8 June 2012
We sat with bated breath, expecting more. When none came, there was uproar.
"That can't be all that there is?" Graeme Lernel calls out.
"Yeah!" My friend, Bill, shouts, "What happened to Riley and Kenan?"
Old Jameson calls for silence, hushing us. "Now, now. Relax children."
I can't hold back any longer. I have to know. "Did they find the food, Mr. Jameson?"
"Oh, yes," he chuckles happily, "You see, children, it turned out that the mutant was guarding a hoard of food in the kitchen, which is why the store was so empty. A lot of it was canned food and pretty much untouched."
A small number of people cheered, me included.
"So what happened when they got back to camp?" I ask.
Old Jameson stands up and throws some more wood into the fire, the flames casting strange shadows all around them.
"They were hailed as heroes of course; they had just saved the entire camp. The two that died were mourned, but their bodies were never recovered."
"What about Camp Kilburn?" Tali calls from behind me.
I jump with surprise. I didn't even realise she was here. My face heats in a blush. "Hey, Tali..."
"Hey, Daniel," she smiles prettily, "Scary stuff, huh?"
I nod and turn my head back to Old Jameson, not able to look her in the eyes.
"Camp Kilburn... No one knows. Like I said, this was a very recent event. Camp Kingsbury, Riley's camp, are still investigating," he pauses to pull out his smoking pipe. "It's like they all disappeared without a cause," he finishes, lighting the pipe and puffing smoke.
"That's so creepy," Tali whispers.
I agree. "I wonder what happened..."
"So!" Old Jameson yells. I jump with fright and Tali squeaks as she latches onto my arm. I stare at her slender fingers wrapped around me and smile. We stare at each other and laugh, embarrassed.
"Sorry," she mouths.
"It's okay," I mouth back.
Old Jameson slaps his leg. "Who's ready for another story?"
We cheer for more.
"Okay, then!" He grins, "This is the tale of the haunted train and the boy who discovered its secret..."
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To be continued.
Campfire Tales: Interlude 1 • Opuss № I