We were going to the summer camp. The Detective Family was what they called us. I felt the camp directors would have done better to call in a big game hunter. Some sort of animal had mauled three kids and we were supposed to find out what. We arrived at the camp at about six p.m. , when it was already dark. And we had our first view of the monster at 7.30. So did the remainder of the camp. There was a boardwalk and it extended over the river. The camp was behind it, away from the river. The mauled kids had been found on this boardwalk. A bright lamp lit the river just in front of the boardwalk. Someone told us that a school of dolphins had been sighted, so we went and stood on the boardwalk. Only 5 of our family were there because Daddy couldn’t join us until the next day. We saw one dolphin, two dolphins, and then the biggest one yet came into view. And riding it was a crocodile. I should call it The Crocodile for it was the biggest I have ever and am ever going to see. It had evil small eyes and the dolphin beneath it was terrified. Governed by fear. Everybody screamed and ran, including, I must admit, my baby sister. My older sister and I stood there as my younger brother tried to find my small sis.

We were in the car and I began to have serious misgivings about this case. Why don’t we go home, I asked. Mummy said no way, we’ve already paid for the tickets and we are going to sort this out. I frowned. That Crocodile was Evil.

We were eating dinner in the camp’s main house, which also faced onto the river. I glanced up during dinner and The Crocodile was leaping up against the window grill and snapping its awesome jaws. Bl**dy h*ll, I said, and for once nobody said anything about minding my language. My older sis and I went upstairs to pack our bags for school because Daddy was confident that we’d clear up the mystery by Monday. Actually there wasn’t a mystery. It was just a bl**dy great Crocodile and how culd anyone miss it? We looked over the balcony and realized The Crocodile was in the house. I tried to silently switch the lights off so that he couldn’t see us. But before I could he did. My sis said don’t worry, crocodiles can’t climb stairs but it turned out The Crocodile could. He stood on his hind legs and came after us. There were lots of staircases around the house.

We were running down one as The Crocodile came up another. My other sis had appeared from somewhere and she was being carried by my older sis. The Crocodile was focusing on me. At some points The Crocodile only just missed snapping off my leg. His tail thrashed around, making mincemeat of the furniture. And then, I ran into a room. The Crocodile came after me. I rushed at him and past him and slammed the door on him. My sis threw me a gun. With a crash The Crocodile burst out of the ruined door. He seemed to have grown larger. I shot him thrice in the head, and he ran on for three yards before collapsing. I felt sick.

We were given free admission to the camp whenever we wanted. Personally I would have preferred a guarantee that I never had to see another crocodile.