Everybody was excited for the yearly school field trip to Van Cortlandt Park to camp for one day and one night. Everybody, except me. I hated camping. I'm a bit indoorsy, plus I don't like missing a day of my favorite anime episodes. This sucks. Whose idea was this anyway? But I had no choice.
Van Cortlandt Park is huge, sprawling across the Bronx with its dense woodlands, wide-open meadows, and winding trails. The bus ride felt like forever, the scenery blurring past as I sulked in my seat. When we finally arrived, the sky was a dull gray, the weather as gloomy as my mood. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, the kind of smell that makes you think of damp leaves and moss.
We were led to our campsite, a clearing surrounded by towering trees that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky. The teachers, Mrs. Thompson and Mr. Johnson, herded us like sheep, assigning tasks and setting up activities. There was a lot of grumbling from my classmates, but soon enough, everyone got into the spirit of things.
First, we set up our tents. There was a lot of fumbling and complaining, but eventually, colorful domes dotted the clearing. Then, we had a scavenger hunt, racing through the woods looking for hidden items. It was mildly entertaining, I suppose, watching Rowie trip over a root and Aki get a face full of spider webs.
After that, we played capture the flag, running and laughing as the wind rustled through the trees. I managed to avoid most of the action, preferring to stay on the sidelines and keep an eye on my teammates. It wasn't so bad, seeing everyone having fun. Even I couldn't help but crack a smile now and then.
By the time night fell, the campsite was bustling with activity. We gathered around a bonfire, its warm glow flickering against the darkening sky. We barbecued marshmallows and hotdogs. For a moment it felt like we were adults. The teachers had their own thing, playing cards, gossiping about other teachers, and some singing to portable karaoke leaving us to our own devices. The mood was a mix of excitement and nervousness, the kind that comes with being away from home and surrounded by the unknown. This must've been what it feels like to be not a kid who always had to be looked after by adults. This was the whole idea of camping perhaps.
We decided to tell stories, we spun a bottle so each could take his turn. I was running interesting stories in my head just in case the bottle points at my side of the circle. Well, I have a lot lately if only I can share them to my classmates and not end up in a mental hospital or something. When it was Aki's turn, he spun a tale about a mischievous ghost that lives in the woods and hides children who are never seen again. He said he heard the teachers talked about it earlier this morning. The girls were hugging each other in fear, and Aki's face and voice added to the flavor of a scary story. When the story hit its climax, he suddenly rose to his feet and changed his voice into a monstrous one. I had to give it to him for really playing the part. The girls scattered and screamed, but he just laughed it off.
"What is this kid? A psychopath or something?" I muttered under my breath.
"It's just a story, it's not true," Aki said, then added with a smirk, "But who knows? Maybe there really is a spirit here. But don't worry, we have Kyle with us. Kyle is more than capable of protecting us." He gave me a meaningful glance.
"He can't even look after himself," Mina chided. She's this bratty daughter of a wealthy businessman who thinks she's a big shot just because she can buy whatever she wants. God, I hate her.
When bedtime came, everyone was still afraid of Aki's story. Rowie even asked me if it was true, if there really was a bad spirit in the forest that kidnaps kids. The guy was so shaken he almost pissed himself.
"It's just a silly made-up story," I assured him. Let's sleep, shall we?
Just as I closed my eyes, Rowie said he needed to take a piss and asked if I could come with him.
"No way, man. I'm tired and it's cold. You'll be fine, " I grumbled, turning over in my sleeping bag.
I felt a bit bad, but I didn't want to go out. Rowie went out, and I fell asleep. I woke up at midnight. Everything was silent, save for the sound of frogs croaking at a nearby pond, even Pororo was fast asleep, drooling like a rabid cat or something. I moved to the side and noticed Rowie wasn't on his side of the tent. I wondered if he'd transferred to another tent or was still out. I'm starting to get worried so I grabbed my jacket went outside and looked for him.
I waited for him for an hour, but there was no sign of him. I tried texting and calling, but his number was unavailable. I asked around in other tents, but no one had seen him. I even tried asking Aki, the weirdo kid that I can't seem to like. There's something about him that bothers me though I can't quite put a finger on it.
"Maybe he was taken by the forest spirit," Aki said, half-asleep.
"This is not the right time to joke around," I snapped.
"I'm not joking," Aki mumbled before falling back to sleep as if nothing happened. I wondered if he was just sleep-talking or he's really is an asshole.
Angry, I went outside and saw Pororo staring at the forest, his fur bristle, his tail erect as if something agitates him. Closer I saw him snarling at the vast expanse of darkness in front of us. The red jewel on his forehead was blinking wildly like I'd never seen before.
"A mythical beast was just here," Pororo told me, his voice a low hiss. "And this one's not so friendly."
"Great. Just great," I muttered, looking at the dark forest in front of us. "Why can't we ever have a normal field trip?"