Written by: Niharika Chapagain - 25006, Grade IX
Posted on: 15 June, 2021
After the completion of the exams, students were bored during their summer vacations. Likewise, Alex, Trevor, George, and Jordan, were students of Oxford Academy and had been friends since middle school. Alex called all of his friends to his house, initiating to do something adventurous and make their summer vacation memorable. Trevor, Ria, and Jordan reached Alex’s home, and they decided to go on their trip and started thinking about where they should go. After rejecting all the suggestions like trekking, rock climbing, picnic, etc, they finally ended up with a decision to go camping in the forest. They all spoke to their parents about their trip and all of their parents agreed as this was normal since they became friends. They used to hang out together before and have sleepovers too, so none of the parents had a problem with their planned trip, instead, the parents arranged a tourist guide for them, to make sure they stay safe. After a few days, the trip had started and they had gotten inside the jeep of the tourist guide, with their bags.
After a lot of talking, singing songs, dancing in the jeep, they finally reached the forest. The tourist guide seemed like a nice guy as he had made everyone comfortable with him, and his name was Austin. He started to show different things and talked about the place as they walked around the forest, reaching a certain point where he suddenly stopped and warned the four of them not to go into that area as it was a dangerous area of the forest. But being the mischievous and disobedient youths, of course not caring about the warning, they all decided to go to that part of the forest in the night when the tourist guide will be asleep and come back before the guide is awake. Finally, after setting up the tent, and having food, Austin first made sure that all of them were asleep and he himself went to sleep. After realizing that Austin was asleep, they all quietly made outside of the tent and started walking towards the area.
Among the four of the lads, George was a bit cowardly, so the three of them decided to tease him. As they entered the danger area, the rustling noise of the dry leaves, on which they were walking, was the only sound they could hear. Gradually, as they walk together eyeing each other, Trevor, the mischievous boy among them, decided to tease them by making noises and soon, Alex and Jordan joined him, startling George. They made animal sounds or pretended that they saw a ghost. Jordan suggested Alex and Trevor go back to the camp, leaving George alone in the forest. They asked George to take the lead and all three of them ran towards the tent. As George moved forward, he could hear a growling sound of an animal. As the sound got closer, he panicked and looked around to find no one. His friends had left him alone, and frightened he started running towards the camp panting. Spooky noises were getting louder and louder as he ran as fast as he could. While he was running, his foot stuck with something, and gulping as he stared down, he saw a hand covered with blood. There was only a hand, and the rest of the human body was missing. As he stared frighteningly at the sight, he suddenly heard a loud growl. As he turned towards the sound he was met with a hungry lion jumping towards him. He got terrified and froze at the sight. The lion attacked him, making him bash at the ground with the lion on top of him.
It was already morning and George was not back at the camp yet. All of them were worried about him as the boys had left him alone. The guilt, regret, and realization hit them as they told everything to Austin. They couldn’t keep waiting, so everyone went towards the dangerous area with Austin together in search of George. As they walked further, they had to see a horrifying sight that no one had wished for. Everyone burst into tears as they saw a lifeless George, with a ripped body, blood oozing out. The guilt of leaving George alone was killing all of them. Had they not left him alone, and went together to the camp, George would’ve been alive. They blamed themselves for everything that happened and couldn’t grieve their friend’s death. Nobody had thought that a summer vacation camp night would have changed so many things in their lives, and instead of being adventurous, that trip instead became a painful memory for all of them, including Austin, who also blamed himself for being careless.
