The long road North and campfire stories

Back on the road again the next morning. Or at least what passed for one around here. They came into a more wooded area as they drove the path, they saw a vehicle, a man standing outside flagging them down. They pulled over, they could see park ranger logos on the truck and a native-American in the driver’s seat. Jo Ann rolled down the window but Frank said the first word “Evening.” The man smiled “Are you with the Rangers?” Jo Ann asked. Neither man seemed to have the uniform even though they had the truck. “You can say that.” He said with a smile “Listen folks. I’m sure you had plans for a fun camping trip but you have some pretty bad timing.” “Why is that?” Frank asked. “Well, aside from the heavy snowstorm coming there is the wildlife to consider.” Dylan and Jo Ann looked at Frank, they seemed to want to find a new camp sight. Wayne in the car behind, came out himself to see what was going on. He tightened his hood before talking. “What seems to be the problem?” “The ranger says bad weather is coming.” Jo Ann informed him. “Thank you for your concern but we’re pretty prepared.” Frank said, getting annoyed that they were not on their way yet. “It’s fine Frank, we can camp somewhere else. One place is as good as the other.” Wayne said “No!” Frank said and everyone seemed startled. Frank calmed himself “No. I’ve been planning this for too long. We are going where I set out to go.” “The wildlife is pretty…fierce up here, especially this time of year.” The ranger said. “Seems like your group would be fine with another location.” Frank was really getting annoyed now and Wayne could see it “Again. Thanks for the concern. But we’ll be fine.” He told the man. He looked to his companion in the ranger truck who didn’t seem to want to let them go. “I still think that’s a real bad idea but if you keep your campfire going.” He suggested “Maybe set up some kind of defense perimeter-” “Can we go now?” Frank asked with a bit of rage in his eyes. The man raised his hands and backed away. Wayne shook his hand as Frank started his motor back up. Wayne rushed back to his car and followed Frank.

“What’s his hurry?” Catharine asked. “And what was all that about?” Wayne told her what the ranger said and that Frank was dead set on going to his lake. Catharine was really starting to not like Frank and gave Mary a look of aggravation. Even though it was still daylight out, they could hardly see the sun through the trees. They reached a small patch near a lake with a waterfall in view and Frank stopped the car. Everyone got out and looked around. They had to admit, it was a beautiful place. Everyone sets up camp again and Dylan and Wayne go out to collect firewood. Discussing Frank while they were gone.

Night fell and everyone was gathered around the fire and well fed. Frank settled in and started telling ghost stories. He told a legend of the Wendigo. “Often viewed as an undead moose-like or werewolf creature that feed on human flesh.” He said “Some think the Wendigo is simply a large vicious animal, but a few believe that it is a cannibalistic man.” Jo Ann tried not to scream because she had just finished reading a book from an unrecognized author where that second option was the case. Catharine and Jo Ann’s boyfriend Dylan insisted it was just a story “He can’t even make up his mind what it is. It’s a moose. No a wolf.” Dylan said but Frank seemed to want to egg her on. “People always think things like the Wendigo don’t exist until it’s too late.” He says with a crooked smile. The other men tried to calm the girls down while Frank laughed his way to his tent. Again Catharine looked at Mary and Jo Ann. She liked them but man, did they pick the wrong guy to bring along.

Jo Ann wakes up very early the next day, because she can’t sleep. Visions of flesh eating moose-wolves kept entering her mind. Dylan got up too. He didn’t like seeing Jo Ann like this and was pissed at Frank for scaring her. Dylan walks her around the camp, showing the safety precautions made. Their camp was still well lit and no food was left out. Crickets and owls were the only things heard for miles. Frank gets up and sees the two. He creeps out and when they are close… “Boo.” He almost whispers. Jo Ann jumps back screaming and Dylan almost takes a swing at Frank who simply laughs at the both of them. “You son of a bitch, would you knock it off?” Dylan says but Frank just keeps chuckling away. The other two look around and soon Frank realizes what they were noticing. No sound. All the animals were now quiet. The silence crept on for several seconds “Well, I guess I scared them too, eh?” Frank said and laughed again. Jo Ann runs off in tears and this time Dylan does punched Frank in the ribs, he goes after his girlfriend and Frank smiles through the slight pain as they disappear through the trees.

Dylan finally catches Jo Ann and holds her. “Ignore that jack ass. We never should have invited him.” She sobbed “I know.” She said and sobbed some more. “He wasn’t so bad at work…Or maybe he was and I just didn’t see it.” Dylan held her as she calmed herself down, he heard a twig snap. Dylan turned to the noise “Go away you little shit. You scared her enough.” But no one came out. Jo Ann tried to bring Dylan back to camp but he wasn’t moving yet. He positioned himself in front of her and clenched his fists “You want some more do you?” There was a rustle in the leaves, again Jo Ann pulled at Dylan “Let’s just go back already.” “No. I’m going to kick this pricks ass. If you…“ Another rustle and something big rushed from the trees and bit down on Dylan’s neck. Jo Ann screamed at the sight of this grey, almost rotting beast and fell over backing away. Dylan wacked at it as best he could but the beast tore at his arm and chest and then flung him down. Jo Ann ran off screaming back to camp, a few branches reached out and scratched her as she ran but she didn’t care about them. Looking back, she could no longer see Dylan or that…thing. She made it through the trees and ran smack dab into Wayne who grabbed her by the shoulders. “What the hell Jo?” she finally started to calm down, seeing Mary and Catharine there too. They all look at her like she’s crazy, and maybe she was. Frank emerged from the trees as well. “Can’t a guy take a leak in peace?” He asked. Catharine looked at him in disgust and went to her friend. Mary joined her and Jo Ann slumped down onto a log and cried again.

They let her compose herself, Frank was the only one who seemed annoyed as he lazed out in the chair he brought. Jo Ann finally told them what happened and Frank laughed. “Oh man. I never figured Dylan for the pranking type but that’s a good one.” Everyone looked at him in annoyance. “He’s not.” Catharine said. Wayne got up and grabbed a flashlight. Frank got up too but simply called out Dylan’s name. Wayne and Catharine moved closer to the trees. The other girls were going to stick with them. Frank sat back down “Someone may as well stay here if he does come back.” He said.

The four went out, keeping in visual distance, their lights swinging all over. Jo Ann led them to where she believed the attack happened but no one saw anything. No monster. No Dylan. No blood. Still calling his name, they barely noticed they were the only things in the woods making noise. Mary was getting frustrated, if this was a prank it wasn’t funny. She wanted to go back but the others didn’t want to leave Dylan out there. She got further away from the group and shouted “Dylan! Come out you jack ass!” Jo Ann freaked “This isn’t a joke Mary. He’s dead.” “Then where is the body?” Mary asked “Where’s the blood?” “If it was Wayne…” she didn’t finish. She just walked away “Ann.” Catharine called. Suddenly they heard a growl and they all froze. The creature leapt out and snatched Mary and they both disappeared into the woods. The other three screamed like mad, the girls ran back to the camp.

The girls came back to see Frank lazing by the fire, Jo Ann gave him a kick to wake him up “What the hell?” he said getting up. They didn’t answer. Wayne came from the trees and went to his tent “What the fuck was that thing?” He asked them as he grabbed a gun from his bag and loaded it. “It’s a Wendigo.” Jo Ann said fearfully. Frank laughed again. He was enjoying himself a little too much for their liking. Wayne went back out with his loaded weapon to look for his girlfriend.