Nightmare At Camp Forrestwood

By Kelli Sue Landon

Holly Jenson is a senior at Madison High School. She’s also a new student and nervous about fitting in. The senior class camping trip is coming up. The school holds this camping trip every year to teach students about surviving without modern technology. Cell phones, computers, Ipods, and any other electronic devices are not allowed. Holly's only friend is a neighbor named Erin. Erin cuts school regularly, so Holly is afraid that she won't go on the trip. Desperate for someone to hang out with, Holly begs her to go. The day before they depart, Erin cuts school yet again and Holly gets acquainted with another classmate, Mindy. They become fast friends and Holly agrees to hang out with her during the trip, since she suspects Erin of bailing out. Well, Erin makes it and she's not happy. Conflict arises immediately, which sets the tone for what's to become of the senior class.

At first, Holly fears that the trip will be a disaster with the popular kids being forced to share their cabins and interact with ones who they’ve bullied. But, then she's ecstatic when her crush Matt is in the same cabin as her, the hottest guy in school. Unfortunately, things turn deadly when the phones stop working and people start to disappear one by one. Holly, along with Mindy and Matt, start to realize that a killer is among the group.

They have spooky campfire stories over roasted marshmallows and hiking trips when students start to disappear. Everyone is ordered to stay in their cabins by the teachers who look after them, but then they go missing too.

Holly, along with Matt and Mindy, hatch a plan to go along with the Saturday Night dance which was planned from the beginning, for the students to attend on their last night there. If they are all in the same place, they feel that the killer would be easy to catch. But, things don’t go as planned and Holly figures out who the killer is before it’s revealed. The other students doubt her, but could she be right? As they try to hang on to their last breath, they do their best to take the killer down. That is, if they live long enough.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelli Sue Landon
• Release date: Jun 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310822735

Kelli Sue Landon

Kelli Sue Landon is a mystery novelist and short story author. She is from Peoria, IL and works for the U.S. Postal Service. Her published novels include Sudden Moves, Nightmare at Camp Forrestwood, Summer Shack (A Killer Vacation) and Stranded in Time. Influences: Janet Evanovich, Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King and Linwood Barclay.

Book preview

NIGHTMARE AT CAMP

FORRESTWOOD

By

Kelli Sue Landon

~~~

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Kelli Sue Landon

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Epilogue

Chapter 1

Adjusting to a new school wasn't easy. My name is Holly Jenson, and I’m a senior at Madison High School. I missed my friends back home, the friends I had for so many years growing up in Oak Bay, Illinois. I talked to them on the phone and by email, but it wasn't the same. My roots were there. I never had to start over in a new environment, so I didn't know how to get people to like me here in Shacklesville. It was the most uncomfortable I'd ever been in my life.

Mom moved us to Shacklesville after Dad died. She wanted to downsize and start over. Getting over his death was painful enough without having to be reminded of him day in and day out in our home. I didn’t want to move, but I knew Mom had to have a new life. She would lie in bed all day, crying. She was spiraling down. Something had to be done.

I had been at Madison High for a month and my only friend was Erin Butler. We bonded by riding the school bus together. We were the same age and knew where each other lived. We sat together everyday as she told me stories about students at Madison while I filled her in on my former life in Oak Bay. She was poor, and normally, she looked as if she just rolled out of bed with unkempt hair. She dawned the same clothes worn daily, complete with a holey denim jacket. Her single dad was raising her and her brother, which brought us closer.

Did you understand this Spanish assignment? I asked her on the bus one morning.

With her arms folded, looking out the window, she shook her head. Nope. Didn’t even look at it.

She appeared preoccupied.

What's wrong? I asked her.

She shrugged. This is a miserable school. Who cares if I do the work or not? I want outta there, away from the torture.

You could quit, I said, even though I didn't mean it.

She looked at me. Holly, Dad won't let me. Believe me, I'd be outta here so fast, you wouldn't know what hit you.

This brought me down. I felt that she should at least stay for me. If it wasn't for her, I'd have no friends and nobody to talk to. What would happen to me then? We had one more year and we were finished. I didn't want to graduate from this school feeling miserable as she did.

Just gonna give up during your senior year?

Oh come on, Holly! You know I won't graduate!

I had to admit, she could be right. There were days when she wouldn't attend school. I often asked her why, but she would just tell me she didn't want to go. I often wondered how her dad felt about that. I hadn't gotten the nerve up to ask her.

Do you want to? I asked.

She shook her head. I don't want anything to do with school. I could get a job somewhere after this shit is over.

Not if you don't have an education, I thought. I didn't say it out loud because her eyes were bloodshot and I was afraid she was going to break down. This made me think of my mom and how she was after Dad's accident. We sat in silence, listening to the whispers of other students. The morning bus ride was usually quiet. People at this school were so secretive, not letting anyone in on their lives except their best friends. They all had inner circles, which was a drastic change from Oak Bay High. Everybody communicated there. Nobody was too good or too bad to talk to.

Well, the camping trip is coming up, I said, changing the subject. Mom wants me to go, but I don't know if I want to.

Oh, that gay trip the senior class takes every year? I'm not going anyway.

This remark stung. I was hoping she would go with me so I had someone to hang out with. I was going to have to beg her to go. I wasn't crazy about the trip, but I just knew Mom was going to push me into it.

Are you going? she asked.

I shrugged. I am afraid to if you don't. Mom will make me, so I don't wanna hang around a campsite by myself. I'd look like a loser.

Trust me, everyone already thinks you are a loser because you hang out with me.

I hated when she was like this. Her negative attitude brought me down. Well, will you go for me? I asked.

I dunno. We'll see, she said.

How could she be so selfish? I thought. It's only one weekend away.

You just wanna go because of Matt Ifft, she said.

Shhhhh! I lightly slapped her shoulder. That's not true.

Yes it is, she laughed, showing her tartar-stained teeth. As unattractive as her smile was, I was happy to see it.

I laughed with her and we started talking more about Matt and the trip. Matt Ifft was the first thing that sparked my interest at Madison High. I was going to my locker when Tricia Reed, the school's most popular girl pushed me. I dropped my books and M8att helped pick them up. He was gorgeous, with dark hair and dark brown eyes. He always wore black denim and carried books. Not school books, but actual novels. He was a reader, which I found unusual in a guy my age.

***

 Okay, class, the trip is coming up, Mr. Patterson announced in science class. He was the organizer of the trip every year. You all know we are going to a different location this year. I hope you know the purpose of this trip. He stopped talking and looked around the room. Tony, do you know? he asked Tony Bronson, the class clown.

Oh yeah, so we can learn how to rub two sticks together and make a fire. That rubbing sticks technique is good for teaching us to masturbate, by the way.

The whole class erupted in laughter.

Okay, Tony, out! Mr. Patterson said, his face beet red. To the office!

What? Tony said with disappointment. It was just a joke!

Mr. Patterson pointed to the door as Tony reluctantly exited the class, hanging his head.

Matt, do you know?

My heart skipped a beat. I was so afraid he was going to call on me, but now I got to hear Matt talk. This was exciting!

You want us to learn how to live without technology, which would be find with me.

Really? Mr. Patterson asked.

Matt nodded. I’m not much of an e-mailer.

The class laughed again.

Well, you are absolutely correct. On this trip, no cell phones, computers, or any other futuristic gadget known to man that permits you to communicate with the outside world. We will have landlines if you want to call home. Kids nowadays are relying too much on technology. What would happen if you had to live without it? Would you survive?

The class sat in silence. We all knew this was the purpose of the trip, but Mr. Patterson made us think. At least he did me, anyway.

I sent out notices two weeks ago to your parents. I have gotten quite a few back, reserving your spot, so let’s keep them coming. We leave Friday at two o’clock.

When class was over, I wanted to ask Matt if he was going, but I couldn’t get up the nerve. I figured he was, with the way he talked about it.

So, are you going? I asked Erin at lunch. We get out of our last class since we leave early.

I guess I will, he said reluctantly. I don’t want to, but if you are going, I will.

I felt so much better as I took a drink of my soda. We always sat at a picnic table outside since it was more private. I looked over and saw Tricia Reed standing against a tree, talking to her boyfriend, Phil. He kept caressing the collar of her fur-lined leather coat.

They will be ridiculing me all over the place, she said.

Why?

Holly, they will point out that I only show up at school for something like this.

So, come to school more often from now on and prove them wrong. This was advice my mother always gave me. If someone thought you couldn’t do something, try harder.

She shrugged, picking at her sandwich. I guess. Sometimes it’s just hard to get outta bed, ya know?

I nodded. I wasn’t a morning person, but I knew I had to get up anyway, so why fight it?

Tricia Reed gave her wavy blond hair a flip off her shoulder as she walked past us, and sounding like a little girl in her fake voice said, You all going on the trip?

Reviews for Nightmare At Camp Forrestwood

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Kelli Sue Landon’s first book Sudden Moves. I had no reason to believe I wouldn’t like this one. I was not disappointed. I have always like scary stories and this fit the bill. Holly has recently moved to Madison High because her father passed away. She doesn’t fit in very well. She is befriended by an even bigger outcast, Erin. The senior trip comes up and Holly encourages Erin to go with her on the campout. This is where the jealousy sets in. Holly talks with another girl, Mindy and Erin gets mad.Things go from bad to worse right from the beginning. The first night a counselor and one of the girls go missing. Then the students and counselors start disappearing one after another. Holly, Matt, and Mindy must now try to figure out who the killer is and try to avoid being their next victim. One thing that made this such a tasty read was they set everything up with a rumor about a mentally challenged boy and a murder at the campground. This was a great book. I look forward to reading more by this author. The twists and turns she puts in her books will keep you coming back for more.