CHAPTER THREE

Camp Chimo

“It’s been two hours, seven minutes and 34 seconds, Mrs. Morris. Are we there yet?” asked Zayn. “I really need to use the washroom!”

“We’re almost there,” Mrs. Morris answered patiently for the eleventh time. “Please put your stopwatch away; it’ll only make the time go slower.”

“I was just trying to keep my wudu,” Zayn grumbled to Ibrahim. “I guess I should have gone before we left.

“I guess you should have,” said Ibrahim, turning another page of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Soon the bus began to slow down before pulling over to the side of the road. The group had seen nothing but thick, lush forest for the past half hour, so it seemed like they were stopping in the middle of nowhere. A small, worn sign by the side of the road was the only distinguishable landmark.

“Is everything okay?” asked Ibrahim.

“Better than okay,” replied Mr. Barnell. “We’ve arrived!”

The bus made a sharp right turn into a dirt road that led them straight into the forest. Branches loudly scratched against the top and sides of the bus as a cloud of dust rose up behind them. Coming to a stop in a large clearing, the group waited for the dust to settle.

“I just saw a ghost!” cried Ali.

“Not funny,” said Mariam, crossing her arms.

“That’s enough boys,” said Mr. Barnell. “Stop teasing— Ghost!”

Everyone on the bus turned to see what their teacher was looking at. Several metres away from the bus stood a faint image of a man. It was as if a white glow surrounded him. All at once the bus erupted in loud, terrified screams.

“It’s coming closer,” yelled Zayn. “Someone do something!”

Soon another sound could be heard among all the screaming. It was Mr. Barnell, laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his cheeks.

“It—it’s okay,” he choked out, trying to calm the class. “Net—he’s wearing a net!”

The children took a closer look at the shadowy man who now stood right outside the bus door. The ghostly figure had a friendly smile, as he waved at the children.

One by one the students tumbled out, looking embarrassed.

“Welcome to Camp Chimo!” said the friendly ghost, as he pulled off his netting. “I apologize for startling your class, Henry. I just finished removing a wasp nest that I found near one of our cabins, and this mosquito net was the only thing I could find to protect myself from being stung,” he explained.

“Class,” Mr. Barnell said, turning to his students, “Meet Mr. Parker, our guide for the next three days.”

Mr. Parker had shoulder length black hair, which he kept tied with a black band, sparkling green eyes and a deep tan. He was tall and had broad shoulders.

“Hello, campers!” said Mr. Parker cheerfully.

The children mumbled greetings in return.

“Welcome to the only public camping ground within 75 miles of here,” he said. “My family has been living in these parts for generations, helping to preserve and protect this beautiful land. Now, why don’t you settle into your cabins? The girls’ cabin is to the right and the boys’ is just through the clearing on the left. For those of you who need to use the washrooms, there are toilets and showers in each cabin,” he added, winking at Zayn. “We’ll meet back at the meeting place by the fire pit in fifteen minutes.”

The children grabbed their bags and quickly made their way to their assigned lodging. The log wood cabins were so deeply nestled between the trees they looked like tree houses. Each had fifteen bunk beds, enough to fit all the children. The wood floors were covered with well-worn rugs, while the floral curtains made the place look cozy. The smell of fresh earth and pine trees filled the air.

“Subhan’Allah, this place is beautiful,” Ibrahim marvelled.

“Yeah, yeah, very nice,” Zayn muttered, as he came out of their cabin washroom. “You know, I almost wet myself back there! That Mr. Parker guy really startled me.”

“I think we were all startled,” said Ibrahim. “That net and all the dust in the air really made him look ghostly! Try to relax. For once we’re on a real vacation, with no mysteries to solve.”

“You’re right,” said Zayn. “We had to eat a lot of Triple Chocolate Delight cookies to get here. We deserve a vacation!”