chapter one
"welcome to summer camp"

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Outside the Lodge  ━━ Hacketts Quarry 2021

THE TAXI rumbled to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust that momentarily obscured Lilith Winslow's view of Hackett's Quarry Summer Camp. It had been four years since her brother Aiden's disappearance in these very woods, and 3 years since the investigation had been closed due to lack of evidence. But for Lilith, the case was far from over.

She stepped out of the taxi, her duffel bag slung over her shoulder. As she looked up at the cheerful "Welcome to Hackett's Quarry" sign, she felt like as if it was mocking her.

Lilith took a moment to survey her surroundings. The camp sprawled before her, a collection of rustic buildings nestled among towering pines. In the distance, she could see the glint of sunlight on water—the quarry that gave the camp its name. It was beautiful, she had to admit.

As she approached the main lodge, Lilith's eyes were drawn to a group of people gathered near the entrance. An older man, presumably Mr. Hackett, the camp owner, stood among them. His face was creased in a welcoming smile, his salt-and-pepper hair and tanned skin speaking of years spent outdoors. But it was the loud laughter of one of the other counselors that caught her attention, making her nose wrinkle in mild distaste.

The source of the laughter was a tall, muscular guy with short, messy brown hair. He wore a sleeveless shirt that showed off his athletic build, and his playful smirk exuded confidence.

Standing next to him was a tall, slim blonde girl with long hair worn in loose waves. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with confidence as she laughed, and even in this casual setting, her outfit looked more fashion-forward than functional. She held her phone in her hand, as if ready to capture any moment for social media.

"Ahhh, you must be our last counselor, Lilith?" Mr. Hackett called out, waving her over. His voice was warm and welcoming.

Lilith nodded, feeling suddenly awkward under the collective gaze of the group. "Yep, that's me," she managed, forcing a smile. She could feel their eyes on her, curious and assessing.

As she joined the group, Lilith took in the faces of her fellow counselors. There was a tall, athletic girl with dark hair in a bob style. Her dark brown eyes scanned the surroundings with intensity.

A guy with short, curly brown hair and soft brown eyes caught Lilith's attention. His kind demeanor was shown in the way he offered her a warm, welcoming smile. Something about his gentle presence made Lilith feel instantly at ease, despite her nerves.

Near the edge of the group stood a petite girl with shoulder-length red hair tucked behind her ears. She clutched a sketchbook to her chest, her large brown eyes taking in every detail of their surroundings. She seemed shy, offering Lilith a small, nervous smile when their eyes met.

Another guy, of medium height with neatly trimmed brown hair, stood close to Mr. Hackett. His deep brown eyes were serious as he listened intently to something the camp owner was saying.

Lilith also noticed a lanky guy with short, dark hair and headphones around his neck. He stood slightly apart from the others, his dark eyes filled with what seemed to be a mix of amusement as he observed the group.

Mr. Hackett's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Excellent! Now that we're all here, let me give you the grand tour. Follow me, everyone!" He clapped his hands together.

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As they filed into the lodge, Lilith found herself at the back of the group. The main building was larger than it had appeared from the outside, with high ceilings of exposed wooden beams and large windows that let in plenty of natural light.

"Here's the main hall where we'll have indoor activities on rainy days," Mr. Hackett explained, gesturing to a large open space filled with folding tables and chairs. Lilith could almost imagine it filled with laughing children, the air thick with the scent of craft glue and the sound of off-key singing.

They moved on, passing through a corridor lined with black-and-white photographs. Lilith slowed, her eyes drawn to the images of campers and counselors from years past.

"Over there is the infirmary," Mr. Hackett continued, pulling Lilith's attention back to the present. He gestured to a door marked with a red cross. "Hopefully, none of you will need to spend much time there. We stock it for everything from splinters to sprains, but anything more serious and we've got to call in the professionals from town."

"Good to know," the tall, athletic girl with the bob chimed in, her voice almost sarcastic.

Lilith filed that information away. The nearest town was at least an hour's drive away—she'd checked during her preparation for this job. If something were to happen out here, help wouldn't arrive quickly.

"And this," Mr. Hackett said, opening a door to reveal a cozy room filled with books and board games, "is our rainy day room." The space was inviting, with comfortable-looking armchairs and shelves stocked with everything from classic novels to the latest young adult bestsellers. In one corner, a stack of board games threatened to topple over, and a few half-finished jigsaw puzzles lay on low tables.

As they moved through the room, Lilith's eyes were drawn to a bulletin board on one wall. It was covered with flyers and notices, but what caught her attention was a faded missing person poster tucked into one corner. From where she stood, she couldn't make out the details, but her heart raced. Could it be...?

"Hey, you okay?" a voice asked softly beside her. Lilith startled, turning to find the kind-eyed guy with curly brown hair looking at her with concern. "You looked a million miles away for a second there."

Lilith forced a smile, shoving down the surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "Just taking it all in, you know?"

He nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. "I'm Nick, by the way," he said, offering his hand. His kind eyes sparkled with warmth, instantly putting Lilith at ease despite her inner turmoil.

"Lilith," she replied, shaking it. His hand was warm and calloused, his grip firm but not overbearing.

"Nice to meet you, Lilith," Nick said with a smile that reached his eyes.

After the tour of the lodge, Mr. Hackett led them outside towards a cluster of cabins nestled among the trees.

"These will be your homes for the summer," he explained, gesturing to two larger cabins set slightly apart from the rest. "Girls in this cabin, boys in that one. The kids' cabins are just down the path there."

As Mr. Hackett left them to get settled, Lilith found herself standing awkwardly on the cabin porch, unsure of how to break the ice with her fellow counselors. The other were already chatting animatedly as they claimed bunks inside.

"Alright, gang," the loud, muscular guy from earlier said, clapping his hands together. "I don't know about you, but I think it's high time we all got properly acquainted. I'm Jacob, by the way. Resident comedian and future King of the Campfire."

The blonde girl who had been laughing at his jokes earlier rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I'm Emma," she said. "And I can already tell it's going to be a long summer with this one around." She nudged Jacob playfully.

One by one, the other counselors introduced themselves. Lilith tried to commit their names to memory, matching them with the faces.

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As night fell, they gathered around a crackling campfire. The flames cast dancing shadows across their faces. Mr. Hackett joined them, taking a seat on one of the logs arranged in a circle around the fire.

"Well, counselors," he said, rubbing his hands together, "since you'll be spending the whole summer together, why don't we play a little game to get to know each other better?"

Jacob immediately perked up. "Oh, I've got one! How about Two Truths and a Lie?"

Mr. Hackett nodded approvingly. "Excellent suggestion, Jacob. Who wants to start?"

Emma started, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Okay, here goes. One: I once won a hot dog eating contest. Two: I'm deathly afraid of squirrels. Three: I can juggle while riding a unicycle."

The group erupted in laughter, trying to guess which statement was the lie. Lilith found herself joining in, despite her initial reservations.

"Come on, Emma," Dylan drawled. "We all know you're too concerned about your figure for hot dog eating contests."

"Hey!" Emma protested, but she was laughing. "I'll have you know I'm very confident in my body, thank you very much."

As the night wore on, Lilith observed the animated faces of her fellow counselors. Each face was illuminated by the warm glow of the campfire.

Lilith couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. These people had come here for a summer of fun. They had no idea that among them sat someone with a very different agenda—someone for whom Hackett's Quarry was not just a summer camp, but the site of an unsolved mystery that had torn her family apart.

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