Chapter Three: A loud beep haltered Sam’s progress. Her eyes let up and she greedily began texting furiously as soon as she had confirmed that she had actually got signal.
Mary stared at her father is disbelief. For once she was not alone in her family; Sam was currently also staring at Jonathon, doing a very good impression of a goldfish, Mary could not help but note. She decided to see if Sam could add to her amusement. It’s probably bad to consider your family comic relief… oh well. Mary shrugged and settled more snuggly into her armchair to watch the show. She had a fleeting wish for popcorn but doubted that Sam would put off her explosion for her to get some. She suddenly grinned. And. Here. We. Go.
“Let me see if I understand correctly. Not only did you bring me hundreds of miles away from anywherecivilised to camp, which FYI means cold, wet… nastiness! And bugs! But you have decided that what passes for entertainment in the godforsaken frozen wasteland-”
“It’s not fro-”
“-is, and I quote, family time.”
“Sammy, there is no need for such drama. We’re going to have lots of fun together.”
“Oh my God, you’re not even joking.”
“Alright, that is enough. Samantha, do not take that tone with your father. You know we decided to take this holiday to reconnect as a family.” Interesting, Mum actually seems to believe that rubbish.
“Mary (uh oh), come here and stop being so antisocial. We’re going to play a board game. And you are going to HAVE FUN!”
“Screw this, I’m out of here.” Sam rose and quickly exited the tent.
“Samantha Margaret Smith! You get back here right NO-”
Her mother’s voice pleasantly drowned out by the gorgeous voice of Britney Spears, Sam took out her phone. She placed it close to her face and gave an annoyed groan as she saw the ‘No signal’ sign. Raising her phone above her head she began to move away from the camp, seeking the elusive signal. Muttering to herself - “If I don’t have any signal for 2 weeks I will just die!” - She began walking backwards. Suddenly, with a cry ripped from her, she fell over onto her back. Scrambling up she spun around, and spotted the tree root. With a nervous giggle she spitefully kicked the root. Deciding to return to camp (after all she didn’t’t want to be grounded… even if she was stuck in a forest for 2 weeks and so had nowhere to go to anyway), she turned. A loud beep haltered Sam’s progress. Her eyes let up and she greedily began texting furiously as soon as she had confirmed that she had actually got signal. She never even saw the hands that reached out and snapped her neck. Samantha Margaret Smith’s last thoughts were a mixture of You would not believe where I am now, Kelly! and Ow, stupid bugs. Luckily, she was already dead when she was dragged under a nearby bush.
Mary yawned. And stretched. And then she yawned again. She placed her chin on her hand as she focused on her little brother. She had decided to see if looking intently at him would make him hurry up and pick a murderer. Apparently it did not. Four minutes and 52 seconds later, Daniel straightened and looked around the tent smugly. Jonathon smiled at him.
“Well, have you figured it out?” There was a pause, suitably tension filled. Mary wondered whether Sam had had, for once, the right idea about leaving.
“It was… Mrs. Peacock… with the gun… in the conservatory!” Daniel triumphantly reached for the pack in the middle.
“Wrong.” Mary stated absently while her mind was occupied with whether she could reach freedom if she ran.
“Am not, Mary!” Her shouted name brought Mary swiftly back to the present.
“Yes, you are.”
“Am not! Am not! Amnot!Amnot!” Mary watched, fascinated, as he slowly turned a distinct red colour.
“Mary, would you like to say why you think Daniel is wrong?” Came her mother’s definitely not patronizing voice. Mary looked at her as she silently held up 3 cards: Mrs Peacock, The Gun and The Conservatory.
“Ah, sorry, sweetie. You’ll get one on the next round! Your turn, Mary”
“Colonel Mustard, Rope, Library.” There was a period of silence while the other players checked and rechecked their cards. Finally, Jonathon pulled the cards out of the pack: Colonel Mustard, The Rope and The Library.
“You cheated!” Daniel shouted. Oh, here comes the red again.
“How could I have cheated? Mum put the cards in the packet outside the tent while all of us were inside.”
“Cheater!”
“Daniel, sweetie, she didn’t cheat.” Uninterested in the bribery and coddling taking place, Mary stood and stated,
“I’m going to find Sam.” She walked towards the exit and yanked the flap upwards. She then kicked the creature trying to get in directly in the face. As she scrambled up, Jonathon and Henrietta Maria jumped up, table upturned with a crash. Henrietta Maria grabbed Daniel and pulled him sharply behind her. Jonathon grabbed the metal skewer they’d used to roast marshmallows. They stood still as the shadow on the tent wall did the same.
“Who is it? If you need help, you can ask, not just simply ba-”
“Hungry.”
“What?”
“Hungry. Need food.” Jonathon and Henrietta Maria looked at each other. Henrietta Maria shook her head as she held Daniel closer. Mary had her eyes closed and her brow was furrowed. Her mother noticed and called her to come closer to her. Mary ignored her. Henrietta Maria spoke softly as Jonathon tried to get more information out of the creature outside.
“Mary. Come here. I know you’re scared but-”
“Not scared.” Mary answered, eyes still closed. Her mother tried to reassure her.
“We’re all scared, honey, but everything will be-”
“Not scared.” Slightly annoyed her reassurances were being dismissed so easily she asked,
“Then what are you doing?”
“Trying to remember what I saw.”
“When?”
“When I opened the tent flap.” Jonathon had given up trying to talk to the creature and turned to Mary. He asked,
“What did you see?” When Mary opened her eyes, anger burned deep inside them, as she stared at the shadow. Speaking loudly, she suddenly ran forward and yanked her father away from the shadow,
“I saw Sam’s mobile, in his hand, and it was covered in blood.” Amid the gasps and denials there came a stuttering laugh from outside, then,
“I’m still so hungry.” The Smith’s looked horrified at each other.
“What should we- Mary!?” Face white with fear, Henrietta Maria started to shake. Mary walked towards them with a knife in each hand; she stepped past them and sliced an opening in the back of the tent. Turning back to them, face calm, she told them,
“Run.”
YOU ARE READING
Within Darkness
Short Story“Immortality is not a gift, Immortality is an achievement; And only those who strive mightily shall possess it” - Edgar Lee Would you be willing to walk in the valley of the shadow of death? Or would you go even further by not merely crossing the va...
