Camp Hansen

Chapter 4

"It looks... a little... unsteady," Dinah said slowly and tilted her head to the side.

"Isn't it... crooked?" Camila asked quietly and Lauren shot them an annoyed look.

"It's steady and it's not crooked," she defended her work as Normani raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "It's fine, guys. Perfectly safe."

"You sure that it won't... uh... collapse? While we sleep?"

"Lauren and I worked very hard on putting it together while you only had to collect some wood," Ally replied a little snappish. "You don't want to know how many... sp-spiders there were..."

"But –"

"You know what? You don't have to sleep in it," Lauren interrupted Normani. "You can sleep outside. Maybe your little imaginary friend, the cougar, will join you?"

"Alright, sorry I said anything... testy much?"

"Testy? You – of all people – call me  testy?!"

"Here we go again," Camila sang under her breath.

"Well you are, aren't you? You're always the one who gets irritated by the stupidest things!"

"You stole my food!"

"I was hungry!"

"As was I!"

"Are you two seriously starting that argument about your food again?  It's 2016, people, move on!" Dinah called out and let the stack of woods fall into the grass. "Let's get this fire started, it's getting dark and I only have a limited amount of batteries for our flashlights... um, did someone find the matches?"

Lauren looked from Dinah to the wood on the grass and furrowed her brow. "That's all you have?"

"Excuse you? I'd say that's plenty!"

"You can't light a fire with that," Lauren said exasperated and glanced from Dinah to Camila and Normani. "Have none of you ever been camping before?"

"What do you think?" Normani muttered.

"But it's wood," Camila said confused. "It's flammable. Of course we can burn it."

"Dear Lord, please give me the strength to survive this trip," Lauren mumbled to herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We not only need firewood, but tinder and kindling as well, guys... twigs, leaves, needles... stuff like that."

"You never said anything like that!" Normani pointed accusingly at Lauren who merely shrugged. "You said firewood. Not leaves and twigs and whatever..."

"I thought it was obvious," she defended herself. "But alright, I'll go and get the other stuff and you guys can prepare a fireplace. Is that okay?"

"You want to go alone?" Ally gasped loudly and grabbed Lauren's arm. "There are bears!"

"I don't get it, can't we just light it up?" Normani asked, causing the green-eyed girl to groan loudly. "What is there to prepare? Are you trying to pull one on us?"

"Forget it. Just... forget it. I'll do it when I'm back," Lauren waved off and tried to get out of Ally's surprisingly strong grip. "I'll be fine,  Ally!"

"No, I'm not letting you go in there alone! Bears, cougars, coyotes, spiders," Ally hissed and shook her. "Are you out of your mind?! They could be poisonous! They could kill  you!"

Sighing, Lauren turned to the others. "Guys? A little help?"

"I think Ally is righ– OH MY GOD, WHAT IS THAT?!" Camila screamed loudly, staring horrified at Ally, and jumped away. "HOLY SHIT! IT'S HUGE!"