Mauled - Book 2 of the Close Call Series (Currently Published On Amazon)

Ch.3 An Unexpected Trip

*The more comments I get, the sooner I'll update*

     Claire tried to be quiet as she crawled here way through the tent until her fingers found the zipper she was looking for. She opened the flap that lead outside, in her hurry past the fire she barely saved herself from falling on top of Laura. Her feet soon met pavement and she followed it until she found the sign to her destination.
    She could barely make out a bobbing head of blonde hair ahead of her that appeared to be going in the same general direction she was. When she finally reached the small wooden shack she was looking for, she banged on the door and impatiently waited for a response unsure if there would even be one.
    "Just a minute," a muffled voice answered from the other side, barely even audible.
    Claire shuffled from side to side in anticipation waiting for the door to open. A crack soon appeared and slowly widened as a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes timidly peared around the door.
    "Oh, hi, sorry I was a little frightened by your knock I didn't know anyone was behind me," the woman shyly stated, removing herself from the building.
    "It's fine," she started to walk into the small structure then paused, "You look familiar, I think I know you actually."
    "Really?" The woman responded raising her eyebrows in curiosity.
    "Yeah, your names Carrie, right? I think you're in my science class," she said studying her face.
    "Oh, yeah, I guess so," she answered raising her eyebrows in surprise.
    "Hold that thought, I can't hold it any longer. Sorry," Claire blurted or quickly before stepping into the tiny room with a toilet inside.
    "Sure, I'll walk back with you if you want me to wait. I think we're camping on the lot right next to y'all," Carrie said, shifting from foot to foot shyly outside the wooden shack.
    "Okay," Claire answered.
    "I'm a little scared of the dark so it'll be a relief to have some company," Carrie stated, with a shiver, as she looked off into the dark depths the surrounding trees created.
    A loud groan startled her and she returned her gaze to the building in front of her to find the door opening to reveal Claire once more. She sighed with relief, then turned and started back down the paved road towards their camp.
    "How long y'all been out here," Carrie asked breaking the eerie silence.
    "Just since earlier today. How about you?"
    "Not long a couple hours maybe. It's just me and my sister and she didn't get off work until nine. I wanted to wait until tomorrow but she was too excited, so I gave in. We haven't been camping in forever," she said running her hands through her self consciously.
    "We try to go at least once a year or so," Claire said nonchalantly.
    "That's lucky." Neither of them really knew what else to say-since they didn't really know each other-so they continued their walk in silence.
    They reached the end of the pavement and looked into their separate camps, "Thanks for walking with me," Carrie said.
    "You're welcome," Claire answered, glancing at her awkwardly as they stood there.
    "Well, goodnight."
    "Night," Claire responded as they started towards their separate tents just as the sun started to rise.
    They were awful brave coming out here just the two of them, she thought as she pulled the tent flap open and crawled back inside.
    "Claire? That you?" Neka questioned sitting up.
    "Yeah, go back to sleep," she answered getting into her sleeping bag.
    "What time is it?"
    "I don't know, check your phone."
    "It's dead," Claire sighed, rolled over and pulled hers from her bag. She turned it on, and checked the time, "It's five thirty."
    "Good enough for me, I'm getting up."
    "You're crazy, I'm going back to sleep," she said snuggling deeper into her sleeping bag.
    "Oh come on, you know you wanna go swimming," Neka giggled.
    "Actually I really don't, it's to early."
    Neka looked at her pleadingly.
    "There's no detering you is there?" Claire asked, in annoyance.
    "Nope," she said grinning ear to ear.
    Claire huffed,"Fine, Lord knows I won't sleep knowing your down there alone."
    Neka jumped up giggling and started pulling a swimsuit from her bag.
    "What are y'all doing making so much noise?" Laura asked unzipping the tent.
    "Going swimming!" Neka blurted with glee.
    "Y'all are crazy," Laura said coming inside and turning on a battery powered lantern.
    "That's what I told her."
    "I'm coming," Laura said grabbing her bag to look for her bathing suit.
    They put on their swimsuits then tiptoed past Josey and headed towards the water. They started squealing with excitement as soon as they reached the treeline.
    "I bet it's cold," Laura said staring at the water.
    "I bet we're gonna wish we had slept longer," Claire said also staring at it.
    "I bet it's gonna be fun." Neka winked at Laura and mouthed the word one. Laura moved to stand behind Claire, two. On three they both gave her a shove, knocking her flailing form into the water. They simultaneously burst into laughter.
    When Claire didn't surface right away Laura walked over to make sure she was okay, but as she approached the edge, Claire popped out of the water raining droplets down everywhere. Then she grabbed Laura's arm, and pulled for the sake of revenge, as Neka gave her a secret shove. Laura planted her feet to resist but slipped on the mud and fell on her bottom which sent her sliding into the water anyway. Neka backed up the bank, only to come running back down, and dive-arms extended out in front of her-into the waiting water below.