The uninvited Camper

“What was that! did you hear that?” Annabelle said to her husband as she frantically sat up in bed.

“It was nothing, go back to bed,” her husband sleepily replied. She looked down and the dogs were still sound asleep, they didn’t hear anything either, “I’m losing my mind,” she thought.

Annabelle laid back down in the bed, her, her husband and two dogs were camping in their trailer alone in a state park about forty miles from civilization. The campground had been full the last two nights, come Sunday everybody split, and Annabelle and her husband Tom were alone after eleven when the park ranger left for the night. “It was eerily quiet outside, even for the woods, it was quiet,” Annabelle thought to herself as she laid in bed wide awake. Her mind kept wondering as her husband and dogs snored. “What if there was something outside, the only weapons we have are dull kitchen knives and a hot dog roasting stick. Maybe I can burn them with the BBQ lighter. OH! my God, just go to sleep.”

Annabelle's heart started racing, she began sweaty, she turned over to wake up her husband. “Honey, honey, I just saw a tall shadow walk by both windows, Honey” Annabelle said as she was violently shaking her husband awake. He finally turns over, rubs his eyes, and says, “you have finally lost it, your mind is playing tricks on you, its probably just shadows from the trees and wind.” Tom gets out of bed, trips over both lazy dogs on the floor that refuse to move. “God damn it you two, lazy bastard dogs.” He limped as he walked towards the camper door. “Well for one the door is locked, so nobody can get in here.” He picks up one of the knives they used for the bbq steak dinner earlier and unlocked the front door. He opens the door slowly and sees……. Nothing.

“For crying out loud Annabelle, get out here”, Tom said as he walked towards the picnic table.

Annabelle jumps out of bed, puts on her sweats, and slowly moves towards the front door, she is standing on the top step of the camper but has the door in front of her, so all her husband could see was a head and feet. He looks at her with a smirk and says, “don’t be so paranoid, I want to show you there is nothing to be afraid off.” He puts his hand out and motions to her to come to him. She slowly steps down on the second step, stops for a minute and then misses the third step and goes straight to the ground. She stands up and brushes herself off and realizes it’s peaceful outside with no wind, and nothing to be afraid of. “OK, so maybe I was just being paranoid.”

“it’s all the horror movies and crime show you watch. Let’s go back to bed, the sun will be up in a couple hours. We will leave early tomorrow. Camping is not for you, scaredy-cat.”

“No, it’s not, not at all.” Annabella said as her eyes gazed over the camp site, the lake, and the hills above one more time before she walked into the trailer.

Annabelle knew nothing was outside, but she still laid in bed for awhile wide awake too wired to go to sleep. “I know I saw a shadow; I know I did.” She thought, “it had to be just the wind and shadows from the trees, but……there was no wind.” Her head was pounding, “oh god, there is nothing out there, get a grip.” It seemed like she was laying there for hours thinking, but when she looked at her phone it had only been fifteen minutes. An hour later she finally started to doze off when she was jerked awake by a loud clicking noise. She sat up in bed startled and before she could catch her breath, she realized her husband was already out of bed and at the front door.

“What was that?” Annabelle finally grasped.

“I am not sure, but it sounded like someone was trying to open the door, but its locked so it snapped back”

“Oh God, oh god, Tom what do we do.” Annabelle sat on the bed shaking.

Tom went over to sit beside her, he put his arm around her and said, “its going to be OK honey, we will just stay awake till morning. The Ranger will be here at sunup. Nobody can get in here, OK?”

Tom and Annabelle sat at the edge of the bed holding each other, both hearts racing. For awhile it was quiet, it seemed like whatever was out there had given up and left. Annabelle suddenly heard light tapping, and then Tom heard it as the tapping on the window got louder and louder. The tapping was going around the camper on all windows so fast it had to be more then one person. The tapping came with laughing, more like giggling, childlike giggling. It seemed to go on forever, as Annabelle turned in circles trying to follow the sound, then just stopped. It was dead silent.

The silence in between episodes was deafening. Annabelle cried and shook with fear while her husband was trying to hold her. Tom knew somehow, they weren’t going to survive the night. He looked up and the ceiling of the trailer was caving in by what looked to be footsteps, very large footsteps. Whatever was out there was not human.

Tom was trying to keep Annabelle from seeing the ceiling, by holding her head in his shoulder. But as he stared at the ceiling, in fear he couldn’t keep ahold of her. Annabelle screamed, “oh my God Tom, whatever it is, its…its…. on the roof.” The ceiling of the trailer was moving and caving in towards them without a sound. As the roof was moving, the tapping and giggling started back up, this time louder and faster. The footprints on the roof came with a loud thumping sound that didn’t coincide with the caving in of the roof. Annabelle started hyperventilating and making a gasping sound, she couldn’t breathe or speak. Tom couldn’t calm her down, he was too scared and trying to keep an eye on the roof. He didn’t know what he was going to do if the roof caved in, but it made him feel better this thing was still outside.

“Why, why, why is someone doing this to us,” Annabelle cried as she coward in the corner of the bed back by the wall.

“Honey, I don’t think this thing is human.” Tom said still staring at the ceiling not realizing he is scaring his wife even more then she already was.

“What…. what….what…….wh….are we going to do? We are alone with this thing.” She stared down at the dogs cowering under the dining table. “Some help you two are!” As Annabelle looked up at the ceiling, something broke through the roof……. Annabelle screamed and shuffled across the bed to hide under the table with the dogs, Tom tried to follow but didn’t make it.

As the sun came up that morning over the lake, the ranger was driving down from the Ranger station. He had an odd feeling this morning and knew he needed to check in on the only campers in the park. He drove around the corner and had Annabelle and Tom’s trailer in site there was nothing wrong with it from the outside, but he got a sick feeling just by the site of the trailer. He stopped the truck right outside the trailer, walked up to the door. It was open, he walked up the steps and stepped inside. He was shocked at what he saw……………. Nothing.