Steve felt a moment of panic rise up inside him. He took the wet towel away from his face and scanned the area in concern. Then he grinned.
"Jesse, you idiot, it's right over there behind those trees, just where we left it."
"Oops, sorry," said Jesse, embarrassed. He guided Steve over to the car, opened the doors and lowered Steve into the passenger seat. "Watch your head." He then bent to do Steve's seatbelt.
"I can do up my own seat belt you know," said Steve, taking the strap from Jesse's hands.
"I didn't want you to aggravate your hands."
"I won't. You're the only thing that's aggravating me."
"Sorry." Jesse made his way round to the driver's side and got in. He strapped himself in and put the key in the ignition and then he glanced at Steve again. "Are you comfortable enough?"
"Jesse…"
"Sorry. It's just I'm worried about you."
"Well hurry up and get me to a hospital then." Jesse put the gear into neutral and turned the key. There was a mechanical sound, but the car did not start. Jesse tried again with the same result.
"What's the matter?" asked Steve from behind his wet towel.
"I don't understand. It won't start," Jesse glanced at the dashboard. "What on earth…?"
"What?"
"It says we're out of fuel."
"That's impossible," said Steve. "We filled up only recently!"
"I'm going to look under the bonnet," said Jesse getting out of the car. He opened the bonnet and exclaimed in surprise. "The fuel lines have been cut!"
"That's not all," said Steve sounding serious and coming up beside Jesse. "Take a look at the tyres." Jesse walked round to the side of the car and gasped.
"Slashed. All four of them," said Steve. "And I only have one spare. How come you didn't notice?"
"I was busy guiding you," said Jesse. "How do you suppose it happened?"
"Not by accident, that's for sure," said Steve. "Someone's been tampering with our car."
"But who?" asked Jesse incredulously. "We are miles from anywhere."
"I know, and that's what worries me," said Steve.
"Maybe it was a bear," Jesse suggested hopefully.
"There are no bears in this area," said Steve, grinning at Jesse despite the situation. "And even if a bear did slash our tyres, how did he get under the bonnet?"
"I don't know. You think of an explanation."
"Ok. I don't think these little accidents that have been happening are coincidences. I think someone tampered with our car and possibly even the stove."
"But why?" asked Jesse.
"I don't know," said Steve. "Let's go back to camp and phone Dad and Amanda and let them know what's happened and phone the police as well."
"What about your face and hands?" asked Jesse.
"You will just have to patch me up, unless you are suggesting we walk the twenty five miles back to civilisation."
"I'll go get my medi-kit," said Jesse.
X X X
Back at camp Jesse insisted on seeing to Steve's hand before he used the phone. He carefully removed the shard of shrapnel from the back of Steve's hand as Steve gritted his teeth against the pain.
"Sorry," said Jesse. "I don't have any anaesthetic."
"It's ok." Next Jesse bathed the cut in antiseptic solution, applied a cream, plaster and bandage.
"Finished?" asked Steve.
"Nearly," said Jesse and tossed him a bottle.
"What's this?"
"After Sun for your face. At least you'll come back from this trip with a tan!"
"Ha ha, thanks," said Steve dryly. "Now I'm going to call Dad, why don't you gather some wood and try and light a fire."
Steve went inside and retrieved his phone from his rucksack while Jesse gathered fallen braches from the surrounding area.
"Blast," said Steve coming out of the tent. "I haven't got a signal. I'll just move around a bit and see if I can pick one up."
"Ok."
Steve wandered a few yards away, holding the phone in the air. The screen remained blank. He carried on walking and found a large rock and clamoured to the top of it. He tried the phone again, still nothing. Steve cursed in annoyance. Just then he heard Jesse calling him frantically.
"Steve….STEVE!"
Steve felt a chill run down his back and he leapt down off the rock and raced back towards camp, his heart thumping. He found Jesse standing outside the entrance to the tent looking terrified.
"Jesse what is it, what's happened?"
"I went inside to get the matches," stammered Jesse. "You know, to light the fire and I found it on my bed."
"Found what?"
"This," said Jesse and shoved a sheet of paper into Steve's hand. Steve glanced down at it and gasped. On the paper, in large red letters that looked horribly like they were written in blood were the words:
Are You Afraid of The Dark?
"You say this was on your bed?"
"Yes," said Jesse trembling. "Do you have your gun?"
"Yes, don't worry," said Steve and put his hand to his waistband just to check. Then in a hushed voice he said. "We must be being watched. We were only away from the camp for about five minutes when we went to the car."
"Steve, I'm frightened," said Jesse. "Let's call the police and get out of here."
Steve felt his heart sink. "We can't. There is no signal out here. Try not to worry, I won't let anything happen to you," he added as Jesse looked alarmed.
"Try not to worry?" said Jesse beginning to feel hysterical. "We are miles from anywhere with no car, no phone and a madman who is leaving us threatening letters. I knew this trip was a bad idea!"
"Don't panic," said Steve feeling quite panicky himself. "For all we know this is the work of a couple of teenagers from a nearby campsite who are playing a practical joke."
"Well I don't think it's very funny," said Jesse.
"Look lets be practical here. It's dark now and we can't go wandering off into the night. Why don't we light the fire, have a drink, something to eat and try and get some sleep. Then in the morning we can try walking for help."
"What, sleep here?" cried Jesse. "When we know there is a madman out there after us!"
"We don't have any choice. I'll stay up all night on guard and I'll have my gun. If anyone wants to attack us they'll have to get past me first."
Jesse stood with an agonised expression on his face for a few moments but he could see there was no alternative. "Alright," he agreed reluctantly. "But we set off at first light."
Steve nodded and gazed out into the dark. He couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched.
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