The Circle Chase

The Mistakes

I knew I was a dead man. I could hear it, out in the woods. You always hear about those creepy camping murder stories but brush it off with a nervous laugh. Until it happens.
The night was still. A pale moon shone down over the lake, creating a barrier of white light that shimmered over the surface. We had set up camp on the side of the lake, hoping to do some early morning fishing. Jono had been the first to suggest playing cards and we quickly lost the entire evening to silly betting that we knew would never be paid. Eventually we got bored and began confiding in each other, revealing our crushes and rating girls at our school. Finally, we fell asleep.
I never heard Jono leave the tent, but I was certainly alone when I awoke. It was still dark, but softer now, almost transparent. I assumed Jono had gone off for a piss. I waited. 10 minutes. 20 minutes. An hour, it must have been an hour. That's when I heard it. Out in the woods, a quiet, purposeful whistle, whoo-whoo. I felt my face grow heavy as I strained to confirm what I was hoping was my imagination. Again, the whistle came, louder now Whooo-Whooo. I hoped it was Jono, but I sure as hell wasn't about to call out to him. I heard footsteps, then a loud whistle, no further away than a stones throw from the campsite WHOO-WHOO.
Fuck it. I crept outside and looked in the direction of the whistle. I let out a sigh of relief. Jono was crouching behind a tree, and when he saw me he hurriedly gestured for me to come. I was visibly relaxed now, but upon closer inspection I became deathly afraid. Jono wasn't looking at me, he was looking behind me, out onto the lake. His eyes were wide, staring. I heard a washing sound behind me, like someone running their hand through water. What the fuck was that? I quickly turned around and saw something floating in the lake. An arm? I realized too late. There, bobbing on the surface was the remains of Jono, flowing in between was a jellyfish of red blood, oozing out from his dismembered parts.
It came from right behind me. whoo-whoo.