Sarah tried not to look as she sat awkwardly across the campfire from her roommate. Jen, Sarah's college roommate for the last two years, was lip locked with her current boyfriend. Is this one Mark or Matt? Sarah couldn't remember. It was hard to keep up with Jen's love life. Jen was boy crazy and all the boys that Jen brought around seemed to run together in Sarah's mind. The two young women were opposites, but that is what made them get along so well. They were ideal roommates. Sarah encouraged Jen to focus and study hard, where as Jen influenced the naturally taciturn Sarah to be more extrovert.
Sarah made a little throaty sound to remind them that her presence was still there. Jen broke the intimate embrace with the young man in her arms, grinning sheepishly, "Oh sorry Sar..."
"Mmmhmm, yeah..." Sarah tight liped her annoyance. Jen knew Sarah didn't like Jen's inhabitions on public displays of affection. She couldnt help herself, Mark was so cute and had a hard time keeping her hands off him, not to mention he was a great kisser! Jen hoped that Mark's room mate, Karl could help keep Sarah company during their Labor Day weekend campout.
Karl, like Sarah was kind of quiet and reserved, so Jen figured that they might get along. Alas, the two didnt seem to hit it off. Karl sucummbed to his room mate's cohercing to go camping, with the promise of a potential hook up with a girl. If the girl was anything like Jen, Karl figured why not go? When he first laid eyes on Sarah, he thought she was rather pretty, but soon learned about Sarah's distant demeanor. Actually she seemed rather dull. She was quiet, didn't say much, and really didn't give him so much as a glance. She was written of as a prude. So as coping mechanism Karl took to drinking beer, to help bypass the bordom.
" 'Bout time you two came up or air!" Karl spoke into his third can of beer. He, like Sarah held disdain for his roommate's unabashed conduct.
They all sat there in awkward silence for a moment. Sarah's mind began to think about all the studying that she could be doing instead of wasting her time out in a remote part in the woods.
Sarah stood, " I'm going to go to the car, I need to get one of my books, I need to study for a test next week."
Karl snickered, "Figures."
Sarah waved off his snarky attitude and began to leave the circle of light of the camp fire.
"Hey Sar! Dont forget your flashlight!" Jen piped up.
Sarah raised her flashlight like a baton, "I'll be back in a few minutes," and left the security of the light of the fire and people. Actually she was glad to be away from the group, this little trip was not going well at all. As she was leaving she heard Karl's voice state that he had to go relieve himself. She was glad to be away from him especially. As he was throwing the beers back the more of a jerk he was becoming.
She was not a fan of drinking, it held no thrill to her. She'd rather get caught up in reading a book series. As a matter of fact she was pondering over the latest cliffhanger in the novel that she was currently reading, not really paying attention to the sound of multiple steps on gravel on the way to the car. As she approached the vehicle she felt someone come up behind her. It was Karl, she could smell the beer off his breath. He pinned her up against the side of the sedan. "What are you doing?" she cried out. "Ya know, you're still pretty, even for a prude."
"Get off me!", she tried to push him away.
"Awe come on...show me that you can be a little fun, hmm?"
"Look I'm not that kind of girl!", again she tried to push him away. Although he was inebriated he was still a lot stronger than she was. She began to frantically slap and hit where his hands began to grab at her body, causing her to drop her flashlight.
A loud screech pierced the air. The sound of flapping wings grew louder in the darkness. Karl then let her go and was using his own hands to protect his head from sharp talons and beating wings. A sizeable bird of some sort was attacking Karl. Sarah began to run in the confusion, fast and away from the scene. Thinking that she was running on the gravel road in the darkness soon realized she didn't know where she was. Karl had forced her to drop her flashlight. Only a little moonlight filtered through the canopy. The young woman strained to hear any noise of people over her labored breath and pounding heart. All she could hear were the sounds of the forest on a summer night. It reminded her of another forest she had once visited. The trees here were not as large and gnarly and didnt sparkle in the moon light. These trees loomed straight and dark like sentinals, casting long dark shadows. Sarah had a terrible sense of direction, despite that she once navigated an entire labyrinth, but that was with the help of some friends. She wished that they were with her now.
"Hello?" She called out. Hoping that someone would hear her. No response. She walked around the forest for what seemed like half an hour. Every so often calling out into the darkness. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a light. A pale glow hovering in the darkness. She started for it hoping it was someone's flashlight or lantern. "Hello?" As Sarah got close to where she thought it would be, it dissappeared. Looking all around her she saw it again in the distance. She followed after it a little further, "Hello? I'm lost! Is anyone there?" Again as soon as the girl got close to the light it would disappear and reappear in the distance. Now things seemed to be geting a little odd. It was as if the light was guiding her to somewhere. She was hoping back to her camp ground. Sarah learned a few years ago, don't take things for granted. Three more times she followed the light deeper into the wood. Upon climbing a slight rise she entered into a small clearing. Her breath caught in her throat. There in front of her was mass of twinkling blinking lights swirling in the air. A light rhythmic humming tuned pleasantly all around. The lights began to swarm near her and Sarah tried to make out what they were. Upon closer inspection they were little winged people, very similar to the long ago fairy she once encountered. This species seemed smaller and eminated a glow and as their gossamer wings flapped rappidly, they caught the light and looked like they were sparkeling. The young woman made her way into the center of the clearing, stepping into a ring of mushrooms. She heard indistinct whisperings as the little creatures buzzed near her head. A sense of awe and calmness enveloped her. She was overcome with the urge to turn and twirl with the little creatures. The twinkling lights began to blur in her vision as she spun. The sensation began to lull her eyes closed. Sarah felt blissfully serene as she drifted off into unconsciousness.
She was dreaming that she was as light as a leaf. Her body was softly floating and spiraling down. It was an oddly tranquil feeling. She really didn't want to wake up, but she kept hearing the twills and tweets of birds. She knew that was a sign of morning and that she needed to get up, but she was all warm and nestled into her covers. Covers? Sarah awoke with a start. Last she remembered she was lost in the woods at night. Her surroundings were dark and covered over her. She was surrounded on all sides by fabric. Am I in some sort of a tent? As she stirred she realized that all of her clothes were gone. How did I get naked?! As she looked around she noticed a hole of light coming in through the folds if fabric. She crawled to the hole. As she pushed back the folds and carefully poked her head out. Looking around she noticed that she was still in the forest. Her gaze drifted upwards towards the canopy. Something was different. These were not the same trees. No! No it can't be! No,no,no,no! Gathering up the fabic around herself to have some sense of modesty she realized she recognized what it was. It was her shirt! How did it get so big? Standing up she looked around. No...how did I...? Memories of the previous night resurfaced. Those little flying jerks! When I'm gonna get hold of one of them, I'm gonna...