003: Light

Genre: Friendship & Light Horror

Rating: K

Characters: Finn & Rey & Poe

It wasn't that Finn and Rey were afraid of the dark. No, no, no. But, given the choice, they'd choose the light over dark.

So the pair made sure they had plenty of flashlights when they went out camping that night.

Finn's parents had set them up a tent in the backyard, far enough into the wood so that they could only just see the house, and the pair couldn't be more excited.

"This is gonna be great," Rey exclaimed as she and Finn walked out to their tent. Their arms were full of their sleeping bags and pillows. "We're gonna make smores, and tell scary stories, and watch the stars, and stay up all night!"

Finn giggled and nodded. "I hope you don't get too scared, I got some good stories!"

"I never get scared," she wrinkled her nose at him before ducking into the tent.

Finn snickered and followed in after her.

They were well into their camping trip, both kids wrapped up in their sleeping bags and blankets. They had bags of half-finished chips littered around them, along with a few comics and books.

Rey clutched a flashlight, or torch as she liked to call it, in her small hands, her knuckles white. Finn was in the middle of a fantastic tale of mysterious cat people who liked to crawl around the woods. Finn leaned forward as he came to the end of the story, Rey leaning forward as well to be able to hear him better.

"...and just when you're about to fall asleep, and you think you're safe under your covers-"

A sound outside of the tent made both of them jump, knocking their foreheads together in the process. Both Finn and Rey hissed, rubbing their foreheads.

"Very funny Finn," Rey whispered.

"What I do?"

"You...you got someone out there tryna scare me!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-uh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-"

There was another noise and Finn grabbed Rey's hand. They stayed quiet for a moment, trying to listen out for another noise. There was a snap of a twig.

Rey shifted up onto her knees, squeezing Finn's hand. She looked toward the entrance of the tent and frowned.

"You wanna go inside?"

"We have to go outside to go inside."

"Well..." Finn started, "we can't just stay in here, right? I mean...what if it's a wild animal or something?"

Rey nodded. "Okay...you can turn on the torch and I'll grab a stick to fight off whatever is out there."

Finn nodded, picked up a flashlight and clicked it on. Rey squeezed his hand again and moved to unzip the opening to the tent. Finn stepped forward and waved the light around. A shadow darted away from the light.

Finn swallowed. "Okay, let's hurry," he said and pulled her along.

"Finn, wait, the stick!"

"Rey I saw something," Finn whispered as they walked through the wood.

Rey stepped closer to him. "What was it?"

"I don't know."

Chills traveled down their spines at the thought and they picked up their pace. They heard another stick snap behind and quickly picking up the pace. Rey and Finn didn't run, but they did move faster, coming upon the edge of the woods.

"Guys!"

A shadow darted out from the left and grabbed onto Finn's arm. He screamed and dropped the flashlight, Rey tensed and squeezed Finn's upper arm. Once the moment of horror passed Rey huffed and pushed at the shadow.

"Poe! What the heck?"

"You parents said you guys were camping. I wanna camp."

Finn sighed and rubbed his face. "You really freaked us out."

"Sorry, sorry," Poe rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't have a light so...I was just kind of walking in the dark."

The pair shook their heads but ultimately laughed about it, glad that it wasn't some kind of animal or monster out stalking them in the woods.

"Okay, let's head back," Rey said, "It's my turn and I've got a story that'll leave you both crying."

She grinned, pulling Finn after her, back toward the tent, Poe following after the shine of the flashlight.