Goosebumps: The Curse of Camp Cold Lake by R. L. Stine

your buddy,” Jan said. “I’ll swim with you, Sarah.”
    Our frightening canoe adventure flashed into my mind. Once again, I pictured
that horrible moment when Jan jumped from the canoe. Tipping it over. Leaving me
there.
    But things were different now.
    We were friends. All four of us were friends now. I had to forget about what
happened with the canoe. I had to forget about our bad start.
    “Okay,” I agreed. “Thanks, Jan. I’ll be your buddy.” I turned back to Liz.
“I’m ready to swim.”
     
    The morning sun still floated low in the sky. It kept fading behind broad,
gray clouds. And each time the sun disappeared, the air became as cold as the
water.
    The lake was so cold in the early morning!
    As I waded in, I suddenly realized why it was named “Cold Lake”.
    We all stepped carefully into the water, shivering and complaining. The water
lapped over my ankles, stinging them. I stopped with a gasp and waited to get
used to the cold.
    I raised my eyes at the sound of a motorboat and saw Liz chugging to her
place in the middle of the lake. When she reached the spot, she cut the engine.
Then she picked up an electric megaphone.
    “Warm up first, everyone!” she instructed us.
    We all laughed. “Warm up? How are we supposed to warm up? It’s freezing!”
    Two girls near the shore began splashing each other.
    “Stop it! Whoooa! It’s collld !” one of them shrieked.
    Taking another few steps over the soft lake bottom, I adjusted the top of my
blue swimsuit. “We need wet suits,” I told Jan.
    She nodded, then waded out until the water lapped at her waist. “Come on,
Sarah. Stick together.” She motioned for me to follow.
    I took a deep breath—and plunged into the water.
    A shock of cold swept over my body. But I dove under the water and swam out a
few strokes. Then I raised my head and turned back to Jan.
    “Show off,” she muttered. She dipped her hands in the water, still struggling
to get used to the cold.
    I laughed. “It’s refreshing!” I exclaimed, brushing my wet hair back. “Come
on—just push off. It isn’t that bad.”
    Jan lowered herself into the water. Most of the swimmers were in the water
now, moving in circles, floating on their backs, treading water.
    “Line up, everyone!” Liz instructed from her boat. Her voice through the
megaphone echoed off the trees behind us. “Line up. Two at a time. Let’s go!”
    It took a while for everyone to get in place. Jan and I were second in line.
    I watched the first two girls begin to swim. One of them moved with smooth,
steady strokes. The other one splashed and thrashed.
    Everyone cheered them on.
    Jan and I gave them about a two-minute head start. Then we began to swim.
    I tried to copy the first girl’s rhythmic stroke. I didn’t want to look like
a klutz. I knew all the other swimmers were watching. But let’s get real. I’m
not exactly headed for the Olympics.
    Jan pulled ahead easily. As we swam, she kept turning back to make sure I was
keeping up with her.
    The turnaround spot was just past Liz’s motor-boat. I kept my eyes on it as I
followed Jan through the water. It seemed very far away!
    Jan picked up speed. My arms started aching about halfway to the boat.
    I’m in bad shape, I told myself. I’ve really got to start working out or
something.
    Liz’s boat bobbed gently up ahead of us. Liz was shouting something into the
megaphone. But the splash of the water kept me from making out the words.
    Up ahead of me, Jan picked up the pace.
    “Hey—slow down!” I called. But there was no way she could hear me.
    Ignoring the aching in my arms, I struggled to catch up to her. I kicked my
legs harder, splashing up water behind me.
    The sun dipped once again behind a high cloud. The sky darkened, and the
water seemed to chill.
    Liz’s boat rocked in the water, just up ahead. I kept my eyes on Jan. Watched
her steady kicks. Her hair bobbing on the lake surface like some kind of sea
creature.
    When Jan turns