Katy stopped in the clearing, looking around, this definitely had to be where the old campsite was. Her grey eyes scanned her surroundings, seeing some old cabins that nature took a hold of, oh how she wanted to explore everything. That is until a strange voice whispered in ear:
"Oh, You'll stay here."
Katy looked around, not seeing anybody. The voice sounded so confident in it's words. While she wouldn't mind staying here, it'd be a hassle walking back and forth to get groceries. Katy smirked at her own remark. Sam and Tonya finally caught up, looking annoyed that Katy had ran off without waiting for them. She gave them a sly smile.
"Let's set up the camp here." Katy suggested grabbing the tent, Tonya seemed distracted looking around mesmerized. Sam walked up to Katy, her arms folded across her chest, giving Katy a motherly disapproving look.
"Katy, there is a reason they closed this place down." Her soft voice whispered, making sure Tonya can't hear them, she didn't want her scared.
"I know, and I said that it was just some murderer and strong winds, it's nothing." Katy replied a bit harsher than she intended. It was strange, she felt quite enraged Sam didn't want to be here, and usually she would be quite calm and listen to her best friend who was only doing what was best for Tonya. But Katy pushed those thoughts aside, when would they ever be able to spend a night here?
"Katy, are you okay? You se-" "I'm fine, just help me set up the tent." Sam sighed she had such a weird feeling about this place, the last thing she wanted was those rumors to come true, maybe it was a murderer, would they still attack? And if so, how could they defend themselves? They most weapon like thing they have is a pot and a wooden spoon.
"This place is very safe."
Sam whipped her head around her form, odd, she swore she heard a voice.
"Oh we're actually staying here?" Tonya asked, joining the girls in setting up the tent.
"Yep!" Sam and Katy answered at the same time, catching Katy off guard, she gave her a confused look. Katy assumed she'd say no, but after finding out she was on board with staying here as well, Katy smiled at her.
Sam however, was confused herself, she didn't feel it was safe, but another part of her whispered it was fine. Shaking her head to hopefully push away the confusing thoughts, she finished setting up the tent. It would comfortably fit all three of the girls, sure it wasn't big, but it would work between the three.
Setting foot into the tent, Katy spread out the sleeping bags, side by side, they all looked the same, so it wouldn't matter who slept where right now. Katy then set the duffel bags to the foot of the sleeping bags off to the side, not needing them right now. A sudden hunger stopped her from moving, sighing she went into the duffel bag with food, she grabbed a granola bar, something quick to ease the yelling of her stomach.
"Alright girls, let's go find the river!" Sam shouted, taking the lead. Katy and Tonya nodded, and followed. Katy took a bite of her snack, quickly making a weird face, it tasted odd, she looked at the wrapper, seeing the flavor; peanut butter and dark chocolate. One of her favorite flavors, she then averted her eyes to the expiration date, well it definitely wasn't expired. Katy shrugged, she decided to just deal with it, Sam planned on making dinner soon, seeing the sun almost hitting evening.
"You're not supposed to be eating that."
Katy's gaze darkened, she looked at the girls in front of her. They were focused on following a beaten path towards the river, they didn't say that so who did? She was going crazy. Sighing, she decided to continue following the girls. Soon enough, rushing water reached their ears, Sam smiled, and looked back at her friends, feeling accomplished she had led them here, although she had no idea there even was a river.
"Alright kiddos, here's the screaming river." It was funny, Sam almost felt like a tour guide or even a counselor, leading her friends to the river and telling them insightful facts. Katy sat down near the water's edge, taking a deep breath, her head felt fuzzy, seemed her headache was beckoning to come back.
Tonya was attempting to skip stones, her smile never leaving her round cute face. It felt nice to get out of the house on a new adventure through the woods, even staying at the old campsite, she was excited to brag about this to her schoolmates.
"Bring them."
Tonya jumped and looked back at her companions, neither of them were paying attention to her. Odd, she swore she heard someone, shrugging it off she stood up and dusted herself off and looked at Sam.
"What else is there to explore?"
Sam smiled, feeling a sudden leadership rise up. "Come on, we can look at the buildings!" Quickly she led the way back to camp. Katy gave her a weird look, first she didn't want to be here, then she wants to show us everything in a camp she knows next to noting about. On top of that Katy felt sick after that bar. Standing up she followed her sister closely behind, Tonya's smile plastered on her face, Katy smiled softly, at least her sister was having a good time.
Sam painted a vivid picture for Katy and Tonya of what it used to look like when the kids were here, she lead the girls into the old Cafeteria, the old bunkers, even the office. Nature had definitely taken hold of this place, dust and bugs littered the floors of the buildings, even some tree saplings were attempting to grow inside a few of the bunkers.
The whole time Katy, Sam and Tonya felt an odd gaze upon them, none of them wanted to scare the other so they never mentioned it. Even those voices would comment on whatever the girls were thinking. Like Sam started rethinking of becoming a baker to maybe working as a Camp Counselor, the voices told her she will become one. Katy was feeling sick after Sam's chicken noodle soup, she dug out most of the chicken and mainly ate that as it seemed to help, the voices kept telling her she shouldn't be eating that. And Tonya, she was being told to bring people here. Which she would definitely do, it seemed like a nice adventure.
"Alright I think we should get some sleep." Sam announced, the sisters agreed, cleaning up their dinner mess, they made their way into the tent. Katy being the last one outside. Before she set foot into the tent, a form caught her attention. She gazed towards it, forcing her eyes to adjust faster in the dark so she could see what was in the tree lines.
It moved.
Katy froze, it had to be some wild animal. Curiously Katy walked towards it, it stayed mostly still, but every now and then it would move. Before she knew it, she had reached the river, there in front of her was a body. An unmoving body. It seemed to be a man in his late forties, maybe from the campsite up the river.
Katy's eyes widened at the horror before her, without hesitating, she turned her heels and bolted away, looking back to see if it was even real. Which it was. Making it back to the tent, her heart was pounding against her rib cage, making it hard to breathe.
"Katy? It's a little late for a run." Sam joked, seeing her friend's out of breath form. Katy forced a smile. Almost immediately forgetting the body. Her stomach however did not forget that body.
Why was she out of breath again? Katy shrugged and joined the girls in the tent, taking the only available spot, the middle. Her eyes shut, and she immediately entered fantasies.