CHAPTER 3
A Frosty Hello
“Off to Camp Hero!” Dad said in the car on Monday morning. He turned to Ellie as Mom buckled up. “Are you ready, Ellie?”
“Yes!” Ellie squealed in the back seat. “Camp is going to be so fun. Even more fun than busting an alien blob!”
As they drove away, Ellie looked out the window. She watched as Winkopolis got smaller until the city disappeared.
“Bye, Hannah,” she whispered. “I’ll write soon!”
For the next hour, they cruised along the highway. Ellie passed the time playing cards by herself. She breezed through twenty games of Memory before they finally arrived at the campground.
Ellie peered out the window. Camp Hero looked even better than it had in the guide! On one side, a lake glistened. It had a dock with inner tubes, rafts, and paddleboats. On the other side, there was a court with games like four square and hopscotch.
Cabins sat in the center of the grounds. They were gathered around an open clearing, where campers hung out on log benches. Some greeted each other with the hero handshake. A couple of kids waved to Ellie as the car went past.
Those campers are friendly, she thought. Maybe they’re my cabinmates!
After parking they went to the visitors’ center. Ellie was waiting with her parents to check in when a young woman wearing a cape walked up.
“Ellie Ultra! I’ve been expecting you,” she said cheerfully. She pointed to Ellie’s name on a clipboard.
“How did you know it was me? Can you read my mind?” Ellie asked. “I have that power, but it only works on people. Not robot minions, unfortunately . . .”
“I heard you’re a real superhero. That’s amazing!” the woman replied. “As for me? I read your name on the back of your cape. My name is on my cape too.” She turned and pointed.
“Wendy the Whiz,” Ellie said, scanning the words. “I like it! It sounds very hero-y.”
“Thanks! You can also call me Wendy,” she replied with a wink. “I’m your camp counselor, so I’ll lead your activities this week.” She picked up Ellie’s bag. “Let’s meet your cabinmates. They’re real superheroes like you!”
Real superheroes? Ellie couldn’t believe her supersonic hearing. They were going to have a blast together! They could race a jet and surf a tidal wave. They could even save a town or two!
Ellie flew into Mom and Dad’s arms. “Remember to play fetch with Super Fluffy,” she said, hugging them, “and don’t forget to read to Cyclops at bedtime. His favorite book is The Little Lizard That Could.”
“Everything will be in good hands,” Mom reassured her.
After saying goodbye, Ellie followed Wendy toward the campers’ quarters. They went down a trail speckled with fallen acorns. As they passed under a shady oak, one almost fell on Ellie’s noggin. Ellie glanced up, worried a squirrel minion was up to trouble, but luckily, she only saw a plain old squirrel.
“Here we are!” Wendy announced when they reached the cabins. Each one was labeled with a name, like High Fliers or Smart Squad. Wendy stepped up to a cabin labeled Kid Wonders and unlocked the door.
As Ellie flew in, a burst of icy air hit her. Brrr! she thought with a shiver. The room felt like Antarctica on an extra-cold day. Where was the chill coming from?
Ellie glanced around the room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Beds with storage cabinets lined the wall. Two of them had been claimed. The beds had matching blankets with penguin patterns.
Just then a remarkable sight caught Ellie’s eye. In the corner stood a smiling snowman. It had twigs for arms, rocks for eyes and a mouth, and a pine cone for a nose. Two girls were skipping around the frosty creation, giggling and tossing snow at each other. Snowflakes swirled out of their hands in a crystal mist.
Extraordinary! Ellie thought. She had only seen her parents make snow before. But Mom and Dad needed the help of the Ultra Weather Machine to do it.
Catching sight of Ellie, the girls stopped playing. They exchanged unsure glances.
“This is Mona and Leona Winter,” Wendy said, introducing them.
“I’m Mona—” said the one girl.
“—and I’m Leona,” said the other girl.
“We’re twins,” they said together.
Standing side-by-side, Mona and Leona looked strikingly similar. They were the same height, and their hair was identical. They also had the same number of freckles, according to Ellie’s lightning-quick calculations. Only their outfits were slightly different: Mona wore leggings, while Leona had on shorts and knee socks.
“Hi! I’m Ellie,” Ellie replied. “You can freeze stuff, huh? That’s cool! I can melt things—it’s one of my powers. See?” She made her fists flare up, then put out the fire. “Anyway, want to do the hero handshake?”
Ellie’s hand was still smoking when she held it out to the twins. They shook their heads and took a cautious step back.
“I’m sure you’ll all get along,” Wendy said as Ellie quickly blew out the smoke. “Maybe Mona and Leona can help you unpack. But don’t take long! It’s almost time for Meet the Hero.”
She checked her watch. “In fact, come to the clearing when you’re finished. And bring the item you’re sharing, OK?” She set Ellie’s suitcase on an empty bed before leaving.
Mona pulled at Leona’s elbow, then stepped toward the door. Ellie raced past the girls to her bag. She couldn’t wait to show off the Ultra Hypno Change-O. It was going to dazzle them!
“Check out what I brought!” she said, digging out the gadget. “It belongs to my parents. They fight villains like we do.” She swung around and smiled. But the only thing smiling back was the snowman.
Suddenly the cabin door banged shut. Peeking out the screen, Ellie saw Mona and Leona. A frozen path formed under their feet as they glided to the clearing, arms linked.
They left for the activity? Without me? Ellie was confused. She thought her cabinmates would be friendlier. But they seemed cold, even for superheroes with freezing power.
* * *
After getting herself settled, Ellie skipped off to Meet the Hero. Mona and Leona probably just needed time to get to know her. Then they would warm up, no doubt.
The benches were crowded when she flew into the clearing. Ellie hoped the girls had saved her a seat, but a boy was sitting next to Mona. Leona was on her sister’s other side at the end of the bench. They were playing tic-tac-toe, using icicles to draw in the gravel.
“Here’s a spot, Ellie!” Wendy called from another log. She patted the space next to her, and Ellie went quietly to sit down.
Wendy raised her clipboard to get everyone’s attention. “Welcome, heroes!” she said. “For this activity, we’re all going to share something special. Let’s go around, and you can tell us what makes your item so super.” She pointed to Leona. “Leona? Would you like to start?”
Leona paused and looked at Mona. Then she looked back at Wendy. “Can I take my turn with Mona?” she asked.
“We have the same items,” Mona added.
Wendy nodded, and the girls took out identical gold medals. They had pictures of ice skates on the front.
“We won these medals—” Mona began.
“—for pair figure skating,” Leona went on.
“The competition was tough—”
“—so we were nervous.”
“After we did a loop jump—”
“—we spun around too fast—”
“—and made a blizzard on the ice rink.”
“It was kind of embarrassing,” both girls said. “But we got first place!”
Ellie watched as they high-fived, clinking their medals. They clearly had a close friendship—so close they even finished each other’s sentences.
Maybe they’ll make room for one more friend, she thought hopefully.
The circle of sharing continued. Campers talked about a trophy from a horse show, a volunteer badge, and a handmade ornament.
Finally it was Ellie’s turn. She pulled the Ultra Hypno Change-O out of her pocket. “My parents made this invention,” she said. “It’s very special.”
Leona was drawing a snowy owl on the ground. Mona nudged her and pointed to the Hypno Change-O. They stared curiously.
“They build inventions that help save the world,” Ellie said. She turned on the gadget, and the mesmerizing lines appeared. “See these lines? They can change someone’s behavior from bad to good. That’s how it helps stop villains. They never behave!”
A few campers leaned forward for a better look. Right away, Ellie shut off the Ultra Hypno Change-O. She didn’t want it taking effect.
“Wow, heroes! Your items are all very special, indeed,” Wendy said. She stood up in front of the group. “Our activity is over, but have no fear! This week you’ll have more fun with your cabinmates. I know you’ll become friends, and at the end of camp, you can celebrate your new friendships at the Super Friend Campfire!” She dismissed everyone for the next activity, Mega Splash Hour.
Mona and Leona jumped to their feet. They held hands and squealed.
“We’re going to have the best time—”
“—at the Super Friend Campfire!”
They glided past Ellie, and an icy breeze rolled off their backs. It made Ellie shiver. If Mona and Leona didn’t warm up to her, how could she become their friend?