I walked across the uneven forest landscape, something about the smell of pine and the sound of a crackling campfire would normal warm the soul and bring peace to the body, right?
Not in this particular instance.
"I pitched the tent..." I said, my voice shaking slightly.
"Heh, you look like you saw a ghost." Sophie said.
"D-Don't....Joke about that...." I replied.
"Give it a rest Sophie, poor guys terrified." Darren said, casually roasting a marshmallow over the fire.
"Am not!" I retorted.
Sophie stood up and walked over toward me. "I mean...It is possible you've seen a ghost....The forest is riddled with them." She started. "They lurk around and stalk you...Then at the perfect time they.....GET YOU!" Sophie yelled, wrapping her arms around me.
At that specific moment, I made a scream I was not proud of, and will not be describing in this tomb. Darren rolled his eyes while Sophie continued gigging manically at my fear. I was 14 and just barely in high school, Darren and Sophie were both 16. (You'd think Sophie would be a bit more mature....)
"Look Toby, the ghost stories are just....Well, stories." Darren reassured me, giving Sophie the ever so familiar "Stink eye." Sophie shrugged and say down next to the fire with Darren, putting a marshmallow on a stick and proceeding to roast it. I followed suit after a few seconds.
"You know....I'm really not that scared..." I stated.
"BOO!" Sophie yelled, grabbing me and once again I made a sound I wasn't proud of. I glared at her before Darren spoke up.
"Change of subject, what ghosts do you even think haunt this forest?" He asked.
"What kind of topic cha-" I was interrupted.
"WELLLL...." Sophie began.
"I've heard it's a ghost that tracks campers down and eats their insides while they're still alive." She beamed.
Although after Sophie said that, the wind picked up. My heart pounded in my chest while Sophie chuckled to herself. "The wind means it's here...." She whispered giggling manically once more, I was glad she was enjoying herself...
"Wooo, man I am tie-rd. I'm gonna go to bed!" I said, walking towards the tent.
"It's 4pm." Darren stated, confused.
"Already?!?!" I said with flawless fake suprise.
"Because man, I am plum tuckered!" I lied.
"Alright then, make sure nothing kills you while you sleep!" Sophie teased, I ran into the tent and zipped the door shut, I unwrapped my sleeping bag and laid down on it, rethinking my life choices.
In my quest to become popular I have traveled to a ghost forest with two of the most popular people in my school, what could possibly go wrong here?!?!
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a unfamiliar voice.
"I'm.........Hungry....." It stated. I immediately sat up as my eyes darted around. No one else was in the tent...Could it have been a ghost? PFFFT, Nah, it was probably just.....Uh.....Uh, Sophie! I unzipped the tent door and ran outside back to the campfire.
"You were saying spooky things outside of the tent to terrify me, weren't you?!" I stated accusingly at her.
"Nope, I've been here the whole time...." She said, consuming a smore while she spoke.
"She was." Darren projected.
"I-I-I'm going on a walk!" I yelled, taking off into the forest.
My mind was racing as I dashed through the comically large forest blanketed by trees, what could that have possibly been?! until I heard the voice again. "Hello again Toby...I want to play with you...." It said melodically.
"HAHA, NO THANK YOU FOREST DEMON GHOST!" I shouted behind me, running faster, the trees now becoming a blur, until I slowed down and eventually I couldn't run anymore and collapsed in front of an abandoned cabin. Big mistake.
"I don't believe in ghosts!" I yelled terrified, suddenly a female materialized in front of me, she was translucent and she looked pretty normal, wearing a black turtleneck sweater and shorts. She was also wearing some sick looking high top sneakers. She had black hair wrapped up in a ponytail and eyes with no pupils, oh yeah and she had 5 claws sticking out of her back. "You don't believe in ghosts?" She asked calmly. I was honestly too tired to scream.
"I-I guess I do now...." I said, standing up and backing away slowly.
She walked a few steps closer to me "W-Where are you going?" She asked softly.
"Uh........Nowhere..."I stated turning around, about to start running.
"Wait, I'm not gonna hurt you!" She said taking slow, careful steps towards me.
"Aren't you gonna eat my insides while I'm still alive?!" I questioned. The ghost looked disgusted for a brief moment "The hell? I don't eat people, I used to be a person!
...Before I died of course. Now I'm...Uh....This..?" She stated, pointing to herself seeming confused.
"But...But....But-" I stammered.
"I'm just lonely. But everyone runs away from me when I try to talk to them." The ghost states.
She had a solid point.
"Uhm....You could hang out with me and my friends if you want." I offered.
"But wouldn't they be.....Freaked out?" The ghost questioned.
Suddenly I had an idea,

A WONDERFUL IDEA!
(Involving Sophie...)

To be continued ig whenever I feel like it, depends if people care abt it lol