Campfire Horror Stories (Vol. 1)

The Green Goo of Verde Lagoon

Renata Souza and Thomas Baker are two young adventurers that have ventured out to Florida to check out a new, mysterious lagoon. The owners were happy to see the young adventurers.  Apparently the lagoon was going to be a relaxing tourist attraction but, after the first week nobody wanted to go anymore due to a strange smell. The owners fixed the problem really easily yet, they still had trouble bringing in tourists.

"The lagoon's water had a greenish hue to it, which made sense why they called it, 'Verde Lagoon', Renata," Thomas said as he stood over the edge of the lagoon. "It's time to investigate, though. I will find a clue!"

"I'm sure you will," said Renata, ruffling his curly, brown hair. "I'll go check out over here." She pointed over at the other side of the lagoon.

After a good ten minutes of searching for something, Renata shouted out, "EUREKA!" Thomas immediately stood up from the grass he was kneeling on, and came rushing over to see the good news. "You should close your nostrils," she told him while pinching her own nostrils shut.

"Phew! Smells like animal feces," Thomas said, while trying to wave away the bad smell. 

The nasty, putrid smell came from a small chunk of green slime that was lying on the fresh, clean-cut grass. The slime bubbled a bit from time to time. Renata poked at it with a stick, hoping to get a reaction. The tip of the stick singed a bit, and that was it. Thomas brought out a small tube-like container, and scooped slime into it while wearing a pair of latex gloves.

"Hey look!" Thomas proclaimed, pointing at another piece of green slime.

Renata walked over to the other piece of green slime, then noticed there was a trail of green slime further down the grassy area that surrounded the lagoon. Thomas joined up with her as she followed the trail into the trees.

The trail of green slime ended after a good ten minutes of walking in the middle of the woods.

"Damn, nothing. Not even an answer for where this slime came from," said Thomas disappointedly. He took a few steps around the trees, desperate to find any answers for his questions. Renata scouted out the area as well.

All of a sudden a loud belching sound came out of nowhere.

"What was that?" Renata asked.

"What? You mean, who!" A loud voice bellowed. A giant, green slime monster came waddling over to them.

Thomas let out a sharp shriek. Renata side stepped in front of her friend. She picked up a large branch off the ground, and pointed it directly at the slime monster. "Alright then, who are you?" she asked the slimy monster.

The green slime monster stood about as tall as the trees, and was as wide as an elephant. "Do you really think that tiny branch will help you?" he let out a deep laugh, causing the leaves in the trees to wither, and fall. "As for who I am, I am Ludwig the slime monster."

Ludwig waddled further towards them. "I don't really care for who you two might be. Because as far as I am concerned, you both will be my lunch," he claimed, a terrible grin spreading across his slimy face.

Renata threw the stick at Ludwig's face, took Thomas's hand, and ran as fast as she could to get away from the terrible slime monster.

"You can't get away!" Ludwig shouted.

"Oh yes we-" Before Thomas could retort, a sharp, burning pain begun to erupt in the side of his arm. "AAARGH!" A part of his arm was hit by a fireball; his elbow was black and burnt.

"We should zig zag!" Renata told Thomas, letting go of his hand. "We have to get back to the lagoon entrance area!"

They both zigzagged their way out of the forest. Many of the trees and bushes were burnt down. Ludwig kept giving chase, throwing another slime ball that was glowing bright red. Unlucky for Thomas, he got hit again, and fell down flat on the ground. Screams of pain could be heard throughout Verde Lagoon.

Renata turned back to see Ludwig throwing more red balls of burning slime at Thomas. He was being roasted alive. Renata stood still in astonishment, feeling sick to her stomach by the sight of her best friend's frightened face. He was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Thomas shouted as Ludwig got closer to his burnt body.

Renata could not help but watch as Ludwig picked up Thomas's charred body, and put him into his mouth. Since the monster's body was transparent, she could see her best friend's body being slowly digested. Thomas's frightened face was burned into her mind.

"BUWAHAHAHA!" Ludwig laughed in an obnoxious manner.

The terrible laugh snapped Renata out of the trance she was in, and she began running in a zigzag formation again to the entrance area. She kept running until she got to the reception desk.

"Hello," the receptionist greeted with a gentle smile. "How may I help you?"

"May I borrow your phone? Just need to make a call," Renata asked in a calm manner.

Renata immediately dialed 911, and waited for the police to answer. When they did, she simply told them that her best friend got injured in the forest. Best not to tell them truth or else they'd think it's a prank phone call. When they arrived at the place, Renata was relieved and led them to the forest. The cops were surprised to see the tiny bits of slime on the ground.

Moments later, specialists, the FBI, scientists, and army personnel had arrived at Verde Lagoon. They found the Ludwig, the slime monster. He managed to injure two FBI agents before being detained. Renata wondered why they did not kill the monster. Perhaps, she did not want to know, for curiosity got her best friend killed.