature on Camp Jasper Wood. The best feature for Alaina. 

I shake it out of my head. I look in my rearview mirror to check on Zack, who decided to follow us here. In the distance, I can still see his grey truck.

Zack Ashford is like a brother to me. Mainly because he never listens to my advice. I almost went into shock when he agreed to come on this trip with us. While it took a lot of begging, I didn’t think my begging would actually work.  Basically, I boiled it down to hot girls and “once in a lifetime” memories. I also promised I would mention him in my feature article when I actually get to work on it which I know that I am lying about. He didn’t question it though so it was believable to him. 

I pay attention to the robot on my phone again. According to the monotone voice, I still have half of a mile left. I survey the trees, looking for any signs that indicate we’re going in the right direction. I finally spot a maroon sign with the words, “Camp Jasper Wood: this way” in white letters and an arrow pointing down the path. The robot instructs me to turn as I approach the sign. I go into a wide, forest-covered path. It leads me down a maze of trees. The sunlight breaks through the branches, creating a light show. I suddenly feel like I am teleporting to another universe.  

At the end of the sandy dirt path, it widens into a little gravel parking lot next to the entrance of the Camp Jasper Wood sign. There is a log fence surrounding it. In the middle are two wooden posts with a yellow sign hanging from them. Above my head, the wooden banner dances with the light breeze. In green cursive letters, the banner reads ‘Camp Jasper Wood’. There are rows of cabins on each side.  I can see a glimpse of the fire pit. The lake shines in the distance with the mountains peeking behind it. It looks just like a scene from a movie. Everything is golden and sunny. As a tourist, you would never know what awful thing could have happened here. 

 I slowly park my car in one of the empty spots. Zack pulls his truck up beside me.

“Arrived,” The voice says as I shut off the GPS. Hanna and I gather our bags from the trunk while Zack gets his things from his truck. 

I am so entranced with my surroundings that I don’t speak a word to them. The air is hot and sticky, making it almost impossible to breathe. I don’t really care though because of the view ahead of me. The mountains beyond the lake resemble a painting. The view has exceeded my expectations. 

“Is there anyone here?” Zack asks, his voice is deep and rusty. He moves his thick brown hair on the top of his head, adjusting the end pieces out of his green eyes. He rests his gray bag over his shoulder, not caring that the bag is unzipped. His clothes are starting to spill out. He catches a crumbled up shirt just in time before it hits the dirty ground. 

All of us are mesmerized by the view of our new getaway as we make our way closer to the entrance.  As we reach the campground, I notice a woman coming in our direction. Her pace is upbeat.

“I see someone,” I answer him finally, breaking out of my trance. Relief floods through me knowing that this job posting wasn’t a scam. The silly thought occurred to me on the way here and I kept it in the back of my mind just in case. 

 She is dressed in khaki shorts and a burgundy t-shirt with the Camp Jasper Wood logo on it. The logo is a white silhouette of a campfire. Her brown hair is in a loose braid. She lightly sprints in her outdoor sandals. She already has a bright smile plastered on her face, giving us a warm welcome before even greeting us. Her skin is lightly freckled and tan.             

 “Hi! You guys must be the camp counselors coming to help us set up for the summer!  I’m Heidi. I am the co-director of this camp. The other director is Lawrence, my husband. You’ll meet him later. He oversees the boys. I oversee the girls, of course.” Her voice is running a hundred miles a minute. I can’t tell if it is from the excitement or stress of having only one more day left to prepare. Her brown eyes are beaming with energy. I study her, wondering how much she knows about my family. Is she carrying around a secret just like everyone else I know?

“Nice to meet you! I’m Grace.” I say, breaking the silence. I hold my hand to give her a handshake, but it feels too formal. She grips it anyway, giving me a solid handshake. I am starting to feel like we are making a business deal, so I let go.

  “And this is Hanna and Zack,” I continue, trying to clear the awkward air around us. However, the heat from the humidity sticks to my skin. My two friends are silent, making the conversation awkward still.

 “Which one of you is working for the Jasper Reporter?” Heidi asks. 

“I am!” I say, grinning at her. In my mind, I thought it was obvious. I forget that I am not walking around with a big advertisement above my head. 

“Are you wanting to plan an interview with me later?” She asks me. 

I am surprised that Heidi is actually interested, “Yeah, I think that would be really helpful!” I say, not daring to tell her just how helpful it might be for me as well as my decaying family tree. 

Heidi smiles back, “Perfect! I will have to touch base with you later. However, it is nice to meet all of you. I am so grateful for the extra help. The other counselors should be here shortly. We should have  three more on their way.”

“What would you like us to get started on now?” Hanna asks.

“Well, first I would like to take you guys on the grand tour of the place.” She signals us, “Follow me.” She walks ahead of us, motioning us to come with her. 

She goes to the right first, down the long path of cabins. She gestures to each building,  “This is the girls' side. The first building has the bathroom and showers. The largest cabin beside the bathrooms is Lawrence’s cabin.  The rest are sleeping cabins. This is the side that Hanna and Grace will be staying. At the very end, you will see that colorful building.  That is where we do our arts and crafts.”

 I turn to the arts and crafts cabin that has several pieces of artwork hanging on the outside. The aesthetic of the building is light and airy. I start to have vivid memories of the crafts I made in elementary school.  I can already smell the glue and the summer hasn’t even started yet.

“Of course, here is the firepit. If you concentrate long enough, you can still smell the burnt marshmallows,” Heidi says.  I can’t tell if she’s joking. It’s unclear to me if Heidi is truly clueless or if she is a really good actor. 

She points at the tallest cabin behind us. “This beautiful two-story cabin is the admissions office. This is where our secretary deals with records and all the important paperwork. That is also where the basement is where we keep our storage for our different parties. We have seven cabins for the boys’ side. That is Zack’s home for the next six weeks. At the very end, is the boys’ bathroom and shower. That is where they will shower and everything else. Right at the edge of the camp are the cafeteria and the nurse’s cabin. Any questions yet?” She breathes for the first time in the last five minutes.

 I shake my head, ready to be in air conditioning. My brown hair is sticking to the back of my neck.

Suddenly, she faces the water, “And of course, there is the lake. My favorite part of the tour. That is the general area.”

“It’s beautiful here,” Hanna says, moving her sunglasses on top of her blond hair. Her mood is starting to relax, admiring the landscape.

“We just repainted and bought new furniture for the summer. It was a tiny remodel since everything was beginning to look outdated. This place is like my baby. Well, other than my daughter. I want everyone to come here and feel the same way you guys do.” Heidi grins, her smile warm with passion. This place was her home, and no one could take it away from her. I can hear the love in her voice when she talks about it.

“How long have you worked here?” Hanna asks.

“I was 30 when I bought it from the original owners. I have been here for about 23 years,” She chuckles slightly. 

“I bet it makes this place even more special,” Zack comments, trying to make conversation but his sentence is awkward.

“It does. Now it will be almost the same way with you guys too. I hope this summer is all that you’ve hoped for. I really need all your help. We’ve got 50 kids coming tomorrow. I feel like I barely have anything prepared.”  Heidi starts to talk fast, and I can feel the stress rising again.

“Anything you need us to do, and we will do it,” I stop her before her anxiety is let loose.

“I will get you to your cabins and we will start. That should give the others enough time to get here.”

Hanna and I are led to our cabin that sits at the very end of the row. It is diagonal from the arts and crafts cabin. I make a note to take my camera one of these days to capture its vibrancy.

All the cabins look the same. All made of cedar wood and a forest green roof. They have a small front porch and a screen door in front of the stairway at the entrance. They all have one big window facing the porch with green window panes to match the roof.

The wooden steps creak from the weight of my feet as I make it to the door. I have anticipated this the whole drive. I am finally away from the usual chaos of reality. However, the whole thing makes me anxious. I could point out all the disadvantages of staying here for six weeks. The list starts to form in my head.  What if I get caught in my own lie? What if I can’t get the answers I want? None of it matters. I came here for Alaina. To mend what is broken. To replant my family tree. I am here for a better and greater purpose. I am here to gain peace, so I swallow the anxiety and move forward.

Our new home is one big room with hardwood floors and cedar wall paneling.  When we first enter, there is a writing desk facing the window. Behind it, is a little shelf with several different books, scrapbook binders, and even board games. There is a decorative rug in front of it, giving the place a cozy feeling. In front of the shelf, is a small couch with its back facing the doorway.

 On the right, there are three little steps leading up to the bedroom. No wall is separating the two rooms. In the bedroom space are three sets of bunk beds. One window is in between them. There are two dressers available for us. Once I go up the stairs, I notice a tiny bathroom off to the side.

 Everything seems peaceful until I think of what’s coming tomorrow. Thoughts of dread come over me as I imagine the crowd coming later, disrupting the peace that is before me now.

“Do you like top or bottom bunk?” Hanna asks, deciding where to put her things.

“I think I’ll take the bottom for now.” I go towards the bed that is closest to the left wall. I am too tired to unpack now. I also knew the others were coming. I might be forced to move.

In contrast, Hanna plops her luggage down on the top bunk above mine. I hear her bag unzip right away. “Could you help me?”

“We need to go help Heidi.” I groan. The heat is getting to me, and I am starting to daydream about diving into the lake. The trip up here has drained me.

“I know. I know. We have a strict itinerary. But could you help me unpack?” She hands me another pile of clothes and I am forced to put them in the dresser drawer for her.

I open the top drawer to the dresser and start stuffing in clothes until I get tired of being Hanna’s servant.

“How many clothes do you have?” I ask as the first drawer becomes nearly stuffed.

“You do realize how long we’re going to be here right?” She says from the top bunk.

“You have enough clothes for another person.” I tease her.

“If you’re going to complain, do something else. How about your clothes?” She stops, glaring at me. 

“I can do that later,” I shrug, putting my bag in front of me, “Where’s my camera I think I will go take pictures. I need them for the article”

“Oh,” She says, slinging my camera bag down, “I accidentally grabbed it.”

I take my camera out and put the strap around my neck, “Do you want to come with me? I could take pictures of you. Your face could be in the Jasper Reporter.”

“No thanks, I really need to get settled,” Hanna says, coming down her ladder to start unpacking some more.

“Okay, suit yourself,” I say, going down the stairs.

There is a slight breeze that helps ease the sweltering heat around me. I am picturing the last actions of Alaina, wondering where she walked or how far she got from here. The breeze shifts my hair out of place, sending a chill down my arm through my body. The peace is too eerie for me. I try to focus on what I would want a feature about Alaina to look like. Was she a swimmer? Did she enjoy the lake? Did she go stargazing with some mystery guy at night?  I take several shots of the lake. I capture the mountains next, hoping that some spirit of hers would tell me which direction I should take my camera. I chuckle to myself, knowing how ridiculous I sound. 

I take a break and sit down at the fire pit, looking through some of the shots I have taken.  I am concentrating on my camera when I feel a hand on my shoulder. Goosebumps rise onto my skin. I never even heard a soul since I have been out here. I look up and see a girl with blonde wavy hair staring back at me. 

“Oh! You scared me. I didn’t hear anyone come up.” I freeze.  It is a face I recognize immediately. 

She laughs nervously, “Sorry I scared you. I just got here, and you were the first person I saw. I assumed you knew where you were going. I am one of the counselors. I am just a little lost.” Alaina stands above me with a bright smile. She shifts her bags onto her shoulders. Her blue summer dress is dancing in the wind. 

My skin jumps as I leap out of the log bench, my butt hitting the ground with a hard thump. I scurry away from her, fear overpowering my mind. I feel the dusty rocks from the dirt scrape against my clothes.

“What…” I am out of breath, trying to find some sort of coherent words, “Who?” I can’t find the right reaction. I feel lightheaded. If I pass out now, I wouldn’t be mad. 

“I need your help,” Alaina says, trying to keep me calm. Am I sure I’m seeing this right now? I’m probably dreaming, and I will wake up in my own bed petrified any minute now. I hold my breath, trying not to scream. I pinch my skin, but I am still awake, laying in dirt and grass.

“Get away from me!” I scream, but what if someone hears me? How would I explain what I am seeing right now? 

“Grace, you are the only way.” She keeps talking but I would like her to stop. I want to shut my eyes and never see her again. 

“Stop talking!” I beg her, thinking through what’s happening right now. I have no logical explanation for this. 

Alaina stiffens, fear flooding her eyes, not knowing what to do, “I’m here to help you.” 

“You’re dead!” I scream, shaking my head violently, “You’re dead! You’re dead!” 

I shut my eyes, no longer looking at the girl in front of me, ‘You’re dead!” I am kicking the air, stopping her from touching me.

“Grace!” I hear a voice, but it doesn’t sound like Alaina’s. I ignore it, because I’m probably going crazy so I must be making that up too. 

“Stop! You’re dead!” I say, still kicking until I actually feel my sandal hit someone’s rib and someone falls to the ground in front of me. 

I open my eyes to find Hanna on the ground, clutching her rib in pain. “No, I’m not dead you idiot!” she says, gasping for air.

“What the heck are you doing?” she says, anger and confusion flooding her eyes. 

“I thought…” I gasp for air, getting up from the ground. My butt aches from the fall. I sit down on the log bench, dusting off the dirt and grass from my legs. “Are you okay?”

Hanna breathes, sitting next to me, “Yeah, but what about you? What were you screaming about?” She asks me. 

“You’re not going to believe me anyways,” I say, “I think I’m going crazy.” I put my hand on my forehead. My head is throbbing. 

“Well, you have to tell me now,” she urges me. I meet her eyes, trying to make sense of what I just saw. It felt too real to be some silly vision. 

“I think I saw Alaina’s ghost,” I swallow, feeling the pain in my spine still. I avoid her stare, waiting for her to process what I just said. 

“You’re right,” she says, “you are going crazy.”