Chapter XIV: The Shed

The crackling campfire cast flickering shadows across our faces as we huddled closer, the night air filled with a sense of unease. The tale had been spun, a tapestry of mystery woven with threads of fear. Anabelle was recounting the story, sifting through the details like each word was a piece of the puzzle that was Camp Willoughby.

"She said someone snuck into the shed and then they disappeared," Her words hung in the air, a shiver running down my spine. "According to the book, one of the campers saw something. Moving in the shadows. She heard it call her in the night and to the shed."

"What, like she was being lured there or something?" Dwight's voice wavered, his eyes darting to the shed in question, its outline barely visible in the moonlight.

"That's what it says," Anabelle affirmed, her eyes wide with a mix of fascination and fear. "Maybe by whatever voice was calling her."

A ripple of tension spread through our small group, the glow of the campfire providing the only semblance of comfort in the wilderness.

"So she fought back," I mused aloud, my mind trying to process the eerie tale.

She nodded, her eyes distant as if she could see the events unfolding in her mind's eye. "She'd stay up at night so it wouldn't creep into her head and give her nightmares. Then she sat down to write it all down somewhere."

"And then?" Dwight's voice was barely more than a whisper, his gaze still fixed on the shed as if it might reveal the answers to the mystery.

"So one day she gets off her bed," Anabelle's voice quivered, "and she says she's finally going to confront whatever was drawing her to the shed. But when she got there, no one knows what she saw, but she was never seen again."

The crackling fire seemed to hold its breath, the night's stillness pressing in on us. Glasses' tale was a chilling one, a campfire story that felt too real, too close for comfort.

"It might've all been lore," I offered, trying to break the tension. "But it was one hell of a campfire story."

Dwight ran a hand through his hair, his expression a mix of skepticism and intrigue. "So why did Dawson PG the story?"

My mind raced to make sense of the question. "Maybe because there were kids there? No. They barely paid attention most of the time."

Belle's eyebrows knitted together in thought. "Maybe she thought it was too unsettling."

"I think that's the entire point of campfire stories," Dwight pointed out.

A gust of wind rustled the leaves around us, and I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling exposed to the vastness of the woods around us.

"Someone disappearing into thin air? Seriously?" I muttered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the shivers cascading down my spine. "Sounds like something straight out of a horror movie."

Anabelle shot me a wry grin. "Oh come on, you're not getting spooked, are you? You're supposed to be the brave one here."

Dwight chimed in, his voice low and sarcastic. "Yeah, Miss. 'I don't believe in ghosts or whatever.'"

I shot them both a glare, my attempt at bravado falling flat. "Hey, I don't believe in them, but doesn't mean that I want to hang out with them."

Dawson's story had taken on a life of its own, its tendrils of unease wrapping around us like the smoke from the campfire. I glanced at the shed, its silhouette dancing in the moonlight, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Was there really something out there that could draw someone in like that?

"So, she just followed this mysterious voice to the shed?" I asked, not quite able to shake off the feeling that this was all just a prank.

Anabelle nodded, her eyes wide and earnest. "According to the book. She was like, hypnotized by it or something."

Dwight leaned forward, his skepticism giving way to genuine interest. "And then poof, she's gone? Trippy."

A soft breeze rustled the leaves, making me pull my hoodie tighter around me. "I mean, who even falls for something like that? 'Hey, disembodied voice, lead me into the unknown!' Come on."

Anabelle's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Well, maybe she had a thing for danger."

Dwight chuckled. "Or maybe she thought she was auditioning for a reality show—'Survivor: Spooky Shed Edition.'"

I smirked, feeling the tension begin to lift. "You guys are ridiculous."

Belle's expression turned thoughtful. "But seriously, it's like she wrote down her own horror movie. What kind of ending is that?"

"That's the point, right?" I said, my voice quieter now. "Campfire stories are all about leaving you hanging, making your imagination run wild."

Dwight rubbed his hands together. "Well, my imagination's running all right. Running far away from that shed."

We laughed, the camaraderie of the moment easing the eerie atmosphere. But I couldn't shake off the image of that shed, standing in the darkness, holding secrets that might never be revealed.

As the fire crackled on, Dwight's voice took on a contemplative tone. "So, are we gonna go check out the shed, or what?"

I rolled my eyes, shooting him a grin. "Yeah, yeah, you know me—can't resist a good dare."

Anabelle raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're serious?"

Dwight's lips curved into a sly smile. "Hey, if Glasses' story is legit, maybe we'll have our very own campfire story to tell."

I chuckled, exchanging glances with them. As we stood, facing the looming silhouette of the shed in the distance, the unease was still there, but now it was mixed with excitement. The unknown lay ahead, cloaked in shadows and moonlight, waiting for us to unravel its secrets. And who knew, maybe this time, reality would prove stranger than fiction. Or you know, we'd die. Horribly. There was no way of knowing for sure. I took the little girl's hand and she gave me a semblance of a smile. I knew as much as I put a brave face on, there was a dread swelling inside me I couldn't explain. And she knew it too.

The familiar rustling of leaves marked their arrival, and I found myself standing before Camp Willoughby's entrance sign, heart thudding louder than the cicadas' chorus. The moon's glow etched their silhouettes against the night, and I caught Anabelle's stoic expression, Dwight's half-hearted salute, and Penny's wide-eyed curiosity as she clutched her stuffed bunny.

"Alright, team fearless, are we all ready for a night of spook hunting?" Dwight exclaimed, striking a dramatic pose.

Anabelle gave him a flat look. "We're just checking out a shed, not hunting for Bigfoot."

Penny nodded in agreement, her bunny ears bobbing. Dwight chuckled. "Oh, come on, Belle. You never know what mysteries the shed might reveal."

We'd agreed on signals – subtle gestures to communicate if things went south. I rubbed my thumb against my fingers, a hidden sign that meant "all clear." If I signaled a flat palm, it meant "danger, abort mission." We were all in this together, bound by both curiosity and a hint of trepidation.

I took a deep breath, exchanging a glance with Anabelle. She gave me a small nod, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk. This was the point of no return.

As we approached the shed, I tried to mask my apprehension behind an air of casual curiosity. "Alright, team. We're here. Let's find out if this story's got any legs."

Dwight snickered, glancing at the shed. "If this shed could talk, I'm sure it'd tell us we're a bunch of loonies."

Anabelle elbowed him playfully. "Speak for yourself, Doubting Dwight."

I turned to Penny, her wide eyes peering up at me. "You ready, Penny?"

She nodded, hugging her bunny even tighter. "Ready,"

"Alright, remember the signals," I reminded them, flexing my fingers subtly, our secret code passing between us. Then, heart pounding, I stepped forward and opened the shed door.

The musty scent of old wood and dust hit my senses, and my flashlight sliced through the darkness, revealing piles of forgotten camping gear. My heart raced as I glanced back at my friends, giving them a reassuring nod.

Anabelle's eyes gleamed with anticipation, Dwight offered an awkward thumbs-up, and Penny, though wide-eyed, seemed ready to face whatever lay ahead. I hesitated just a moment before entering, my heart drumming in my chest like an overeager bass drum.

As the door creaked shut behind me, I found myself bathed in the soft light of my flashlight. Shadows danced around the corners, and the air was heavy with silence. My heart raced in rhythm with the fluttering wings of moths.

With each step, the air grew colder, and my breath formed a thin mist. My flashlight flickered, casting eerie shapes on the walls. I was here to find the truth, to unearth the mystery that Glasses' story had spun.

My breath hitched as I saw it – an old journal, its pages yellowed with age. It lay nestled between a stack of folded sleeping bags. My fingers trembled as I reached out, flipping through its contents. My eyes widened at the tales within, tales of strange voices, of luring whispers, and the camper's final confrontation with the shadows.

Closing the journal, I stashed it in my backpack, a secret treasure to sift through later. It was time to leave, to rejoin my friends and share what I'd discovered. But as I turned to go, my flashlight caught something in the corner, a glimmer of gold peeking out from beneath a pile of old blankets.

I reached down, my fingers brushing against a delicate necklace with a pendant – a small key. My pulse quickened. What could this key possibly unlock? I slipped it into my pocket, my heart pounding louder than ever.

As I emerged from the shed, my friends' eyes fixed on me, waiting for a sign, a nod of confirmation. But before I could share my findings, a voice lashed out from the shadows.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Candy's voice dripped with malice, a 360 from the saccharine sing-song voice we ad come to know, accompanied by the strumming of a guitar, courtesy of 'guitar boy'.

I felt a chill as they stepped into the moonlight, their eyes narrowing at the sight of my friends and me. Candy's lips curled into a smirk. "You didn't think you could have all the fun without me, did you?"

"We're not exactly friends here, so why the hell would we factor you into our...'fun?" Belle shot back.

Candy's mouth twisted into a nasty snarl. It was like Freaky Friday and I was looking at a whole new different persona of Candy. But the snarl slipped away and was replaced by her characteristic smile once more.

"I'm sorry, what I meant was, what are you guys doing out here past curfew? It's awfully dangerous." she said with a pout. "What if you ran into a bear or something?"

Penny clutched her bunny tighter, and Anabelle's expression turned guarded. "What do you want Cottonmouth?"

Candy's laughter cut through the tension. "Oh, I just want to join in. I'm not about to be left out. And I want to keep you all safe."

Candy chuckled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Mind if I take a look in the shed too?"

Before I could protest, she was inside, shutting the door behind her. My heart raced as the minutes ticked by, the shed's wooden walls muffling any sounds from within. The waiting was excruciating, and the concern on Dwight, Anabelle, and Penny's faces was palpable as they stared at the shed's closed door.

Just as Dwight reached for the doorknob, the door swung open, and Candy stood there, a sly smile curling her lips.

"Any luck she actually disappears?" he asked which earned him a glare from Lance.

We all shared a look. Honestly, I didn't know how to feel about her. She wasn't sweet no matter how many gumdrops and gummy bears she slapped onto her wrist and ears.

"You guys thought I disappeared too, didn't you? What, were you expecting the shed to gobble me up?"

Dwight stumbled back, his attempt at a confident grin faltering. "No way, we knew you were in there the whole time!"

Candy let out a mocking laugh. "Sure you did."

As she and Lance walked away, my friends let out a collective sigh of relief. Penny glanced up at me, her eyes wide. "Are they gone?"

I ruffled her hair, offering a reassuring smile. "Yeah, they're gone."

Anabelle punched my arm playfully. "You actually looked terrified for a second there."

I smirked, feeling a mixture of triumph and excitement. "That's one word for it..."

We began our walk back to the campfire, the moon casting its silvery glow over the woods. As we reentered the circle of light, Dwight raised an eyebrow. "So, what did you find?"

I shot him a mysterious grin. "We'll talk about that in the morning."

Penny tugged at my sleeve, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Can I see?"

I tousled her hair affectionately. "Sure thing, Penny. But we'll have to wait until tomorrow. It's a story best told in the daylight."

The shed wasn't even the part that sent shivers down my spine that night. No, it was Candy's sudden appearance that truly had me questioning everything. It was past nine already, so what was she doing out past curfew? And how did she know we'd be there?