Chapter 1
"Mom, do I have to go?" I asked my mother who was pulling out an old suitcase from under her bed.
"Yes you do, Kayla. You're not getting out of this camping trip like the last time," my mom replied setting the really dusty suitcase on top of the bed.
My whole family and I were going on a camping trip for the weekend. We used to go every other weekend back when I was five and my little brother was two, but I'm seventeen now and things have changed.
I sighed and went to my room. I knelt on the ground at the foot of my bed and pulled out an old brown suitcase with many camp site stickers stuck to it. I opened it up, and much to my dismay, started packing for the long and wretched weekend with my family.
I looked around my room, my one place away from the annoyance and stress caused by my immature little fourteen year old brother. I dragged my now full suitcase to the bottom of the stairs where my father, mother and brother were waiting, all with their own suitcases.
"Do you have everything, Kayla?" my dad asked me.
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, dad. I have everything."
He nodded his head and turned to my brother. "How about you, Jason?"
"I'm all ready to go," Jason replied, eager to go on the camping trip.
"Alrighty then! Let's go!" my mom said as she picked up her suitcase along with a cooler. We all grabbed our things, which included food, water, a few flashlights, two tents, four sleeping bags, and matches to make a campfire.
Dad loaded up the van and we all climbed in. I put in my headphones and Jason turned on his DVD player. Dad sat in the driver's seat and started the van. Mom said something about us kids and our technologies as we pulled out the driveway.
We pulled off the main road onto a dirt path leading to Pennsylvania state lands in the middle of the woods. We drove for a few minutes on the very bumpy road until we came to a small clearing where we would set up camp. Dad stopped the van and we all climbed out. Jason and my dad got started on setting up the tents, one for mom and dad and one for me and Jason.
Mom and I got everything out of the back of the van and separated mine and Jason's luggage from mom's and dad's. When the boys were done setting up the tents it was around noon. We were all hungry so I grabbed the sandwiches I made the day before.
After we ate, mom started laying out all of our sleeping bags in our tents. Jason and dad walked down to the lake which was down a narrow dirt trail. I had nothing else to do so I wondered into the woods. I was lost in my music that I didn't know how far I had hiked or what time it was until I tripped over a root from a giant oak tree.
I stood back up and brushed off my now grass stained and muddy jeans. I tried to look for the way I came or for smoke from the campfire, but I saw nothing but trees and leaves scattered along the forest. I started walking again, but I only got myself deeper and deeper into the forest.
I kept on walking until I heard leaves rustling behind me. I turned around, but nothing was there. Leaves rustled again, but from the side. I turned towards the noise, and once again, nothing was there. My heart started to beat faster and faster, louder and louder, until I thought it could pound a hole right through me.
The leaves rustled behind me again, so I turned. There in front of me was this small, black creature with what looked like a red heart outlined on the left side of its chest. The thing looked up at me with its eyes glowing yellow, sending shivers down my spine. I don't know what it was about this creature, but it was freaking me out.
I started to back up when I heard the rustling of leaves behind me. I turned and five more black things appeared out from the underbrush. I started backing up again, but more of those tiny creatures appeared behind me. I looked around me. The things surrounded me, inching closer and closer to my frozen body when this giant black creature appeared from behind a tree. It was the size of a large grizzly bear, but it held a large silver sword. The giant thing held the sword above its head, and it towered above me. It swung its arms down to strike me with the sword. I ducked down to avoid the razor sharp sword, but it slit down my arm, cutting me from my shoulder to my elbow.
I cried in pain and collapsed to the ground, grabbing my bleeding arm. The giant creature raised the sword again to strike me once more, but before it could hit me again, it was consumed in flames. The giant black thing collapsed to the ground and disappeared into the flames.
I looked up to see where the flames came from, but all I saw was a human-sized figure in a black cloak. It had its hood up so I could not see its face. The figure held out a black gloved hand for me to take. I reached for it, which was a big mistake. Pain went flying through my arm and I cried out in pain.
"Open up a portal, Axel," another cloaked figure said. "I'll carry her."
I was soon lifted into the arms of the black figure who just spoke, and the other figure, who must have been Axel opened up a large gray portal. The cloak that was carrying me stepped through the portal and everything went black.
