Sam opened her eyes, feeling the sun hit her face even through the tent's screen. She scrunched her nose in disgust, still feeling quite tired from having more fresh air than normal. Turning around, she saw her friends still fast asleep, sighing, she decided to maybe make some breakfast. Slowly standing up careful as to not wake up her companions, she grabbed some ingredients for instant oatmeal, she then sneaked out of the tent, slowly zipping it closed again. Feeling accomplished she was able to sneak out of the close-knit tent without waking anyone up, she smiled at the beautiful nature surrounding her.
Sam gasped quietly when she spotted a deer, within the treeline. Slowly she went to grab her phone. Realizing it wasn't in her pocket she groaned internally. Must still be in the tent, trying her best not to make any loud noises to startle the poor fragile creature. Slowly she tried to get back into the tent, without making too much noise.
That is until the zipper opened by itself and a certain blonde emerged shouting "Good morning boo bear!" the sudden voice startled the deer as it ran off into the forest, Sam glared at Katy, much to Katy's confusion. "What?" She asked, her grey eyes looking at Sam's brown ones, trying to look innocent.
"You scared off a deer, it was so adorable." Sam responded, walking towards the campfire they had last night to warm up the soup, now going to warm up their oatmeal. Katy muttered a soft 'Sorry' as she scratched the back of her neck, following after her.
"Quick question, have you seen my phone? I swore I brought it with me from the car." Katy asked, making Sam raise a brow, realizing she didn't see her phone on the shared solar powered charging station Katy had brought.
"I haven't seen mine either, would you mind checking the car?" Sam suggested as she started up the fire, the small flame eating away at the paper and starting to feast on the wood. Katy nodded, as she went into the tent to grab Sam's keys. Sam watched as Katy made her way down the path where they came from, until her form wasn't seen.
Katy almost lost her balance on the slick mud, still shocked there was still even some mud. She sighed and maintained her balance, then she noticed the sign as she passed it, noticing it looked less abandoned and more fresh. Odd, maybe someone decided to clean it up a bit? Looking back forward, she scrunched her face in confusion, why was she back at the river? Maybe she went the wrong way. That's not possible, she knew she saw the sign. Turning around, she made her way back to the camp, not knowing where else to go. Soon enough she spotted the smoke from the fire, moving her feet faster she reached Sam, assuming Tonya was still passed out in the tent as she wasn't outside.
"Got lost? The parking lot is the opposite way." Sam smirked, noticing Katy's confused face.
"I did go that way, I swear I even saw the sign, and then ended up at the river." Katy explained, hoping Sam would believe her, but also knowing how crazy it sounded. Sam raised a brow, confused at her friend.
"Come on follow me, you must've taken a wrong turn." Sam suggested, walking down the path. Katy sighed, and followed after, maybe Sam was right, she must've taken a wrong turn.
Leading the way, Sam was careful to stick to the path, after awhile, she noticed the sign, seeing it was now looking maintained. How weird, facing forwards, she saw the river, quickly looking behind her to be met with Katy and the same path that led them to the river in the first place.
"What." Sam muttered running past Katy back to the campsite, her heart pounding against her chest.
It had to be a wrong turn, it had to be!
Running down the same path once again, keeping her gaze focused straight ahead. She saw the same sign out of the corner of her eye, still looking straight ahead, she blinked and once again saw the river. Coming to a halt her eyes began to sting, this isn't right.
Sam and Katy continued this about five more times till they finally collapsed on the sand near the river, utter fear had stricken their bodies, making them feel weak and defeated.
"Sam, I think we're trapped." Katy's voice spoke she was shaking, Sam has never seen her look this scared, not even when she had confronted a clown that was following them after school. Sam wanted to laugh at that memory, seeing how she chased after it herself spraying pepper spray at it yelling 'How's it feel?'. But her mind was on something else now. Something seeming super-natural.
"I-I...I can't believe it.." Was all Sam had managed to say. Feeling the salty tears fall down her rosy cheeks. She looked at Katy, pleading for her to figure something out.
But Katy was just at a loss as Sam.
"I had heard, that um...people supposedly getting trapped here, for a few days. They claimed they saw these unearthly beings like aliens, I know it's ridiculous, but those beings they deemed them unworthy to continue staying here so they let them go. Maybe...Maybe we'll also be let go." Katy said shakily, feeling not so confident in her words.
Sam nodded, wiping her tears, "We better pray you're right." Sam muttered, wrapping her arms around Katy in a tight hug, which Katy had returned with the same amount of squeeze Sam was doing.
"Let's get back to Tonya, and do our best to stay strong, she cannot know." Katy said, breaking the hug. Sam nodded, she couldn't tell that poor girl they were trapped by some unearthly beings waiting to see if we were all deemed "worthy".
Slowly the two girls made their way back to the campsite, Katy had her arm around Sam, holding her close. Katy was going to tell Sam about that body, but seeing how shaken up she was now, she had decided to keep it to herself. She felt so shocked, not actually believing those legends were true. I mean how many legends about abandoned places are true?
Ghosts haunt an abandoned hospital? Yeah right. You'll be cursed if you take something from an ancient island? Lies. But a campsite that's ruled by aliens? Oh yeah that's true.
Katy sighed, seeing the dwindling fire and the tent. She smiled softly not seeing Tonya, that girl could sleep through an earth quake. Sitting Sam in front of the fire so she could distract herself with making the oatmeal. Katy went towards the tent to wake up Tonya.
Unzipping the protective shield of the tent, she poked her head inside, expecting to see the sleeping form of her sister.
Only to find she wasn't there.
Her heart dropped. No this isn't right. Standing up she looked around, catching Sam's attention. "Tonya!" Her voice echoed through the empty campsite.
Sam felt her heart drop, Tonya was missing? This isn't right, it can't be, why is this happening?! Quickly forgetting about the oatmeal, she joined Katy in searching for her sister.
Little did they know she was further away than their voices could carry.