Fiction logo

Around the Campfire

It's just a story, or is it?

By Nikky Affolder-WalkerPublished 2 years ago 14 min read
1
Around the Campfire
Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash

“The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window.”

Miguel said with the flashlight beneath his chin. “Near the cabin lived a young woman and her dog. The woman was in her early 20s, she wore bright green boots and a jacket that made her think of grass growing in sunlight. She was a happy go lucky kind of girl with a sunny disposition. Then one fateful night it all changed when she saw a strange flicker in the trees.”

***

Walking past the window Giselle noticed a strange flicker in the trees behind her house. She watched it with a frown then turned to get her boots and jacket. Walking through the kitchen she reached into her utility drawer and pulled out her trusty flashlight to go investigate. When her pup Archer jumped at the door his butt wiggling nonstop, she laughed and opened the door for him to precede her.

Giselle took a deep breath of the cool damp spring air. She loved her land; it was beautiful bathed in the light of a full moon. The woods were part of her property as was the ramshackle cabin in the woods. She had planned to remodel it and make it a fun little retreat away from home that could also serve as a guest house for when family came to visit. She had yet to manage that project, and with so much to do she wasn’t sure when she would get to it, but she looked forward to the work. Before heading out Giselle stepped back inside and grabbed her small fire extinguisher, just in case. She had cell service so she could call 911 should she need to, but if it was a fire, they wouldn't get there in time to prevent a massive amount of damage both to the cabin and the surrounding woods. She was grateful the air was so damp. At least damp wood was harder to burn.

Archer yipped and jumped around her, tossing his ball into the air and then giving chase. He was somewhat new to her life, she had only had him a few months, but he was so sweet, and she couldn't be more pleased with his company. Her mother had insisted if she was going to keep to herself so far off the beaten track, she needed to have a pet, preferably a dog, that could help protect her. Archer wasn’t the type of dog her mother had envisioned. She imagined 100 plus pounds of muscle and drool. Archer was a terrier mix, on the smaller side, maybe 20 pounds. He would grow a bit more the vet said, but she didn't think he'd gain more than 5-10 more pounds to reach his full growth.

"Alright boy, I need to go check this out. You can stay or come along, it's up to you." Turning she started to walk away towards the flickering orange light and her destitute cabin. Archer dropped his ball and came running full speed and managed to trip on a root sticking up and took a tumble. He was on his feet again in a moment prancing around her. She had been worried for a moment he might have broken something, but his exuberance said otherwise. As she drew nearer the cabin, she noticed Archer becoming more subdued and less free spirited. He came closer to her and when she glanced down at him, she noted that his hackles were raised. While not one to be easily scared Giselle began to feel a chill up her spine. The closer she got to the light the more it resembled fire, but it was small and contained. Finally entering the little clearing, she could see clearly a candle in the window.

Giselle stopped in her tracks swinging the flashlight to and fro looking around the cabin for any sign of life. Archer started growling low in his throat as she crept closer to the cabin to look inside. Had someone wandering through the woods gotten lost or perhaps thinking the cabin was abandoned they thought they could simply squat on the land? That seemed the most logical explanation. She went to the door and knocked loudly, startling Archer into a snarl. She looked back at him perplexed by his nervous behavior. She was feeling a bit jumpy, but that was in part because of Archer's behavior. There was a simple explanation, and she would get to the bottom of it right quick. She knocked again louder, “Hello? You’re trespassing on private property and it’s time for you to leave.”

When no answer came, she called out “I’m coming in!” and slowly opened the door. The candle was the only light in the cabin leaving most of it in darkness. She ran the beam of her flashlight over the hardwood floor and was just able to make out light footprints in the dust. By the look of it, it was only one person. “My name is Giselle Hardwick and you’re trespassing on my property. Come on out, I won’t press charges as long as you agree to go quietly.” She waited, the silence was heavy, oppressive and she felt like she was being watched. Taking a step forward she tripped over Archer, who was standing closer to her than she had realized and went sprawling. Terrified Archer yelped and took off for the open door. Her flashlight had flown out of her hand and landed a few feet away spinning slowly. She groaned and looked back towards the door just as the beam passed the far corner. She thought she saw movement, maybe even a glimpse of shoes. She swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling very dry. “Who’s there?” she called squinting into the darkness. No matter how she strained her eyes she couldn’t tell if there was someone standing in that shadowed corner. The candle light was too weak to see that far and her flashlight was too far away. Keeping her eyes on that corner she started to get up slowly and then screamed as a figure came crashing into her from the side. Her head hit the hard floor and she saw no more.

When Giselle woke up she was groggy, and her head was pounding. She moved her hand and came abruptly awake when she realized that her hands were cuffed together around an old radiator. There was a lingering odor in her nose, faintly chemical and she wondered if she had been chloroformed or something. Wasn’t that how these stories always went? The girl is captured and chloroformed to keep her quiet and unaware of her surroundings… suddenly scenes from CSI were running through head and she felt the hairs on her arm stand on end. Why did she have to think of that of all things. She was going to call out then thought better of it. Studying the room, she found the lighting somewhat dim. It reminded her of someone’s idea of a sci-fi medical room. There were gadgets and gizmos and buttons and lights everywhere. Then she saw the large slab of a table, and next to that a tray like you would see at the hospital was covered with bloody rags, and an array of medical tools. She had to fight the urge to scream. She thought if she started, she might not stop and right now she needed to figure out how to get out of there and get help.

Suddenly she heard a rustle in the other room and then a cabinet door slamming closed. It was so loud in the silence she jumped causing her metal cuffs to clink against the radiator. She heard the sounds in the other room go quiet. “Oh god, oh god, oh god,” she muttered quietly trying to find a way out. She tried to stand but was prevented by a sharp jerk against her already injured shoulder. She hadn’t realized she was so tender until she attempted to move. Sucking in a ragged breath she jerked once hard on the radiator with the cuffs and stifled a groan of pain. Just then the door opened, and a shadowy figure appeared. She thought it was a young male by the build and as she stared at him, she started to get angry. Was this just some elaborate prank the high school kids were using to haze the upcoming freshmen? Did they not realize they were on private property and that she was an adult?

“What the hell are you doing?!” she cursed. “Let me out of these cuffs, I’m not a new student to haze, I own this property!”

He continued to stand there watching her, not saying a word. She could feel his eyes on her and his silence made it that much more frightening. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

There was still no answer, but after a moment he moved closer, and the candle cast light onto his features. She was surprised to see he was probably in his late teens and had clean cut blonde hair and clear blue eyes. Her chest filled with dread looking at those cold, dead looking eyes. Almost as if he wasn’t fully present in the moment. He blinked slowly as he looked her over. There was no expression on his face, he just stared at her. She was becoming more frightened and therefore angrier by the minute.

“Let. Me. Go.” She said with clipped tones as she forced herself to keep matching his gaze. She didn’t want him to know how much he was unnerving her and just how scared she was. He just tilted his head studying her leaning in a bit closer. When she kicked at him, he dodged quickly and then a slow grin spread across his face.

“I think you’re going to be more fun than the last one” he said, and she stared back incredulously. He had a very nice speaking voice. He was relatively attractive, and he seemed like the typically popular high school kid. What in the world was going on here? He wasn’t the stereotypical serial killer type. In a different setting she might have noticed him, but more likely than not she wouldn’t have given him a second thought being too young for her.

“How am I going to be more fun?” she asked

“Oh, you’ll see” he said with a laugh and then turned around and walked back out the door closing it quietly and leaving her alone again to look around the room and wonder what he was going to do to her. She pulled and tugged and tried to figure out how to get free until her wrists started to bleed. Sitting down heavily she closed her eyes. She was so tired. Maybe if she could rest a bit an idea would come to mind.

***

Miguel paused in his story telling and looked around the group. They were all riveted on his words and he relished the attention. “Seems like a good place to stop, who wants to go skinny dipping?”

His group of friends started throwing scraps of food at him cursing his foolishness. “C’mon Miguel, get real” Rachel said. “You started this story, and we all want to know what happens now!” There was a chorus of “yeah” and “come on”. He laughed delightedly, “Alright, alright! Lets get back to it then.”

***

When Giselle came to, she was groggy, and that chemical smell was again strong in her nose. He must’ve drugged her while she was sleeping, damn him! Her head swam as she turned it and she had to fight the urge to vomit as the room around her spun. She lay still with her eyes closed trying to recover. Slowly opening her eyes, she took in her surrounds without moving her head. Her hands were no longer cuffed together but she could feel they were tied with very little play. Exploring along the edge of the surface she lay on she felt heavy duty eye hooks screwed into the table. The table? Oh god was she on that slab of an operating table?! She turned her head quickly and promptly regretted it as she felt herself loosing consciousness.

From there it was a blur of images, she would open her eyes and see him standing over her with an intent expression. She felt a searing pain in her stomach and lost consciousness again. The next time she awoke her eyes tried to focus on a mound of something on her chest. She groaned in pain, and he looked over at her with a frown. “You haven’t been near as much fun as I thought you would be.” She just stared at him trying to focus. When she spoke her voice was slurred, “Whas that?” He turned his head and admired the canvas sitting near by streaked in bright splashes of red.

“My art of course, and you’re my muse.”

She blinked slowly, confused by his words. He watched her and realized that her eyes weren’t focused on the canvas behind him but the mound of entrails on her chest. “Oh, that, nothing exciting really, just your intestines.”

“My..my… “ and then she screamed the most blood curdling scream imaginable.

***

About a week after Giselle had disappeared her friend Janet decided to make the drive to visit. She was getting seriously worried that Giselle hadn’t answered her phone or texts, that she hadn’t bothered to get back to her at all. When she pulled up it was quiet. She got out and called “Giselle?” When there was no answer she tried again, “Giselle?!” then she heard a thin whine from a bush not too far from the door. Bending over she squinted into the gloom and made out a pair of shining eyes. “Archer?”

The pup came slowly out of the bush watching her warily. He was dirty and scared and obviously hungry. Seeing him in that condition Janet began to panic. She had met him before, and she knew the type of dog he was. He suited Giselle’s carefree spirit well and Giselle was not an irresponsible pet owner. “Oh gods, what happened?” She turned to the door and used the spare key to let herself in. She started searching the house and calling Giselle’s name fearing she had fallen and gotten hurt or worse. Not seeing her she stopped near the kitchen at a scratching sound. Archer was digging frantically at a drawer and when she opened it, she found his food, so she filled his bowl and gave him fresh water. She fished her phone out of her pocket and dialed Giselle’s number again. She turned towards the bedroom as she heard it ring. Opening the door, she peered inside and found the phone sitting on the nightstand plugged in.

“She wouldn’t have left without her phone, and she wouldn’t have left Archer to fend for himself.”

Janet hung up and dialed 911. Within the hour the house was swarming with police. Giselle’s job had been contacted and they found she hadn’t reported into work. Reports went out in the news to keep an eye out for Giselle Hardwick.

***

“Months and then years went by, and no one had heard from her. No one had seen her. Her family and friends grieved, and the mystery of Giselle Hardwick lives on today.” Manuel finished.

“No way man, that’s totally made up.” Ryan protested.

“No really,” Miguel said. “It’s a true mystery story. She was from this area. In fact, I think these woods meet with hers to the north of here.”

Rachel and Alysse turned to look in the direction Miguel had pointed. In the darkness of the trees, Rachel thought she saw a hooded figure standing there watching them. When Alysse grabbed her hand painfully, she knew she wasn’t the only one seeing the figure. Alysse spoke quietly but firmly, “It’s time for us to go. Pack up.” The guys started to complain and for a moment it seemed like they might split up as the women were dead set on leaving. They had told them what they saw but the guys laughed and said it was all in their heads. When Alysse finally announced that she and Rachel were leaving, and they could come or stay as they pleased the guys realized the seriousness of the threat and hurriedly packed up her dad’s suburban and left. The path out took them towards the northern area of the woods and Rachel watching out the window with apprehension saw him as he pulled back his hood and smiled at her, the moonlight enough to illuminate his blonde hair and light eyes.

Horror
1

About the Creator

Nikky Affolder-Walker

I am a wife, a mother of 3, a pet mom & I have a B.A. in Psychology & Womens Studies. For many years I've put off my dream of writing to take care of my family & I'm grateful to have found Vocal. It's never too late to live your dream.

Reader insights

Nice work

Very well written. Keep up the good work!

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.