This is my first attempt at writing a horror story. Any tips are greatly appreciated!

"Race you to the cove!" Steven called to Amethyst as he took off through the forest. Amethyst laughed and chased after him. He weaved skillfully between the trunks of trees, Amethyst hard on his heals.

"On your left!" Amethyst yelled as she passed him by, looking at him triumphantly, only to crash into a tree.

"You okay Amethyst?" Steven slowed his pace, so he could call over his shoulder. She instantly flew up to her feet, and charged toward him. He laughed, and ran forward, bursting through the undergrowth, to find himself at the top if the cove. "I win!" Steven yelled throwing his hands in the air. Amethyst ran up beside him and gave him a high five.

"Don't be so sure." Another voice sounded from closer to the shore. Steven turned, to see Peridot sitting on top of a rock. She was wearing her sunglasses, clearly imitating Garnet when she just gave them a thumbs up from bellow. Steven hopped down the rock tumble that lead to the shore of the cove.

"What's up 'Dot?" Steven asked once he reached the bottom, Amethyst beside him.

"Connie was just telling me and Lapis about those 'ghost stories' you tell around a fire." Peridot responded gesturing to where Lapis and Connie were sitting. Connie waved at him and Amethyst as they settled themselves on the shore.

"So, as I was saying, you just make up a scary story that's ment to freak out the other people." Connie explained, as she adjusted her sun hat.

"Why would you do that?" Lapis asked, leaning back on her hands.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. It's just something every human knows to do when you're camping. The thing is tough, sometimes you tell the stories you heard from someone else. Those might be true, you never know." Connie replied in a mysterious voice. Just as she finished her sentence, the setting sun reached a position that made the water

in the river turn red, making it just that much cooler. The four listeners oooed at the mystery.

"Dinner!" Pearl called from above the cove.

After Eating

"Tell us a scary story Connie!" Amethyst requested, shoving her roasted marshmallow in her mouth. The Crystal Gems where sitting around a campfire just outside their cabin. It was dark now, the stars glowing vibrantly. Everyone turned their attention to Connie, she thought for a moment, then began,

"This is the story of the axe murderer, from Toronto. Ten years ago, there was a man named Salvador Lionblaze. He was a young man, in his twenties. And he owned a watch shop, in downtown Toronto, and he was well respected. He had a wonderful family, who he loved with all his heart. But one day, a fire broke out in his house. He was working at the time, and he was unaware that his family had died in that fire," Connie spoke quietly, and as she spoke of the fire, the wind picked up, making the campfire whip up, "When news got to him, he lost his mind. His family was dead, they were his everything. He ended up going out and causing fires in the streets, and somehow he found his way into a house. He grabed the nearest weapon in the house, a fire axe. He went through the house, and killed everyone who lived there. Luckily they caught him, and he was charged with asult of property, and murder. Sentenced to life in prison, or rather, an asylum, just outside the city. He ended up escaping. And he hasn't been seen since." Connie had leaned closer to the fire, casting an orange glow across her face. Everyone was silent, Amethyst had another marshmallow hanging from her fingers as she stared in horror at Connie. She seemed to be frozen in mid-eat. Pearl just looked behind her nervously, while Peridot and Lapis were holding eachother in fear. Steven and Garnet seemed like the only people who were totally calm.

"That isn't true...is it?" Lapis dared to ask. Everyone looked at Connie.

"It might be, might not be." She responded calmly, as she placed a new marshmallow on the end of he stick. Everyone seemed to look nervous now, looking around for any sign of an axe murderer.

"I'm sure it's fake." Steven said, trying to assure everyone, "I don't know, but it seems to vivid to be real"

"But it wa-" Connie was cut off by Steven shooting her a pleading look. "It was... told by someone at my school. So... uh... chances are high that it's fake." Everyone relaxed and resumed what they were doing. Connie beckoned Steven over, and he got up from the log he was sitting on, and moved past Peridot and Lapis.

"What is it Connie?" He asked when he was sitting beside her. She looked around making sure none of the gems where listening.

"Steven...I heard that story on the news. It's real." Connie told him nervously.