Flash Fiction Project

Spider Bites

When I arrived at the wooden gates Camp Jupiter in a large yellow school bus, I felt the crawling sensation of dread creep over me. I really can't explain it, but you know the feeling when something just seems... off? That was the state I was in as I entered my home for the next three weeks.

Camp Jupiter is a summer camp, you know, like the ones from The Parent Trap or Friday the 13th. My parents decided to shuttle me here so I "could make new friends." I feel like the real reason was to get me out of the house for a while during the summer so they can do whatever it is they want to do without me. I'm not sure what that is, and I'm not sure if I want to know.

I got to know everybody quickly as I unpacked my belongings on my bottom bunk within my new cabin. During our unload, one of our camp counselors, Ricky, entered the cabin and announced, "Hey guys! Our first group campfire is in an hour, so be sure to bring your best scary stories and an empty stomach, 'cause we're having s'mores!" Ricky left the cabin, escorted by a cacophony of excited hoots and hollers from my cabin.

An hour of card games and fart jokes had passed, and I had acclimated well to my cabin. As we began to walk to where the counselors instructed the campfire would take place, I felt a tap at my shoulder. I turned my head to see an unfamiliar boy my age wearing an unnerving grin which matched his dark clothing and hoodie. I immediately felt the same feeling of dread as I had felt when I first walked into camp as I gazed into his hypnotic eyes. This gave me a shudder, as I responded with, "Yeah?"

"Hello," he greeted in a singsong tone, "what's your name?"

"Um," I nervously replied, "Tommy. Wh--"

"What is your greatest fear... Tommy?"

"Beg your pardon?" I replied as respectfully as I could. I figured he was one of those kids who don't have very good skills with social cues and whatnot, so I didn't want to offend him.

"What... is your greatest fear?"

"What's it to you?"

"It's... everything to me, Tommy. So what is it?

I decided to give in. This kid was weird. Maybe if I told him, he'd just leave me alone. "I guess spiders really freak me out, what about you--"

The boy disappeared before I had the chance to finish.

I shrugged off the ominous encounter, and continued to the campfire.

The s'mores and campfire stories were definitely entertaining, but I just couldn't shake the thought of that strange kid.

Back in my cabin later that night, I continued thinking about him. Why was he bugging me so much?

This question was answered when my cabinmates arose the next morning to hear me shrieking, covered head to toe in spiders and oozing red bite marks.