Code Black [The Experiments Book 1]

Chapter 20: Campfire

Chapter 20: Campfire

            “Hey Karissa, can I sit with you at the campfire.  I was going to bring my friends along with me,” Jerome asked as we walked towards the fire pit.  He had his arm wrapped around me, and for the first time I didn’t feel bothered or anxious.  I felt peaceful.

            “Sure, if they get along with my friends,” I said seriously.  He smiled and pressed his lips against my head.  It was an awkward gesture for me, but I took it gratefully.  We kept walking, this time my hand intertwined with his, until we came up to a glowing light surrounded by bleachers.  Vanessa, Grace, Aric and Sam were sitting on the opposite side of the fire.  Jerome and I walked over to them and sat on the bleacher in front of them.

            “Hey, what’s up,” Grace asked, and she smiled flirtatiously, winking at me when she saw my hand in Jerome’s.

            “Nothing,” Jerome and I said at the same time. We looked at each other and smiled, forgetting our conversation with Sadie.  Grace giggled and pushed my head.

            “Alright, tonight we are going to tell ghost stories,” Jodie said, “we’ll start with the story about the haunted mansion down the street.  I know some of you know that one, who wants to tell it,” dozens of campers raised their hands.  The rest of our group showed up at the last minute and sat next to us.  Nobody seemed to notice.

            “How about, you…Chad come on down,” Jodie said and a big, buff guy started jumping down the bleachers.  He smiled brightly and laughed evilly, making all the girls giggle, or at least the single girls.

            “Oooo,” all the campers were murmuring, I guess they liked it when Chad told stories.  Everyone exchanged excited glances and raised their chants of awe.

            Chad got to the bottom of the bleachers and walked to the other side of the fire where Jodie stood.  They slapped high fives, and Chad turned to face the fire.  He rubbed his hands together, cleared his throat, and raised his hands.  Everyone started shouting.

            “Alright,” he said, clasping his hands together, “Who lives not far south of this campground,” he asked.  Half of the crowd shouted and stomped their feet.  “Alright, how many of you know about the tail of Barthello’s Mansion,” All of the same people started shouting.  The rest of the crowd laughed.

            “Alrighty then,” he said, trying to sound like a pirate.  “All of ya who don’t know it…brace yourselves for impact.”  Everyone shouted and stomped their feet.  It was so loud; you couldn’t hear anything else not even the loud crackles of fire.

            “There once was a tale of an old inventor.  He was very rich, and very smart,” everyone quieted down to hear him.  “He made weapons for the army; he made tools for important builders.  But most of all, he created things for his own greed.  He once was a bloody pirate; he knew how to do things.  He felt as if someone, someday would come knocking at the door, and slit his throat an’ steal his inventions.”  I heard whispers around me, mostly girls who liked the story, or his looks.  I looked over towards the side where I heard a menacing laugh.  It was Brandon, leaning against the bleachers with his black hair covering his electric green eyes.  He was gleaming at me.

            “He had slaves, and if someone came knocking, he would kill one of them.  He had no use of them, because he had so many, but he only killed them so whoever was at the door would go running of fright.”

            “Near his death, his brain was rotting.  It caused him to see things, to hear things.  He always thought someone was watching him.  He had a dozen slaves left, and now, he felt no use of them.  He was going to die soon anyways.”