Space Camp Read online

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1 School’s Out!

  Chapter 2 Packing Up

  Chapter 3 Journey to Sylvan

  Chapter 4 Welcome to Camp Stellar!

  Chapter 5 The Main Cabin

  Chapter 6 Game Time!

  Chapter 7 Trouble in Cabin Six

  Chapter 8 Campout

  Chapter 9 Dinnertime!

  Chapter 10 Space Buddies

  About Ray O’Ryan and Jason Kraft

  Chapter 1

  School’s Out!

  Zack Nelson had a huge smile on his face as he waited in line for the lunchtime Sprockets Academy space bus. It was super-hot outside, but he didn’t mind. Nothing could ruin his mood today. It was the last day of school before summer vacation! Finally, when the bus arrived, all the kids climbed on board.

  As Zack made his way to the back of the bus, he overheard kids talking about their summer plans.

  “My family is going on vacation to Cisnos,” said Seth Stevens, one of Zack’s friends. “My dad got us passes to Lollyland amusement park.”

  “We are going to Araxie, the water planet,” said Sally Zerbin, one of his classmates. “I am going to spend all summer swimming at the beach.”

  “I am staying on Nebulon,” said another boy. “But that is okay because my parents gave me permission to go to the Starcade every day!”

  Zack loved playing the games at the Starcade. Normally he would be jealous, but he had exciting summer plans of his own.

  When he reached the back of the bus, Zack slipped into a seat next to Drake Taylor. Ever since Zack and his family moved to Nebulon from Earth, Drake had been his best friend.

  “Are you ready for Camp Stellar, Zack?” asked Drake.

  “Yeah, I can’t wait!” said Zack.

  They were going to Sylvan, the perfect planet for space camp. The whole world was covered in forests filled with trees of all shapes and sizes.

  “We’ll spend every day hiking, swimming, and camping. Plus, we’ll get to meet kids from all over the galaxy!” Drake said with excitement.

  “And I’ll get to add Sylvan to my 3-D planet-collector!” said Zack. “I’m excited to make new friends. But the best part is that we get to hang out all summer!”

  “Yipee wah-wah!” Drake agreed.

  The bus arrived at the cafeteria, and a few minutes later, Zack and Drake were eating their lunches.

  “I am a little worried,” said Drake. He took a big bite out of his sandwich. “I have not finished packing.”

  Zack nodded. He twirled a few strands of twisty noods onto his spork. “I haven’t even started packing!”

  Zack’s sisters, Cathy and Charlotte, were sitting at the next table.

  “You boys are so . . . ,” said Charlotte.

  “. . . unprepared. We are going to . . . ,” continued Cathy.

  “. . . sing and dance at Glee Camp on . . .”

  “. . . the planet Aria and . . .”

  “. . . we’ve been all packed for days!”

  Zack shook his head. He loved his sisters, but sometimes they drove him crazy. He had plenty of time to pack for an entire summer vacation in one night.

  The rest of the afternoon went by slowly, until the final bell rang.

  Their teacher, Ms. Rudolph, cheered, “I want to thank you for a great school year. And I wish you all a happy and safe summer.”

  The boys sprang from their seats and raced outside.

  “I’ll call you when I get home later,” Zack said to Drake. Then he hopped onto the Sprockets speedybus to go home and pack. Summer was here!

  Chapter 2

  Packing Up

  That evening, the Nelson family all gathered around their kitchen table. Shelly and Otto, Zack’s parents; the twins; and Zack waited for their food.

  “Here is your dinner, Master Just Zack,” said Ira, the Nelson’s Indoor Robotic Assistant. A panel in the kitchen wall slid open. Out came a big galactic patty and a steaming plate of crispy fritters.

  “So, Zack, have you and Drake finished packing for camp?” his mom asked.

  Before Zack could answer, the twins started singing.

  “He is not ready . . . ,” Charlotte cooed.

  “. . . he hasn’t started to pack . . . ,” Cathy crooned.

  “. . . but we are all set, unlike you, brother Zack!” they sang together in perfect harmony.

  “Now, girls, why don’t you let your brother answer for himself,” said Dad. Then he looked right at Zack. “You all set, Captain?”

  “Um, well, not exactly,” said Zack. He popped a crispy fritter into his mouth.

  “How much packing have you done?” asked his mom.

  “Uh . . . none,” Zack replied. “But I’m going to get it all done tonight.”

  “Don’t forget we need to be at the Creston City Spaceport early tomorrow morning,” said Mom. “We’re meeting your camp counselor there.”

  After dinner, Zack took the elevator to his room. Two empty shrink-sacs lay on his floor. Shrink-sacs were invented at Nebulonics, the company that Zack’s dad worked for.

  They looked like plain duffel bags. But after they were fully packed, they could shrink down to fit into a pocket.

  Zack looked at the mountain of things spread out on his floor. He had an all-in-one tent system, perfect for camping out. He had a hover-flashlight that could float and followed him around to light the way on night hikes. He even had a can of Nebulon’s strongest bug spray. One small whiff would keep him safe from creepy, crawly, pesky insects from all over the galaxy.

  Zack piled socks, sneakers, shirts, shorts, and what seemed like every other piece of clothing he owned on his bed.

  “Where do I begin?” Zack asked himself. “I’d better call Drake and see how he’s doing.”

  Zack grabbed his hyperphone and punched in Drake’s code. The image that popped up on the screen shocked Zack. It looked like a tornado had hit Drake’s room.

  “How are we going to fit everything we need into these shrink-sacs?” asked Drake.

  “Perhaps I can help,” said Ira. “I am programmed to make the best use of any available space.”

  “Thanks, Ira!” both Zack and Drake cried out.

  Ira turned on a vid to show the boys how to properly fold and stack each item so it took up as little space as possible. Zack was amazed at how much these shrink-sacs could hold. With Ira’s help, he and Drake were able to pack everything in no time.

  “This is my favorite part,” said Zack. He pressed a button on the side of the shrink-sacs. The large bags shrunk down to the size of a small wallet. Finally, Zack was all set for camp!

  “That was a breeze!” said Zack. “Thanks, Ira!”

  “You’re welcome, Master Just Zack,” said Ira.

  “See you tomorrow, Zack!” said Drake.

  “Space camp, here we come!” said Zack.

  Chapter 3

  Journey to Sylvan

  That night, Zack dreamed that he was at space camp. He soared above the trees, riding on a flying sled, when a huge bird appeared out of nowhere. It opened its wings ten feet wide.

  “Look out!” Zack yelled as he dodged the bird and then fell out of bed.

  “Hello, Earth to Zack!” said Mom.

  Zack opened his eyes and saw his mom hovering over him.

  “Huh? Where am I? What time is it?” asked Zack anxiously. Then he breathed a sigh of relief as his room came into focus.

  “Time to get up! You don’t want to be late!” exclaimed his mom.

  Zack immediately jumped up and hurried to the bathroom. Then he put his shrink-sacs in his pocket and got his backpack.

  After eating a quick breakfast, everyone piled into the Nelson family car and drove to the Creston City Spaceport.

  The spaceport was busy that
day, filled with kids going away to camp. There were so many space cruisers that Zack had a hard time finding his. Then he spotted a hover-sign floating in the air. Bright red letters flashed the words: SYLVAN SHUTTLE TO CAMP STELLAR!

  “That’s me!” he cried. Zack hugged his mom and dad.

  “Have a great summer, Captain!” said Dad.

  “Be careful, and have a good time!” said Mom.

  “Have fun . . . ,” said Cathy. The twins came to see their brother off. They were leaving for Glee Camp the next day.

  “. . . but not as much fun . . . ,” added Charlotte.

  “. . . as us!” they harmonized.

  Zack found Drake waiting by the bus. They waved good-bye to their families and put on their special space camp hats. Tiny planets orbited their heads as the hats lit up with their names.

  “Hello, Zack and Drake! I can see from your hats that you boys are going to space camp!” said a tall man. He had thick, craggy skin that looked like tree bark. Green leaves sprung from the top of his head. “I’m Mr. Brod, your camp counselor. Time to go!”

  Mr. Brod waved the boys inside as they turned off their names on their hats.

  As Zack took his seat, he felt the same thrill he always got whenever he was about to blast off into the galaxy. He loved space travel. He was really excited about exploring a new planet.

  Once everyone was settled, the shuttle took off. In a few seconds, they were cruising in space. Zack stared out the window at the stars. He watched as Nebulon got smaller and smaller.

  Mr. Brod stood up and walked to the front. “Hello, campers! You are on your way to the best summer ever! At Camp Stellar, the fun is nonstop. You’ll play galactic games like capture the glowing electron pod. You’ll hang ten in the clouds on airboards, and experience what it’s like to float in space. You’ll even test your strength in a digi-tug-of-war with a power rope.”

  “That sounds so grape!” said Drake.

  Mr. Brod continued, “We’ll also hike in Sylvan’s beautiful forests, have a campfire with floating marshmallows, and go swimming in the lake. Most importantly, though, you are going to make great new friends here.”

  Zack and Drake smiled at each other. Camp was going to be awesome.

  “So sit back, enjoy the flight, and get ready for Camp Stellar!”

  Everyone cheered with excitement.

  A few hours later, a giant green planet came into view out the shuttle’s window.

  “Prepare for arrival on Sylvan,” announced the pilot.

  Zack eagerly looked out the window. His great summer adventure was finally about to begin!

  Chapter 4

  Welcome to Camp Stellar!

  Moments later, the shuttle touched down at the Sylvan Spaceport. Zack, Drake, and all the other kids exited the shuttle in one straight line. They stepped outside to see a thick, lush green forest all around them.

  Tall trees waved in the breeze. Birds sang, and Sylvan mini-monkeys screeched in the distance.

  “Okay, campers, follow me,” said Mr. Brod.

  Zack marveled at how much the counselor blended in with the trees.

  Mr. Brod led the campers onto a narrow trail in the woods. As they hiked down the path, a tiny bird flew down and landed on Zack’s arm. It had bright red feathers, orange wings, and two heads. One head was blue and the other head was green. It sang a sweet song, then flew away.

  “This is going to be the grapest summer ever!” said Zack.

  After hiking for a few more minutes, the campers came to a clearing in the woods. There was a main cabin for large gatherings with several small cabins around it.

  “Okay, campers,” Mr. Brod said. “It is time to assign you to a cabin.” Then he started reading names.

  “I hope I can get a top bunk,” Zack whispered to Drake.

  “Me too,” Drake agreed.

  Finally their names were called.

  “Zack, Drake, Connor, and Aiden,” Mr. Brod said. “You all are in cabin six, right over there.”

  All four boys headed into the cabin, and they took off their hats.

  “I’m Aiden,” said the one about Zack’s size. He was covered in fur and looked like a big teddy bear. “I’m from Sylvan.”

  “I’m Connor, from Zog-13,” said the other boy. He was taller than Zack. Connor had three green arms, three eyes, and tiny caterpillar-like legs. Two long antennae stuck out of his oval-shaped head.

  “I’m Zack, from Nebulon. Well, originally from Earth.”

  “I am Drake, from Nebulon. I guess we should get settled in.”

  Zack turned a glowing rainbow-colored dial on the cabin’s wall. Two sets of bunk beds rose up from the floor. He pulled his shrink-sacs from his pocket. When he pressed the buttons, the bags instantly grew back to their original size.

  Zack and Drake tossed their shrink-sacs onto the top bunks.

  “Hey!” shouted Connor. “The top bunk is mine.”

  Zack was shocked. He expected everyone at camp to be friendly.

  “Oh, sorry,” he said. “Guess I should have asked first.” He reached up and pulled his stuff down, sad that his sleeping plans got debunked.

  Connor tossed his bags onto the bed and then left the cabin in a huff.

  Zack looked over at Drake. “Maybe this summer isn’t going to be as grape as I thought,” he whispered.

  Chapter 5

  The Main Cabin

  Zack hadn’t expected roommate trouble, but he decided to shake it off by unpacking his bags. All of a sudden, the cabin ceiling lit up. It changed into a vid-screen filled with Mr. Brod’s face.

  “All campers please report to the main cabin,” he said.

  “Come on,” said Drake. “Time to meet the other campers!”

  Zack felt excited and nervous at the same time. He looked forward to getting to know the other kids. But after the way Connor treated him, he worried that not everyone would be nice. He sure was glad that Drake was here with him.

  Zack and Drake hurried over to the large building in the middle of the camp. They stepped inside and sat down. Connor took a seat in between Drake and Aiden.

  Mr. Brod stood at the front of the cabin.

  “Let me officially welcome you all to Camp Stellar!” he said. His wooden face broke into a big smile. The leaves on his head stood straight up. “We will all begin and end each day by meeting here. This morpho-cabin will also change into the cafeteria, where you’ll eat all your meals.”

  Zack looked around. He was amazed by all the different kids who were there. He recognized people from some of the planets he had visited. There was girl from Drexel, a huge boy from Plexus, and a pair of twins from Mirer. There were also kids from Cisnos, Juno, Araxie, and Gluco.

  “You’ll have lots of fun,” Mr. Brod continued. “But there are some important rules we all need to follow. First, pick a space buddy for the summer. Always know where your space buddy is. Second, never wander off on your own. Third, lights out at nine p.m. Everyone needs to get a good night’s sleep. Fourth, all campers must report for every meal. Finally, hyperphones should stay off at all times. If you need to make a call for any reason, please come to me. Now, take a moment and find your space buddy!”

  “Space buddies?” asked Zack.

  “Space buddies!” said Drake.

  Zack and Drake each lifted one hand with their palms facing out. Then they moved their hands in small circles in front of their faces. This was how Nebulites shook hands.

  Zack spotted Connor talking to Aiden.

  “You’re with me,” said Connor.

  Aiden’s eyes opened wide. He looked around nervously.

  “Well, I—”

  “Good, then it’s settled,” declared Connor, interrupting him.

  Zack didn’t like the way Connor seemed to be pushing Aiden around, but he shrugged it off.

  “Okay,” said Mr. Brod. “Let’s start the day with some exploring! Like I said, remember to stay with your space buddy. Everyone must report back here in one hour.”
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br />   Drake excitedly jumped up from his seat. “Come on,” he said. “Let us go check this place out!”

  Chapter 6

  Game Time!

  Zack and Drake followed a winding trail that started behind their bunk. Flowers that Zack had never seen before grew along the path.

  “Look at these,” Zack said. He pointed to a batch of tall flowers. They had orange stems that twisted into a spiral like the straws Zack used to drink boingoberry shakes on Nebulon. Every petal on each flower was a different color. “It looks like a rainbow garden!” exclaimed Zack.

  The two friends saw a series of curved ridges. The ground rose up like a wave in the ocean. Trees grew from the bottom, top, and sides of each ridge.

  “I read about these things,” said Drake. “They are the anti-grav ridges of Sylvan. Watch!” Drake ran up the side of the curved ridge—then kept going to the top. Soon, he was completely upside down!

  Zack ran up the ridge and joined his friend. “It doesn’t even feel like we’re upside down,” he said. “Everything seems normal.”

  When the free-time hour was up, Zack and Drake returned to the main cabin.

  “Okay, campers! Today we are going to play a game called capture the glowing electron pod,” explained Mr. Brod. “First, we’ll divide into teams. Each team will have a glowing electron pod placed at their home base on either side of the camp. Every player will be given a power container. The first team to capture the other team’s electron pod and bring it to their home base wins!”