Free Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things by Wendelin Van Draanen

or clicks, Cricket grabbed me by the arm and whispered, “Let’s go.”
    So we left Gabby to scan the dusky skies alone while I learned how to brush my teeth using only about two tablespoons of water and how to set things up for the night—flashlight and boots at the ready, tomorrow’s clothes in the sleeping bag to preheat against the chill of morning, today’s clothes in the sleeping bag stuff sack to use as a pillow.
    â€œWe’ll air out today’s clothes tomorrow and keep rotating them,” she told me. “Sleep only in your tank top and undies. No socks, no sweatshirt, no—”
    â€œWhat if I have to get up in the middle of the night? What if bears attack?”
    Then I remembered that we were in the Phony Forest.
    Scorpions, yes.
    Bears, not likely.
    Cricket chuckled. “Look, you can wear your gym shorts if you want to, but not much more. You’ll overheat.”
    â€œReally?”
    She nodded. “That bag’s rated to subzero, and it won’t get anywhere close to that tonight.”
    So we got ourselves into bed, but we didn’t go to sleep. First we listened to Bella stomping around, saying stuff like, “There’s no way I’m sleeping in the same tent as her, Mom! I’d rather sleep outside and get attacked by coyotes!”
    â€œCoyotes attack
people
?” I whispered.
    â€œBella’s just trying to worm her way into her mother’s tent.”
    Bella shouted, “I’d rather die the slow, painful death of a hundred scorpion stings than sleep in the same tent as her!”
    â€œOh, Bella,” Robin said with obvious fatigue. “There are no scorpions up here.”
    â€œThere are, too!”
    Bella kept at it, and finally Robin gave up. “Just get in here and get to bed. I’ve got a splitting headache and need some sleep!” Then she called, “I’m sorry, Gabby. I think we’re all just exhausted. Everything will be better in the morning!”
    Cricket whispered, “I don’t know why Bella’s being so bratty.”
    â€œDo you think she’s jealous of Quinn?” I asked. “Maybe she’s used to getting all Gabby’s attention and now some of it’s going to Quinn?”
    I guess I forgot to whisper, because Bella shouted, “I’M NOT JEALOUS OF QUINN!”
    I looked at Cricket like, Wow, and she nodded and whispered, “Voices carry.”
    â€œShe’s right, Bella!” Gabby shouted. “You’re just JEALOUS!”
    â€œYOU’RE AN IDIOT!” Bella shouted back.
    â€œBOTH OF YOU STOP IT!” Robin screamed. “I NEED SOME SLEEP!”
    Cricket covered her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle, then whispered, “I shouldn’t think it’s funny, but I do. Normally I’m the one who’s left out.” She smiled at me. “I’m glad you came. I hope it hasn’t been too much torture.” Then she pointed up at the sky through the screen. “Look at the stars.”
    You always hear about the billions of stars in the sky, but only a few of them seem to shine down on Santa Martina. For one thing, there’s a lot of fog at night. But also I guess just being in a city with electricity stops you from really noticing them. Oh, you see stars, and on a clear night you see what seems like a
lot
of stars, but looking through the tent screen, I realized that what I’d seen in Santa Martina was barely a twinkle in the huge night light of the galaxy.
    â€œWow . . . !” I said, and it came out all breathy and awestruck.
    â€œ
This
is why I go camping,” Cricket whispered. “My mom loved this place.” Then she added, “My family used to come up here a lot, but they don’t want to now without my mom.”
    I snuggled deeper into my sleeping bag and looked up at the sky. “I’m sure she’d be glad to know you still come,” I said softly. And after a long quiet time