What hides in the woods of Camp Ravenwood after dark?
***
In the last week of summer at Camp Ravenwood and after a series of disappearances, a motley group of campers and counsellors set out to investigate-except they might be the next ones to disap...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chapter 003: Ghost Stories By The Bonfire
***
JULY 19TH 1987
The bonfire's flames crackled merrily, lighting up the night with an orange glow.
Around it were a mix of campers and counsellors—mostly campers—laughing and chatting, sticks to roast marshmallows in the campers' hands as they stuck close with their friends and having a good time. Music played from a radio on one of the logs, a summer mixtape Dylan had made at the start of summer and sometimes played it after the announcements were made. Crickets chirped in the background and a breeze from the lake drifted over them, blissfully cool with the summer heat and the crackling warmth of the bonfire, but most importantly, those who wanted to come to the bonfire were having fun, especially the campers.
Especially after what had happened earlier today with the wolves.
Peggy considered it a miracle no one had gotten hurt from the wolves—not even Miyu, who'd distracted the first wolf to ensure the campers got away. Jude, being the best shot at camp, and Mr. Barlow went into the woods to scare off any wolves lingering too close to camp while the rest of them herded the campers to the mess hall, but they'd come back and reported all the wolves were gone, going deeper into the forest. Still, it had rattled the kids, especially the younger ones, and it had rattled Miyu, who'd sworn she checked the trail just before she got the campers organised and saw no sign of wolves. But no one had gotten seriously hurt with the exception of Logan Whitlock, who'd gotten his head cut when he ran away from another wolf after saving Danika Sawyer's life, but it'd been bandaged up by Nurse Slater and Marcus and didn't have a concussion, and it seemed he'd pull through.
But as the day progressed, the kids started to lose their fear over what had happened, until it became pretty much forgotten by the time the bonfire came around after dinner. Still, Peggy could spy Jude, Reese, Frank and Carter eyeing the woods, just in case.
As Come On Eileen played on the radio, Paula stood up, grinning as she clapped her hands. "Okay, campers! We've all had our delicious marshmallows, of which I hope you haven't had too many to keep you up all night."
Laughter rang out as Paula flashed her brilliant smile before continuing, "But now, we've got a choice to make! Who wants to sing some songs... or want to hear some ghost stories?"
A forest of hands shot up as a chorus of voices yelled for the sing-along or the ghost stories. Paula listened to the campers, smiling—she knew what she was doing, was often the one responsible for the choice, and therefore she knew which one would win out tonight. Cupping her hand to her ear, she announced, "I'm hearing ghost stories is winning out! So ghost stories it is!"
Cheers thundered from the campers who wanted the stories, while those who didn't grumbled and pouted but didn't protest Paula's choice—especially as a gleam of excitement glinted in their eyes.
