Escape from Camp Run-For-Your-Life Read online

  BEWARE!!

  DO NOT READ THIS

  BOOK FROM

  BEGINNING TO END!

  Welcome to Camp Running Leaf!

  It’s the sports camp of your dreams! But this place is weird. The coaches are slave drivers. The campers act like little robots. And the food … well, let’s just say it’s nothing to write home about.

  The activities sound cool, though! You can camp overnight and look for bones in Zombie Cave. Coach says you could win a medal — or become one of the walking dead. Aww, he was just kidding about the dead part. Wasn’t he?

  Or you can compete in the “Selection.” It’s an awesome obstacle course, with stuff like water jumps. Only, hold on. Why is that water squirming?

  You’re in control of this scary adventure. You decide what will happen. And how terrifying the scares will be.

  Start on PAGE 1. Follow the instructions at the bottom of each page. You make the choices. Make the right choices, and you’ll have the summer of your dreams. Make the wrong choice … and it’s CAMPER BEWARE!

  SO TAKE A DEEP BREATH. CROSS YOUR FINGERS. AND TURN TO PAGE 1 TO GIVE YOURSELF GOOSEBUMPS!

  Contents

  Beware!!

  Title Page

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

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  21

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  36

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  50

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  125

  126

  127

  128

  129

  130

  131

  132

  133

  134

  135

  136

  137

  Teaser

  About the Author

  Also Available

  Copyright

  “All right!” you say to yourself.

  Ten minutes ago, it looked as if you were facing another boring day at home. All the kids in your neighborhood are away at summer camp. All but you. Your parents decided to take you on a family vacation instead. To your grandparents’ farm.

  Boring!

  But your mom and dad just got an urgent call to join a dig for dinosaur bones in Mongolia. They’re leaving in the morning.

  “We’ll be away for a month,” your mom says. “Sorry, sweetie, but we’ll have to send you to Camp Pendleton after all.”

  “I guess I’ll live,” you reply, hiding your grin.

  Yes!

  Pendleton is a sports camp. You love sports! You’ve wanted to go to Camp Pendleton ever since your uncle Ed told you about it. It’s got the latest equipment and the best coaches.

  You quickly call Uncle Ed with the good news. He promises to take care of all the arrangements. He’ll even drive you there!

  The next morning, Uncle Ed arrives. Your parents are rushing around, getting ready to leave. They kiss you good-bye and remind you to be careful.

  “Don’t worry about me,” you reply. “What could go wrong?”

  Nothing, right? Hah! Turn to PAGE 2.

  “I’m psyched!” you announce as you slide into Uncle Ed’s station wagon.

  “You’re going to have a great time!” Uncle Ed declares.

  Your uncle usually doesn’t talk much about himself. You aren’t even sure what he does for a living. But you do know he likes sports. That’s what you talk about on the way to Camp Pendleton.

  Only it’s taking forever to get there. It’s out in the boondocks. All the roads here look the same.

  You stop for a snack. Uncle Ed makes a quick phone call. When he starts the car again, he pulls out onto the road — going in the wrong direction!

  “Uncle Ed,” you say, “I think you’re going the wrong way.”

  “Nah,” Uncle Ed says. “I’ve got a great sense of direction.”

  You spot an old man in front of a lone house in the woods.

  “Pull over, Uncle Ed,” you urge. “Let’s ask.”

  “Sports camp?” The old man frowns. “There’s a camp about a mile away.” He gives Uncle Ed instructions to get there. “If you pass the gas station, you’ll know you’ve gone too far.”

  “See, I told you I knew where I was going,” Uncle Ed says.

  Turn to PAGE 3.

  A minute later, Uncle Ed turns down a dirt road. He pulls up to a military-looking gatehouse. A big sign says WELCOME TO CAMP RUNNING LEAF.

  Huh?

  “Where’s Camp Pendleton?” you cry.

  Uncle Ed only shrugs. He doesn’t seem very upset.

  A beefy guy with a crew cut, a white shirt, and a whistle around his neck approaches your car.

  “I’m Coach Rex,” he says. “Are you a new camper?”

  “No, I’m looking for Camp Pendleton,” you answer.

  Coach Rex clears his throat. “Uh — this was Camp Pendleton. A new owner just took over and changed the name to Running Leaf.”

  So everything is okay. Right?

  You say good-bye to Uncle Ed. He shakes hands with Coach Rex. “Work this youngster hard,” he orders.

  “Oh, I’m a slave driver,” Coach Rex answers with a chuckle.

  Coach Rex and Uncle Ed laugh like two old friends.

  Go on to PAGE 4.

  Coach Rex leads you to a cabin. He points out an empty bunk, and you drop your stuff on it.

  “Think you’re a hotshot athlete?” he shouts.

  Surprised, you stutter, “No, um, I-I just like sports.”

  Coach Rex
barks, “We don’t put up with wimps here.” He gives you the once-over. “You don’t look very strong.”

  You thought you were in pretty decent shape. But …

  “Let’s arm wrestle,” Coach Rex demands.

  What’s his problem? He seemed so friendly a minute ago.

  You sit at opposite sides of a table. Coach Rex pins your arm in an instant. He looks disappointed. “Kid, you don’t have what it takes,” he announces. “But you will … and soon.”

  It sounds more like a threat than a promise.

  Suddenly, Coach Rex brightens. “The first thing for you to do is to choose one of two events to take part in.”

  One event is an overnight hike and fossil-hunt in the woods around the camp. You love camping out. Sounds cool!

  The other event is called the “Selection.” It’s a series of athletic events. The winner gets a special prize.

  So which are you going to choose?

  If you pick the hike, turn to PAGE 78.

  If you pick the Selection, turn to PAGE 125.

  Forget Brad! You streak down the track.

  A glance over your shoulder shows Brad slowly crawling away from the snakes. V-e-r-y slowly. By the time he gets to his feet, you’ve crossed the finish line.

  Rex grabs your arm and raises it in the air. “The winner!”

  You can’t believe it. You’ve won! You get the special prize. You get the bike. But most of all, you’ll get to escape!

  As you’re led to the victory stand, the coaches cheer. You blink in the bright sunlight and follow Coach Rex.

  “Congratulations!” he bellows. “You have proved yourself the best camper of them all. You have been Selected!”

  You beam. But your smile fades as Coach Rex goes on.

  “As the best human specimen, you won’t work the mines, like the other, inferior campers. The blue eggs have made them strong enough to carry klatu crystals. The eggs have also made them obedient, so they’ll be fine slaves. You, on the other hand, will serve the Overmaster of Xentron. With this honor comes much pain, and eventually a gruesome death.”

  Say what?

  Did you hear Coach Rex correctly?

  Go on to PAGE 29.

  Several zombies form a line in front of you. The tall one at the front stands shakily on one leg. It holds its other leg in its hands. “UURRRRGH!” it moans, thrusting the leg at you.

  “It wants you to sew its leg back on,” Kim whispers.

  “UURRGH!” a third zombie moans. This zombie is carrying one hand and one foot. It holds them out to you.

  Some zombies are worse off than others. The most-newly dead are in good shape. But the old ones are really falling apart. And they want you to put them back together!

  You hand Kim a needle and thread. “Help me!” you order.

  For the next hour, the two of you sew rotting arms, legs, hands, and feet back onto their owners. The stench is incredible. Your hands are covered with worms and bits of oozing flesh.

  “I can’t take this anymore!” Kim moans.

  “Shut up and sew!” you command.

  Finally, you’re done. Every zombie who needed repairs has gotten them. You stand back and admire your work.

  Then the worst thing in the world happens.

  Just what is the worst thing in the world? If you really want to know, you can find out on PAGE 73.

  Even Brad seems shaken by Coach Rex’s words. He mutters to you, “Did you eat the eggs?”

  “No,” you answer.

  “I hate eggs,” Brad says. “So I gave mine to my friends. Then they all started acting weird — like they couldn’t think for themselves.”

  It’s the same thing you noticed. You can’t believe what you’re thinking, but …

  “Could the eggs be controlling their minds?” you whisper.

  “Oh, get real,” Brad scoffs. But his voice shakes a little.

  You shrug. “All I know is, I want to get out of here — and fast. This camp is scary.”

  “Listen up!” Coach Rex barks. You and Brad jump.

  “The next event is the high bar,” the coach goes on. “After that, the javelin. Then the two athletes with the highest point totals will go on to the final event.”

  The gymnastics coach points at you. “Get ready for your routine,” he orders.

  You bend down and dust your hands with rosin. But when you straighten up and glance at the bar, you can’t believe your eyes.

  Flames are shooting up from the ground under the high bar!

  Go on to PAGE 62.

  A dozen coaches stand in a circle. They’re holding javelins. And they’re pointing them at the contestants!

  “What are these guys doing at the javelin throw?” you ask.

  “Javelin throw?” Coach Rex lets out a harsh laugh. “This is the javelin catch!”

  Uh-oh!

  The sharp javelins come raining down. Dozens of gleaming metal points whiz toward you.

  One of them is zooming straight for your head!

  With a quick move, you barely sidestep the javelin. Its sharp point thunks into the ground. Inches from your foot.

  “If you don’t catch one,” Coach Rex bellows, “you lose!”

  More of the deadly spears shoot down. You dance back and forth, ducking them.

  You can do this, you tell yourself. You’ve seen superheroes do it in the movies. Piece of cake, right?

  Turn to PAGE 70.

  You’d rather risk the rapids than keep walking — especially since it’s getting so late. Anyway, you think, you’re not stealing the boat — you’re simply borrowing it.

  You and Kim climb in. The current carries you downstream so swiftly, you don’t even bother to row.

  “We should reach Zombie Cave in a few minutes!” you exclaim.

  “All this rocking is making me sick!” Kim whines. She does look a little green. “This was a dumb idea.”

  She could be right, you think, worried. The current is getting faster. And now you’re starting to see big rocks in the river. The water foams white up ahead.

  “Hold on!” you shout to Kim.

  CRACK! A big rock knocks Kim’s oar out of her hand.

  CRACK! Your oar breaks in two.

  The roar of the river grows louder. Off to your left, you spot a small stream. But that’s not where the noise comes from. It comes from that tall spray of white water rising into the air dead ahead….

  A waterfall!

  Better think fast!

  Jump overboard on PAGE 76.

  Try to steer toward the small stream on PAGE 60.

  Your mouth snaps shut.

  “What’s with the blue eggs?” you demand.

  Just then a voice comes over the loudspeaker. It’s Coach Rex. “Eat up, campers! The Selection is coming, and your eggs are packed with the protein you need.”

  You ask Pat, “Are you going to eat your eggs?”

  He shakes his head. “No way.” He picks up a piece of toast and nibbles on it.

  You eye your eggs. You don’t normally eat blue food — except blue M&M’S, of course. Who doesn’t eat blue M&M’S?

  But you don’t want to act different from everyone else. Especially on your first day.

  Blue eggs. Should you eat them? Or get rid of them?

  Or — use them to start a food fight?

  If you eat the eggs, turn to PAGE 64.

  If you hide them in your napkin, turn to PAGE 94.

  If you throw them at the kid across the table from you, turn to PAGE 39.

  You do a fast U-turn and return to shore.

  “Coach Karla! Help!” you cry. “One of the kids went down!”

  Karla comes to the edge of the water. “We’ve got it all under control!” she snaps. “Don’t worry about the other competitors! Just worry about winning the race. Now get moving!”

  Confused, you start back through the soupy water. If they’ve got it under control, where are the rescue boats?

  Then you start thinking:

&nbs
p; What if something pulled that kid under the water?

  Something alive. Something hungry.

  Like an alligator.

  Know what? That’s exactly what happened.

  The thing is, one kid isn’t nearly enough for a hungry alligator. A hungry alligator is going to look for a second helping.

  And you look pretty tasty.

  So you’re a second helping. But don’t take it too hard! After all, you aways did like helping others.

  In fact, there’s a name for a kid like you.

  Gator-aid!

  THE END

  It’s still dark, so the zombies can’t see you clearly. You step out from behind the tree.

  “UUUURRRGGHH!” you moan in your best zombie imitation.

  “So the last hiker is now one of us,” Krump gloats.

  “Fooo,” you moan. You wonder for a moment if there’s an Oscar for the Best Imitation of an Undead Fiend.

  If there were, you wouldn’t win it. Coach Krump peers suspiciously at you. “You look a little too healthy,” he says. “To be on the safe side, I’d better spray you again.”

  Spray you? Your eyes go wide with horror.

  Coach Krump raises his water gun.

  One drop and you’re dead — worse than dead!

  But Uncle Ed darts from behind the tree and grabs the gun!

  “It’s all over, Cemetery Man!” Uncle Ed calls. “You’ll never turn another kid into a zombie!”

  “Nooooo!” Coach Krump shrieks.

  The two men struggle for the water gun. You watch helplessly as they sway back and forth. Is Uncle Ed winning?

  Suddenly, liquid jets out from the water gun.

  And hits …

  Hits who? Find out on PAGE 34.

  “Let’s go back down the tunnel,” you whisper to Pat. “It’s too risky to go through the kitchen. There was a turnoff a little way back. Let’s see where it goes.”

  “I didn’t like it in the tunnel,” Pat whines. “I’d rather go through the kitchen.”

  You think for a moment. “Okay, let me check out the turnoff. If I find a way out, I’ll come back for you.”

  You head back down the tunnel. At the turnoff, you enter a drainpipe. Water sloshes around your sneakers. The air stinks.

  Soon the main pipe breaks into two smaller pipes. Much smaller. You enter the right-hand pipe on your hands and knees.

  Suddenly, a strong rush of water knocks you down.