The God of the Woods

Tracy Jewell arrives at Camp Emerson because her father, with whom she is supposed to spend the summer, has sent her there. Tracy would prefer to be at home alone, reading quietly. Her father’s girlfriend, Donna Romano, drives Tracy to the camp. Upon arrival, Tracy learns the three most important camp rules. The main one is that if a person gets lost, they should stay in one place and yell. Tracy finds this funny, wondering what she would yell if she were lost.

Alice Van Laar, the wife of Camp Emerson’s owner, Peter, is Barbara’s mother. From her window, she watches the parents leave their children at the camp and depart. She has decided that Barbara should spend the summer at the camp, so she summons TJ Hewitt, the camp director, to meet with her. Because of the divide between the Van Laars and the Hewitts, who manage the camp, Barbara, has never attended the camp in the past. Now, TJ insists that Barbara cannot attend because camp is already underway and the cabins are full. Only when Alice asserts that it is Peter’s idea does TJ relent.

Tracy notices immediately that the other girls at Emerson are seasoned campers. She knows that this difference places her at the bottom of the hierarchy, but she is accustomed to such treatment. She immediately idolizes Louise and Annabelle. That night at the welcome campfire, the counselors act out skits about camp policies, including what to do if someone gets lost. TJ Hewitt addresses the group last, announcing that some changes will be made to the Survival Trip this year in accordance with parental concerns.

Tracy is placed in Balsam cabin. On the first night, Louise hears Tracy crying and takes the girl outside to talk. Tracy confesses that she became scared after the other girls told her stories of “Slitter,” a character from camp lore who is a known serial killer. Louise tries to reassure Tracy that “Slitter,” whose real name is Jacob Sluiter, is safely incarcerated. However, Tracy relates a rumor that Slitter has escaped.

Louise runs to the director’s house, and when TJ does not answer, she enters. Hearing the shower, she debates whether to call out to TJ to use the phone to contact someone. Louise knows that TJ would disapprove of not being the first to know of Louise’s disappearance.

TJ emerges, and when she asks whether Louise and Annabel were present in the cabin all night, Louise lies and says that they were. TJ announces that all counselors must now report to her.

On the second day of camp, Barbara arrives on foot while a driver takes her belongings. Balsam’s campers are in the midst of a swim test, and Barbara is placed beside Tracy. All of the girls are thrilled by Barbara’s punk style, and she surprises everyone by proving to be an excellent swimmer.

Tracy quickly learns the camp’s daily routine, which includes sessions to prepare for the Survival Trip—Camp Emerson’s signature. Though the trip initially involved a solo three-night venture into the woods, concerned parents forced the camp to change the solo excursion to a small group trip. This year, each group will be trailed at a distance by a camp counselor who will intervene in the event of an emergency.

TJ leads the training sessions herself, and Tracy discovers that she and Barbara are in the same group, along with an older boy of 14 named Lowell Cargill. Tracy is surprised when Barbara later attempts to chat with her about Lowell.

The counselors are informed that Barbara is missing and are assigned areas to search. No one tells TJ about the party that took place last night. As Louise heads to her assigned search area—the Staff Quarters—she worries about Barbara’s whereabouts and those of her boyfriend, John Paul McLellan. John Paul is the godson of the Van Laars and secured this job for Louise. At times, Louise is unsure why she has stayed with John Paul for four years, but at other times, she dreams of marrying him and living in a big house with enough room for future children and for her younger brother, Jesse. John Paul is now staying with the Van Laars for the summer in anticipation of the 100-year anniversary party of Camp Emerson, which will take place at the end of summer.

The night before, she snuck away with Lee Towson, a member of the kitchen staff with whom she has been flirting all summer. An intoxicated John Paul unexpectedly appeared in the clearing where the two were meeting and attacked Lee, who quickly threw John Paul to the ground.

Now, as Louise walks through the staff building, she bumps into Lee. She tells him about Barbara and begins to cry, and he comforts her. He asks how John Paul is faring, and Louise confesses she does not know. Lee insinuates that he has sold drugs to John Paul in the past. He is incredulous that Louise still plans to marry John Paul.

Hungover from the previous night’s party, Alice does not answer the ringing phone or TJ’s knocks on the door because she assumes that Barbara has misbehaved at camp. Finally, she answers the phone just as she catches sight of a firetruck entering the camp. She learns that Barbara is missing, and then goes to inform Peter.

A few weeks after Barbara goes to camp, Alice decides to enter her room but finds it padlocked. Peter is away. Knowing that he will be angry, Alice makes arrangements to have the lock removed and the door repaired. On the bedroom wall, Barbara has painted a mural, and Alice sets about painting over it.

In survival training, TJ teaches the campers how to determine which trees provide the best shelter from the elements, but Tracy barely listens; she is more interested in watching Barbara and Lowell.

In the evenings, while the other girls are socializing with boys, Tracy writes in a journal. Barbara stays behind, too, and Tracy begins to talk with her. Barbara asks Tracy to switch bunks; she wants to be on the bottom so that she can more easily sneak out on some nights. She asks Tracy to keep her habits a secret.

Locked in his cell, Jacob Sluiter hears a voice telling him to fake a limp, so he does, insisting to the guards that he cannot move his leg. He is then transferred to a minimum-security facility in Fishkill, New York, from which he escapes. Sluiter occupies empty houses and makes his way north. He is worried that he is already being tracked.