Campfire Stories

Chapter 1

               "Death borders upon our birth, and our cradle stands in the grave."

                                                                                                         -Joseph Hall

 "SHE RAN AND screamed, but no one could hear her out in the woods. The killer wasn't far behind and with every scream he got closer and closer. She tripped over some vines that spilled out of the tree onto the forest floor. She got up and ran some more. When stopped to look around, all she heard was silence. When she turned around, the killer was standing right in front of her."

"AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

"Nona, why are you screaming. It's a scary story, not a jump out of your pants story."

"I dunno. It sounded like I was supposed to scream."

"Have you ever been camping before?"

Everyone's eyes locked on Lanona. Her blue eyes scanned them, then she finally shook her head.

"Noob," Alex said at her.

"What seventeen year old hasn't been camping before?" JJ asked.

"Um, me," Nona replied.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Ellie sarcastically said.

"I gotta pee. Nona, Ellie, come with," JJ said, "The boys have to stay here. Sorry Alex and Ash."

"Don't get kidnapped. Who knows all the creepers lerking about in the woods a night," Alex replied.

All eyes were on Nona's scared expression.

"Guys, cut it out. Quit scaring Nona," Ash said to the group.

"Awww, but she's so cute when she's scared."

"Um, excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt this little love triangle-whatever the hell this is, but I need to pee," JJ interjected grabbing a hold of Ellie and Lanona, before dragging them off.

"How did she get a love triangle out of that," Alex asked Ash.

"No idea."

JJ and Ellie waited for Nona, who at last second, decided she would go to the bathroom as well.

"Nona, you're taking forever. We're going to leave you."

"Please, don't."

JJ smacked Ellie's arm lightly and smiled. They turned and crept away. In a few moments, Lanona emerged from the bushes.

"I'm done, guys." She glanced around. No one. Not a soul. She ventured out to the main path and glanced around. Not a soul in sight. The breaking of a tree branch behind her startled her. She smiled.

"I thought you guys had left--." It wasn't Ellie or JJ that she was staring at.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he said to her. She began to step backwards.

Ellie and JJ sat down on the log across from Ash and Alex.

"Where's Nona?" Alex asked

"In the woods."

"We left her, but she'll find her way back eventually."

"You did what? Ash said, rising from his seat.

"It's no big deal," JJ replied.

"No big deal? She's probably scared to death right now and you're saying it's no big deal?"

"Ash, we'll go get her. Geez, take a chill pill."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"

"That's Nona. Probably scared we left her," Ellie said laughing. Ash ran up the hill as fast as he could. The others chased quickly behind. When they reached the main trail, Ash stopped in his tracks. A bracelet was laying on the ground. Ash pointed to it.

"That's Nona's bracelet. I gave it to her on her birthday."

"So? Maybe she dropped it."

"No," Ash walked over to it, "There's blood on it."

"She could have gotten scared and started running when she cut her wrist on a bush, it fell off."

Ash picked it up, then continued walking along the trail.

"He's being so melodramatic about this," JJ said as they followed him down the gravel trail.

"NONA!" Ash shouted. The others began to look scared. Ash began running and shouting her name over and over, but no other sound came. He search and searched, but couldn't find her.

They all walked out to the parking lot without saying a word to each other. They heard doors slam shut and the burning of tires as a black van drove away. They all watched the van drive off without much notice until, in the back of the van, a girl was slamming her hands on the back windshield. Lanona.