The Mystery of Silver Lake

By Evil Alter Ego Press

Summer camp is supposed to be a place of fun and new experiences. But what if you don't quite fit in?

 

That's what happens to Zack, Rebecca and Billy. They arrive at camp separately but are forced together because they just don't fit the summer camper mould. Instead of fun, they are given the worst cabin at the lake and get to do chores instead of games. Along the way, they discover there is a terrible secret. One that could have terrible consequences.

 

They must learn to work together to solve the mystery of Silver Lake... and somehow survive along the way.

 

Whatever happens, they've got to prove they are more than outcasts. Especially if they work together as a team.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evil Alter Ego Press
• Release date: Apr 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781988361253

Book preview

EVIL ALTER EGO PRESS

www.evilalteregopress.com

Evil Alter Ego Press

www.evilalteregopress.com

Published by Evil Alter Ego Press, 869 Citadel Drive NW, Calgary, AB T3G 4B8, Canada

The Mystery of Silver Lake Copyright © 2022 by Michell Plested.

Edited by Jeffrey Hite.

Cover by Jeff Minkevics, copyright © 2022 by Jeff Minkevics.

Interior design and layout by Michell Plested.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of the book.

Publisher’s note: This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Print version set in Cambria; titles in Cambria, byline in Cambria.

Published in Canada

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Plested, Michell, 1968-, author

The Mystery of Silver Lake / Michell Plested.

Electronic monograph issued in EPUB and print format.

ISBN 978-1-988361-25-3 (epub).

For

Anyone who has ever felt like an Outcast or alone.

New friends are just waiting to be found

and often appear in the most unexpected places.

Chapter 1

Zack stared out the window of the bus wondering when things had gone so horribly wrong. He and his dad had always been so close! Especially after...

His mind recoiled, as it always did, when he thought about his mother’s death and gently banged his head against the glass. When she died everything changed. Dad quit working all the long hours and stayed home. The two of them were inseparable. The Dynamic Duo. At least until SHE came. 

At first Zack had accepted her; Dad was so happy after all. The paper-thin smiles, the loneliness and pain behind his eye that his father always tried to hide, had changed to real laughter when SHE first arrived. Except SHE had been gradually nibbling away at Zack's dad-time for the past several months.

And now, instead of the Dynamic Duo spending the summer together, Zack was on his way to some camp in the middle of nowhere. It wasn't fair!

He sighed and sat back in his seat feeling tears gently run down his cheek.

You okay? a voice asked.

Zack looked up. A girl knelt backwards on her seat staring down at him. Her soft brown eyes peeked out past straight sun-bleached hair. A large, freckled nose dominated an equally freckled face and when she smiled, braces with bright-green rubber bands lined her teeth. She was cute in an odd sort of way. The last thing Zack wanted right that minute was a cute girl trying to make him feel better.

Mind your own business! He turned back to the window and pulled his jacket over his head.

Fine, be a jerk! the girl said. She turned around and sat down heavily on the seat, making it bounce.

The last thing Zack wanted was someone sympathizing with him. He didn't want to feel better. He wanted to be angry.! Angry at his dad, angry at HER!

The tears continued to fall as the bus rattled down the highway.

✧✧✧

Zack jolted awake as the bus turned off the highway onto a gravel road. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and tried to remember exactly where he was.

Thick forest passed by as the bus bounced and clunked its way down the rutted road. Most of the other kids chattered excitedly about camp but a few were still asleep like he had been. When the cute, nosy girl saw him examining her, she gave an audible sniff and turned away.

It was going to be like that, was it? Good! She had gotten the hint. Zack had no real intention of making any friends here. In fact, if everything went right, he'd be on his way back home before he had a chance to unpack.

The bus pulled into a big, gravelled parking lot and stopped with a squealing of brakes in front of a large rough-hewn log building. They were here, wherever here was.

Dust hung in the air in a heavy, obscuring cloud. Zack stepped off the bus, duffle bag in hand, and started to cough. Just one more reason not to stay.

Several teenagers, who mostly looked older than him, were standing around the parking lot with bored expressions. Zack's heart sank as he recognized a couple of the guys from his school: Axe and Bone - bullies, both and only a grade above him. The others didn't seem much better.

A well-dressed man marched around the parking lot barking orders at the teenagers. He was ridiculously out-of-place; his pressed suit, tie and well-polished shoes would have fit in better at an office.

Another bus drove into the parking lot raising another cloud of dust that billowed up into the sky like smoke, making the bright day seem hazy and dark. No doubt about it, it was time to get out.

Zack marched up to the suit-wearing man and stopped in front of him. This close, Zack could see the obvious comb-over as the man tried to hide his growing baldness. His exposed skin was an interesting orange colour. The guy’s nametag read Camp Director.

What do you want? the camp director asked frowning at him.

I want out of here, Zack said. I want to go home!

Get lost, kid, the man said and started to turn away. His bald patch was even more obvious from the back.

Zack kicked dirt onto the man’s shoes. I want to go home now, Baldy!

The man looked down at his shoes, then Zack. A nasty smile slowly spread across his face. You know kid, I’ve got a better idea. He beckoned to two of the lounging teens. Of course, it was Axe and Bone. The boys sauntered over.

What up, Boss?

The camp director jerked his thumb at Zack. We’ve got a troublemaker here. Better that we nip it in the bud.

Sounds good, Boss. Whatcha want us to do with him? 

The camp director considered the question for a moment, tapping his bottom lip. Take him down to the hovel. Settle him in good!

Hovel? A cold chill surged down his spine and his stomach flip flopped. He held up his hands and tried to take a step back. Hovel? Wait a minute! I was only joking... 

Four hands latched onto his arms like vice grips. Zack looked wildly over his shoulder at the two goons now standing behind him. They dragged him off, as he kicked and loudly protested.

✧✧✧

Rebecca watched as the camp counselors dragged the boy off. Sure, the kid had acted like a jerk, but he didn’t deserve whatever was about to happen. Well... he probably didn't deserve it.

She thought about the whole thing. Why did she care, anyway? He was cute enough. Blue eyes and reddish blond hair framed a tanned angular face. Was that the reason? Because he was cute?

He had been rude on the bus, but then something was wrong with him. Not crazy wrong, but personally wrong. Of that, Rebecca was sure. She had a knack for seeing things like that and she had most definitely seen it in him.

She pushed her way through the crowd of excited, chattering campers. Her target was the nearest counselor, a slightly overweight boy of about sixteen, who was trying to read a clipboard. What’s going on with that kid? Rebecca pointed her thumb at the departing trio.

The counselor glanced up at her with bored eyes. His chubby face glistened with sweat. No idea. What’s it to you, anyway?

She shrugged and brushed her bangs from her eyes. Just wondering, that’s all.

Like I said, I have no idea. Whatever’s going on, it has nothin’ to do with you so mind your own business!

That was the second time today she’d been told to mind her own business. It probably wouldn’t be the last either. Rebecca was used to hearing it. Still, some questions simply needed to be asked and she was just the girl to do the asking.

A third bus pulled up and emptied its occupants. As the last person stepped to the ground a megaphone squealed to life and the man in the suit started talking.

Okay, Campers. Everybody, please! I have a few things to tell you before you go to your cabins. 

The mass of campers turned towards the camp director and waited. He surveyed the group before lifting the megaphone again.

Thank you for your attention. My name is Mr. Spasovic, and I will be your camp coordinator this year. He flashed a bright smile at the group. First off, you should know that we have no cellular phone reception out here. He looked around. Yes, I've seen a few of you trying to make calls. I’m afraid it won’t work. Silver Lake is surrounded by mountains and there are no towers anywhere out here.

A collective groan rose from the crowd. Some kids could be seen frantically trying to use their phones.

Mr. Spasovic smiled again. Because your phones won’t work, you might want to turn them into the office for safe keeping. We will record your name and give you a receipt so you can claim your items on the final day of camp. I recommend this because then you won't lose or break your phones and electronics.

He waited a minute for the chatter to quiet down again. Secondly, we have rules in this camp. No littering or damaging the surroundings. We want to keep this camp looking its best for you and all future campers. Also, you must always get permission from the counselors in charge of the various activities before you attempt them. This is for your safety and the safety of those around you. Mr. Spasovic took two steps forward and looked down at the campers, his right eyebrow raised. Not too bad, right? If we all work together, you will have fun, I promise you.

He gestured to some of the lounging teens. "Lastly, if you look around, you’ll see a number of young men and women in dark green camp shirts. These people are from various local colleges and are your camp counselors this summer. You can recognize them by the word Counsellor printed on the back of their shirts if you’re not sure."

You can also tell by looking for the goons! a voice yelled from somewhere in the middle of the gathering. The campers all laughed, and