Ooooh, spooky!
Username: .paris.
Link to roll call post: here!
Link to previous form: here!
Word Count: 1,536 words
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Username: .paris.
Link to roll call post: here!
Link to previous form: here!
Word Count: 1,536 words
______
- xxxxx“Are you kidding me?”
xxxxxAkane, although she had tried to lay low at Kamp thus far, could not contain her outburst of disappointment when she saw the layout of the cabins. Row after row were lines of close, rickety, clearly unstable and completely unsleepable beds.
xxxxxTo her surprise, nobody else seemed to be bothered by this arrangement. They streamed in the door, throwing down sleeping bags and setting up sheets, already moving in small packs, friend groups beginning to define themselves. How could they be okay with a set up like this? Akane thought, standing alone in the entrance of the cabin, looking so sullen that a raincloud nearly materialized directly over her head.
xxxxxGrumbling, Akane grabbed a bed as close to the front as she could manage, hoping the sounds from the outside would be enough to drown out her fellow campers. Throwing her stuff down, she climbed up onto her bed, casually watching as the others settled in for their first night’s sleep.
xxxxxShe wasn’t really here to make friends, and all this forced closeness wasn’t helping her. Her Sunflower t-shirt already felt uncomfortably familiar for her, and she feared all the required friendship building and teamwork exercises were going to end up distracting her from her true goal at Kamp: training.
xxxxxThe kalon next to her smiled softly, perhaps looking to make a friend, but Akane wasn’t having it. The sun had already slipped below the horizon, and Akane, placing her pillow over her ears, tried her best to ignore the other campers and get some rest.
xxxxxA fierce screeching sound awoke Akane from her slumber.
xxxxxShe sat straight up in her bed, clutching her sheets to her chest as she instinctively lunged for her bedside table, ready to fight for her life. However, as her eyes adjusted, she saw that no one else in the room seemed bothered at all. In fact, they were all still fast asleep.
xxxxxBlinking, she glanced around, confused. How was no one else hearing this noise? It was ridiculously loud, at least to her, and seemed to slowly be getting closer.
xxxxxA pit settled in her stomach as she carefully climbed out of bed. What if Kamp was in danger, and she was the only one who knew it?
xxxxxResolved to her fate, she slipped her feet into her shoes, shrugging on a jacket before tip-toeing her way over to the door. The old wood hemmed and hawed underneath her weight, and she winced, hoping to get in and out without waking anyone else up. She didn’t want to be bothered, and, more importantly, she didn’t want to be caught.
xxxxxShe was just about to open the old cabin door when a mumbled voice interrupted her. “What are you doing?”
xxxxxAkane spun around, heart racing, praying to God it wasn’t a counselor. As her eyes adjusted, she realized it wasn’t a counselor at all, but another camper—he was small, gray, and clearly younger than her, and he was climbing out of a nearby bed, rubbing his eyes, clearly freshly awoken from his sleep. His blue eyes blinked up at her as she tried not to groan.
xxxxx“Nothing, kid,” she whispered back. “It’s not a big deal. Just go back to bed.”
xxxxxThe small kalon seemed to perk up at her deflection and narrowed his eyes at her. “But you’re breaking the rules. We aren’t supposed to leave the cabins at night without permission.”
xxxxxAkane rolled her eyes. “And you aren’t supposed to be up as late as us. What are you doing in this cabin, anyway? I thought this was all girls.”
xxxxx“My older sister is in this cabin,” he explained. “They decided she could keep an eye on me.”
xxxxx“I see. Well, I’m sure she’d be worried if she woke up and saw you were away. You should go back to bed now.”
xxxxx“But you never explained why you were leaving!” The small kalon crossed his arms, glaring at Akane. “If you don’t tell me what you’re doing, I’m going to go tell Cam.”
xxxxxAkane gulped. The sporty counselor intimidated her, and she definitely didn’t want to draw attention to herself, especially on the first night. “Alright, alright, fine.” She sighed, before beckoning the kid closer. “I heard this really loud noise, alright? I’m sure it’s nothing, but I didn’t want to let it go unchecked. I’ll be back in just a few minutes, I shouldn’t be long.” She stood back up smugly, hoping this would be enough to scare him off. “There. Satisfied?”
xxxxxHis eyes widened at the story, before he raced towards her, gripping his hand on the door. She snatched him away abruptly. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
xxxxx“I have to help you! We have to—“
xxxxx“Shhh!”
xxxxxHe lowered his voice. “We have to make sure Kamp is safe.”
xxxxxAkane sighed. “Look, kiddo, I get you’re excited and all, but this isn’t some super cool mission, okay? I’m just gonna go look around outside for a minute. Can you please go back to bed and forget about all this?”
xxxxx“No! I have to help you! Kalons aren’t supposed to be alone, especially at night, and especially on missions to save Kamp. I’m coming with you.”
xxxxxAkane thought she might strangle him. “Kid, look—this isn’t—I’m not—“ she sighed, before reluctantly opening the door. “You know what, fine. We get in trouble, it’s your fault.”
xxxxxHis eyes lit up, and before she had a chance to second guess her decision, he rushed out the door into the night. Grumbling, Akane followed after him, regretting getting up at all.
xxxxxThe dewy ground crunched quietly beneath their feet as Akane listened carefully for the noise. It seemed to come in waves, but she hadn’t heard it in a few minutes. She hoped that was good, rather than bad.
xxxxxIt could also just be drowned out entirely by her new companions blathering—he hadn’t stopped talking since he left the cabin. She knew all about him already—his name was Pip, he was 10 and a half years old, he loved bugs and nature and all sports except basketball, his favorite food was macaroni, and his sister made fun of him constantly. Akane found herself sourly thinking that she couldn’t blame her. Pip could be a real nuisance.
xxxxxFinally, Akane snapped. “Look, Pip, can you be quiet for just a second? We’re supposed to be listening for something, remember?”
xxxxxPip blushed, embarrassed, glancing down at his feet. “Oh, yeah. Right.”
xxxxxAkane cocked her ears to the sky, listening for the unfamiliar screeching again. For a moment, everything was silent, but then, it ripped through the night again. “There it is!” She yelled, sprinting in the direction of the noise.
xxxxxPip ran after her, his legs moving twice as fast to keep up. Despite the impromptu sprint, he had the biggest smile plastered on his face, excited to go on an adventure with his new friend.
xxxxxAkane ran quickly, keenly tracking the sound through Kamp. It led her to the tree line. She stalked the edge of the woods, searching for the noise as it grew ever louder. Eventually, she reached the tree the noise came from.
xxxxxShe grabbed it roughly, jumping around it to see what was lying behind it, ready to defend herself. To her surprise, the tree was hiding nothing.
xxxxxShe frowned. “It’s right here,” she said, almost to herself. “But where is the thing making that noise?”
xxxxxSuddenly, Pip’s face lit up, and he couldn’t hold back his astonishment. He began to laugh, the noise filling the hollow and bouncing off the trees.
xxxxx“Shut up!” she hissed. “What’s so funny?”
xxxxx“I didn’t realize you meant that noise, Akane, ‘else I never would’ve let you go!”
xxxxx“You weren’t going to let me go, anyway,” she grumbled, interrupting him. He ignored her.
xxxxx“You’re not from around here, are you, Akane?”
xxxxxShe shuffled her feet, embarrassed. “No, I’m not.” Then, defensive. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
xxxxxPip stifled a laugh. “Akane, that screeching noise is from a cicada. It’s a super cool bug, see?” He carefully moved aside some leaves to reveal a large bug on the side of the tree, screeching louder than she ever thought a bug could be. “They screech that loud to attract a mate, and to dispel birds.” She blinked, astonished, gazing closely at the small bug. Pip looked smug, happy that his knowledge was of use.
xxxxx“A bug is making all this noise?”
xxxxxPip nodded, pleased with himself. “Yep! See, aren’t you glad I came? Otherwise, you’d be out here all night panicking, not knowing it was all over some silly bug.”
xxxxxAt first, Akane was defensive, but when she looked at Pip’s genuine wonder, she realized that he wasn’t half bad. He was clearly passionate about bugs, and happy to have found a friend. With a tiny smile, she called him back.
xxxxx“Alright, well, come on. We ought to head back to the cabin before we’re missed. We don’t want Cam getting mad at us, after all.”
xxxxxPip giggled, before skipping after Akane, heading back towards the cabin, leaving the screeching cicada, and the lonesome night, behind.
