Camping Trip Shrouded in Terror

It was a crisp Friday night when a group of eager young boys gathered at the local national park. They were on a mission to earn their merit badge in the great outdoors, and a seasoned outdoorsman, one of their parents, had joined them to ensure their safety.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, they set up their campsite, sparks dancing in the fire's glow. The father, a pillar of calm and experience, watched over them, making sure they handled their tasks responsibly. 

But as the night deepened, something strange occurred. The boys awoke to find rocks scattered across their camping area. Bewildered, they speculated about the source of the rocks but couldn't explain their presence.

The father, sensing the boys' unease, took out a high-powered flashlight to investigate. He reassured them, suspecting it might be the work of other campers playing pranks. However, his search yielded no answers.

On the following night, as they were cooking their dinner, more rocks were hurled into their campsite. This time, the father aimed his flashlight into the darkness, trying to catch the culprits. Yet again, he found nothing.

Faced with the strange events, the father decided to take precautions. He advised the boys to clean up their campfire area and hoist their food high up into a tree to prevent scavengers from stealing it.

Morning broke, revealing a perplexing scene. The food bag had been torn open, its contents pilfered, but the rope remained intact, and there were no claw marks on the tree. A riddle they couldn't unravel.

The father, determined to solve the mystery, told the boys he'd quickly run down to the store for more supplies. As they continued their activities, two of the boys, their thoughts now shrouded in terror, witnessed a tall, hairy creature on two legs watching them from the woods. Panic-stricken, they fled to the camp to tell the others.

Skeptical but curious, the rest of the group approached the woods to investigate. To their dismay, the creature had vanished, leaving them with lingering unease.

When the father returned with groceries, the boys wasted no time recounting their chilling encounter. He brushed it off, thinking it might have been a bear, but the boys were adamant—it was unlike any animal they'd ever seen.

As night fell, the forest became a cacophony of screams that resonated in their chests. Tree knocks echoed through the darkness, and massive rocks pelted their campsite. The father urged the boys to stay close, but fear gripped them all.

With each passing moment, the terror escalated. The father's concern grew for the safety of the boys. He instructed them to remain behind him as he made a slow and cautious approach to the van. The boys huddled together, praying the fire wouldn't die.

As they reached the van, relief washed over them, but their ordeal was far from over. A hairy creature stood before them, blocking their escape. With no other option, the father honked the horn and accelerated toward the creature, praying it would move.

The creature slapped the side of the van as they sped away, leaving them with a chilling memory that haunted their dreams for years to come.

Back home, the boys and their parent tried to make sense of the inexplicable terror they had encountered in the woods. Some of the boys would never return to the forest, forever haunted by the memory of the creature that defied explanation.

Written by Derek B. Davis @ 2023