Lirin: So here's a little late holiday story.
Max: Lirin does not own Beyblade or the characters.
Julia: She also doesn't profit from this in the least.
Lirin: Ah my good little summoned lackies. Doing all my hard work for me. Happy Halloween everyone :)
Spirit Swamp
This weekend was supposed to be fun. Or so Raul had claimed when we got invited.
See the BBA is hosting a camping trip for all the teams as a 'get to know each other' deal.
And yeah it does sound like fun. And so did the scavenger hunt the adults set up for us.
The rules were simple enough. We were paired with someone from a different team and given a map, compass and starting item to find. From that point we'd be given a new item and so on until we had all twenty items.
That is how I, Julia, ended up walking lost in the woods with Max.
We had started off doing really well. We had six items and were making our way to number seven when I slipped down a steep hill too sheer to climb back up. And Max being the kind soul he is followed me down instead of going for help. Kind not smart.
That was several hours ago. We still haven't found our way back to the path. And no one has come our way that we heard.
"Hey Julia, what's that?" Max was pointing ahead to our right where a light was barely showing in the darkening sky.
"I hope it can be some help. I'm tired of all this walking."
"Let's hurry and check it out," he said smiling at me.
We quicken our pace to get to the light. The closer we got the more it seemed it was a porch light on a cabin. The growing fog around us didn't even register as a warning sign to us.
Max came to a sudden halt as I crash into him. "What's the big deal?"
He says nothing and points. Our light had been set up at the gate to a closed off graveyard. It rested on the high stone wall to the left of the gate.
We shiver at the same time. Both our thoughts going in one direction. Creepy graveyard and thickening fog can not be good.
"Julia, do you believe in ghosts and monsters?"
"Not since I was younger," I explain. I don't want to admit that I just might be changing my mind. "We should take a look around for the caretaker. Someone had to have turned on that light."
I felt Max shiver again. "It could have been a ghost to lure us in. I've read if they have enough will power they can effect physical objects."
I roll my eyes. His theory was doing nothing to help my nerves. If we wanted to get out of this safely we had to think logically and not about spooky stuff.
(Campground)
Mr. Dickinson, Judy, Hiro, Romero, and Grandpa Granger were huddled around a picnic table with a map in the center and two lanterns at each end.
Romero had a clipboard that listed all the scavenger hunt pairs and their starting locations. From that they were trying to map out where Max and Julia could have gotten off course.
Hiro was running his finger along a part of the trail from their route. "Around here, if you're not careful, you could slip down the cliff like surface."
"Cliff like? As in they wouldn't be able to easily climb back up?" Dickinson asked clearly worried.
"Exactly sir. If they did fall they'd certainly have trouble getting out."
"I don't think they stayed there either. If they had they could have called for help when one of the other groups went by."
"I think you're right Judy," Hiro said. His own worried expression increasing. "To make that worse the map the kids got only outlined the trails needed. They've most likely gone far too off course."
"But which way?" Gramps asked.
Hiro sighed staring at the map. The area they had fallen into was kind of circular shaped that didn't appear to have many good points of getting out from. More concern on his mind was the local legend he read about while checking the grounds out online before coming here. It stated that people were drawn into the swamp by a light and disappeared. Hiro didn't have much faith in it until now.
"Hiro?" the oldest Granger asked when his grandson didn't respond quickly.4
The younger Granger looked around to all the adults waiting for him to say something.
"If they had gone to the right they could have found a narrow path that leads back up. Going left they would have walked around the cliff side before getting to an opening leading the opposite direction they want and end up near a swamp. That's the way I'm guessing they went."
"So what should we do about creating a search party" Romero asked what everyone wanted to know.
"That's obvious. Call the Ranger's station and give them our information. After that we follow their leads since they deal with these situations more often then we do."
"I hope those two will be alright until we find them," Judy said now showing her tears. She was terrified for her Maxie, and Julia too.
This wall goes on forever," Max complained as we walked.
We were using the wall as a guide to find the other side. We had long since lost the light as the fog blanket grew thicker around us. He had my hand tightly so we wouldn't get separated.
I can feel his trembling and no doubt he can feel mine. The further we move the more I think of his earlier comment about ghosts. It was as if we were in a horror movie.
"Max, look up there." I point ahead to a distorted yellow glow in the fog. I'm certain it's another light on the wall.
Once more we hasten our pace. My thought was correct and it was another light on the wall.
"Have we walked all the way around?" Max ask as we come to the gate.
I shake my head. There are differences here. For one the light is on the right side of the gate. Next is the chain lock being unbound. Thirdly the ground is softer here.
"No we haven't gone that far. I'm not sure if we're half way around or a quarter of the way."
"Oh."
"Either way I think we should go in there and check it out. It looks like the fog is less dense there too."
"But Julia what about the ghosts? They want us to go in there."
"Max don't be childish. There are no such things as ghosts or monsters. Plus inside we're more likely to find the caretaker. Now can we please go in?"
I said all that but my own convictions wavered. The longer we were out here the more I doubted what I knew and believed.
Max stared into the graveyard. He could see my point of it being clearer. Just not the evidence of there being no ghosts or monsters.
"You wont let go of my hand?" he asks. It was obvious his fear was increasing. Truth be told so is mine.
"I promise Max. Let's go take a look now."
Together we pull the chain from the gate and push the doors open. The soft ground gave some resistance but we manage and take out first steps into this mysterious graveyard.
(Campsite)
The rangers were at the campsite in under ten minutes. A record for the distance needed to be covered.
Two men got out of the jeep in their normal uniform, hats included. Hiro and Mr. Dickinson went to greet them.
"Evening sirs," one ranger said. "I'm Ranger Rouge. This is my partner Ranger McGee. What is the trouble here?"
McGee took out his notepad as Mr. Dickinson introduced himself and Hiro before explaining what was happening.
"Two of our campers have gone missing. We had a scavenger hunt earlier and believe that is when they went missing."
"We think we might have an idea where they dropped off the trail. It's labeled on a map over there," Hiro added in.
"That would be a good place to start," Rouge said. "We'll also need descriptions and photos if that's possible."
"Yes we can provide that. Judy and Romero should have the photos."
On the walk over to the shelter Hiro provided detailed descriptions of Max and Julia, including what they wore that day, while McGee wrote it all down.
At the picnic table the two Rangers closely examined the map. McGee taking notes on Hiro's labeled section.
"So this area here?" Rouge asked pointed to the circled spot.
"Yes, that's what we believe," Dickinson answered.
The Rangers looked at each other. They were both familiar with the spot. Locals tend to call that bowl the fading swamp.
"I really hope you're wrong about that," McGee finally spoke. "That area is big trouble."
"How so?" Judy asked. Worry for her son was increasing by the second.
"Well ma'am, that area is known to the locals as the fading swamp. The rumors are unclear because anyone that has ever experienced it first hand are never heard of again. All that's known is that a light acts as a beacon to those looking for a way to the trails. If you follow the light it is most certainly..."
"Thank you Ranger McGee, that is enough explanation from you."Rouge had an irked expression having to cut his partner off.
"Does that mean searching is pointless?" Judy asked holding back her tears.
"No ma'am," Rouge was working damage control. "We'll do our best to locate these children. All our available rangers will be working hard, so please rest assured. They probably just ran off to have their own fun in town."
Sadly his words did not comfort Judy or Romero in the slightest.
"Thank you my fine men. We're entrusting you with this."
"Understood sir. Please excuse us as there is much work to do."
On the way back to the jeep Rouge scolded McGee for giving the impression of this being a hopeless recovery case even if it was.
"Do you feel that?" Max asks after we just got inside the walls.
"Are you talking about the chill or your trembling? Cause if it's either of that then yes."
"No Julia, I'm talking about being watched. I feel eyes on me."
"Nope," I say shaking my head. "Max you're just para..." I pause hearing a rattling noise behind us.
Max and I turn together to see the chain floating in mid air and the doors closing. We're frozen in place as we watch it click locked.
Then the giggling kicks in. "New friends. New friends." It sounds like children chanting among the giggles.
"Believe me now?" Max asks as we hug tightly to each other.
"Uh...EEK!" Cold invisible fingers grab my wrists and Max's pulling us apart.
"New friends. New friends. New friends." The chanting continues as hands press against my back pushing while whatever has my wrists pulls. The soft ground gives me nothing useful to dig my feet into to resist the movement.
Max too is trying and failing to stop being pulled deeper into this crazed graveyard.
New friends. New friends. New friends." It intensifies the closer we get to the center. The giggles are getting louder too.
I could see where we're being led to. In the middle of the path is a crypt that's door swung open. It was obvious whatever had us was going to leave us in there.
The terrified expression on Max's face told me he figured that out too. We were going to die among the dead and become their 'new friends'.
"New friends. New friends. New friends." The volume peeks as we get shoved into the crypt and the door slams closed.
Inside it is pitch dark and the chanting echoes off the walls. Max and I manage to find each other and resume our clinging.
"I'm sorry for doubting you Max. I just wanted to believe ghosts and monsters were only stories." I was crying as I spoke. Something I rarely do.
"I did too. But I never let go of the fear of them from my childhood." He too is crying with an occasional sob.
It did not take us long to resign to our fate of dying in this box of dead. The echoing chant reminding us we were not alone in here and if we tried to escape they'd certainly stop us.
Together we sank to the ground to get as comfy as the situation would allow us.
As we settle things take another turn for the unexpected. The echoing never stops but our prison begins to flicker in and out of existence.
I jump to my feet and dash to the wall. Even then flickered off it feels as though the wall is still there but light is shining in.
"Julia," Max calls and I turn to look at him. He's still on the ground looking scared. Slowly his hand lifts up to show a mud like substance that's too runny to be mud.
I look at the ground to see it liquifying. Turning back to the wall I can see the liquefaction is happening everywhere. The tombstones and other markers we had passed were now barren trees of what and gray bark.
I feel myself begin to sink. The solid ground beneath me quickly fading to its true swamp state.
"Max it has been a pleasure knowing you and having the opportunity to battle you."
"I feel the same Julia."
We smile at each other. There's an odd comfort in knowing you're not dying alone in a hopeless situation.
As I fall further into the swamp I again look out to the world. Around us are bright red eyes glowing in the night. Hundred of eyes of the people lost here looking for their new friends spirits to join them.
Max and I both solved the mystery of our imprisonment. It's just lonely kids lost to the swamp looking for friends. They bring people like us to the heart of the swamp with their illusion trick and wait as the land swallows new victims to join their numbers.
Our bodies were never found in that vast waste land. And now we chant 'new friend(s)' when others wonder onto our land.
Max: New friends! New friends! New friends! All reviewers will become our new friends.
Julia: Well even be nice enough to let you readers keep your souls in your bodies. So please review and give us your thoughts.
Max: And become our NEW FRIENDS!
Lirin: Thanks everyone for taking the time to read :)