Chapter 1:Beginning
"It feels like a dream, doesn't it?" Lisa said, sounding rather enthusiastic. "I was thrilled when I heard we would be making this trip."
The car sped along the highway, the gravel crunching under the tires. Lush green trees lined both sides of the road, speeding past as the car moved on. Sam, who was driving, said, "Jessica and you never went camping before, so it will be a new experience for you—as well as for us. We didn’t get a chance to go on a trip together, and now here we are. I was kind of shocked when Jessica said she never went camping before. I heard camping is a popular thing in Australia."
"I could have, but you know, my mother isn't really fond of camping. So camping was excluded for me and I instead went to summer classes. It’s really a new experience for me."
"Well, lucky for you, we are here to help you with that," Sam replied. "It won’t be much of a problem considering there are four of us."
Lisa couldn’t help but stare in awe at the large pine trees surrounding the forest. She had heard of forests, read about them, but she had never seen one with her own eyes before. This will be a really good opportunity for her to experience the things she missed, thought Sam.
Max, who was mostly silent throughout the journey, sat quietly in the backseat beside Jessica. His eyes seemed glued to the window, occasionally lifting his binoculars to look into the forest.
Sam, noticing his behavior, joked, "Did you find any treasure in there, Max?"
"Maybe. Who knows? The world is a mysterious place after all. There can be treasures, but they would be hidden from the human eye. And I hope I will be the first to find one."
"You are very ambitious about your dreams, aren’t you?" Lisa said. "You even carried your notebooks with you on a trip like this."
"It was supposed to be a relaxing trip to enjoy ourselves before graduation," Jessica said, rather annoyed. "If you wanted to study, then why did you come?"
"Hey, easy gu—" Sam began, but Max cut him off, answering with a blank expression as he stared at Jessica’s annoyed face. "I need to make a detailed account for my biography studies, and I also need to make a project that I have to submit next week. I truly want to enjoy this trip, but I have to finish my work too."
He added, "...And I did come here to relax on this trip. I thought it would be a nice break from the stressful study life we have."
Jessica grumbled, looked away toward the window, but was soon absorbed in her phone, forgetting her annoyance.
Lisa looked away from the window. "How far are we, Sam?"
"Just a minute away," Sam replied, a little distracted. The sun was setting, so he sped up slightly, hoping to reach the campsite before dark. Suddenly, he saw the gate a few feet away. He sighed with relief and said gleefully, "We're here."
A man in his forties greeted them as the car pulled up to the gates. "Hey! Hello! Welcome to Eastpark Campsite! It's really nice to see youngsters in high spirits coming to camp."
"Why, hello!" Lisa replied cheerfully, giving her usual bright smile. "It's nice to meet you, sir!"
"Hello," the rest responded.
The portly man wore a muddy yellow shirt, brown pants, white camp socks, and black shoes. A red cloth was tied around his right arm, and several badges shone on his left chest, showing his excellence in camping and scouting.
"My name is Mr. Howard," he introduced himself, taking off his hat politely. In doing so, he revealed unnaturally dark hair—darker than night itself. After a small pause, he continued, "...Now according to the guidelines, I need to note down your names for registration. You will also have to pay the entry fees."
They each gave their names, and Mr. Howard wrote them in the registration book. Sam handed his driving license, and the man wrote down the car number.
"Are there any disabilities or physical problems you guys are facing right now?"
"No, we are not facing any problems," Sam replied. That was a weird question, he thought.
"Well, that's all. But before you enter, there are some rules you need to follow. Number one: the usable campsite area is marked by a yellow fence," he said, pointing at the map on the board. "Beyond the fence is the restricted area. I strictly advise you not to go past it because of possible danger from wild animals. Number two: since this is a forested area, it's possible to lose network on your phones. If that happens, you can go to that tower—" he pointed to a triangle-shaped figure on the south side of the map—"it's almost 60 feet tall, and you can get enough signal there to make calls. There is also a big red light. If there is any emergency—animals, medical issues—turn on the light and we will come as soon as possible."
"Number three: don’t wander at night. Sometimes animals may cross the fence and enter the campsite for food. Of course, you don’t have to be alarmed." He quickly added this when he saw fear on their faces. "We patrol the area, but just be cautious. Thankfully, the storm passed a few days ago, so animals won’t likely come near the safe zone. There may be fallen trees, but you will find enough space to camp. You don’t need to worry about trees falling, but try to set up in an open space."
"Oh..." Lisa replied, a hint of concern in her voice.
"You don’t have to worry, miss," Mr. Howard said gently. "We forest rangers are always here to protect you. We will take measures to ensure your safety." Lisa nodded.
"The trees are sturdy as ever; they won’t fall because of petty winds and storms." But his last statement somehow didn’t reassure them.
"We’ll be entering the campsite, then," Max said.
"Oh yes!" Mr. Howard brightened again. "Enjoy your stay!!"
Sam started the car and entered the campsite. Mr. Howard waved them goodbye.
Things are going to be just fine, Sam thought as he turned his gaze from Mr. Howard and looked ahead toward the forest path.
Somewhere beyond the trees, a red light flickered — distant, steady, and not meant to be on.
(Author’s note:There is a video about this story, kind of like a teaser in my wall, check it our if you like thes story!)
