“This ache is starting to get to me…”, I muttered under breath, shifting the weight of my pack from shoulder to shoulder. The incline here wasn’t very forgiving, and lugging a bag full of things I’d probably never need wasn’t ideal, but I’ve always been the careful type. I look down to my Herdier, and reassure him. “It won’t be for much longer though, the campsite should be just up ahead here. Hang in there buddy.”
I then kneel down for him, give him a couple pets on the head, and he gives me back an excited response. My family told me that I shouldn’t go camping by myself, but I feel this was the best decision. I wasn’t going to be alone anyways, my little friend here would tag along and keep me the perfect company. He’d even keep me safe. I knew my way around this forest, and I didn’t think I would find anything too surprising. I stood up, and proceeded back on the trail, and my Herdier kept a close distance with me, although his curiosity couldn’t stop him from exploring the path. “Keep close, don’t want you getting too far.” I reminded him.
It was nice, finally getting away from everything. If it wasn’t for our intrusion, there wouldn’t be anything other than the sound of the wind whistling overhead. My mind began to wander, as I thought about the busy life at home with my family, and the contrast between here and there. Would they even be able to handle the silence for more than a minute? I wonder what they're doing now? These thoughts were cut short, however, as the incline gave way to an abrupt change in the path. My feet lost ground, and I started tumbling down, rolling over my bag. I reached the end, having scrapes and cuts all over myself, and was wincing at the pain. Herdier bolted after me, and started barking at my feet. “Ah… Should be paying attention to where I’m going.”
As I looked up from the ground, I saw a sign that read “Fortree Campsite”. I got to my feet, and started patting myself down. “Not the kind of entrance I wanted to make, but it’ll do.” I laughed to myself, knowing that if anyone was here, I’d be easily ridiculed for that.
I took a deep breath, and made my way to a comfortable spot to set up at. I’d need to get this down soon, as the day grew colder, and the ground started to become orange in the fading sunlight. Time passed pretty quickly, and before I knew it, I had a sufficient set up. Not as easy as I had previously thought, and the quality wasn’t too great, but it got the job done, and I’m sure my Herdier would appreciate it, at least. When I finished, I didn’t even notice that night had started falling pretty suddenly, and the surrounding area wasn’t visible past this thick darkness that had crept up on me. Luckily, I had a lantern on so I’d actually be able to see in this pitch black environment. I felt happy with the work, and so it was finally time to reward myself with a late dinner. I had packed several sandwiches for the night, and was ready to get started on it. I sat myself down within the entrance of the tent, and began unpacking the meal. Apparently, my Herdier was ready to eat too. Once I ate one of the sandwiches, I started taking the others, breaking pieces off, and throwing them away from the tent for him to run over and catch. He was enjoying himself, and I was too. I kept testing to see how well he could actually see the pieces in the dark, as I threw further and further, he had caught every one, and barked with glee as I applauded him. It was time to see how good he was, though. “Nice job, but let’s see if you can catch this.”
I threw the piece in a wide arc, and just outside the treeline that surrounded the perimeter. Herdier jumped straight for the snack, but he stopped just short of it in front of some bushes. “What, you don’t want it anymore?”
He was staring intently in the proceeding dark past the bushes. “Herdier?”
No response back, his eyes were locked on whatever lay in the shadows. “What’s the matter?”
That was when he ran straight into the forest. I stood up to my feet, grabbed the lantern, and ran over to the treeline, then called out for him. “Herdier, where’re you going?”
I started to panic, and ran into the forest after him. I followed the sound of his barking, which echoed through the trees. What had riled him up so much? I broke into a sprint, trying my best to keep up with him as I called for him again and again. I eventually caught up to him, as he had stopped before a dense wood. I stood right next to him, as he intently stared out into the shadows before us. He had stopped barking, and everything was quiet. It was hard to make out anything past him through the dim moonlight. I raised my lantern to reveal an imposing silhouette, as it towered above us. I froze for what seemed like an eternity, as I was trying to make out what exactly I was looking at. That was when whatever it was opened its gleaming, yellow eyes. That was when I broke this moment, grabbed my Herdier, and bolted straight back to camp. As I did, I could hear rustling coming after me, and a terrifying roar that cascaded around me. I didn’t look back. I reached the campsite, and kept going, following the trail out of the forest, cradling my Herdier tightly.. My pace didn’t slow down until I had reached my car. I looked back at the trail, half expecting to see whatever it was that Herdier had chased into the trees, but there was only the silence of the forest.
[Writing Contest] Spooky Tales (31st October)
in Events Archive
Posted
IGN: Azullie
Title: Misguided Comfort
Word Count: 1018
“This ache is starting to get to me…”, I muttered under breath, shifting the weight of my pack from shoulder to shoulder. The incline here wasn’t very forgiving, and lugging a bag full of things I’d probably never need wasn’t ideal, but I’ve always been the careful type. I look down to my Herdier, and reassure him. “It won’t be for much longer though, the campsite should be just up ahead here. Hang in there buddy.”
I then kneel down for him, give him a couple pets on the head, and he gives me back an excited response. My family told me that I shouldn’t go camping by myself, but I feel this was the best decision. I wasn’t going to be alone anyways, my little friend here would tag along and keep me the perfect company. He’d even keep me safe. I knew my way around this forest, and I didn’t think I would find anything too surprising. I stood up, and proceeded back on the trail, and my Herdier kept a close distance with me, although his curiosity couldn’t stop him from exploring the path. “Keep close, don’t want you getting too far.” I reminded him.
It was nice, finally getting away from everything. If it wasn’t for our intrusion, there wouldn’t be anything other than the sound of the wind whistling overhead. My mind began to wander, as I thought about the busy life at home with my family, and the contrast between here and there. Would they even be able to handle the silence for more than a minute? I wonder what they're doing now? These thoughts were cut short, however, as the incline gave way to an abrupt change in the path. My feet lost ground, and I started tumbling down, rolling over my bag. I reached the end, having scrapes and cuts all over myself, and was wincing at the pain. Herdier bolted after me, and started barking at my feet. “Ah… Should be paying attention to where I’m going.”
As I looked up from the ground, I saw a sign that read “Fortree Campsite”. I got to my feet, and started patting myself down. “Not the kind of entrance I wanted to make, but it’ll do.” I laughed to myself, knowing that if anyone was here, I’d be easily ridiculed for that.
I took a deep breath, and made my way to a comfortable spot to set up at. I’d need to get this down soon, as the day grew colder, and the ground started to become orange in the fading sunlight. Time passed pretty quickly, and before I knew it, I had a sufficient set up. Not as easy as I had previously thought, and the quality wasn’t too great, but it got the job done, and I’m sure my Herdier would appreciate it, at least. When I finished, I didn’t even notice that night had started falling pretty suddenly, and the surrounding area wasn’t visible past this thick darkness that had crept up on me. Luckily, I had a lantern on so I’d actually be able to see in this pitch black environment. I felt happy with the work, and so it was finally time to reward myself with a late dinner. I had packed several sandwiches for the night, and was ready to get started on it. I sat myself down within the entrance of the tent, and began unpacking the meal. Apparently, my Herdier was ready to eat too. Once I ate one of the sandwiches, I started taking the others, breaking pieces off, and throwing them away from the tent for him to run over and catch. He was enjoying himself, and I was too. I kept testing to see how well he could actually see the pieces in the dark, as I threw further and further, he had caught every one, and barked with glee as I applauded him. It was time to see how good he was, though. “Nice job, but let’s see if you can catch this.”
I threw the piece in a wide arc, and just outside the treeline that surrounded the perimeter. Herdier jumped straight for the snack, but he stopped just short of it in front of some bushes. “What, you don’t want it anymore?”
He was staring intently in the proceeding dark past the bushes. “Herdier?”
No response back, his eyes were locked on whatever lay in the shadows. “What’s the matter?”
That was when he ran straight into the forest. I stood up to my feet, grabbed the lantern, and ran over to the treeline, then called out for him. “Herdier, where’re you going?”
I started to panic, and ran into the forest after him. I followed the sound of his barking, which echoed through the trees. What had riled him up so much? I broke into a sprint, trying my best to keep up with him as I called for him again and again. I eventually caught up to him, as he had stopped before a dense wood. I stood right next to him, as he intently stared out into the shadows before us. He had stopped barking, and everything was quiet. It was hard to make out anything past him through the dim moonlight. I raised my lantern to reveal an imposing silhouette, as it towered above us. I froze for what seemed like an eternity, as I was trying to make out what exactly I was looking at. That was when whatever it was opened its gleaming, yellow eyes. That was when I broke this moment, grabbed my Herdier, and bolted straight back to camp. As I did, I could hear rustling coming after me, and a terrifying roar that cascaded around me. I didn’t look back. I reached the campsite, and kept going, following the trail out of the forest, cradling my Herdier tightly.. My pace didn’t slow down until I had reached my car. I looked back at the trail, half expecting to see whatever it was that Herdier had chased into the trees, but there was only the silence of the forest.