I love putting my feet in the water, actually I love being in the water period. My mother always kidded that I was a dolphin boy and could most likely survive in the water if civilization ever came to that. The sun was beating down on my face as I looked up at the sky, swinging my legs innocently into the water and loving the small splashing sound I was creating.
AJ was sitting on Brian’s shoulders and Howie was on Kevin’s as they played a game of chicken. I had to sit out and play on the loser’s team. They said it was because I was scrawny but I knew better. I knew it was because I was the best chicken player ever! They wanted to save me as their secret weapon and besides while they were in the lake, I got to stay out and eat more candy.
I love candy!
Thanks to Brian, I managed to have a good night last night, slept the entire time and woke up feeling completely refreshed. It was the best feeling ever and now once again I found myself very happy to be on this camping trip. Maybe this weird ghost and howling wind stuff was all my imagination after all.
“Hey there.” Okay or maybe not… because when I glanced over to my left, there was that guy again. This time he was sitting next to me in swim trunks and smiling as he watched the guys playing in the water.
“Uh…hey guys!” I called out to my friends who totally ignored me as I pointed to my ghost friend.
“Why are you so afraid of me? I’m not going to hurt you or anything.” He didn’t seem anything like the ghost I had encountered previously; actually he didn’t seem like a ghost at all. Lord knows why I did what I did next; I reached over and tried to pinch him.
“What are you doing?” He asked me, moving back before I could touch him.
“Just seeing if you are real.”
“I’m real Nick.”
“How did you know my name?”
“Because your friends over there keep calling you Nick, unless that’s an alias?”
I laughed, this ghost was pretty funny. “Nick Carter.”
“Nice to meet you Nick.”
“What’s your name?”
“You wouldn’t even believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.”
“Okay fine…my name is Casper.”
“You have GOT to be kidding me!”
“Nope, Casper Vandermont.”
“Okay…nice to meet you Casper the friendly ghost.” I crack myself up but you knew that was coming didn’t you?
“Ha ha ha” he said rolling his eyes at me, “don’t think I have ever heard that one before.”
“You know what’s weird?” I asked Casper, the ghost I was having a conversation with.
“What?”
“That I’m not afraid of you, actually this time I’m feeling okay.” He turned towards me and smiled.
“Come for a walk with me.”
He stood and gave me a hand getting up, “I’ll be right back guys…I’m going into the woods with a ghost.”
“Okay yeah whatever…” AJ answered, mostly ignoring me as he splashed Howie in the face with some water.
“And another thing that’s kind of weird is the fact that I am following you blindly into the woods, I mean you are a ghost and I’m a chicken and yet here I go walking with you into the creepy unknown. I’m sure it helps that it’s daylight and all but…”
“Nick you are babbling.”
“Sorry, I guess I babble when I’m nervous.”
“You just said you weren’t scared.”
“I’m not scared, I’m nervous. There’s a difference.”
“Right, well I’m going to level with you…actually none of this is real.”
“Come again?”
“This is a dream, that’s why you aren’t scared.”
“You’re saying this is all a dream?”
“Yup.”
“So you are telling me in MY dream that this is just a dream?”
“Yes.”
“Is that even possible? I mean if that happens shouldn’t my head explode or something?” Casper laughed at me.
“I don’t know Nick, it’s your dream not mine.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Hey Nick!” I was about to answer the greeting which came from behind me, when I noticed it was a talking gopher dressed like Elvis who said my name.
“Ooookay” I said taking a few steps backwards.
“See? Now do you believe me? This is a dream Nickolas.”
“Where are we?” I asked as the talking gopher happily trotted away.
“We are in Shadow Woods.”
“I know that but…why did you bring me here?”
“Because I wanted to show you where he is going to bring you if he catches you.” Suddenly that warm, happy, fuzzy feeling I had went away as the bright sunlight turned to gray.
“I think I want to go back now.”
“Once you end up here there is no going back Nick.”
I was finding it hard to breathe as it suddenly grew very cold and dark. The wind picking up to full speed as leaves started flying off the trees. “If this is a dream I want to wake up now.” I managed to choke out as I fell to the ground. The wind blowing so fast I could hardly stay there without being picked up and whirled around.
Casper stood on a log and was screaming over the sound of the howling wind. “When he comes for you do NOT let him bring you here Nick you need to run as fast as you can. He brought me here and here is where I stay!” Suddenly the wind started howling my name, it was sounding more sinister than before, actually there was a low growling sound to it.
“Help me!!” I started screaming as I managed to finally pick myself up off the ground and run.
“Run faster or he’ll catch you!!” Casper yelled as he watched me take off.
That’s when I felt someone running after me, I felt his hands on my shoulders as I bolted trying my hardest to out run him but the wind was making it impossible. I fell again and he landed on top of me.
“Help me!!!” I screamed batting at the phantom arms as he laughed at me.
“Nick wake up!”
“Help me!!”
“Nick, Jesus wake up!” I opened my eyes and saw Brian staring at me, looking a little distressed while Kevin stood behind him peering over his shoulder.
“Brian?”
“Yes it’s me…you were having one hell of a dream kiddo.”
I was still breathing really heavy and could tell I was scaring Brian to death, “I know…sorry.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Nick you want some tea? Sometimes tea helps.” That was Kevin saying the oddest thing I have ever heard. Well besides a gopher dressed like Elvis saying hi to me I guess.
“No thanks.” I was still out of breath but started to notice that both Howie and AJ were in our tent and the wind outside was howling like crazy as it was pouring down rain all around us.
“Am I still dreaming? You haven’t seen a gopher Elvis have you?”
“Gopher Elvis? What the hell are you talking about?” AJ asked me shaking his head.
“Never mind…the wind… what’s going on outside? And why are you all wet?”
Brian was gently patting my back as he sat next to me while AJ and Howie were drying off their wet heads. “Well the wind kind of sort of blew down our tent.”
“Then as we were running over here we heard you screaming.” Howie continued as he passed me a towel for some reason.
“Why are you passing me a towel?”
“Because you are dripping in sweat.”
“Oh…” I didn’t realize that before but now I kind of felt all soggy.
Kevin walked over and sat beside me with tea in his hands, “How did you make that?”
“I didn’t. It’s iced tea but you should drink it, you look like you need it.”
“Does it have liquor in it?”
“Just drink the damn tea.”
I obeyed taking a sip of the tea, my hands were shaking fiercely and I realized I was very cold. Brian reached over and placed his hand on my head, “Fracky now is not the time to get sick on us.”
“I’m not sick! How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“You feel very warm to me Nickolas.” When Brian said that, Kevin felt the need to place his hand on my forehead.
“Great…” He said grunting at me like it was my fault I was getting sick. On the plus side of that, it meant we would be leaving sooner than we thought. I’m sure if I did have a fever that would cut our camping trip short.
“Why don’t you try to go back to sleep Nick, maybe you’ll feel better in the morning.”
“No thanks I’m good for now besides I don’t feel bad at all.”
Another huge gust of wind swirled around us, making the tent shake and almost unhinge, “Uh…Kev, what do we do if this one flies away?” I’m glad Brian asked that and not me.
“We run like hell back to the car I guess.” Wow what a great plan that is, I wonder how long it took him to concoct that one?
Another huge gust of wind hit the tent and this time one of the stakes holding it in the ground came out. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I heard what the wind was saying as it blew under the tent. Clear as day to me anyway…it said ‘let me in Nick…’
“Howie quick hand me that hammer thing.”
“Hammer thing?”
“Yes, the thing that looks like a hammer…the hammer thing.”
“This?”
“Yes, it looks like a hammer doesn’t it?”
Kevin even in times when he’s trying to be a hero, always has the ability to be a smartass. Damn he’s good.
“Nick what’s wrong now? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Howie said as he handed Kevin the Godforsaken hammer looking thing.
Now pardon me for being semi suspicious but when Howie said that AJ let out a small laugh followed by a smack to the back of his head from Brian. “You told AJ?” I was so hurt! How could he DO that? He had to know that AJ would make fun of me relentlessly. Of course he knew that, that’s why he did it!
“I didn’t say anything Nick.” Brian whispered it to me but I know it’s because he didn’t want AJ to hear him say that.
Thankfully Kevin managed to hammer the stake thingamajig back into the ground so for the time being at least, we were dry and safe. “Maybe we should radio Grim?”
“And say what Brian? Grim come rescue us because it’s raining outside and we are too wimpy to handle it.”
Frick shrugged at his cousin who was once again in a jolly wonderful mood.
“You can always tell him that Kaos over here saw a ghost and wants to bail before it eats him.” Oh…my…GOD! My head turned towards Brian so fast I felt my neck crack.
“I can’t believe YOU!” I screamed at my best friend, ooh I was mad. I was so mad I wanted to just put on my boots and leave. Screw them and screw Casper!
“Nickolas, relax.” Kevin said in a warning tone, complete with wiggly brows.
“Whatever I hate you all.” And the winner of most immature response of the day goes too…
“Nick relax, we’re only playing with you.” That was AJ smirking and attempting to ruffle my hair. I say attempting because when he reached over to do it, I bit him.
“Ow! Son of a whore!!” He yelped as he punched my head away from his arm. “You are such a little shit…I can’t believe you just bit me, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me…YOU! You are such a…” Suddenly the ground beneath us started to shake instantly shutting the two of us up. We both looked at each other a little confused.
“Did you feel that?” Howie asked Brian, but before he could answer it happened again this time much more ferociously, knocking us all off of our feet.
Even though seconds before we were ready to kill each other, as we lost footing and fell AJ and I both grabbed for one another screaming, almost to the point of tears. The earth was shaking violently underneath us, making the most intense moaning and groaning sounds I have ever heard.
It lasted for what felt like forever, I’m sure it was only a few minutes though. It stopped as suddenly as it started with the tent falling on top of us as its final bow.
“Are you all okay?” I couldn’t see anyone but Jay because the tent had us all blanketed but I was almost positive that was Kevin’s voice.
“Nick!” He asked urgently and even in the state we were in, I almost wanted to look up at AJ and say HA! Kevin cares more about me than he does about you. But since I was lying on top of him and all I decided against this.
“Yeah…” My voice sounded shaky and distant.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think so. AJ is okay too.”
“Yeah thanks for asking.” AJ announced with a just a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.
A few seconds later, I felt the tent lift up off of us as someone grabbed me under the arms off of AJ. “You both okay?” This time it was Brian who was pale and shaken up himself.
I nodded at him as my eyes went searching for Howie and Kevin, when I didn’t see them I began to panic. “They are okay.” Brian said as if reading my mind. “They are trying to radio Grim for help to find out what happened. Come on we need to get this tent back up before it starts raining again.” Once again I nodded as AJ and I helped get the tent standing upright again.
Luckily for us, the earthquake or whatever the hell that was, made the rain go away. If not, we would have totally been screwed.
Suddenly I felt a chill again, the same one I felt every time he made an appearance and in that moment I felt myself wanting to scream. “It’s started…” I heard him clear as day, but didn’t see him until Brian lit one of the lanterns. He was standing there in the corner of the tent as all the hustle and bustle was happening around him. Kind of like that weird naked Alanis Morrisette video, I know it’s debatable about which one of those two things was scarier.
“What do you mean?” Yeah I didn’t care of the guys thought I was talking to myself anymore.
“What?” Brian asked as he lit another lamp.
“It’s too late; he knows you’re here now.”
“Who?” Brian turned around to find what I was staring at before looking back at me with a look of concern.
“It’s too late.” He said once more when all of the sudden, I just got very woozy.
The last thing I heard as my face met the floor was Brian screaming my name.
Thanks for reading! I almost forgot to update this today! oopsies! lol i'll be back next Wednesday with another chapter :O)
