I wish I could say I had a very restful sleep, but truth is I barely slept at all. I kept my back to Brian the entire time because it was easier than answering questions. What I didn’t understand but yet was always amazed by, was how readily everyone was eager to talk about me while I was in the tent. I mean okay I may have been ‘asleep’ but still; Brian and Kevin were carrying on a full blown conversation about me while I was right there!
Didn’t they ever watch television? Hello! It was more than a common practice to pretend you were asleep and then overhear entire conversations just like this. They all suck.
“Brian did he say anything to you about why he ran away like that?” At least they were whispering I guess. Jeez!
“Nope, not at all, he was sad though, I could swear he was crying.” Great! Brian is such a huge blabber mouth!
I heard Kevin sigh at that point and if I bothered to turn around and look his way I’m sure he would have had that weird constipated look on his face he sometimes got when he was worried about something.
“Do you think this is about his family?”
“I don’t know Kevin, it might be…”
“Brian do you know something and are hiding it from me?” Oh God…Brian is the worst liar in the entire world. Now I’m going to have to mysteriously wake myself up before he spills the beans about Casper to his cousin who will in turn use sock puppets undoubtedly to act out how there is no such thing as ghosts. I swear it sounds ridiculous but I can totally see him doing that. Can’t you?
I turned myself around and let out my best fake yawn. I am that good believe me. “Well hey little man…did you have a good rest?”
I nodded at him and yawned once more, “I have a headache.”
Immediately Kevin placed his hand on my forehead. “I think you still have a fever Nicky, best if you just stay here and try to get some more sleep. I’m going to try to get us out of here okay?”
I nodded at him and couldn’t help feel a tinge of fear creep into my bones when the wind suddenly started to blow outside. Once again I heard my name among the branches but what scared me even more is the look Brian gave me, maybe he heard it too.
Once Kevin left I sat up and placed my hand on Brian’s shoulder, “You heard it too didn’t you?”
“Heard what?”
“The wind.”
“Yes I heard it; it’s howling how can you not hear it?”
“Brian knock it off, you know what I mean. God you are such a crummy liar!”
“Oh okay fine! I could swear I heard the wind say your name. You happy?”
“No, not really.”
“Kevin asked me why you ran away. I almost told him the truth. Maybe it’s time to let him know Nicky…”
“No way! He will never believe me!”
“But I’ll even back you up.” It briefly made me mad that Kevin would believe it if Brian said so but not if I did but I was too nervous about other things to care about that for very long…like – I don’t know – maybe being threatened by some weird unknown force or something.
“Not yet Brian.”
“You still haven’t seen Casper?” I shook my head at him.
“No, but that little girl from the other camp talks to him too.”
“Maybe he’s just making the rounds then or something, like some kind of weird ghost greeting guy.” I know that probably sounded funny but he said it and meant it in all honesty.
“I am so scared Brian…” I was hoping my voice wouldn’t crack but it did and he looked over at me with the saddest expression on his face.
“I know buddy…that’s why I really think we should talk to Kevin.”
“Don’t do that.” I looked over to the corner of the tent and there was Casper sitting Indian style staring at me. The instant I saw him, the small hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I started to shiver.
“Where were you?” When Brian saw me talking to the corner of the tent he jumped up and almost ran out of there.
“He’s here?”
I nodded but still stared over at Casper. Why on earth was I mad at a ghost?
“Don’t let him tell Kevin. If he tells Kevin, things will only get worse.”
“I don’t even now why I should bother listening to you anymore. Where have you been?”
Brian was now in full on panic mood as he stood and spun around the tent as if he was stuck in a huge spider web with a black widow ready to suck all his blood out. I know that was a gross analogy but seriously, that’s what it looked like.
“What do you want from us?” Brian stuttered out, now walking closer to me and grabbing my shirt, almost strangling me in the process of trying to lift me up and out of there.
“Brian relax…and let go of me!” At the sound of my voice Brian let go of my shirt and I flopped back to the ground which had Casper laughing at us.
“The two of you are quite a pair aren’t you?”
I was in no mood to be mocked by a ghost, “Why did you disappear on me?”
“I had other things to attend to, I’m sorry.”
“Other things to attend to? You’re dead. What other kinds of things would you have to attend to?”
“You can’t let Kevin find out Nick.”
“He won’t.”
“Won’t what?” Brian asked now showing signs of the same calming that I had after getting used to the idea of having a ghost right by me.
“He said we can’t tell Kevin about him.”
“Why?” He asked me but then looked around the tent as if talking to it.
“Because you can’t take the chance he would tell someone.”
“So you think he would believe Brian?”
Casper nodded which had me very confused. I wasn’t expecting that answer; actually I was expecting the opposite. I was sure he was going to say that if we told Kevin, I’d end up in a loony bin or something.
“What is he saying now?” You know, remind me to give huge props to all those people who talk to ghosts you see on television where people always question them while they are just trying to focus on what the spirit is saying to them.
“He said that Kevin might believe you.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“No, he’ll try to make his way out of the woods by cutting through them and if he does I won’t be able to protect him or you.”
I ignored what he said for a minute mainly because it was too disturbing to sink in and instead focused on the smaller point, which to me was even more unbelievable than Kevin getting eaten by whatever wanted to get me in the woods. “So why would he believe us again?”
Casper looked over at me and smiled, “You ask a lot of questions don’t you?”
“Only if my life is in danger.”
“Why are you saying that?” Again Brian asked now looking impatient with the fact that I hadn’t filled him in on anything that was happening.
“Because he hears it too Nick, he also feels it. He knows something’s wrong but he’ll never admit it to you so don’t bother to ask him because if you did that would make him try even harder to get you out of here.”
“Kevin knows.” I whispered to his cousin as I let those words sink in myself.
“Kevin knows what?”
I was getting really annoyed with my best friend now. True, he couldn’t hear what Casper was saying but still, did I have to spell everything out for him?
“He knows something weird is going on.”
“Ask him about the little girl.” I nodded at Brian but when I turned to talk to Casper again, he was gone.
“He’s gone.”
Brian let out a sigh as he fell beside me on the ground, “So what now?”
“I don’t know…supposedly we can’t let Kevin know. If he finds out he’ll try to get us out of here and put himself in danger in the process.”
“Nick, this is all so weird. I mean I know you aren’t lying to me anymore but still…it just seems so wrong you know what I mean?”
I nodded at him, because if it wasn’t me but someone else I would be laughing my ass off at them. I would never believe this crap was happening. I never believed in this crap to begin with.
Right at that very minute, AJ walked into the tent and both Brian and I let out a scream. At least I wasn’t the only one anymore. AJ, because he had kind of an idea what was going on, also screamed because he was a wuss.
“Jesus Frigging Christ are you both trying to give me a heart attack?” He asked once he found his voice.
“Sorry Bone but we just had a ‘visitor’…you know what I mean?”
“Oh…you mean…” AJ finished his question by making his arms wave in that scary ghost manner to which Brian nodded.
Okay am I on Candid Camera or something? America’s Funniest Home videos? Something ridiculous like that? Oooh, maybe TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes. Yes that’s it obviously. I was being pranked.
“Well we have some more visitors outside but this time they come bringing food so maybe you guys should come out and be social.” Okay at least AJ still kind of didn’t believe us and that oddly made me feel better. I could tell he didn’t believe us by the way he rolled his eyes after he made the ghost movements and briefly I was happy that Brian was FINALLY experiencing what I have been this entire time.
“Visitors? Is it Grim? We are saved finally?” I knew it wasn’t Grim but I let Frick think that for a few seconds before AJ burst his bubble.
“No, it’s the family that Jerk face over here went and ran into in the woods.” Now was the jerk face comment really necessary? I knew it was them. I knew they would be showing up today but I also had an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach, I didn’t much like it.
“Come on guys, they wanted to check up on you Nick so you better go out there and show them some love.”
I stood up and felt a little light on my feet, Both AJ and Brian grabbed for me. I wish I knew why I was so dizzy all the time. No blonde jokes allowed!
“You okay Frack?” I nodded at a very concerned Brian just as Kevin and Howie made their way into the tent.
“What is taking you guys so long?” Kevin asked eyeing the three of us suspiciously like we had just killed a goat or something.
“Nick almost passed out again!” Dammit AJ!
“What?” Kevin had his hand on my head faster than I could pull away.
“I’m okay, just got a little light headed when I stood up.”
“Have you eaten anything today? Has he eaten anything?” I loved when Kevin did that. Asked me a question and then immediately deferred it to someone else as if I wasn’t capable of answering such a challenging query myself. This time it was Brian he was looking at.
“I’m not sure.”
“I haven’t really eaten much.” I was brave enough to answer just as the really sweet lady from the other camp walked into the tent.
“Hi Sarah,” I said instantly feeling at ease, it was weird the calming effect she had on me.
She walked right up to me and embraced me in a hug, “Nick, it’s so nice to see you again. I told my husband we needed to follow you guys back here to make sure everything was okay. How are you doing sweetheart? How is that hand?”
She gingerly took my hand in her own and examined it, when done she placed her other hand on top of it and gave me a loving nod. “It looks like you’ll live young man.”
I laughed at her and she winked at me, but still I had that uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was going to happen. I just wish I knew what it was.
“Thank you for coming over to check on us…” Kevin said.
“And bringing food…” AJ added.
“Yes the food is a plus.” She pet my head and hugged me once more.
We walked out of the tent to see Howie talking to her husband, he had a flare in his hand and I guess was showing D how to make it go off if we needed it to. Not sure if letting Howie be in charge of a flare was a good idea or not. He did almost set his hotel room on fire once.
“How are you feeling son?” He asked me and once again I wished I was part of this family. What the hell was wrong with me? I mean here I am going through a MAJOR crisis and I mean MAJOR. I mean something other worldly was out to get me but what was I thinking about? Finding a new mommy and daddy who might act a little more mommy and daddy like, yes I had issues.
“Doing better thanks.” I managed to stammer out.
He nodded at me, “That’s great to know because Mary Beth was very worried about you. You left quite on impression on her young man.” With that being said, I looked over at the young girl who was still holding onto her bear very tightly and rocking back and forth while sitting on a log. I decided to go over and join her for a bit so I made my way over and sat beside her. She totally ignored me; people thought I was in my own little world, pfft!
She was humming in a very sweet voice; nothing beats the sound of a child singing. Really, too cute for words but I’ll stop because I’m sounding mildly gay now. “Hi Mary Beth” I whispered to her but she only continued to rock and hum, clutching onto her bear.
“What are you singing?” I started to feel like Kevin when I would ignore him but he would insist on talking anyway. Or my parents, or AJ or…okay I did that a lot.
She looked over at me and smiled but it didn’t seem like she saw me. More like looking past me at something that maybe I wasn’t seeing. I turned around, thinking maybe it was Casper, but he wasn’t there.
“What do you see over there Mary Beth?”
She stood up now and started walking towards whatever it was she was looking at, twirling and humming as she went. I glanced over at Brian who was in the middle of helping Kevin with something and then set my sites on AJ who was glancing back my way. I wanted to motion for him to follow us but I didn’t. Howie was still talking to the father so I decided to just suck it up and walk with her.
“Where are you going Mary?” I asked, keeping a short distance between us because, well you know by this point anything was possible. If she started levitating I was out of there!
Finally she turned towards me and spoke, “With her…she’s so nice isn’t she Nick?”
“With who?”
“Her.” She pointed over at one of the trees, but I saw nothing. I was getting cold though…very cold.
“I don’t see her sweetheart,”
“You don’t?”
“No…where is she?” I was trying my best to remain calm but my throat was starting to dry up and I wanted to turn around and head back to where everyone else was.
She walked right up to the tree and pointed right past it, “She’s right here.”
“I don’t see her honey…we should get back before your mommy and daddy worry.”
“She sees you though…”
Okay that was about enough for me, “Let’s go Mary Beth.” I started walking closer to her, with every step it got colder and colder but also harder and harder to walk, as if my legs were made of lead.
“She wants us to come be with her Nick…can’t you hear her? She sounds so nice…” I reached out my hand to grab the child but was met with resistance, as if something was keeping me away from her.
“Come on Mary Beth, no going into the woods!” I yelled, now panicked that whatever this thing was would suck this kid up whole right in front of my eyes.
The force was overwhelming and I felt something push me full force to the ground. I yelped when it happened. “Leave her alone!” I yelled at whatever the hell it was. For all I know I was carrying on a conversation with the kid’s imaginary friend…but who am I kidding? It was real and grabbing for her but now I also felt something grabbing for me. It had my pant leg; I felt it pulling me closer to the mouth of the woods.
“What the hell is going on?” And just like that it stopped. I managed to start breathing again as AJ walked towards Mary Beth and grabbed her hand. “You aren’t supposed to be going near the woods right honey?”
She nodded, once again acting totally normal. AJ glanced down at me, “Why are you on the ground? You trip over your feet again Klutz?”
He noticed the fright in my eyes, I could tell but he ignored it. “Let’s go back to camp, I’m hungry.” He gave me his hand to help me off the ground.
And we walked away from the woods; suddenly I felt a chill run down my back and the faintest sound of a woman’s voice echoed in my ear. A very sweet sounding voice, saying only one word but that one word made me stop and retch.
“Soon.”
Thanks for reading. I'll be back next Wednesday :O)
