I’m a high school student just for some context, and like the title says I had a harrowing camp experience just a few weeks ago.
I think generally people fear the unknown, what they can’t understand; that’s probably what caused my experience to be so horrible. We didn’t understand what was going on until it was too late. I was excited for the school camp, sure it sounds lame but as a seventeen year old I hadn’t been to a school camp in over two years (thanks Covid) and was looking forward to a whole week of just hanging out with my friends.
We were lucky enough to be the only campers in the area, my school had booked all the cabins and almost half the school was there. My group consisted of my girlfriend, Ellie and our two friends Sienna and Amara. Across from us were the guys, Pehna, Finn and Kijani. The campgrounds were three rows of cabins surrounded by trees with the beach a couple yards to the left although we weren’t supposed to swim because of sharks. It was also hot as balls (thanks South Africa) so not swimming was a huge let down.
The first three days went fine, we did bushwalking, pioneering and fishing. The third night is when everything started to go wrong though. We had just come back from the bonfire that was held at the beach, me and Ellie left early due to some not so friendly comments from Kijani that Pehna and Finn rightfully lost their shit at. The rest of the girls were already at the cabin (they hadn’t gone with us) and we just messed around. Eventually we got around to playing truth or dare and since I’m no coward I chose dare, it was Sienna who told me to go in the forest.
It was simple enough, go and wait in the forest for fifteen minutes. Not too bad but those woods were pretty scary at night. I could see them watching through the window of the building. It was cold, disturbingly cold; the night had gotten straight up frosty. Ellie smiled and waved while the other girls mocked me from the warmly lit cabin, it was strangely comforting considering my fear of the dark. But nearing the end I began to “sense” something. It sounds crazy I know, but believe me: it was as if the environment was warning me.
Like when I was a kid and I’d make that race to my parents bedroom in the black of night, that feeling of some unseen assailant right behind you, that same sense of childlike fear that can only be calmed by the closeness of a parent. It’s embarrassing, but I wanted a cuddle from my mum. Screw this, I thought; I’m getting outta here. I don’t know when exactly but I started running and soon enough I was back inside. “Holy shit what was that?” Amara joked, laughing at my frantic sprint. I just brushed her off, “okay, so what’s next?”.
We played some more and eventually the guys joined us (except Kijani who was still salty about getting yelled at) there was truth or dare, spin the bottle (which me and Ellie obviously didn’t play) and eventually spotlight. If you don’t know what spotlight is, it’s basically tag but in the dark and you shine your light on them rather than tag the players. Finn ended up being the first on “in” and we all went and hid around the campsite. I went behind the boy’s cabin. It was dark but I was determined to win. There was a small opening in the cabin’s frame, I crawled inside despite the insect filled darkness and my own anxieties screaming at me not too.
It felt like every breath I took was a cough and every movement a clap. It felt like I had been waiting forever when I finally got a glimpse of the sharp white light as it shone through the cracks in the wood. There was no way Finn could see me so I remained calm until he moved on.
That’s when I noticed it, the floor was slick. This wouldn’t be unusual for a winter’s night but it was the middle of summer and had been one of the hottest days all year. I only noticed the puddle when the water seeped through my shirt allowing my skin to get that uncomfortable cold but not quite damp feeling. It smelt irony, like that metallicy flavour you get after running or the smell of rusty metal. I fled the cover of my hole, I was determined but I wasn’t going to ruin my clothes winning. The faint light of the moon’s glow revealed the horrifying appearance of the liquid, bright red blood.
I was so startled, I ran around the building, ignoring Finn as he cried out “Spotlight!”. I burst into the room, begging that Kijani had just spilled some cranberry juice or something but I wasn’t gifted such fortune. He was a bad guy but I didn’t want him to die. His body lay in a mangled heap at the corner of the room, something tore his entrails out but I couldn’t see any sign of the attacker. I remember jolting back in shock; you’d expect me to scream in fear but all I could do was watch trembling as the invisible creature approached, the only signs of its being were the bloody footprints it left on the hardwood.
“What the fuck!” I heard Finn scream from behind as he entered the doorway. Then the footprints stopped. For a brief moment we waited in agonising silence, neither of us wanting to startle whatever thing had killed Kijani. Finn was the first to bolt, I knew better and jumped aside, I could feel a strange heaviness bump against my shoulder and fly toward Finn who collapsed on the ground.
It’s hard for me to describe but, it’s like he was gone as soon as he hit the dirt. It wasn’t what you’d expect though, based on the footsteps I imagined a small little creature but it just wasn’t like that. Finn’s entire body was unrecognizable within seconds, even his head was ripped from his body. It was horrible. I’ve never slammed a door so hard in my life.
I pulled out my phone and frantically messaged the others to get inside but no one responded. I waited so long but in the end I had to lock myself in the bathroom and block my ears from the screaming. I wasn’t sure how many people were killed that night, certainly everyone who was at the bonfire. By the time I walked outside again it was morning, whatever creatures had attacked strung up my classmates as if to mock me.
I walked over to the water, my hands shaking, my body drenched with blood. Glistening shapes turmoiled beneath the ocean’s moonlit surface, retreating into the depths, and as soon as they had arrived they were gone. I still remember standing there as the sirens of nearby ambulances grew ever closer, alone, afraid, waiting for someone to save me.