"No we won't!" she said. How about that, she really thought we wouldn't get caught. She told me again that her name was Mallory and I spent the rest of the day with her. We had a great time but I didn't notice how suspicious Mrs. Kardes and Ms Schiavo were becoming.

When I got back to camp, Mrs. Kardes, the assistant troop leader, quickly ran up to me. "Why are you so late young lady?" demanded Mrs. Kardes. I took two steps back. Mrs. Kardes sounded very angry. "Get over here this instant Teri Lynn Leventhal!" shouted Mrs. Kardes. She had used my full name! I knew I was in trouble because my mom uses my full name when she is really mad at me. She sounded really angry and upset. This time I took EIGHT BIG STEPS BACK! "GET OVER HERE NOW!" Mrs. Kardes demanded.

"I will not!" I said without thinking again. Then I ran because I didn't want to hear what she was going to say next or hear the rest of the troop whispering about me. But as I faintly heard "Get back here now" fading in the distance, I kept running and I wondered if I had really heard people whispering that they were fooling me.

I kept running until I got to where I first met Mallory. "Psst!", said Mallory very quietly.

"I'm coming", I whispered back. Mallory took me through a foot path that was almost all covered over. Then all of a sudden we came to a clearing. I looked up. There before me was the most beautiful tree house I had ever seen! It was in a very old and very tall willow tree. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

Mallory led me up the trunk of the old willow tree. Inside we found ten tables, ten beds, and ten of practically everything we saw. "Why is everything in groups of ten?", I asked.

Mallory didn't answer. She turned to leave and in a very low voice that kind of sounded like a bear when it is mad, Mallory said, "Meet -- me -- here -- at -- eight -- TONIGHT!!" She turned around and faced me. I ran past her and down the ladder and out of the tree house as fast as I could! I couldn't believe my eyes! Was it a Monster?