The sun creeped over the horizon, when my mum drove me to the camp site. Birds tweeted quietly in the wind, the silver eyes of foxes appeared in the misty grassland, headlights of cars made out deer, peacefully crossing the road.

We had been driving for two hours from our home in Yorkshire. To be honest, I didn't really want to go; but my mum said it would be good for my confidence. I don't get how. I hate socialising and meeting new people. Everyone always wants to know everything about you, but some things I don't want to tell. Some things I want to keep to myself.

I dozed off for about 20 minutes, when I felt someone softly shake my shoulder.

"Melanie!" my mum called. "We're here."

I opened my eyes to see 15 wooden huts, one bigger than the others outside of the car window. There was a huge campfire in the middle, burning low, due to the light wind. Other cars had already pulled up, and parents and children were making their way to the biggest of the wooden huts.

I walked forward and admired the view; and I then understood why the camp was called Clear Water. In front of me was a huge lake, wider than anything I'd seen before, with beautiful, clear water. I turned around, and accidentally banged someone.

"Watch where you're going!" a tall, stocky girl growled at me.

"Sorry." I replied, timidly.

I saw my mum and walking over to the large wooden hut, and I ran up to join her. We walked inside and were greeted by a smiley, female teenager; probably around 18. She told my mum and I that she would be showing us around today, and that she is my house leader, while I am at the camp.

She took us outside, and showed us where I would be staying. The wooden hut was blue on the outside, and was filled with four beds, four cubby holes, a bookcase and a bathroom. I placed my luggage, as I was first to arrive, on the bed furthest away from the other three. My house leader, who is called Sarah, told me that I would be staying with three other girls of my age; 13-14. My mother and Sarah were talking, so I decided to look around on my own.

I slipped out of the back entrance to the hut, and saw what looked like a shrine, covered with flowers, letters and notes; from other campers, I later found out. There was a picture of a young girl, around my age, with ginger hair, and bright blue eyes.

+

The epitaph said:

Monica,

A beautiful, extraordinary, caring, amazing and creative girl,
You being missing pains everyone that knows you,
Five years have passed and no information has led us to you,
They say you drowned in a lake,
But your body was never found,
I don't believe you are dead,
I know you are out there somewhere,
I will find you,
I will promise you that.

Sarah xx

+

I stumbled backwards, out of horror and confusion, and fell into the arms of Sarah.

"Why are you here?" Sarah questioned, angrily. "Did I tell you you could come here? This is not for you to see!"

Sarah grabbed me by the hand, and marched me back over to my mum.

"You need to control your daughter!" Sarah said to my mum, crossly. "She needs to know that she cannot go in places she is not allowed to."

"How would she know?" my mother argued. "She has never been here before, and you did not tell here where she could or could not go."

That silenced Sarah up. I never liked her from then on. I don't think she liked me either. But I don't care. I don't need to be liked or cared about.

What I want to find out is what happened here and why the camp wasn't closed down!

+

After everyone had arrived and the parents had left, all the camp members had to sit around the camp fire and introduce themselves to everyone.

"I'm Tom"

"I'm Michelle"

"I'm Winston"

"I'm Emil"

"I'm Susan"

"I'm Lucy"

Until it got to me...

"I'm..."

Some people started sniggering.

"Don't know your own name?" One boy laughed.

"Hi, are you ok?" The girl next to me asked.

I nodded, my eyes wide in embarrassment.

"My name is Kimberly, do you want to tell me your name?" Kimberly asked soothingly.

"I'm...I'm...Mel...Mela...Melanie."

"Why don't you say that then?"

"Hi," I finally got out. "My name is Melanie."

Someone called in the circle and I blushed red. I turned to Kimberly and thanked her.

"No problem." Kimberly whispered. "I have a feeling that we are going to be great friends."