Kitten Among Dinos

Chapter 9: Campfire stories

"We thought it'd be fun. We thought we'd be safe, but... we didn't realize the... horror waiting for us on the island."  Darius's horror story has all of us captivated.  His hood pulled over his head casting his eyes in shadow.  Sparks from the campfire reflecting in his eyes as he looks at each of us.  "Claws... teeth... screaming, so much screaming"  Sammy let's out a little gasp as Darius continues his story hugging her knees and leaning in closer. 

"How much screaming" Ben asked hugging Kenji's arm tightly shuffling closer to him.  Fear clear on his face

"Shh!  He's getting to the good part."  Kenji quickly silenced Ben wanting to listen to the story.  Leaning in as Darius continued.

"The T.rex stalked closer"  I mimicked Sammy and Kenji, leaning in as the story got more tense.  The heat from the fire warm against my cheek.  "Her jaws opened wide."  He raised his arms for emphasis.  Darius opened his mouth to continue speaking, before a flash of bright light and a camera shutter cut him off.

"What"

"Huh"

"For the blog."  Brooklynn explained holding her phone up towards Darius.  He'd lowered his arms and tossed back his hood a look of annoyance mixed with disappointment on his face.  "Keep telling your little story"  Seriously Brooklynn.  I flattened my ears agai st my head in annoyance.

Darius let out a sigh putting his hood back on.  "Oh, here we go!"  Kenji said in excitement. 

"The T.rex sta-" Darius continued

"Dang."  Brooklynn interrupted looking at her phone.

"Ugh"  kenji said dramatically ploping his head on his hands.  I rolled my eyes, sitting up.

"Out of space, Wait, I'm sorry, hold on."  Brooklynn apologized.  "I just don't want to delete my selfie on Everest, you know?"  Everest?  She held the phone towards an amazed Sammy.  Darius looked less than pleased shooting an annoyed look at Brooklynn as he took his hood off for a second time, coocking his head to the side.  I shot him an apologetic glance from my spot next to Ben.

"Maybe I should start over."  Darius said flatly starting to put on his hood again.

"No!" Ben begged causing Darius to stop fir a second.  "In fact you can just stop."  Ben was griping Kenji's arm again his knuckles going white with the force of it. 

"Dude chill, he's not even telling the story right now."  Kenji said annoyed.  I nodded in agreement.  "And how is your grip this strong."  Kenji tried to pull his arm away but Ben's hands continued to keep their hold.  I had been subject to their surprising strength early on when Darius started his story.  Before Ben moved to griping Kenji's arm. 

"So the T.rex stalked-" Darius tried to continue for a third time. 

"Shouldn't we call Yasmina over?"  Sammy asked looking back towards the railing where Yasmina stood, messing with a book.  Let Darius tell his story!  I growled in my head, the tip of my tail twitching in aggravation, tickling the side of my leg.  Yasmina so far had proven to be the lone wolf that I assumed she was.  She wouldn't really talk to us unless we talked to her first.  She would normally be by herself like tonight when we thought campfire stories would be a good idea.  "I bet she'd love this story."  Darius flopped against the wooden bench as the focus turned away from the story he was telling.

"She probably wants to be alone."  I say simply as everyone turns to look at Yasmina.  Sammy looks back at me confused. 

"I don't understand"

"You know how sometimes people just want to be, left alone?"  Kenji elaborates on my point looking at Ben who is still holding his arm in a death grip. Sammy still looks confused.